The CHSAA state football playoffs continue this weekend with the quarterfinals in Class 5A and Class 4A. All game times listed are on Friday, Nov. 19, unless noted otherwise.
Class 5A
No. 9 Columbine (9-3) at No. 1 Valor Christian (11-0), 6 p.m., Valor Stadium — After dispatching of Jeffco foe Arvada West last week, coach Andy Lowry and the Rebels face a much stiffer test against title favorite Valor. Senior Gavin Sawchuk, an Oklahoma pledge and the state’s top-rated recruit, leads 5A with 1,576 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. Columbine junior LB Payton Wainwright & Co. must be gap-sound. Senior RB/OLB Seth Cromwell (1,248 yards/20 TDs and 70 tackles/four sacks) is the Rebels’ two-way heart and soul.
No. 5 Ralston Valley (9-2) at No. 4 Grandview (9-2), 7 p.m., Legacy Stadium — It’s a rematch of Ralston Valley’s 24-13 win on Sept. 17, when the Mustangs jumped out to a 17-0 halftime lead and hung on for the win. Ralston Valley has seven players with at least 100 yards receiving, while on defense, senior OLB Steele Fredricks (85 tackles) headlines the unit. The Wolves, led by first-year head coach Tom Doherty, feature a balanced offense paced by sophomore QB Liam Szarka and senior RB Moosah Alsaffar.
No. 7 Regis Jesuit (8-3) at No. 2 Cherry Creek (9-2), 7 p.m., Stutler Bowl — Two-time defending champion Cherry Creek hosts the Raiders in a rematch of the Bruins’ 34-14 win on Sept. 24. Junior QB Christian Hammon and sophomore ILB Angelo Petrides are keys for CCHS. The game features two of the state’s top pass-rushers: Bruins junior Blake Purchase (11 sacks) and Raiders senior Nunie Tuitele (12). Plus, the Raiders have the Carroll brothers, senior WR/DB Dallas Macias and junior DE Hayden Moore.
No. 6 Arapahoe (9-2) at No. 3 Legend (10-1), 1 p.m. Saturday, EchoPark Stadium — Legend’s lone loss came to Mullen, while Arapahoe proved its mettle with a win over Cherry Creek on Oct. 15. Senior LB Jack Weiler anchors Arapahoe’s defense, and two other captains, senior QB Cole Hansen and senior OLB/TE Jackson Adams, are also critical. Legend’s offense has been dynamic behind senior QB Colton Warner, senior WR Jackson Brush and senior RB Bryce Vaz, while senior CB Nate Smith is 5A’s interception leader (7).
Class 4A
No. 8 Fountain-Fort Carson (10-1) at No. 1 Montrose (11-0), 6 p.m., Montrose Stadium — Undefeated Montrose has won all but two games this season in blowout fashion, while the Trojans’ lone loss came Sept. 9 to Chatfield. Sophomore QB Gage Wareham and senior RB Ethan Hartman are both dangerous weapons for the Indians, who routed Denver South at home last week. But coach Jake Novotny and FFC have playmakers too, namely senior RB Dezmen Oliver (1,559 rushing yards and 24 TDs) and junior ILB/RB Tai Faavae.
No. 5 Erie (11-0) at No. 4 Palmer Ridge (10-1), 1 p.m. Saturday, Don Breese Stadium — After finishing runner-up last year, the Bears are hungry for their first 4A crown following three consecutive 3A titles from 2017-19. Sophomore QB Derek Hester continues the tradition of high-yardage gunslingers in Monument, while senior RB Connor Cook gives the Bears balance. Erie, meanwhile, hasn’t had a competitive game all fall, winning by an average of 33.2 points. The Tigers are led by sophomore QB Blake Barnett and senior RB Caleb Theisen.
No. 7 Chatfield (8-3) at No. 2 Dakota Ridge (11-0) 7 p.m., Jeffco Stadium — If the second version of this bout lives up to the first, Jeffco fans are in for a thriller. The Eagles beat the Chargers 29-28 in the regular season finale, when junior Landon Giebler’s late 28-yard field goal sealed Dakota Ridge’s comeback. Senior QB Adam Graves, junior RB Noah Triplett, senior WR Connor Fitzhugh and sophomore LB Brayden Cusick are the Eagles’ main catalysts, while the Chargers are led by senior RB Jake Marschall and junior MLB Cade Thomas.
No. 6 Loveland at No. 3 Pine Creek, 7 p.m., District 20 Stadium — The defending champs haven’t lost to a 4A opponent this year. The Red Wolves’ lone setback was to Ralston Valley. Loveland is led by junior dual-threat QB Garrett Harstad, while senior MLB Ian Loomis leads 4A with 136 tackles, including 20 for loss and eight sacks. Pine Creek — whose lone losses also came to 5A teams in Legend and Regis Jesuit — is led by junior QB Josiah Roy, junior MLB Brett Alvey and senior RB Zion Hill, who had 169 yards last week.
