Colorado high school football rankings, Week 5: Palmer Ridge rising above 4A fray
A look at this week’s Post Preps Top 10 for Class 5A, 4A and 3A:
Class 5A
| Team | Record | Pvs | LW |
| 1. Cherry Creek | 4-0 | 1 | W (42-0 at Arvada West) |
| Comment: One look at QB Brady Vodicka’s stat line (41-of-59 passing, 578 yards, 6 TDs, 1 INT) should send shivers down other 5A contenders’ spines. This week: at No. 6 Regis Jesuit, 6:30 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 2. Pine Creek | 4-0 | 2 | W (23-0 vs. Denver East) |
| Comment: Eagles have allowed a total of seven points over their last eight quarters played. This week: at Mullen, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 3. Columbine | 4-0 | 3 | W (31-29 at No. 5 Arapahoe) |
| Comment: Four road games to start the season for Columbine, and four wins. Friday’s come-from-behind victory at Arapahoe was easily the most impressive. This week: vs. Fort Collins, 6 p.m. Thursday. | |||
| 4. Ralston Valley | 3-1 | 4 | W (28-21 vs. Regis Jesuit) |
| Comment: Brady Weldon (222 rush yards, 4 TDs last two weeks) is emerging as a serious threat for the Mustangs. This week: vs. Valor Christian, 7 p.m. Thursday. | |||
| 5. Arapahoe | 3-1 | 5 | L (31-29 vs. No. 3 Columbine) |
| Comment: The Warriors are one play away from 4-0. Is there a more balanced offense (672 yards passing, 765 rushing) in 5A? This week: at Rock Canyon, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 6. Regis Jesuit | 2-2 | 6 | L (28-21 at No. 4 Ralston Valley) |
| Comment: After narrow losses to Arapahoe and Ralston Valley, Raiders get another shot at a statement win with top-ranked Cherry Creek paying a visit. This week: vs. No. 1 Cherry Creek, 6:30 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 7. Grandview | 3-1 | 8 | W (42-21 vs. Fruita Monument) |
| Comment: QB Liam Szarka has 11 passing touchdowns to one interception through four games. Not too shabby. This week: at Pomona, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 8. Mountain Vista | 4-1 | NR | W (55-17 vs. Legacy) |
| Comment: Since getting held to one TD in a Week Zero loss to Ralston Valley, Golden Eagles have scored 216 points (!) in four straight wins. This week: Bye. | |||
| 9. Castle View | 4-0 | 9 | W (29-7 at Douglas County) |
| Comment: After breaking a two-year skid in the Battle of the Rock, Sabercats have forced 12 turnovers and allowed 24 total points. This week: vs. Cherokee Trail, 6 p.m. Thursday. | |||
| 10. Chatfield | 3-1 | NR | W (38-14 vs. ThunderRidge) |
| Comment: Chargers face big rivalry game before digging into 5A Jeffco League play. This week: at 4A No. 5 Dakota Ridge, 7 p.m. Friday. |
Class 4A
| Team | Record | Pvs | LW |
| 1. Palmer Ridge | 4-0 | 1 | W (49-0 at Smoky Hill) |
| Comment: Only four unbeatens remain in 4A, and none have been more dominant than the Bears. This week: at Ponderosa, 7 p.m. Thursday. | |||
| 2. Erie | 3-1 | 3 | W (30-7 vs. No. 6 Broomfield) |
| Comment: If you don’t count losses that occur outside state lines, Tigers are unbeaten, too. Alas, we do. This week: at Windsor, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 3. Pueblo West | 3-1 | 7 | Bye |
| Comment: Cyclones sat idle and moved up four spots — more a comment on what happened above them than anything else. This week: vs. Far Northeast, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 4. Montrose | 2-2 | 5 | W (42-0 at Palisade) |
| Comment: Multiple big-name 4A schools have been taken down by 3A teams this fall, so Red Hawks better be ready for Lutheran. This week: vs. 3A No. 2 Lutheran, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 5. Dakota Ridge | 3-1 | 8 | W (50-21 vs. Rampart) |
