September 8, 2008 10:26 AM

Week 3 football

Classification clashes

All Rocky games of the week are Friday, unless otherwise noted.

* Class 5A: Welcome to the rankings, Chatfield. The Chargers scored an impressive overtime win against then No. 10 Ponderosa in Week 2 after knocking off highly regarded Dakota Ridge in its opener. That sets them up for an early-season showdown in the newly formed Big 8 League against top-ranked Bear Creek. Also of note is fifth-ranked Legacy at Rocky Mountain in a key Front Range League matchup.

* Class 4A: We're twisting it a bit here, since this marquee matchup doesn't involve two teams in this classification, but it's legitimate. Cherry Creek, ranked sixth in 5A, will be at 4A No. 2 Monarch. The Coyotes should be well-rested after having a bye last week.

* Class 3A: The Tri-Valley League has been stout early. This week, four of the league's five unbeaten teams will get together. Silver Creek, which upset Northridge in Week 2, will be at Roosevelt, and Windsor will take on top-ranked and defending state champion Berthoud.

* Class 2A: Three weeks in a row, No. 4 Eaton finds itself in this space. The Reds lost at second-ranked Platte Canyon last week, and it doesn't get any easier. This week, it's a home game against top-ranked Erie. Last season, the Tigers pounded Eaton 28-6 behind 219 rushing yards (only 10 carries) from Alex Ortega. Ortega already has 458 yards and four TDs this season. Also, don't overlook sixth-ranked Faith Christian at defending champion and No. 7 Platte Valley.

* Class A: Top-ranked Akron will put its 28-game win streak on the line at rough-and-tumble Burlington, which was beaten by No. 2 Wray 21-0 in Week 2.

* Class A 8-Man: Sanford is in its first season in this classification and gets a test at 8-Man standard-bearer Merino. This one's set for Saturday at Fowler High School.

* Class A 6-Man: Two solid matchups are on the schedule in the small-school ranks. Third-ranked Kit Carson will be at Otis, and Eads will try to take out top-ranked Hi-Plains on Saturday.

TV time

Catch this prep football action on the tube this week:

* Thursday: Brighton at George Washington, *CET.

* Friday: Cherry Creek at Monarch, Altitude; Chatfield at Bear Creek, *CET.

* Saturday: ThunderRidge at Rampart, *CET.

*CET games are tape delayed and are broadcast the following week. Go to comcast.com/cet for a programming schedule.
Week 2 rewind

* A round of applause, please, for the Jefferson Saints and first-year coach Francisco Lujan. With a 28-6 victory against Manual on Friday, Jefferson enjoyed a win for the first time in more than four seasons - 45 games to be exact. . . . Anyone get the opportunity to watch Mater Dei and Carson, two high-powered California schools, play on ESPN2 on Wednesday? Yes, last Wednesday. It was a great opportunity to see Mater Dei quarterback Matt Barkley, the nation's top recruit, but was it necessary to force these schools into a midweek game? Any thoughts? Sound off at the RockyPreps blog. . . .Columbine coach Andy Lowry vowed to open the run-oriented offense this season to take advantage of the skills of junior quarterback Danny Spond, and he has followed through. Last season, the Rebels attempted only 71 passes in 12 games, or about six attempts a game. Already this season, Spond has passed 25 times in two games.

Posted by Gerry Valerio at 10:26 AM | Comments (1)