Football: Eight Aurora teams in playoff position in latest wild card points

AURORA | Through six weeks of the prep football season, a whopping eight Aurora teams are in position to make the Class 5A state playoffs.

In the latest round of wild card points released by the Colorado High School Activities Association, every city program save Aurora Central and Hinkley had enough points to put it in the field of 32 qualifiers if the season ended today.

Leading the way for Aurora squads is Cherokee Trail, which has a 5-1 record and has the third-most wild card points in 5A with 96.500, trailing another pair of 5-1 teams, No. 1 Ralston Valley (97.000) and No. 2 ThunderRidge (96.667). The Cougars suffered their first loss of the season on Oct. 5 — losing 21-14 to Cherry Creek — and face another big test on Oct. 11 when they square off against fierce rival Grandview at Legacy Stadium.

With losses to only ThunderRidge and No. 8 Chaparral, Grandview (4-2) is currently seated in the No. 12 position with 88.000. The Wolves were the last Aurora team to be eliminated from the 5A playoffs last season, as they made it to the semifinals before losing to eventual state champion Columbine.

Gateway’s 92.000 points has the Olys sitting firmly in the No. 10 wild card slot going into their showdown with Rangeview on Oct. 12 with the Anvil traveling trophy at stake. Gateway’s only loss in six games came to Cherokee Trail, so further wins by the Cougars benefit the Olys’ position in the standings.

Rangeview, meanwhile, have heated up with three straight wins — by a 151-43 count — following an 0-3 start and have earned their way into playoff position with 76.333 points. The Raiders currently hold the No. 31 slot and sit in front of No. 32 Legend (75.833).

Eaglecrest is in the No. 20 wild card position with a 4-2 record and 83.833 points, followed by Smoky Hill (3-3) in 23rd with 81.000, Regis Jesuit (3-3) in 25th with 80.333 and Overland (3-3) in 28th with 78.500.

Among that group, only Regis Jesuit appeared in the playoffs last season, as Eaglecrest, Smoky Hill and Overland — who combined for a total of four victories — finished the season with a non-playoff Week 10 game.

The Raptors — who lost by just a point in a wild game against Grandview in week 5 — beat the Buffaloes 28-14 last week and have an Oct. 12 contest against the Trailblazers, who have already tripled their win total from last season, while Smoky Hill and Overland meet a week later.

Injury-plagued Regis Jesuit has three tough games left on its schedule, including a date with Chaparral and contests with No. 34 Highlands Ranch and No. 36 Mountain Vista, which both need wins to climb a few spots into playoff position.

Both Aurora Central and Hinkley sit at 1-5 and are in the No. 47 and No. 50 wild card positions, respectively.

Vista PEAK is 1-5 in its varsity debut and sits No. 35 in the 3A wild card standings. Only 16 teams make the playoffs in that classification.

Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555

CLASS 5A WILD CARD POINTS (THROUGH WEEK 6)

AURORA | Wild card points in Class 5A through week 6 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. Ralston Valley (5-1), 97.000 points; 2. ThunderRidge (5-1), 96.667; 3. CHEROKEE TRAIL (5-1), 96.500; 4. Columbine (5-1), 96.000; 5. Pomona (5-1), 96.000; 6. Arapahoe (5-1), 94.500; 7. Fountain-Fort Carson (5-1), 94.000; 8. Chaparral (5-1), 92.833; 9. Brighton (5-1), 92.333; 10. GATEWAY (5-1), 92.000; 11. Valor Christian (4-2), 89.000; 12. GRANDVIEW (4-2), 88.000; 13. Thornton (5-1), 88.000; 14. Chatfield (4-2), 87.500; 15. Cherry Creek (4-2), 87.333; 16. Grand Junction (5-2), 86.429; 17. Fairview (4-2), 86.000; 18. Lakewood (4-2), 85.000; 19. Douglas County (4-2), 84.833; 20. EAGLECREST (4-2), 83.833; 21. Horizon (4-2), 83.333; 22. Rock Canyon (4-2), 83.333; 23. SMOKY HILL (3-3), 81.000; 24. Mullen (3-3), 80.500; 25. REGIS JESUIT (3-3), 80.333; 26. Fort Collins (3-3), 79.500; 27. Castle View (3-3), 78.500; 28. OVERLAND (3-3), 78.500; 29. Mountain Range (3-3), 78.333; 30. Heritage (3-3), 78.000; 31. RANGEVIEW (3-3), 76.333; 32. Legend (3-3), 75.833

Outside of playoffs: 33. Highlands Ranch (2-4), 74.667; 34. Fruita Monument (3-4), 73.429; 35. Denver East (2-4), 73.000; 36. Mountain Vista (2-4), 72.000; 37. Boulder (2-4), 70.500; 38. Legacy (2-4), 70.333; 39. Westmisnter (2-4), 69.667; 40. Prairie View (2-4), 67.500; 41. Rocky Mountain (1-5), 63.500; 42. Bear Creek (1-5), 63.167; 43. Arvada West (1-5), 62.667; 44. Poudre (1-5), 62.333; 45. Northglenn (1-5), 61.500; 46. Fossil Ridge (1-5), 61.000; 47. AURORA CENTRAL (1-5), 59.500; 48. Lincoln (2-4), 58.667; 49. Doherty (0-6), 55.000; 50. HINKLEY (1-5), 53.833; 51. Palmer (0-6), 51.667; 52. Adams City (0-6), 48.333