Week 8 Class 2A League Breakdown
Colorado League
The Colorado League Championship will be decided this week baring an upset in the final week of the season. Machebeuf will be traveling to take on Kent Denver. Machebeuf is currently sitting in 20th place and will get a bump in RPI regardless of a win or loss. Machebeuf has one of the lowest OWP in 2A but that will increase after this week’s game. Kent Denver is sitting in 6th and are looking to improve their RPI to increase their seed for the playoffs. If Kent Denver wins they win league because they have a very easy game next week. Machebeuf still has to play Elizabeth but will be favored if they win this week. If Machebeuf does not will they will likely need to win their last game to have a chance at the playoffs. This is a big game for both teams and I am going with Kent Denver to win by 14. Elizabeth is the only other team that has a chance at the playoffs. They currently are sitting at 23rd in the RPI. They will likely need to win out to have a chance at the playoffs. They will be cheering on Machebeuf this week that way they can have a chance at the league title in next week’s game. Elizabeth will need a few things to go in their favor if they plan on making the playoffs.
Machebeuf at Kent Denver (League Championship) Englewood at Elizabeth
Ridgeview Academy at Sheridan
RPI of teams in league: 6 Kent Denver .589, 20 Machebeuf .494, 23 Elizabeth .461
Flatirons
The league title was decided last week when Faith Christian upset D’Evelyn. Faith Christian is your league champion barring some huge upset by Arvada this week and Middle Park next week. I don’t see either team doing that. Faith Christian is currently sitting at #14 and would have a home game providing they don’t slip outside the top 16. If you’re a team sitting in 16th or 15th you want Faith to finish ahead so they don’t steal a spot from you. D’Evelyn is sitting in 9th and are nearly a lock for the playoffs. They play Middle Park this week and that win won’t hurt their RPI to much but the last week of the season will hurt their RPI as Denver West has not won a game but D’Evelyn will easily stay in the Top 16. No other teams is in the top 25 besides these two so I don’t think they will have much of a chance at the playoffs.
Faith Christian at Arvada D’Evelyn at Middle Park
Jefferson at Denver West
Patriot-West
The Patriot West title won’t be settled until next week. Eaton and Resurrection Christian should both win easily this week and will meet up next week to decide it all. Resurrection Christian is sitting 2nd in the RPI and are a lock to make the playoffs but would like to challenge La Junta for the #1 overall seed. Eaton on the other hand is currently sitting at 19th and are on the outside looking in. They won’t get much help this week in terms of RPI but next week will give them a strong bump win or lose. If Eaton loses this week they will essentially be eliminated unless they win the league title. A big game this week is Academy at University. Academy is currently on a two game losing streak and last week got blanked by Eaton 41 to 0 so they will need to quickly bounce back. Academy is fighting for its chance at the playoffs and sitting in 21st they need a big win. University is sitting much better and are at #7. A loss would hurt their RPI just a bit and they won’t get much help next week so a win here for University is key. I am going with University here to win by 10.
Academy at University Prospect Ridge at Eaton
Resurrection Christian at Pinnacle
RPI of teams in league: 2 Resurrection Christian .673, 7 University .585, 19 Eaton .496, 21 Academy .470
Patriot-East
The Patriot East won’t completely be decided till next week but for the winner they will be in the driver seat. The big game is Sterling at Weld Central. Weld Central is having a great year and are on a long winning streak and are sitting at 7-0 this year. This will be their first big test in some weeks. They have ran through opponents such as Valley and Manual but Sterling is a top ten team and have played a rigorous schedule. Weld Central can’t completely lock up the league title as they face Platte Valley next week but would just have to win that game to grab the league title. Weld Central is currently in 4th place in the RPI but a loss even though Sterling is a great team will hurt their RPI. Weld Central RPI is high because of their winning percentage as they have the 3rd lowest OWP in the top 25 of the RPI. So a loss will drop them a bit and losing two in a row could put them in danger. Sterling has won four straight games after dropping their first three to top ten opponents. Sterling is sitting at #10 in the RPI. A win would give them a huge boost and possibly jump them into the top 7. A win would essentially give them the league title they still have to play Valley to close the year out but I don’t think Sterling will struggle with them too much. Sterling will get into the playoffs win or lose this game but I know they want that league championship and the guaranteed home game. I am going with Sterling by 17 points in this game. Platte Valley should grab a win against Brush this week but it won’t help their RPI to much but a win will help their WP. Platte Valley is in 12th and should be able to make a small move with a win. Valley should also win but they need more help to keep a hold of the 16th spot and could see them drop out of the top 16 with a win.
