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Littleton Independent
Pressure is building as local high school football teams inch closer to their respective state championship aspirations, and the quarterfinals bring electric matchups year in and year out for fans to enjoy on the edge of their seats.
This week, the quarterfinals are on deck for 3A, 4A and 5A teams, with the higher seed hosting the lower seed until the state championship game.
We’ve compiled the top five games to keep an eye on this weekend, with teams testing their mettle against stronger teams than they’ve faced all season long.
Here are the can’t-miss matchups this Friday and Saturday.
This 3A quarterfinal matchup kicks off on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 3:30 p.m. Pomona, the No. 3-ranked team in the 3A state tournament, took care of business in the first round, handling No. 14 Conifer 49-28 at home to advance.
It’s Pomona’s first playoff run since 2021. Dennis Pleuss reports that the Panthers (8-3) were coming off a regular-season finale loss to top-seeded Thompson Valley in the season finale that cost Pomona the 3A North 1 League title. The Panthers will be hungry to stay alive.
Windsor, No. 6 in the state tournament, shut out No. 11 Mountain View 36-0 in the first round to advance. The Wizards (10-1 record) are one of the hottest groups in 3A, riding a 10-game winning streak.
This 4A quarterfinal matchup is on Friday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. at Jeffco Stadium. No. 1-ranked Dakota Ridge enjoyed a first-round bye before handling No. 17 Loveland 49-21 in the second-round matchup. The Eagles (10-1 record) lost the first week of the regular season to Chatfield but haven’t lost since.
Ponderosa, ranked No. 8 in the 4A state tournament, is enjoying a five-game winning streak going into the matchup. After a first-round bye of their own, the Mustangs (8-3 record) won big against No. 9 Grand Junction in the second round 42-14.
This will be a test of two hot teams eager to punch their tickets to the semifinal next week.
Two undefeated offensive 5A juggernauts meet on Friday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. as No. 2 Mountain Vista hosts No. 7 Fairview at Halftime Help Stadium. The Golden Eagles, who enjoyed a first-round bye, walloped No. 15 Fossil Ridge in the second round to win 49-14.
Mountain Vista (11-0 record and 5-0 in the 5A South Metro League) is led by star quarterback Austyn Modrzewski, the reigning Gatorade Colorado Football Player of the Year and the first to be chosen from Mountain Vista High School.
Fairview (11-0 record and 5-0 in the 5A Front Range – North League), also enjoyed a first-round bye before taking on No. 10 Chatfield in the second round. The Knights beat Chatfield 42-15 to advance.
Now, one team will have to go home and take their first loss of the season.
These two 10-1 teams have continued to find ways to win on their way to the quarterfinal. No. 3 Ralston Valley will host No. 6 Legend on Saturday, Nov. 23, at the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada.
The Mustangs, whose only loss came from Valor Christian in Week 5, won the 5A Metro League 5-0 and beat rival No. 14 Arvada West 24-12 in the second round to advance after a first-round bye.
Legend also enjoyed a bye in the first round before surviving against No. 11 Arapahoe in the second round to win 24-20. The Titans’ only loss of the season came to Columbine in a 16-14 game in Week 3.
Will 24 points be enough for either team to advance to the semifinal?
An electric battle of one-loss powerhouses is expected between No. 4 Columbine and No. 5 Valor Christian on Saturday, Nov. 23 at noon.
The Rebels (10-1 overall and 4-1 in the in the 5A Metro League) are mad they aren’t undefeated. Columbine’s only loss of the season came in overtime to league rival Ralston Valley in Week 8, losing 35-34. Still, after a first-round bye, the Rebels cruised by No. 20 Cherokee Trail to win 42-21 in the second round.
The Eagles (10-1 overall and 4-1 in the 5A South Metro League) also suffered one loss during the season but with a much larger deficit. Mountain Vista crushed Valor 62-21 in Week 6 to spoil the Eagles’ undefeated aspirations.
But Valor Christian refocused, winning its next four games to earn a first-round bye in the state tournament. In the second round, the Eagles snuck by No. 12 Regis Jesuit to win 24-17 to advance. Columbine is a different monster, so get your popcorn ready and see who comes out on top to advance to the Final Four.
Keep in mind: this list is subjective and there is no shortage of exciting high school football matchups this weekend, including semifinal matchups in 6-man, 8-man, 1A and 2A classes at Dutch Clark Stadium in Pueblo.
Visit CHSAANow.com/sports/football for all brackets and additional information about this weekend’s playoff action.
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