AURORA | With one game left in the regular season, six Aurora football teams remain in position to make the Class 5A state playoffs, but two dropped out after Week 8 action.
In the latest set of Wild Card points standings released by the Colorado High School Activities Association, Eaglecrest and Smoky Hill — which were No. 28 and No. 29 last week — slipped out of the top 32 to Nos. 33 and 35, respectively, after suffering setbacks.
The Raptors (4-4) are closest to getting back into the playoff mix, as they trail No. 32 Thornton by just 0.250 of a point, while the Buffaloes (3-5) would need to leapfrog No. 34 Mountain Range and two other teams. Both Aurora teams have tough opponents in their regular season finales, as Eaglecrest plays Centennial League tri-leader Cherry Creek and Smoky Hill goes against Grandview.
At 7-1 after a 34-18 victory over Eaglecrest on Oct. 18 — aided by a three-touchdown performance by junior Cameron Currington — Cherokee Trail remains Aurora’s leader in the wild card standings in third with 100.875 points, trailing only ThunderRidge and Ralston Valley. The Cougars, who have moved from No. 9 to No. 6 in the lastest Denver Post media poll, close out the regular season against Overland on Oct. 26.
Gateway (6-2) improved two positions to No. 11 with 92.000 points in the wake of a 69-0 thrashing of Hinkley on Oct. 19. The Olys finish out the season against one of 5A’s three winless teams, Adams City, on Oct. 25.
Tanner Gentry’s three-touchdown performance and a drastic improvement in defense in the second half boosted Grandview to a 39-30 victory over Cherry Creek on Oct. 19 that helped push the 5-3 Wolves up two spots to No. 12 with 91.875 points.
With last season’s 1-win campaign well in its rearview, sophomore quarterback Austin Conway and Overland locked up a playoff spot with its fifth victory of the season, a 42-13 win over Smoky Hill on Oct. 19.
Right behind the Trailblazers is Rangeview in the No. 22 spot, which rose three slots after posting its fifth straight victory, a 56-0 hammering of Adams City on Oct. 19. The Raiders can claim the championship of the Aurora League with a victory over Denver East in their season finale on Oct. 26.
Regis Jesuit’s strength of schedule has been a big boost to its playoff chances, as the 3-5 Raiders are the only team with a winning percentage below .500 in the postseason mix. Regis Jesuit — which has lost consecutive 28-21 games to Chaparral and Mountain Vista — closes at home against Highlands Ranch on Oct. 26.
Aurora Central (No. 46) and Hinkley (No. 49) are in line for a non-playoff Week 10 contest.
Vista PEAK sits at 2-6 and in the No. 30 spot in the 3A wild card standings in its first varsity season.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
CLASS 5A WILD CARD POINTS (THROUGH WEEK 8)
AURORA | Wild card points in Class 5A through week 7 of the football season as released by the Colorado High School Activities Association. The top 32 teams at the end of the season qualify for the playoffs. Aurora teams are in bold and uppercased:
1. ThunderRidge (7-1), 102.250 points; 2. Ralston Valley (7-1), 101.750; 3. CHEROKEE TRAIL (7-1), 100.875; 4. Arapahoe (7-1), 99.375; 5. Fountain-Fort Carson (7-1), 97.625; 6. Pomona (6-2), 97.375; 7. Brighton (7-1), 96.375; 9. Valor (6-2), 94.000; 9. Chaparral (6-2), 93.875; 10. Chatfield (6-2), 93.875; 11. GATEWAY (6-2), 92.000; 12. GRANDVIEW (5-3), 91.875; 13. Columbine (5-3), 91.250; 14. Cherry Creek (5-3), 90.875; 15. Fort Collins (5-3), 89.500; 16. Lakewood (5-3), 89.250; 17. Rock Canyon (6-2), 89.250; 18. Mullen (4-4), 87.125; 19. Grand Junction (5-3), 86.250; 20. Douglas County (5-3), 85.875; 21. OVERLAND (5-3), 85.875; 22. RANGEVIEW (5-3), 84.750; 23. Fairview (4-4), 84.250; 24. Legacy (4-4), 83.625; 25. Horizon (5-3), 83.125; 26. Westminster (4-4), 83.000; 27. Denver East (4-4), 82.875; 28. Heritage (4-4), 82.875; 29. REGIS JESUIT (3-5), 81.750; 30. Legend (4-4), 81.625; 31. Mountain Vista (4-4), 81.500; 32. Thornton (5-3), 81.375
Outside of playoffs: 33. EAGLECREST (4-4), 81.125; 34. Mountain Range (4-4), 79.750; 35. SMOKY HILL (3-5), 79.375; 36. Castle View (3-5), 78.375; 37. Highlands Ranch (2-6), 76.750; 38. Prairie View (3-5), 75.375; 39. Fruita Monument (4-5), 74.111; 40. Arvada West (2-6), 73.125; 41. Northglenn (2-6), 72.125; 42. Boulder (2-6), 71.750; 43. Bear Creek (1-7), 70.625; 44. Poudre (2-6), 69.125; 45. Fossil Ridge (2-6), 68.875; 46. AURORA CENTRAL (2-6), 66.625; 47. Rocky Mountain (1-7), 66.125; 48. Doherty (0-8), 62.500; 49. HINKLEY (1-7), 60.375; 50. Lincoln (2-6), 60.000; 51. Palmer (0-8), 60.000; 52. Adams City (0-8), 54.375
