As fall sports season winds down, postseason and playoff action rev up as the final week of football – for everyone but 3A – is ahead.

Boys soccer first-round matches are underway and state cross country will take place this weekend at Norris-Penrose Event Center.

Below are some noteworthy area contests.

Four football games to watch

Fountain-Fort Carson (7-2) vs. Pine Creek (6-3) (at District 20 Stadium), 7 p.m. Friday

The Eagles have dominated this matchup and have won the past four meetings by double figures. Though Pine Creek is 11-4 all-time against Fountain-Fort Carson, the Trojans enter the finale with their best record since 2021 when F-FC finished the regular season 9-1.

Pine Creek will be tasked with stopping DaKari Releford, the Trojans’ dominant running back who has rushing touchdowns in all nine games and 106 or more yards in all but one contest.

But the Eagles also feature a bruiser in the backfield with Xavier Lukes leading Pine Creek’s run game at 136.6 rushing yards per game and 15 TDs in nine outings.

Falcon (4-5) vs. Mesa Ridge (4-5) (at C.A. Foster Stadium), 7 p.m. Friday

After a 1-4 start, the Grizzlies are a victory away from wrapping the year at .500. Mesa Ridge is 3-1 in its past four games and has averaged nearly 30 points versus 12 per game in its first five matchups.

Falcon began the year 2-0, then dropped its next four, followed by a two-game winning streak, then a 37-0 loss to Pueblo West last week.

For Falcons coach Nic Braaten, this is a homecoming as he started at quarterback for the Grizzlies from 2014-15.

Doherty (2-7) at Widefield (2-7), 7 p.m. Thursday

Last year in the first meeting between these teams, the Spartans beat the Gladiators 52-0 and amassed 505 all-purpose yards.

But that Doherty squad finished 5-6 while Widefield went 0-10. Both schools will scrap for their third win to close the year and aim to stop lengthy losing streaks.

Grand Junction (7-2) at Sand Creek (9-0), 7 p.m. Thursday

This isn’t a matchup between locals, but it’s a doozy.

Only one team advances to the 4A state playoffs from the I-25 League. With the Tigers and Scorpions knotted at 4-0 in league play, this is for the crown and a playoff spot. For the Scorpions, a win gives them a perfect regular season.

Sand Creek has won all but one game by double figures and averages 53.1 points. The Scorpions’ potent run game has 3,741 yards for 56 touchdowns and is spearheaded by Ethan Mangrum, who averages 206.8 yards per night.

Mangrum is ranked nationally in: total points (13^th, 196), total touchdowns (23^rd, 32) and rushing yards (38^th, 1,861).

More notable contests to watch

Boys soccer

No. 18 Rampart at No. 15 Harrison, 6 p.m. Thursday

This matchup guarantees one area school will advance to 4A’s second round in the playoffs.

The Panthers enter the postseason fresh off a Colorado Springs Metro League South title and have not dropped a match since a 4-3 loss to Woodland Park on Sept. 2. Harrison has not allowed more than two goals in a match since its loss to those same Panthers.

Rampart closed the regular season on a two-game winning streak and outscored its pair of opponents 9-1 in the final two contests. After a 3-3-1 start, the Rams had a 6-2 record over their final eight matches.  

Girls volleyball

Manitou Springs at Thomas MacLaren, 6:30 p.m. Thursday

Thomas MacLaren’s only match against Manitou Springs occurred last year and the Mustangs won the contest 3-1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 25-16) at home. After the Highlanders beat the Colorado Springs School on Tuesday, they have 13 wins, their highest win total, eclipsing the previous high of 12 set last season.

The Highlanders will compete to earn a regional spot in this year’s postseason and hold 2A’s No. 30 seed as of Wednesday afternoon. The Mustangs could play spoiler and send the Highlanders tumbling toward the edge of the RPI poll.

Two things to know

Academy District 20 field hockey to face Colorado Academy in Thursday’s quarterfinals

The top eight seeds of the field hockey playoffs all advanced to the quarterfinals following wins, including the Academy District 20 squad.

Playing under Pine Creek’s umbrella, the District 20 combined team, the No. 7 seed, defeated No. 10 Smoky Hill 1-0 in the opening round Tuesday. Last season, Academy District 20 finished 4-14-1 and won two consolation games, but lost in the consolation final to Smoky Hill.

Now, the Academy District 20 players are 10-4-2 and head to Colorado Academy where they hope to upset the No. 2 seed and advance to next week’s semifinals.

Football playoffs ahead for all classes except 3A

The regular season will end Friday for all teams save 3A football schools, which will conclude its regular season next week and release brackets Nov. 9.

The Colorado High School Activities Association will seed and release brackets Sunday with 4A and 5A tournaments having 24-team brackets. All others will feature a 16-team bracket.

The Classical Academy, which won the 2A state championship last season, will be the lone area school looking to defend its title.

Gazette Prep football rankings

Rank, team, record

5A

1, Fountain-Fort Carson, 7-2

2, Pine Creek, 6-3

4A

1, Palmer Ridge, 9-0

2, Sand Creek, 9-0

3, Vista Ridge, 7-2

4, Cheyenne Mountain, 7-2

5, Air Academy 4-5

3A

1, Discovery Canyon, 6-2

2, Coronado, 5-3

3, Lewis-Palmer, 5-3

4, Cañon City, 4-4

2A

1, The Classical Academy, 8-0

2, Woodland Park, 3-5

3, Banning Lewis, 3-5

1A

1, Colorado Springs Christian, 6-2

2, Peyton, 3-5

3, Ellicott, 4-4 

This week’s football games

Thursday

Palmer Ridge at Liberty, 6 p.m.

Discovery Canyon vs. Palmer (at Garry Berry Stadium), 6:30 p.m.

Ellicott at Peyton, 7 p.m.

Doherty at Widefield, 7 p.m.

Coronado at Pueblo East, 7 p.m.

Gateway at Cheyenne Mountain, 7 p.m.

Grand Junction at Sand Creek, 7 p.m.

Friday

Pueblo Central at Sierra, 6 p.m.

Durango at Vista Ridge, 6 p.m.

La Junta at Woodland Park, 7 p.m.

Pueblo South at Lewis-Palmer, 7 p.m.

Fountain-Fort Carson vs. Pine Creek (at District 20 Stadium), 7 p.m.

St. Mary’s at Byers, 7 p.m.

Cañon City at Pueblo County, 7 p.m.

Harrison at Pueblo Centennial, 7 p.m.

Falcon vs. Mesa Ridge (at C.A. Foster), 7 p.m.

Banning Lewis at Manitou Springs, 7 p.m.

Buena Vista at Colorado Springs Christian, 7 p.m.

Rampart at Air Academy, 7 p.m.

Saturday

Genoa-Hugo at Hanover, 1 p.m.