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Valor Christian head coach Bret McGatlin on the sidelines in the second half of Valor’s 31-17 loss to Pine Creek Friday, September 1, 2023 at D20 Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo. Photo by Mark Reis/Special to the Denver Post
Valor Christian head coach Bret McGatlin on the sidelines in the second half of Valor’s 31-17 loss to Pine Creek Friday, September 1, 2023 at D20 Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo. Photo by Mark Reis/Special to the Denver Post
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 1:  Matt Schubert - Staff portraits at the Denver Post studio.  (Photo by Eric Lutzens/The Denver Post)
UPDATED:

A look at the Post Preps Top 10 for Classes 5A, 4A and 3A going into Week 1:

If you’re on mobile, tap here to see the rankings.

Class 5A

Team Record Previous Last week
1. Cherry Creek 0-0 1 Did not play
Comment: Bruins’ brutal schedule begins with trip across state lines to face a team that’s already played twice. This week: at Skyridge (Lehi, Utah), 7 p.m. Friday
2. Mountain Vista 1-0 2 W (83-6 at Pearl City, Hawaii)
Comment: Austyn Modrzewski’s quest to break state records very much intact after he threw for 338 yards, six TDs last week. This week: vs. No. 8 Arapahoe, 7:30 p.m. Friday
3. Legend 1-0 3 W (41-0 at Fruita Monument)
Comment: Domination of Fruita Monument did nothing to dispel notion Titans are 5A title sleepers. This week: at No. 7 Grandview, 7 p.m. Friday
4. Columbine 0-0 4 Did not play
Comment: It’s been eight years since the Rebels last lost a season-opener. And they had to go to Florida to do it. This week: at ThunderRidge, 7 p.m. Thursday
5. Regis Jesuit 0-0 5 Did not play
Comment: Season openers against Valor are now an annual tradition for Raiders. We approve. This week: at No. 6 Valor Christian, 7 p.m. Friday
6. Valor Christian 1-0 9 W (31-14 vs. Pine Creek)
Comment: Get to know Cash Spence, the Valor junior who shredded Pine Creek with seven catches for 189 yards. This week: vs. No. 5 Regis Jesuit, 7 p.m. Friday
7. Grandview 0-0 7 Did not play
Comment: For first time since 2020, Wolves start season with someone other than Air Force’s Liam Szarka at QB. This week: vs. No. 3 Legend, 7 p.m. Friday
8. Arapahoe 0-0 8 Did not play
Comment: We’re about to find out real quick if the Warriors are top-tier in 5A once again. This week: at No. 2 Mountain Vista, 7:30 p.m. Friday
9. Arvada West 1-0 10 W (51-14 vs. Fountain-Fort Carson)
Comment: Wildcats averaged 15.2 yards per carry in their Week 0 win over FFC. This week: at Mountain Range, 7 p.m. Friday
10. Ralston Valley 0-0 6 Did not play
Comment: Opener against Erie, which routed Brighton 45-0 last week, will reveal a lot about both teams. This week: vs. Erie, 7 p.m. Friday

Class 4A

Team Record Previous Last week
1. Broomfield 0-0 1 Did not play
Comment: Frederick’s first game as 4A program comes against perennial power Broomfield. Might as well jump right in. This week: at Frederick, 7 p.m. Thursday
2. Palmer Ridge 0-0 2 Did not play
Comment: Bears’ 24-game regular-season win streak began with a 35-28 victory at Ponderosa. This week: at No. 5 Ponderosa, 7 p.m. Thursday
3. Mesa Ridge 0-0 3 Did not play
Comment: Mesa Ridge starts with the Kadets, who looked solid beating up on Cheyenne Mountain last Saturday. This week: at Air Academy, 6 p.m. Friday
4. Heritage 0-0 4 Did not play
Comment: Before embarking on brutal Weeks 2-5 that includes two 5A teams, the Eagles head north. This week: at Severance, 7 p.m. Friday
5. Ponderosa 0-0 8 Did not play
Comment: Mustangs have lost three straight to Week 1 opponent Palmer Ridge. This week: vs. No. 2 Palmer Ridge, 7 p.m. Thursday
6. Montrose 1-0 6 W (42-16 vs. Durango)
Comment: After giving Durango a rude welcome to 4A, Red Hawks head east. This week: at Greeley West, 6 p.m. Friday
7. Pueblo West 1-0 10 W (42-0 vs. Loveland)
Comment: It’s one thing to beat Loveland. But triggering a running clock? Cyclones are for real. This week: at Pueblo County, 7 p.m. Friday
8. Vista Ridge 0-0 7 Did not play
Comment: Fun fact: The Wolves have never had a losing season in program history. This week: at Montbello, 6 p.m. Friday
9. Dakota Ridge 0-0 NR Did not play
Comment: The Jeremiah Behrendsen era at Dakota Ridge begins with a doozy: returning 5A state semifinalist Chatfield. This week: at Chatfield, 7 p.m. Friday
10. Golden 0-1 5 L (41-19 at New Smyrna Beach, Fla.)
Comment: A positive from last week’s trip to Florida? The Demons get a week to recover. This week: Bye

Class 3A

Team Record Previous Last week
1. Windsor 0-0 1 Did not play
Comment: In first game in 3A, Wizards get one of the classification’s heavyweights. This week: vs. No. 8 Green Mountain, 7 p.m. Thursday
2. Lutheran 0-0 2 Did not play
Comment: A reloaded Lions program heads to the Lone Star State to jump in the deep end right away. This week: at Cooper (The Woodlands, Texas), 7 p.m. Friday
3. Holy Family 0-0 3 Did not play
Comment: The reigning 3A champions enter the season riding 10-game win streak. This week: vs. Northridge, 7 p.m. Thursday
4. Thompson Valley 0-0 4 Did not play
Comment: Could it be that Thompson Valley is now the top program in Loveland? This week: at Berthoud, 7 p.m Friday
5. Roosevelt 0-0 6 Did not play
Comment: Rough Riders have lost just three regular-season games since 2020. This week: at Northfield, 11 a.m. Saturday
6. Mead 0-0 5 Did not play
Comment: After back-to-back losing seasons, is Jason Klatt’s team ready to rejoin 3A elite? This week: vs. Pueblo South, 7 p.m. Friday
7. Pueblo Central 0-0 7 Did not play
Comment: Visit to Discovery Canyon a great early test for program coming off breakout 9-win campaign. This week: at Discovery Canyon, 6 p.m. Thursday
8. Green Mountain 0-0 8 Did not play
Comment: Anthony Rankin’s first game on the Rams sideline is as tough as they come. This week: at No. 1 Windsor, 7 p.m. Thursday
9. Pomona 0-0 10 Did not play
Comment: It’s going to take some time before we get used to Pomona in 3A. This week: at Kennedy, 7 p.m. Thursday
10. Pueblo East 1-0 NR W (35-0 vs. Fort Morgan)
Comment: Eagles’ shutout of Fort Morgan in Week 0 was an attention-getter. This week: Bye

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