Games to Watch: Liberty and Rampart volleyball replay five-set thriller, Mesa Ridge welcomes top-ranked Montrose in football
Oct. 19—FOOTBALL
1. Montrose (6-2) at Mesa Ridge (6-2) — C.A. Foster Stadium, Thursday at 7 p.m.
Sophomore quarterback Bryce Riehl and company are set for their toughest test since facing Palmer Ridge.
Senior Carver Cheeks set the program's career receiving touchdowns record last week and will look to help Riehl against a Montrose defense that has allowed just 12 points in the last two weeks, combined.
2. Falcon (2-6) at Air Academy (5-3) — Air Academy High School, Friday at 7 p.m.
Air Academy senior Sam Beers leads the state in rushing and will face a stout Falcon defense line in hopes of adding to his lead.
The Falcons come in on the heels of a two-game losing streak in which their offense was able to put up a combined 12 points. Before the skid, they had back-to-back wins over Lewis-Palmer and Coronado.
3. Vista Ridge (6-2) at Rampart (3-5) — D20 Stadium, Friday at 7 p.m.
Senior Brayden Dorman has the Wolves' offense rolling as they've surpassed 46 points in each of their last five games — all wins.
The Rams will put forth a two-quarterback approach with junior Hayden Benoit and senior Braden Sears after a loss to Mesa Ridge last week.
4. Rye (6-1) at Banning Lewis Academy (4-3) — Falcon High School, Saturday at 7 p.m.
Banning Lewis held a two-score lead over Colorado Springs Christian last week but fell late. Up next is a stiff test in the form of Rye.
Junior Sam Bell tossed 120 yards in the loss but will be relied upon even more this week as Rye boasts an offense scoring 40 points per game and a five-game win streak.
5. Northglenn (4-4) at Doherty (5-3) — Garry Berry Stadium, Saturday at 7 p.m.
The Spartans have rebounded well from a slow streak — consecutive losses to Mesa Ridge and Fountain-Fort Carson.
Since then, senior Kaden Becker and junior Solomon Latimer have led Doherty to a three-game win streak. In those wins, the latter has 316 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
OTHER SPORTS
SOFTBALL
No. 8 Mesa Ridge (16-9) vs. No. 9 Elizabeth (21-5) — Aurora Sports Park Complex B, Friday at 10 a.m.
Senior Cheyenne Walker and junior Lucia Quintana will look to lead Mesa Ridge in the 4A state tournament against an Elizabeth squad averaging nine runs a game.
The Grizzlies fell, 4-0, when the two met in the regular season.
No. 2 Holy Family (21-4) vs. No. 15 Palmer Ridge (15-11) — Aurora Sports Park Complex B, Friday, at 12:15 p.m.
Holy Family sophomore Isabella Arroyo shut the Bears down when the two teams met in last year's 4A state tournament, but Palmer Ridge will look to flip the script.
Exposure to top-seed Lutheran in league will play a pivotal role in overcoming Holy Family this year.
GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL
Liberty (10-7) at Rampart (14-3) — Rampart High School, Thursday at 6 p.m.
Last time the Lancers and Rams faced off, it went five sets before Rampart pulled off the win.
Rams' senior Avah Armour led the marathon match with 27 kills and will face off against Lancers' junior Kennedy Neefe, who collected 15.
Falcon (14-6) at The Classical Academy (12-7) — The Classical Academy, Thursday at 6 p.m.
The 4A CSML North is leaning toward The Classical Academy, but Falcon will look to inch closer Thursday.
Senior Kaitlyn Hall leads the Falcons with 270 kills and has been a catalyst for the team's three-match win streak against league opponents.
Discovery Canyon (13-5) at Lewis-Palmer (12-6) — Lewis-Palmer High School, Thursday at 6 p.m.
Discovery Canyon will play the second leg of the Lewis-Palmer showdown on the road Thursday after sweeping the Rangers to begin October.
Thunder sophomore Erika Sayer will oppose the Rangers' duo of junior Kiley Gennerman and freshman Madi Crowe, who sit four kills apart atop the Lewis-Palmer attack.
BOYS' SOCCER
Manitou Springs (8-5-1) at James Irwin (10-3-1) — James Irwin Prep School, Thursday at 7 p.m.
The finale to 3A Tri-Peaks play pits the Mustangs and Jaguars against one another with the latter fighting for a league title.
Atlas Preparatory sits atop the conference, but James Irwin sits just a tie behind in the standings.
