PREP FOOTBALL

Five SLV grid teams ranked by Mile High Prep Report

By KEN HAMRICK, Courier sports editor
Posted 8/10/24

ALAMOSA – Mile High Prep Report posted its preseason football rankings gradually over the past few weeks on its web site with five teams from the San Luis Valley appearing in their respective …

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PREP FOOTBALL

Five SLV grid teams ranked by Mile High Prep Report

Alamosa's Dyson Woodward.
Alamosa's Dyson Woodward.
Courier file photo by Ken Hamrick
Posted

ALAMOSA – Mile High Prep Report posted its preseason football rankings gradually over the past few weeks on its web site with five teams from the San Luis Valley appearing in their respective Top 20.

The highest ranked local teams are in Class 1A as Centauri is ranked eighth and Monte Vista is ninth.

The Falcons went 7-3 in 2023 and they won the South-Central League championship with a 5-0 record. They were defeated in the first round of the state playoffs by Wray, who is the preseason top-ranked team.

The Pirates had a 6-3 overall record in 2023 and they finished second in league play with a 4-1 record. They just barely missed going to the playoffs.

In addition to playing each other this season, both Centauri and Monte Vista have tough nonleague schedules. Both teams will play Pagosa Springs, the 11th-ranked team in Class 2A. Centauri will also face fifth-ranked Buena Vista, while Monte Vista will play Alamosa, the 13th-ranked team in Class 2A, 15th-ranked North Fork, and Rye which is listed as “other teams to watch.”

Alamosa overcame a slow start in 2023 and came back to post a 4-6 record. It was the league co-champs with a 4-1 record and advanced to the state playoffs where they was defeated by eventual state champion Delta, which is also the top-ranked team this year. The Mean Moose will play at Delta during the regular season.

Alamosa returns to the Intermountain League which has two additional ranked teams in eighth-ranked Gunnison and 11th-ranked Pagosa Springs. Montezuma-Cortez and Salida are mentioned as “other teams to watch.”

In eight-man football, Sanford is ranked 15th, and Sargent is listed as “other teams to watch.”

The Mustangs went 6-4 in 2023 and they were 2-2 in league play. They advanced to the state tournament where they were defeated by Byers which is third in the preseason rankings.

The Farmers had a 4-5 record and were 1-3 in league.

The league has two ranked teams in fifth-ranked Mancos and 10th-ranked Dove Creek.

Sanford will also face top-ranked Haxtun and ninth-ranked West Grand, along with Swink which is listed as “other teams to watch.”

Sargent will also see 12th-ranked Hoehne.

The eight-man Six County League, in which Sangre de Cristo will compete, has 12th-ranked Hoehne and 13th-ranked Crowley County. Fowler is mentioned as “other teams to watch.”

In six-man football, Sierra Grande is ranked 10th. The Panthers went 7-4 last year and they were 3-2 in league. They advanced to state and was the only SLV team to win a game with a victory over Arickaree. They lost in the quarterfinals to eventual state champion Stratton which is also the top-ranked team this year.

Two league teams are ranked as Branson/Kim is seventh and Primero is ninth. La Veta is mentioned as “other teams to watch.”

Sierra Grande will also face 15th-ranked Cheraw, as well as Deer Trail which is also a team to watch.

Class 2A

1.Delta

2.The Classical Academy

3.Kent Denver

4.Wellington

5.Resurrection Christian

6.Basalt

7.Brush

8.Gunnison

9.Eaton

10.Sterling

11.Pagosa Springs

12.Berthoud

13.Alamosa

14.Woodland Park

15.La Junta

16.D’Evelyn

17.University

18.Strasburg

19.Weld Central

20.Fort Lupton

Other teams to watch: Florence, Lamar, Montezuma-Cortez, Elizabeth, Salida, Banning Lewis Academy, Aspen, Valley, Coal Ridge, Bennett, Moffat County

 

Class 1A

1.Wray

2.Limon

3.Colorado Springs Christian

4.Wiggins

5.Buena Vista

6.Yuma

7.Platte Valley

8.Centauri

9.Monte Vista

10.Highland

11.Forge Christian

12.Holyoke

13.Cedaredge

14.Meeker

15.North Fork

16.Burlington

17.Peyton

18.Rye

19.Flatirons Academy

20.Grand Valley

Other teams to watch: Platte Canyon, Denver Christian, Estes Park, Jefferson, Ignacio

 

Eight-man

1.Haxtun

2.Simla

3.Byers

4.Merino

5.Mancos

6.McClave

7.Akron

8.Sedgwick County

9.West Grand

10.Dove Creek

11.Holly

12.Hoehne

13.Crowley County

14.Dayspring Christian

15.Sanford

16.Springfield

17.Elbert

18.Rangely

19.Lyons

20.Vail Christian

Other teams to watch: Sargent, Fowler, Belleview Christian, Rocky Ford, Front Range Christian, Palteau Valley, Swink, Hayden

 

Six-man

1.Stratton

2.Cheyenne Wells

3.Idalia

4.Otis

5.Eads

6.Arickaree

7.Branson/Kim

8.Granada

9.Primero

10.Sierra Grande

11.Peetz

12.Hanover

13.Briggsdale

14.Prairie

15.Cheraw

16.Fleming

Other teams to watch: Caliche, Genoa-Hugo, Kit Carson, North Park, Walsh, Kiowa, Deer Trail, Miami-Yoder, La Veta