Thursday night I attended Valor Christian’s drubbing of Overland at the Stutler Bowl. The Eagles, per usual, looked formidable – but they’re certainly not unbeatable. (Remember how everyone has whined for the past three years that Valor Christian will never be beaten? How life is just so unfair? Well, they’ve lost two already this season…) But, they didn’t lose this Centennial League matchup. The lopsided score – 45-20 – didn’t well-represent some fantastic plays from both teams, nor did it reflect a perfect fall evening for high school football. It is October, and indeed time to get out and check out the preps (it smells like football outside, for crying out loud).
With that in mind, here are my top-three “Friday Night Lights Specials” this week. As luck would have it, I caught up with my guy, Dan “The Dandy Prep Man” Mohrmann at the Valor-OHS game (read his full story here) last night, and these are the gems he’s recommending tonight…
Class 5A: (1) Cherry Creek at (10) Cherokee Trail
Says Mohrmann: “The Cougars made their way back in the CHSAANow.com top 10 after falling out last week. Their reward? A date with Dave Logan’s top-ranked Cherry Creek Bruins. The Creek defense has been stout this year, and following a 7-6 win over then No. 2 Pomona, the Bruins are showing that they are once again the team to beat in 5A. But there’s nothing a like matchup between two district rivals to potentially shake up the rankings this time of year.” Editor’s Note: Never count Cherokee Trail out. They’re always – always – athletic. Keep an eye on RB/DB Quincey Voss, who can change a game in a hurry.
A No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup is next in our series…
Class 4A: (2) Vista Ridge at (1) Pine Creek
Says Mohrmann: “After leading the Wolves to a 40-28 win over Palmer Ridge in an offensive shootout, Vista Ridge quarterback Elway Tubbs gets his shot at one of the state’s best defensive units in Pine Creek. With JoJo Domann lurking in the defensive backfield for the Eagles, this could be one of the more exciting match-ups this season and some think it could be a preview of the 4A state title game. If the game stays low scoring, it should go in the Eagles’ favor, but if it turns into a shootout, Vista Ridge has a legitimate shot to hand the Eagles their first loss of the season.” Editor’s Note: Can anyone beat Pine Creek? Personally, I’m not so sure. But Mohrmann talks an awful lot about this kid they’re calling “Elway” (rightfully so, since his name is, well, Elway). If there’s anyone who can beat Pine Creek, it stands to be Vista Ridge. Should be a doozy.
We close with a battle of top-5 teams…
Class 5A: (2) Columbine at (5) Mullen
Says Mohrmann: “The No. 2 team in 5A has surrendered 14 points to their opponents this season. In case you’re wondering, that means that the Rebels are good defense. Their ground attack, led by Mikey Griebel, has also proven to be difficult to contain. They topped then No. 3 Ralston Valley last week behind 216 yards of total offense by Griebel. If Columbine gets ahead, their ability to dominate time of possession should help them remain undefeated. If they find themselves down late, it’ll be interesting to see if they can battle back. But that’s a problem they have yet to deal with.” Editor’s Note: Colorado High School Football Rule No. 214 – Never – ever – bet against Andy Lowry.
For more great preps coverage, along with Dan Mohrmann’s weekly “Top 10,” check out CHSAANow.com. Follow Dan on Twitter @DanMohrmann