The road to Trailblazer Stadium begins this week.

Colorado High School Activities Association released flag football playoff brackets Sunday morning with five area schools qualifying for the postseason, which starts Tuesday with first-round contests.

Doherty is the only 5A team to qualify while The Classical Academy, Air Academy, Vista Ridge and first-year team Palmer earned 4A spots.

Both 5A and 4A playoffs will feature 20 teams with first-round games to be played between the 13^th through 20^th seeds on Tuesday with the higher seed hosting.

The top 12 teams have first-round byes and will play against first-round winners. Second round and quarterfinal games will be played Saturday at North Area Athletic Complex Soccer Field and Football Field in Arvada for 4A, while Jeffco Stadium and Trailblazer Stadium in Lakewood will host 5A games.

Semifinals start Oct. 22 with 4A games at Jeffco Stadium and 5A contests at Trailblazer Stadium. The 4A and 5A title games return to Trailblazer Stadium on Oct. 25.  

TCA once again nabbed the top seed in 4A after doing so in the 2024 campaign and the Titans finished the regular season 12-3.

The Classical Academy finished as 4A runners-up last year after losing 26-0 in the title game to Mountain Vista, the defending state champions which earned the two seed again this season. To close the year, the Titans finished 6-1 with the lone loss coming to 5A Valor Christian.

TCA has yet to lose to a 4A school with the Titans’ losses coming to 5A opponents. Doherty beat TCA 19-18 in triple overtime and Legend won 35-25 against The Classical Academy. The Titans earned a 39-32 triple overtime victory against Mountain Vista in the second game of the year and forced two interceptions in the matchup.

While Air Academy, the No. 7 seed, is up one spot from its eighth seed in 2024, Vista Ridge dropped from the three seed last year to 12^th this season.

Palmer, which is in its first season, will fight for its first-ever playoff win and holds the No. 16 seed.

First round

Tuesday (times TBA)

5A

No. 19 Legacy at No. 14 Doherty

4A

No. 17 Dakota Ridge at No. 16 Palmer

Second round

4A

Saturday (times TBA; games at NAAC Soccer Field and Football Field)

No. 1 The Classical Academy vs. No. 17 Dakota Ridge/No. 16 Palmer

No. 12 Vista Ridge vs. No. 5 Denver North No. 10 Mullen vs. No. 7 Air Academy