Class 1A Week 8 League Breakdown
Northern
The Northern League title will be final after this week. Strasburg will travel to Cornerstone Christian. Cornerstone Christian is not ranked in the top 25 of the RPI but a win would shoot them straight up the list plus give them a real shot at a league title. Strasburg is sitting at #2 and I don’t think Cornerstone will be able to handle their high powered offense and Strasburg should win by 35 points and be your Northern League Champion after this week. Strasburg will be hoping to stay in contention for a top 3 seed but their league is not giving them any help and their final two games will hurt their RPI more than help. Highland has second place all but locked up. They are currently sitting in 9th place and will probably drop by the time the season is over. Highland will finish 6-3 and more than likely will grab a playoff spot. The Northern league only has two teams in the Top 25 and those are the only two will real playoff chances.
Byers at Lyons Strasburg at Cornerstone Christian
Estes Park at Highland
North Central
The North Central League title won’t be decided until next week when Burlington faces off against Limon. This week Limon should easily beat Yuma. Limon is ranked 7th in the RPI and are a lock for the playoffs. Holyoke travels to Wray this week and that will not be an easy one. Wray has improved every week this year and had a tough hard fought game against Burlington last week. They will be a tough team come next year. Holyoke is fighting for their playoff lives. They are sitting in 13th and one loss would hurt their RPI especially to Wray. Holyoke must win out for any chance at the playoffs. They are still alive for the playoff and must hope for Limon to upset Burlington and then it will be a three team tie and score differential will take over. Holyoke will have their hand full this week but should get out with a tough 7 point win. Burlington faces off against a young and improving Wiggins team this week. Wiggins has continued to improve each week as well. They are starting a ton of youth and will be a force to reckon with next year. They are not in the top 25 but an upset here might push them into it. Burlington is in control of their own fate. If they win out they win the league title plus a home game in the first round. Wiggins will be a tough out but Burlington should grab the victory. Burlington is ranked 11th in the RPI and still somewhat on the bubble. Their biggest knock has been their SOS. Burlington would love to set up a league title match with Limon next week and a win will do that. I am going with Burlington by 21. Only three teams have a chance at the playoffs in the North Central and only one can feel secure right now.
Yuma at Limon Burlington at Wiggins
Holyoke at Wray
Foothills
The Foothills league is the one league still very much up in the air. Three teams are still fighting for the title but one of those teams could be knocked out this week. The game I am talking about is Clear Creek at Platte Canyon. Clear Creek is having a great season at 6-1 but currently they are sitting at 19th in the RPI and must jump up three spots to have a chance at the league title. Clear Creek will get a bump in RPI this week but won’t get much help in the final week of the season. They will be looking to upset the run heavy Platte Canyon team. Clear Creek must stop the run or will be in big trouble. Platte Canyon must get by Clear Creek to set up their league title match up with Bennett. Platte Canyon is facing an offense that likes to throw the ball and must be ready for that. Platte Canyon is sitting in 5th right now and would like to host a game in the first round. They have had a tough time getting out of the first round and a home game could help with that. I am going with Platte Canyon by 10. The other big game is Manual at Bennett. Manual is sitting in 20th and have struggled against top talent this year. They lost 41-0 to Weld Central and 38 to 14 to Platte Canyon. They will need their A game plus an amazing run defense as Bennett wants to control the clock. Bennett has only been slowed down one time on offense this year and I am not sure if Manual is up to the challenge. Manual will get a slight bump in their RPI this week but won’t get much help in the final week. Bennett is sitting in 3rd in the RPI and would be playing at home even without the league title. I know Bennett would prefer the league title though. They should easily move my Manual this week and set up their game with Platte Canyon for the league title next week.
Manual at Bennett Vail Christian at Front Range Christian
Clear Creek at Platte Canyon
Southern Peaks
The league title in the Southern Peaks league will be decided this week when Monte Vista takes on Center. Monte Vista played their best game of the season last week dropping 41 points on a John Mall team who has not allowed over 28 points this year. Monte Vista is currently sitting at 23rd so a league title may be their only chance into the playoffs. Monte Vista has not lost to Center since dropping to 1A but Center is much improved this year and it’s also in Center but this game will be well attended by the Monte Vista fans. For Monte Vista to win the league title they must win by more than 5 points and if they do the league title is there’s. Hopefully we have are stream fixed on 96.5 KSLV on network one sports so you can listen to the game. I and Brian Stevenson will be broadcasting it. Center is on a hot streak winning three straight games and now fully control their own destiny. If Center wins they win league. Pretty simple but standing in their way is Monte Vista. Center played their first game without their starting QB. He will have to be a key contributor to open up running lanes for the running backs. Center has relied heavily on the option and will need it again this weekend to pull off the victory. Center is sitting in 6th in the RPI so they don’t need the league title to get in but would prefer the home game and of course their first league title in many years. I am going with the upset here and picking Monte Vista to win by 14. Another team very interested in this game is Centauri. Even though Centauri beat Monte Vista they only beat Monte Vista by 2 so they have to hope that Monte Vista only beats Center by 1 or 2. I will have to check on that but I believe that is correct. Centauri is currently sitting in 21st and I am not sure if there is enough points left for them to make a run. They have Dolores and John Mall to close the season and neither will finish with a .500 record. Like I said earlier hopefully we have are stream fixed and tune into KSLVradio.com and just click on the network 1 sports logo and then find the game you want to listen to from the list of games and click listen!
