Class 1A League Predictions Update Week 4
The third week of the regular season is complete, and we are still about a week to 2 weeks away from leagues kicking off league action. For most team this is a big week to pick up a non-league win. Starting this week, I will have my Playoff Predictions and Projection sin a separate article. Also, starting next week we will change up the format of the article to move more into the playoff hunt mode and start eliminating teams from the playoff hunt.
Foothills
#1 Platte Canyon
#2 Bennett
#3 Manual
#4 Jefferson
#5 Clear Creek
#6 Sheridan
The Foothills league continues to look more and more like only 1 team from this league will get into the playoffs. Platte Canyon stays as my pick to win the Foothills league. Platte Canyon is currently 1-2 overall and have a big game against Monte Vista this week. Platte Canyon opens league play against Sheridan on 10/2. Bennett is currently 0-2 and have a big task this week when they host Limon. Bennett is looking for a big upset and honestly Bennett could enter league play at 0-4 with rival Strasburg coming to town next week. Manual is currently 1-2 but played tough against 2A Kent Denver losing 20-6. Manual I think could easily challenge for the league title this season. Manual has a bye this week before facing Banning Lewis in a crucial non-league game. Jefferson and Sheridan have Bye’s this week. Clear Creek will look for their first win of the season when they host 2A Arvada.
North Central
#1 Limon
#2 Holyoke
#3 Wray
#4 Yuma
#5 Wiggins
#6 Burlington
The North Central League must be the toughest League in Class 1A with all 6 teams looking to be very competitive this year. I do think that 5 of the 6 teams could get into the playoffs but we will see. Limon is my pick to win the North Central League. Limon picked up an important 20-0 victory over Strasburg last week. Limon this week will face Bennett and look to move to 3-0. Holyoke improved to 2-0 on the season beating Bridgeport NE 27-20. Holyoke this weekend will have their hands full against undefeated Florence. This will be a massive non-league game between two traditional powers and will have big implications towards the playoffs. Wray and Burlington will meet up this weekend in a non-league matchup (Thanks to Coloradopreps.com for the info). This will be a good test to see how two young teams will battle throughout the league schedule. Yuma is currently 1-1 and are coming off a bye week. Yuma will travel to Ault to face Highland in a crucial non-league battle. This could be a the difference in the North Central getting 4 or 5 teams into the playoffs. Wiggins is currently 3-0 and have a bye this weekend. They pick up action next week against Flatirons Academy which is another big non-league game.
Northern League
#1 Strasburg
#2 Highland
#3 Flatirons Academy
#4 Estes Park
#5 Prospect Ridge
Strasburg is my pick to win the Northern League and their brutal non-league schedule continues this week when they face Centauri. Strasburg and Centauri have formed quite the rivalry and have meet in the playoffs since 2017 with Strasburg winning the matchup every time. I will be excited to see how these two teams match up. Highland is 2-1 overall and picked up a solid 42-6 victory over Platte Canyon. Highland will host Yuma in a big non-league game. Highland will be looking for a key non-league win and this could be it. Flatirons Academy moves into my 3rd place pick this week. Flatirons Academy is currently 2-0 and coming off a 46-7 victory over Jefferson. Flatirons Academy will be tested this week by 2A Denver West. The first real big test will be when Flatirons Academy faces Wiggins on 9/24. Estes Park is currently 1-1 and they are coming off a 55-6 loss to Wray. Estes Park will look to bounce back this Friday against Fort Lupton. Estes Park schedule gets tough the next two weekends, so this is a big game for them. Prospect Ridge picked up their first win of the season blasting Sheridan 64-0. Prospect Ridge will look to move their record to 2-2 when they host Banning Lewis.
