Prep football: Playoffs begin this week with TCA battling for repeat, Palmer Ridge aiming for undefeated year
The pursuit of the golden plaque begins this week.
Colorado High School Activities Association released playoff brackets Sunday with nearly 10 Pikes Peak region teams making the postseason cut.
Schools will compete to advance to the state finals which, for 6-man, 8-man, 1A and 2A, will take place at Colorado State University Pueblo’s Thunderbowl Stadium on Nov. 28-29. Or, area teams will battle for a spot at CSU’s Canvas Stadium on Dec. 6.
Class 3A brackets will be released next week as teams wrap their regular seasons this weekend. Also of note, in 4A, although Sand Creek (9-1) and Cheyenne Mountain (8-2) were 10th and 16th, respectively, in CHSAA’s RPI poll, both schools played in the I-25 League.
In the I-25 League, only the league champion, Grand Junction, advances to the playoffs.
Below are highlights from the area’s top seed in each class.
5A
Pine Creek (7-3)
The Eagles finished the year on a four-game winning streak under first-year coach Trevor Hudson and defeated Fountain-Fort Carson 14-7 in the finale.
Pine Creek found comfort in tight contests in those four victories as three came by seven points. The Eagles sustained success with their run game as Xavier Lukes rushed for 890 yards and 12 touchdowns in the final four games and totaled 1,429 yards and 17 scores this season.
4A
Palmer Ridge (10-0)
Palmer Ridge dominated everyone this year and tallied 448 points. The Bears scored less than 35 once this year – a 21-7 win over Durango – and won every contest by double figures.
The Bears will aim for their first 4A title after winning three in a row from 2017-2019 in 3A. Palmer Ridge finished as runners-up in 2023 and ended that regular season 10-0.
2A
The Classical Academy (9-0)
The area’s lone defending champion prepares for a repeat bid after another undefeated regular season.
TCA won each matchup by double figures and averaged 34.2 points per night en route to an unblemished record. The Titans also boast a 14-2 home mark since 2023 and have not lost at The Classical Academy since 2023 following a 13-0 season in 2024.
This could be quite a stretch for The Classical Academy. With the flag football team earning a state title in October and cross country sweeping the 3A championships Saturday, the Titans football team could make it four trophies should they go 4-0 in the playoffs.
1A
Colorado Springs Christian (6-3)
The Lions began the year 2-2 and recovered to end the season with four wins in five games. Their only loss came in the finale to top-seeded Buena Vista. The silver lining in that loss is the Lions held the Demons to 28 points, Buena Vista’s second lowest total of the season.
In their previous four games, the Lions outscored their opponents 134-6 and shut out three teams during that streak.
Playoffs seeds
5A
Pine Creek, seventh
Fountain-Fort Carson, 17th
4A
Palmer Ridge, third
Vista Ridge, 11th
Mesa Ridge, 14th
Air Academy, 17th
2A
The Classical Academy, third
1A
Colorado Springs Christian, seventh
6-man
Hanover, 16th
Playoff schedule
All times and locations TBD unless listed
5A
First round
No. 17 Fountain-Fort Carson at No. 16 Cherokee Trail
Second round
No. 7 Pine Creek vs. No. 10 Mullen/No. 23 Rocky Mountain
4A
First round
No. 17 Air Academy vs. No. 16 Golden (at North Area Athletic Complex), 7 p.m. Friday
No. 19 Loveland vs. No. 14 Mesa Ridge
No. 22 Montbello at No. 11 Vista Ridge
Second round
No. 3 Palmer Ridge vs. No. 19 Loveland/No. 14 Mesa Ridge
2A
First round
No. 14 Florence at No. 3 The Classical Academy
1A
First round
No. 10 Monte Vista at No. 7 Colorado Springs Christian