Monte Vista at Center Dolores at Centauri
Ignacio at John Mall
Santa Fe
The Santa Fe won’t officially have are league champion till next week but we could possibly have that decided by this week. Crowley County faces off against Trinidad and should easily win this week. That would put them in control of their destiny and await the result of the Rocky Ford vs Ellicott game. Crowley County is sitting in 15th and has not been helped by their OWP. They will want that league title to make sure they are in the playoffs. They could possibly be the only team in. Rocky Ford at Ellicott is going to be a shootout. Rocky Ford is having a great year but the only way they make it into the playoffs is by winning their league. Which means beating a very good Ellicott team. Rocky Ford is out of the top 25 right on and would need a ton to go their way but I am not sure if that will happen so a league title is their main option. Ellicott is sitting in 18th place and are .020 behind 16th. They still very much alive for a wildcard spot. This game will be a big boost for both teams but bigger if Ellicott beat Rocky Ford. Ellicott has relied heavily on the big plays and I expect there to be plenty of them this week. If Ellicott beats Rocky Ford then they will be hoping Rocky Ford upsets Crowley County and they could still win a share of the league title. This is the final game for Ellicott and a win would be beneficial then they will be cheering on the teams they have played to help their RPI. I am going with Ellicott beating Rocky Ford by 10.
Rocky Ford at Ellicott Crowley County at Trinidad
Tri-Peaks
The Tri-Peaks league won’t be decided till next week but one team could grab a huge boost towards locking it up this week. Colorado Springs Christian will win this week and move to 3-1 and then will await to see the results of the game. They are 25th in the RPI and will more than likely need a league title to get in. They can achieve that two different ways. One is Peyton beats Buena Vista then Colorado Springs Christian beat Peyton by more than what they beat Buena Vista by and Colorado Springs Christian is your league champion. The other option which will be much tougher is Buena Vista beats Peyton then Rye beats Buena Vista and Colorado Springs Christian beat Peyton and then point spread will break the tie between them and Buena Vista. The first options probably seems easier for Colorado Springs Christian so they must await the results. Rye should also be victorious this week as they play St. Mary’s. Rye is sitting in 17th and won’t get much help this week but their season finale could give them the boost they need to grab a playoff spot. They are out of the league title race but could sneak in as a wild card. The game already mentioned is Buena Vista at Peyton. Buena Vista is looking to repeat as league champions and a win would put them in control. They would have to avoid the upset next week against Rye but they would essentially have the driver seat to the playoffs. Buena Vista is sitting in 14th place so they won’t feel completely secure unless they have that league title. Peyton also will be in the driver seat with a win but will have to avoid a letdown next week against Colorado Springs Christian. Peyton will be looking to end Buena Vista streak on the Tri-Peaks title. A simple win will do that for them. Peyton is sitting in 12th place and cannot feel completely secure either. Both Peyton and Buena Vista will get some help with the RPI this week and next week but the winner will feel the best especially with the league title within grasps. I am going to go with Peyton to end Buena Vista streak of league title and I have Peyton winning by 13. The Tri-Peaks could possibly be cleared up after this week.
Buena Vista at Peyton Lak County at Colorado Springs Christian
Rye at St. Mary’s
Western Slope
The game people have marked all year on their calendars is here and it looks to be a dandy. Paonia travels to Meeker and this looks to be a for the league title. Paonia is sitting in 4th place and are a lock for the playoffs but they want to keep hold of the Western Slope league title one more season. They are also looking for the #1 overall seed as well. Both teams will be looking to avoid the side of the bracket with Strasburg and would prefer to be playing them for the league title. If Paonia wins this week and Cedaredge beats Grand Valley then Paonia wins the league title. Meeker is sitting in 1st in the RPI and would love to have the #1 overall seed. That could happen with a big win over Paonia. They will need to bring their A game on the defensive side of the ball but they have been very dominate on that side of the ball. Only allowing 20 points once to Holyoke. Meeker with a win grabs the league title. I don’t see them losing to Olathe in the season Finale so a win against Paonia give them the league title and more than likely a #1 or #2 seed. I am going with Meeker to win by 10. Another big game is Cedaredge at Grand Valley. Grand Valley is sitting in 10th and are more than likely even losing their final two in the playoffs. They are having a great season going 5-2 and still have a chance for a league title. Grand Valley must first beat Cedaredge and then hope Paonia beats Meeker. Then Grand Valley would have to upset Paonia and then they would grab a share of the league title. Cedaredge cannot win the league title but would love to finish in third place. Cedaredge is 8th in the RPI and winning out should keep them in the top 10. They face Hotchkiss in the league finale so that is very much possible. Cedaredge was unable to get their offense going against a tough, physical, and fast defense from Meeker last week. Cedaredge will have to quickly rebound and I think they will. I am going with Cedaredge here winning by 14. Hotchkiss vs Olathe is another important game as well. The loser will more than likely be eliminated from the playoffs. Olathe sits in 22nd and would need to win this game and possibly their season final which will be tough. Hotchkiss is sitting in 16th and are looking to hold onto a playoff spot. They would also like to end a three game losing streak this week as well. With a win this week they should be positioned to make the playoffs. Their RPI will get a boost next week regardless of the result but they must take care of business this week. I am going with Hotchkiss winning this week by 7.
Paonia at Meeker Cedaredge at Grand Valley
Hotchkiss at Olathe
The 1A Player of the Week
The 1A Player of the Week is Jeff Holbrook from Grand Valley High School. In Grand Valley victory over Hotchkiss Holbrook threw for 86 yards on 5 of 11 attempts and ran for 172 yards and 3 touchdowns. Holbrook was also in on 6 tackles and give Grand Valley a chance still for a league title.
MileHigh Prep Report 