Class 5A
No. 1 Valor Christian beat No. 16 Fort Collins, 52-2. The Eagles (11-0) moved on to the 5A quarterfinals for the 10th season in a row, dropping 42 points on the Lambkins (9-3) by the six-minute mark of the second quarter. QB Colton Allen threw three TD passes (two to Josh Hall) and Gabe Sawchuk’s second scoring run triggered the running clock at 42-0. Next week: Valor vs. Columbine, Time TBD
No. 9 Columbine beat No. 8 Arvada West, 38-21. The Rebels (9-3) avenged a Week 7 loss to the Wildcats (8-3) behind big nights from backs Seth Cromwell (157 rush yards, 3 TDs) and Tyree Hayes-Trust (103 rush yards) to reach the 5A quarterfinals for the sixth time in seven seasons. Next week: Columbine at Valor, Time TBD
No. 4 Grandview beat No. 13 Mullen, 42-21. QB Liam Szarka threw two touchdown passes and ran for another, while Moosah Alsaffar tacked on a pair of scoring runs as the Wolves (9-2) took a 41-7 lead early in the fourth quarter and eliminated the Mustangs (4-8). Next week: Grandview vs. Ralston Valley, Time TBD
No. 5 Ralston Valley beat No. 12 Cherokee Trail, 42-20. The Cougars (7-5) opened the game with two straight touchdowns to take a 14-0 after one quarter. But Ralston Valley (9-2) responded with 42 points after that, capped by a touchdown run from James Wochner, to advance to the quarterfinals. Next week: Ralston Valley at Grandview, Time TBD
No. 2 Cherry Creek beat No. 18 Mountain Vista, 34-0. The Bruins (9-2) held an opponent scoreless for the third time this season to claim their eighth straight playoff victory dating back to 2019 and end the Golden Eagles’ (5-7) season. Next week: Creek vs. Regis Jesuit, Time TBD
No. 7 Regis Jesuit beat No 10. Pomona, 28-21. The Raiders (8-3) rallied from an early 14-0 deficit, with Zavier Carroll sandwiching a pair of touchdown runs around a rushing score from brother Exander Carroll, Regis’ QB, to take a 28-14 lead in the fourth quarter. The Panthers (7-5) got a late TD run from Dominick Nichols, but ultimately ran out of time. Next week: Regis at Creek, Time TBD
No. 19 Rock Canyon (6-5) at No. 3 Legend (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday. Next week: Winner vs. ThunderRidge-Arapahoe winner, Time TBD
No. 6 Arapahoe beat No. 11 ThunderRidge, 23-16. The Warriors (9-2) built a 16-0 lead by the third quarter, then answered Chase Tompkins’ long TD run for the Grizzlies (9-3) with one more TD to take a 23-6 lead that held up the rest of the night. Next week: Arapahoe vs. Rock Canyon-Legend winner, Time TBD
Class 4A
No. 1 Montrose beat No. 17 Denver South, 56-19. Despite playing without top back Austin Griffin, Montrose (11-0) scored 35 straight points to open the game, including two TD runs from Ethan Hartmann, and the Ravens (9-3) were never able to recover. Next week: FFC at Montrose, Time TBD
No. 8 Fountain-Fort Carson beat No. 9 Golden, 41-0. The Trojans (10-1) opened the game with 35 points in the first two quarters and the defense shut out a high-powered Demons (9-3) offense that entered the night averaging 38.5 points per game. Next week: FFC at Montrose, Time TBD
No. 13 Pueblo West (7-4) at No. 4 Palmer Ridge (9-1), 1 p.m. Saturday. Next week: Winner vs. Fruita Monument-Erie winner, Time TBD
No. 5 Erie beat No. 12 Fruita Monument, 50-26. Blake Barnett found the end zone four times and Caleb Thiesen three times as the Tigers (11-0) crossed the 40-point threshold for the eighth game in a row. Fruita Monument (8-4) scored a touchdown late in the second quarter to draw within 29-14 heading into halftime, but Erie scored three straight TDs to open the third quarter to put the game away. Next week: Erie vs. Pueblo West-Palmer Ridge winner, Time TBD
No. 2 Dakota Ridge beat No. 15 Longmont, 56-35. Caleb Johnson returned the opening kick for a touchdown, and QB Keegan Patterson ran in three touchdowns for the Trojans (7-5), but that wasn’t near enough to match an Eagles (11-0) offensive machine that has topped 40 points in nine of its last 10 games. Noah Triplett’s 91-yard scoring run, immediately after a Dante Capolungo interception, put the finishing touches on the win in the fourth quarter. Next week: Dakota Ridge vs. Chatfield, Time TBD
No. 7 Chatfield beat No. 10 Ponderosa, 31-9. Jake Marschall scored three rushing touchdowns for the Chargers (8-3), the last a long run that ostensibly put the game away late in the third quarter and eliminated the Mustangs (7-5). Next week: Chatfield at Dakota Ridge winner, Time TBD
No. 3 Pine Creek beat No. 14 Bear Creek, 41-7. Cannon Budge set the tone on the opening kick, returning it for a touchdown to ignite a 41-0 run that included three rushing scores from Zion Hill and a pair of TDs from QB Josiah Roy. The win sets up a showdown between two programs responsible for four of the last five 4A titles: Pine Creek (2016 and ’19) and Loveland (2018 and ’20). Next week: Pine Creek vs. Loveland, Time TBD
No. 6 Loveland beat No. 11 Vista Ridge, 48-24. The Red Wolves (10-1) scored touchdowns on each of their first six possessions, with Brandon Hensel accounting for two of them, to take an insurmountable 41-12 lead early in the third quarter. Garrett Harstad had two touchdowns passing and another rushing to help Loveland oust the Vista Ridge (7-4). Next week: Loveland at Pine Creek, Time TBD
