Postseason and playoff action are underway throughout the state with teams and athletes battling to continue their seasons or to compete for state titles.

Regular-season matchups will also proceed in a handful of sports including a lengthy road winning streak at stake on the gridiron.

Below are a few contests of interest happening this week.

Three football games to watch

Palmer Ridge (7-0) at Vista Ridge (6-1), 7 p.m. Friday

This is a unique test for Vista Ridge. Although the Wolves have not lost at home since Sept. 27, 2024, and flaunt a 4-0 record on their turf this season, the Bears’ game travels well.

Palmer Ridge has not lost a road game since Nov. 7, 2019, when Discovery Canyon bested the Bears 56-49. Since then, the Bears are 26-0 away from Don Breese Stadium and boast a 3-0 road record this season.

The Bears, ranked No. 2 in 4A, have shut out two of their three road foes and outscored the opposition 126-7 in three road contests. Vista Ridge at home has won each matchup by at least 10 points and outscored the competition 168-41.  

Cañon City (3-3) vs. Coronado (4-2) (at Garry Berry Stadium), 7 p.m. Friday

Thomas Buckmiller and the Cougars offense will likely be out for revenge at home. Yes, this comes after Coronado’s third consecutive win and a 10-7 grind-it-out victory against Pueblo County last week.

Buckmiller finished 17-of-27 passing for 167 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, a far cry from the senior’s typical 350 passing yards per game and .699 completion percentage. The Tigers also scorched the Cougars 40-0 in 2024 for Coronado’s only shutout loss.

The Cougars look to stymie the Tigers’ offense, which has outscored their opponents 84-2 during their two-game winning streak.

Doherty (2-5) at Falcon (3-4), 7 p.m. Friday

Falcon returns home for the first time in more than a month and hopes to piece together another two-game winning streak.

The Falcons escaped C.A. Foster last week with a 17-12 victory against Widefield to end a four-game skid and face a Doherty team that thumped the Falcons 52-0 last season.

For Doherty to duplicate that success, the Spartans need a stout game from their offense. After a 26-7 loss to Rampart, the Spartans faced a gantlet of Cheyenne Mountain, ranked fourth in 4A, Pueblo West (eighth), and Montrose (third).

The Falcons have allowed 20 or more in three games this season and the Spartans, who have not scored at least 20 since Sept. 12, hope to take advantage.

Other notable contests to watch

Softball

Regionals, Friday and Saturday

Palmer Ridge, Cheyenne Mountain and Air Academy all host a 4A regional tournament and look to clinch a state berth.

The Bears earned the No. 2 seed and face No. 31 Pueblo East at 10 a.m. Friday in the opening game while the Red-Tailed Hawks, the No. 7 seed, host No. 26 Thornton at 10 a.m. Friday.

Air Academy finished with the final regional home slot and earned the No. 8 seed in the tournament. The Kadets face No. 25 Silver Creek at 10 a.m. Friday.

The Pikes Peak region has 11 teams competing for spots at state. Pine Creek, Vista Ridge and Liberty qualified in 5A; Widefield, Discovery Canyon and Mesa Ridge earned spots in 4A; and The Classical Academy and Sand Creek clinched 3A regional berths.

Boys soccer

Harrison at Widefield, 7 p.m. Thursday

A battle between last year’s Colorado Springs Metro League–South co-champions could shake up their league standings.

Should Widefield win, it would create a two-way tie for second in the CSML–South with both teams at 2-1. But if Harrison earns the victory, the Panthers would move to 3-0 with two matches remaining including a regular-season finale showdown with Coronado, which is also 2-0 with two league matchups remaining.

Harrison has not allowed a goal in either league contest and has outscored its opponents 46-12 in 12 games.

Girls volleyball

Air Academy at Lewis-Palmer, 6 p.m. Thursday

The Rangers regained their glow on the volleyball court. Following a 3-6 start, the Rangers are 9-7 and have a five-match winning streak for the first time this season. But the Kadets don’t care. Air Academy has won four of five and is 10-6.

The Kadets nearly ended their seven-game losing streak to the Rangers earlier this season, but Lewis-Palmer won 3-2 on Sept. 30 for its eighth consecutive matchup against Air Academy. The Rangers have won four in a row at home while the Kadets will scrap for their fifth road victory.

Two things to know

Pikes Peak region boys cross country has two runners in state’s top five times

Coronado’s Oliver Horton and Lewis-Palmer’s Noah Thompson continue to blaze any course they touch.

The Cougars junior ranks second in the state with a personal-best of 14 minutes, 23.90 seconds, which Horton ran Sept. 26 at the Desert Twilight at Toka Sticks Golf Course in Gilbert, Ariz. In three 5K races this season, Horton has improved his time and won each event.

Thompson is fifth in the state after his 14:32.39 third-place finish at the Warrior Lincoln Park Classic “Mountain States Challenge” in Grand Junction on Friday.

Not only did Thompson run a sub-15-minute race for the first time, but he also cleared his PR by nearly 40 seconds.

Fountain-Fort Carson football coach Jake Novotny named CHSAA Denver Broncos Tackle Football Coach of the Week

The Trojans are 6-1 for the second time in three seasons, have not lost since the opener and continue to punish opponents with their ground game.

Fountain-Fort Carson ranks No. 11 in Colorado High School Activity Association’s RPI poll and has one of the top run games in the state spearheaded by Dakari Releford’s 160.9 rushing yards per game.

Jake Novotny, who took the reins at Fountain-Fort Carson in 2016, has a record of .500 or better for the past six seasons. The Trojans face Legend, the No. 5 team in 5A, at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Gazette Prep football rankings

Rank, team, record

5A

1, Fountain-Fort Carson, 6-1

2, Pine Creek, 4-3

4A

1, Palmer Ridge, 7-0

2, Sand Creek, 7-0

3, Vista Ridge, 6-1

4, Cheyenne Mountain, 6-1

5, Air Academy, 4-3

3A

1, Discovery Canyon, 5-1

2, Coronado, 4-2

3, Lewis-Palmer, 3-3

4, Cañon City, 3-3

2A

1, The Classical Academy, 6-0

2, Banning Lewis, 3-3

3, Woodland Park, 2-4

1A

1, Colorado Springs Christian, 4-2

2, Ellicott, 4-3

3, Peyton, 3-4

This week’s football games

Thursday

D’Evelyn vs. Mitchell at (Garry Berry) 6:30 p.m.

Cheyenne Mountain at Thornton, 7 p.m.

Fountain-Fort Carson at Legend, 7 p.m.

Friday

Pine Creek at Chaparral, 4 p.m.

Mesa Ridge at Montrose, 6 p.m.

Air Academy at Durango, 6 p.m.

Palmer Ridge at Vista Ridge, 7 p.m.

Doherty at Falcon, 7 p.m.

Manitou Springs at Lamar, 7 p.m.

Woodland Park at Florence, 7 p.m.

Simla at St. Mary’s, 7 p.m.

Alameda at The Classical Academy, 7 p.m.

Palmer at Lewis-Palmer, 7 p.m.

Banning Lewis at La Junta, 7 p.m.

Liberty vs. Rampart (at District 20 Stadium), 7 p.m.

Cañon City vs. Coronado (at Garry Berry Stadium), 7 p.m.

Sierra at Pueblo County, 7 p.m.

Gateway at Sand Creek, 7 p.m.

Widefield at Pueblo West 7 p.m.

Ellicott at Colorado Springs Christian, 7 p.m.

Saturday

Harrison vs. Discovery Canyon (at District 20 Stadium), noon

Calhan at South Park, 1 p.m.

Hanover at Walsh, 1 p.m.