Santa Fe League
#1 Peyton
#2 Rocky Ford
#3 Banning Lewis
#4 Trinidad
Peyton is my pick to win the Santa Fe League. Peyton moved to 2-1 on the season squeaking out the 14-8 victory over Center. Peyton will face a huge task this week when they travel to Buena Vista. Peyton will take another stab at a top team from the Tri-Peaks. Rocky Ford stays at #2 this week. Rocky Ford lost to Rye 15-6 in a very tight battle. Rocky Ford has a must win game this week against C.S Christian. If Rocky Ford wants any shot at the playoffs this is a must win game. Banning Lewis moved into the win column beating Del Norte 41-6. Banning Lewis had a big second half to pull away from Del Norte and defensively played well. Trinidad is currently 0-2 and play Del Norte this week this is a must win for both Trinidad and Del Norte.
Southern Peaks
#1 Centauri
#2 Monte Vista
#3 Center
#4 Ignacio
#5 Del Norte
Centauri is my pick to win the Southern Peaks League. Centauri face rival and nemesis Strasburg this week in Pueblo. As mentioned above Centauri has faced Strasburg in the playoffs every year since 2017 and losing every matchup. Centauri will look for some revenge this year and look to move to 4-0. Monte Vista is currently 1-2 on the season losing back-to-back games to top 10 opponents in Alamosa (2A) and North Fork. Monte Vista has a must win game against Platte Canyon this week. Monte Vista defensively has played well and this week it comes down to their offense getting going. Center is currently 1-2 on the season. Center fell in a close game to Peyton 14-8 last week. Center has a big non-league game against Rye tonight and could be key for trying to get into the playoffs. Ignacio is currently 3-0 on the season but have yet to play a quality opponent. That does change a big this week when Ignacio hosts Navajo Prep NM. Ignacio will be tested in this game, but their schedule gets much tougher when they kick league play off on 10/8 against Center. Del Norte is currently 0-3 on the season but they have improved this season. Del Norte played tough against Gunnison, Platte Canyon, and in the first half against Banning Lewis. Del Norte has a must win game to keep any playoff hopes alive against Trinidad this weekend.
Tri-Peaks
#1 Buena Vista
#2 Florence
#3 Rye
#4 C.S Christian
Buena Vista is my pick to win the Tri-Peaks league. Buena Vista is currently 3-0 but their schedule does take a much tougher turn this week. Buena Vista this week hosts Peyton. Buena Vista will look to continue the Tri-Peaks league dominance on the Santa Fe League. Florence is currently 3-0 and have yet to surrender a point this year. Florence last week had an impressive win over Weld Central (2A). This week though Florence will face their biggest test when they host Holyoke. This is a huge game for both teams and as mentioned above will have influence on the playoff race. Rye is currently 2-1 on the season. Rye was able to move past Rocky Ford 15-6 last week in a tight battle. Rye this week face Center in a must win for both teams. C.S Christian is currently 0-2 and as mentioned above they face Rocky Ford in a must win game.
Western Slope
#1 North Fork
#2 Meeker
#3 Gunnison
#4 Grand Valley
#5 Cedaredge
#6 Olathe
#7 Roaring Fork
Just when I thought I started to figure the Western Slope League out things take a crazy turn and I have too make adjustments again to my predictions. North Fork stay as my pick to win the Western Slope League. North Fork moved to 2-0 on the season with a 21-0 victory over Monte Vista. North Fork defensively is very stout, and their offense will grind you down. North Fork kicks off league play this week against Olathe. Olathe is currently 0-3 and they need something to turn their season around. An upset here could do just that. Olathe will have a shot at winning 3 of their next 4 games. Meeker moves back into the #2 spot. Meeker is currently 1-1 and Meeker picked up their first league win of the season over Roaring Fork 40-0. Meeker this week have another league matchup against Cedaredge. Cedaredge is coming off a 20-0 victory over Coal Ridge last week. This is a big game for Cedaredge to try and show they can challenge for a league title. Gunnison had the most impressive victory so far in the Western Slope league. Gunnison knocked off Grand Valley 17-7 and this win changed how I thought the Western Slope may turn out. Gunnison this week take a step away from league play and play 8-Man Dove Creek on Saturday. Gunnison size could give Dove Creek fits. Grand Valley dropped to 2-1 on the season and fall into the #4 spot. Grand Valley was surprised by Gunnison and lost 17-7. Grand Valley will have a shot to bounce back against Roaring Fork this Friday.
MileHigh Prep Report 