Most Viewed Stories
Discovery Canyon is area's highest seed in football playoffs
5A
Cherry Creek vs. ThunderRidge
Grandview vs. Fountain-Fort Carson
Regis Jesuit vs. Valor Christian
Horizon vs. Arapahoe
Fort Collins vs. Ralston Valley
Columbine vs. Pomona
Mullen vs. Cherokee Trail
Eaglecrest vs. Chaparral
4A
(16) Loveland at (1) Pueblo West
(9) Broomfield vs. (8) Windsor
(13) Canon City at (4) Vista Ridge
(12) Falcon at (5) Monarch
(14) Standley Lake at (3) Denver South
(11) Cheyenne Mountain at (6) Wheat Ridge
(10) Mesa Ridge at (7) Montrose
(15) Green Mountain at (2) Ponderosa
3A
(16) Erie at (1) Rifle
(9) Palisade vs. (8) Roosevelt
(12) Holy Family at (5) Pueblo East
(13) Delta at (4) The Classical Academy
(15) Pueblo Central at (2) Discovery Canyon
(10) Silver Creek at (7) Elizabeth
(11) Northridge at (6) Conifer
(14) Eagle Valley at (3) Frederick
2A
Brush vs. Kent Denver
Middle Park vs. Florence
Faith Christian at Bayfield
Eaton vs. Platte Valley
1A
Burlington at Buena Vista
Holyoke vs. Wray
Monte Vista vs. Cedaredge
Limon vs. Hotchkiss
8 Man
Dove Creek vs. Granada
Fowler vs. Elbert
Walsh vs. Akron
Kiowa at Hoehne
6 man
Hi-Plains vs. Fleming
Deer Trail vs. Eads
Unless noted, sites and times TBA
If somebody had told Discovery Canyon football coach Shawn Mitchell at the beginning of the season that his Thunder squad would be the highest-seeded team of any school in the Colorado Springs area come playoff time, he would’ve looked at them funny.
Discovery Canyon, however, is seeded second in the 3A state playoff bracket a year after a 3-7 season.
“I would not have believed that,” Mitchell said. “It was a nice goal to have to make the playoffs, but we were just hoping to improve and we set small goals.”
The Thunder drew No. 15 Pueblo Central in the first round; the same Wildcats team that just handed TCA its only loss of the season.
“They are a 15 seed on paper, but they certainly aren’t really a 15 seed,” Mitchell said. “We have a group of kids that have grown up in the program and we’re very excited about our first playoff appearance.”
TCA, which lost starting quarterback Jantzen Ryals for the season to a broken clavicle, will be the four seed in the 3A bracket and faces Delta.
In 4A, Vista Ridge is the only local team that will host a first-round game. The Wolves are the No. 4 seed and meet No. 13 Cañon City.
Two years ago Vista Ridge lost in the 3A semifinals, and it fell in the first round of the 3A playoffs last season. The Wolves are looking to take the next step in their first crack at the 4A bracket.
“We are excited to be here and I am very happy with how the program has been building the last few seasons,” Vista Ridge coach Les Johnson said. “We have a hungry group of seniors and we are looking forward to competing with the top teams in 4A.”
No. 10 Mesa Ridge, No. 11 Cheyenne Mountain and No. 12 Falcon will all hit the road to try to make it to the quarterfinals.
Mesa Ridge must trek 234 miles each way to face No. 7-seeded Montrose.
“We are just happy to be playing, no matter where we have to go,” Mesa Ridge coach Rob Braaten said. “We have a nice seed, and 10 is the highest seed in Mesa Ridge history. We’re proud of our 7-3 record and we’ll see what we can do now in the playoffs.”
Cheyenne Mountain, winner of three straight games, will travel to No. 6 Wheat Ridge. The Indians have scored 129 points during that three-game winning streak.
Falcon, which lost a 23-21 game against Vista Ridge on Friday, will head to No. 5 Monarch.