| Comment: Eagles have firmly put Week 1 loss to Pueblo West in rearview mirror with three straight games of 39-plus points scored. This week: vs. 5A No. 10 Chatfield, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 6. Broomfield | 2-2 | 4 | L (30-7 at No. 2 Erie) |
| Comment: Eagles have stumbled in their two biggest tests (Holy Family and Erie) of the season. This week: vs. Brighton, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 7. Heritage | 2-2 | 6 | W (57-15 at Overland) |
| Comment: Heritage’s response to 0-2 start? Two straight games topping 50 points scored. This week: at Rampart, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 8. Loveland | 3-1 | 2 | L (14-0 at 3A No. 8 Thompson Valley) |
| Comment: It isn’t entirely shocking for Red Wolves to lose to a good Thompson Valley team, but it is stunning to see them get shut out. This week: at Greeley Central, 6:30 p.m. Thursday. | |||
| 9. Golden | 3-1 | 10 | W (24-6 at Denver South) |
| Comment: Demons’ about-face since opening the season with shutout loss at 3A Green Mountain has been dramatic. This week: vs. Palisade, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 10. Thomas Jefferson | 4-0 | NR | W (39-6 at Bear Creek) |
| Comment: None of the Spartans’ four opponents so far this season were able to reach double-digit scoring. This week: vs. Standley Lake, 4 p.m. Friday. |
Class 3A
| Team | Record | Pvs | LW |
| 1. Green Mountain | 4-0 | 2 | W (50-0 vs. Pueblo South) |
| Comment: Rams get well-deserved break after dominant start that saw them post three shutouts while outscoring opponents 163-6. This week: Bye. | |||
| 2. Lutheran | 4-0 | 1 | W (26-21 vs. Pueblo East) |
| Comment: Lions trailed in fourth quarter for the first time this season last Friday night vs. Pueblo East. This week: at 4A No. 4 Montrose, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 3. Holy Family | 3-0 | 3 | W (46-28 at Mountain View) |
| Comment: At 851 total yards through three games, QB Rylan Cooney is off to a blazing start. This week: at No. 4 Roosevelt, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 4. Roosevelt | 4-0 | 4 | W (42-21 vs. Highlands Ranch) |
| Comment: Still No. 4 after knocking off a 5A team? Rough Riders will get to prove us wrong Friday against Holy Family. This week: vs. No. 3 Holy Family, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 5. Northridge | 4-0 | 5 | W (40-12 vs. Greeley West) |
| Comment: Senior running back Raul Gallegos’ workload through four games (111 carries, 655 yards, 12 TDs) would make Emmitt Smith blush. This week: at Rangeview, 6:30 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 6. Durango | 3-1 | 6 | W (51-28 vs. Grand Junction Central) |
| Comment: Pick your poison between QB Tyler Harms (911 total yards, 11 TDs) and RB Jaxon Fancher (551 rush yards, 7 TDs). This week: at No. 9 Mead, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 7. Northfield | 3-0 | 7 | W (21-13 vs. Denver North) |
| Comment: Denver North gave Nighthawks all they could handle in a down-to-the-wire slugfest last week. This week: at Adams City, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 8. Thompson Valley | 2-1 | 9 | W (14-0 vs. 4A No. 8 Loveland) |
| Comment: How rare is it for Eagles to take down their crosstown rival, Loveland? It’s happened just five times since 1977. This week: at Riverdale Ridge, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 9. Mead | 1-2 | 8 | Bye |
| Comment: Mavs got an extra week to prepare for Durango. Will it pay off? This week: vs. No. 6 Durango, 7 p.m. Friday. | |||
| 10. Lewis Palmer | 3-1 | NR | W (48-8 vs. Canon City) |
| Comment: Outside of a loss to the top-ranked team in 4A, Rangers have been untouchable. This week: vs. Falcon, 7 p.m. Friday. |
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