Colorado prep football preview: Biggest Week 8 games to watch
Denver Post preps editor Kyle Newman breaks down the biggest games to watch in Week 8 of the 2017 high school football season, the third week of conference play around the state.
p.m. Thursday, Five Star Stadium: With consecutive impressive wins over Fairview and Mullen to open Mount Cameron play, senior running back Connor Snow and the No. 8 Rebels are rolling into the bout against an upstart Northglenn team that’s found success with a backfield by committee as well as the defensive leadership of junior free safety J.J. Gomez.
4 p.m. Friday, North Area Athletic Complex: No. 5 Fruita Monument travels to Arvada for a pivotal Mountain League showdown against No. 9 Standley Lake, and each team boasts stretch-the-field senior running backs in the Wildcats’ Braeden Graham and the Gators’ Ty Webber. Listen to this game live on the Post Preps Radio Game of the Week. Garry Berry Stadium: This Mount Massive showdown pits two playoff-caliber teams against each other as the Spartans seek to avenge last season’s 38-point loss to the Wolves. Senior quarterback Kyle Smith (112.7 QBR) needs to continue to be efficient for No. 7 Grandview, while Doherty will look to senior tailback Julian Cooks (1,126 yards, 15 TD) to break loose for big plays against a stingy defense.
Fairview (6-1) at Mullen (3-4), 7 p.m. Friday, De La Salle Stadium: Sophomore quarterback Aidan Atkinson has a diverse arsenal at his disposal — one that in- cludes the running and pass-blocking talents of senior Mariano Kemp — as the No. 9 Knights travel south to take on Mullen, which leans on junior quarterback Dominic Depizzol to get the team back on track following a decisive loss to Columbine last week.
7 p.m. Friday, Shea Stadium: In a Mount Lincoln battle between two schools that are right across University Boulevard from each other, No. 1 Valor Christian gets another chance to defeat a top ten foe and assert itself as the state’s Goliath, but the No. 6 Falcons’ physicality up front — combined with the field vision and speed of junior running back Dominic Bettini — should make it a competitive ballgame.