Brush at Platte Valley Fort Lupton at Valley
Sterling at Weld Central
RPI of teams in league: 4 Weld Central .598, 10 Sterling .575, 12 Platte Valley .553, 16 Valley .530, 22 Brush .462
Tri-Peaks
La Junta has all but wrapped up the league title but still have two more tough games ahead of them. This week they face a young Salida team that has improved each week and they nearly pulled off a monster upset of Manitou Springs last week. Salida will be much better next year and possibly if the growth continues thru the summer a possible top ten team next year. La Junta is #1 in the RPI and should finish either #1 or #2. Classical Academy should also grab a win and stay just a game behind La Junta and they finish the year off against Manitou Springs. Classical Academy is sitting in 3rd and if the playoffs started today would have a home game in the first round. They will lock that up with a win against Manitou Springs and vice versa if Manitou Springs pulls the upset then they would be home and Classical Academy will be traveling. Manitou Springs has a tough game this week. They face off against Florence and Florence is fighting for their playoff life. Florence is sitting in 18th place and their final two games will give them a huge boost in RPI. Florence might need to pull an upset in one of the final two but they will get RPI boost either way. I think if Florence is going to pull an upset it will be this week against Manitou Springs. Florence played tough against TCA last week so they are prepared for another tough battle. Manitou Springs nearly was upset last week and are on high upset alert this week as well. They don’t have as high of a OWP as TCA and La Junta so a loss could possibly drop them out of the top 10. Manitou Springs would love to play at home in the first round but that will only be possibly if they win out. I am going with Florence in the upset here by 7.
Classical Academy at Lamar Florence at Manitou Springs
La Junta at Salida
RPI of teams in league: 1 La Junta .725, 3 Classical Academy .618, 5 Manitou Springs .594, 18 Florence .515, 24 Salida .459
Western Slope
The Western Slope title could be decided for one team this week but the other will have a tough game the following week and that will be for the league title. Moffat County will travel to Basalt and it will possibly be for the league championship. Moffat County currently is sitting in 25th and will need the league title to get into the playoffs. They will have a tough time against a Basalt team who is clicking on all cylinders. Moffat County with a win will lock up the league title as they play Aspen in the final week and should easily win that game. Basalt is currently in 15th and might also need the league title to get in. Their league strength is way down so a loss could possibly drop them out of the top 16. Basalt with the win will set up their league title game next week against Roaring Fork unless Roaring Fork losses to Coal Ridge then Basalt is your league Champions. Basalt will be the heavy favorite in this game and I am going with them to win by 21. Roaring Fork will be cheering for Basalt this week. Roaring Fork first must take care of business then hope for a close game between Basalt and Moffat County because they will have to beat Basalt in the final week by more than the score between the two. Roaring Fork only chance at the playoffs is a league title. Once again the Western Slope will be a one team league.
Moffat County at Basalt Roaring Fork at Coal Ridge
Steamboat Springs at Aspen
Intermountain
There is a huge game this week and possibly a league title could be decided. Bayfield travels to Delta and the big match up of the year finally happens. Bayfield is currently sitting in 11th but won’t be hurt by their final two games as they play Alamosa in the final game. Bayfield will want to repeat as league champions and they are also a young team so we should continue to see more from this team in years to come. Bayfield with a win here would still have to beat Alamosa in the season finale to be crowned league champions. Delta is in 8th place and have been paced by their rushing attack. These two have plenty of common opponents and all their game were nearly identical so this should be a great game. Delta with a win will lock up their league title. Both teams want the league title and expect a great game. I am going with Bayfield in a nail bitter by 7. Alamosa is currently in 13th but won’t get much help to their RPI this week. They should get into the playoff by winning this week and then will get a big RPI boost in the final week. Gunnison is in 17th and currently on the outside looking in. They are only .005 behind 16th but won’t get much help this week like Alamosa. They do play Delta in the league finale so they will also get an RPI boost their. Gunnison must win this week though to have any chance at the final spot. Both Gunnison and Alamosa have a good chance at getting into the playoffs.
Bayfield at Delta Montezuma Cortez at Gunnison
Pagosa Springs at Alamosa
The 2A Player of the Week
The 2A player of the week goes to Cole Sienknecht of Manitou Springs High School. In Manitou Springs 35 to 34 win over Salida Sienknecht threw for 125 yards on 5 of 7 attempts for 3 touchdowns and also ran for 120 yards.
MileHigh Prep Report 