SCHEDULE RELEASE: 25 Pikes Peak region football teams slated to begin fall football Oct. 9 | Colorado Springs High School Sports
Following the Colorado High School Activities Association’s announcement last week to allow schools to choose to play football in either Season A (fall) or Season C (spring), 79.9 percent of Colorado programs elected to play a condensed season this fall. Of the 218 schools hitting the field this fall, 25 hail from the Pikes Peak region.
After much deliberation and realignment of 2020 football leagues, CHSAA released the six-game regular-season schedule Tuesday. Teams may begin practicing Thursday and most Week 1 contests will be held Friday, Oct. 9.
While CHSAA said it would do its best to keep leagues with at least 50 percent participation intact, many Pikes Peak region programs saw some shift in their previous league alignment.
Below is a breakdown of league adjustments per classification. League games are indicated by an *
CLASS 5A
More than 76 percent of Class 5A programs are committed to play this fall with mostly Denver metro schools choosing to compete this spring.
All of the 5A Metro 1 league will compete in season C, along with four of six teams in Metro 2. Overland and Prairie View, the two remaining Metro 2 teams committed to fall, will join the 5A Centennial league and 5A North, respectively.
The 5A South league, featuring local teams of Doherty and Pine Creek, remains unchanged.
5A South
Pine Creek
Pine Creek will open Week 1 play by traveling to Castle View for the team’s only nonleague game of the season before hosting Douglas County in Week 2. The Eagles will host Doherty in Week 4. The Eagles will compete in a 5A league, but can qualify for the 4A postseason.
Week 1 @ Castle View
Week 2 vs. Douglas County*
Week 3 @ Chaparral*
Week 4 vs. Doherty*
Week 5 @ Legend*
Week 6 vs. Regis Jesuit*
Doherty
Doherty will host Valor Christian in Week 1 in the Spartans’ lone nonconference contest before traveling to Legend to open 5A South conference play.
Week 1 vs. Valor Christian
Week 2 @ Legend*
Week 3 vs. Douglas County*
Week 4 @ Pine Creek*
Week 5 @ Regis Jesuit*
Week 6 vs. Chaparral*
CLASS 4A
Although more than 85 percent of Class 4A programs committed to the fall season, some leagues required some reconfiguration.
The biggest change will be for the three-time 3A state champions Palmer Ridge as the team transitions into 4A. The Bears have been moved from the Southern 1 league to a new Western Slope conference to compete against Grand Junction and Grand Junction Central, Montrose, Fruita Monument and Ponderosa. Palmer Ridge will travel to Golden in Week 1 for a nonleague game.
Palmer Ridge will travel 1,280 miles between its three away games, including two trips to the Western Slope.
The former Southern 1 and 2 leagues were condensed into one league composed mostly of Pikes Peak region teams featuring Air Academy, Fountain-Fort Carson, Mesa Ridge, Pueblo West, Rampart and Vista Ridge.
Coronado joins the I-25 league featuring Cheyenne Mountain, Liberty, Palmer, Thornton and Widefield. Falcon, which was slated to play in the I-25 league, is the only Pikes Peak region 4A program to choose to play this spring.
4A Southern
Air Academy
Air Academy will host Liberty in Week 1 in nonleague play before traveling to Pueblo West in Week 2 to kick off Southern league competition, and to Fountain-Fort Carson the following week.
Week 1 vs. Liberty
Week 2 @ Pueblo West*
Week 3 @ Fountain-Fort Carson*
Week 4 vs. Rampart*
Week 5 @ Mesa Ridge*
Week 6 vs. Vista Ridge*
Fountain-Fort Carson
The Trojans will host Coronado in Week 1 before kicking off Southern league play on the road against Vista Ridge in Week 2. This season will mark Fountain-Fort Carson’s first year competing in Class 4A since 2009.
Week 1 vs. Coronado
Week 2 @ Vista Ridge*
Week 3 vs. Air Academy*
Week 4 @ Pueblo West*
Week 5 @ Rampart*
Week 6 vs. Mesa Ridge*
Mesa Ridge
Mesa Ridge and Widefield will continue their long-standing rivalry game in Week 1 with the Gladiators acting as the home team. Mesa Ridge will host back-to-back games in Weeks 2 and 3, welcoming Rampart and Pueblo West respectively in Southern league action.
Week 1 @ Widefield
Week 2 vs. Rampart*
Week 3 vs. Pueblo West*
Week 4 @ Vista Ridge*
Week 5 vs. Air Academy*
Week 6 @ Fountain-Fort Carson*
Rampart
The Rams will host out-of-town nonleague foe Thornton in Week 1 before opening up Southern league play against Mesa Ridge on the road. The Rams will also host Vista Ridge and Fountain-Fort Carson through the condensed season.
Week 1 vs. Thornton
Week 2 @ Mesa Ridge*
Week 3 vs. Vista Ridge*
Week 4 @ Air Academy*
Week 5 vs. Fountain-Fort Carson*
Week 6 @ Pueblo West*
Vista Ridge
Vista Ridge will open the 2020 season on the road against Palmer in nonleague action before hosting Fountain-Fort Carson in Week 2.
Week 1 @ Palmer
Week 2 vs. Fountain-Fort Carson*
Week 3 @ Rampart*
Week 4 vs. Mesa Ridge*
Week 5 vs. Pueblo West*
Week 6 @ Air Academy*
4A I-25
Cheyenne Mountain
Cheyenne Mountain will host Pueblo West in nonconference play in Week 1 before traveling to Liberty in Week 2 to kick off its 4A I-25 slate.
Week 1 vs. Pueblo West
Week 2 @ Liberty*
Week 3 vs. Palmer*
Week 4 @ Coronado*
Week 5 @ Widefield*
Week 6 vs. Thornton*
Coronado
Coronado will travel to Fountain-Fort Carson for a nonleague clash in Week 1 before hosting Palmer in Week 2. The Cougars will travel to Thornton in Week 3 before closing their regular-season schedule against Pikes Peak region I-25 league opponents.
Week 1 @ Fountain-Fort Carson
Week 2 vs. Palmer*
Week 3 @ Thornton*
Week 4 vs. Cheyenne Mountain*
Week 5 @ Liberty*
Week 6 vs. Widefield*
Liberty
The Lancers will travel to Air Academy for a nonleague contest in Week 1 before hosting three I-25 league games through the condensed regular season.
Week 1 @ Air Academy
Week 2 vs. Cheyenne Mountain*
Week 3 @ Widefield*
Week 4 vs. Thornton*
Week 5 vs. Coronado*
Week 6 @ Palmer*
Palmer
Palmer will open the 2020 season with a home nonleague contest against Vista Ridge before facing Coronado and Cheyenne Mountain in weeks 2 and 3 in I-25 league play. The Terrors will travel north to face Thornton in Week 5 before closing the regular season at home against Liberty.
Week 1 vs. Vista Ridge
Week 2 @ Coronado*
Week 3 vs. Cheyenne Mountain*
Week 4 vs. Widefield*
Week 5 @ Thornton*
Week 6 vs. Liberty*
Widefield
Widefield will host rival Mesa Ridge to continue the annual District 3 rivalry at CA Foster Stadium in Week 1 before jumping into I-25 play by traveling to Thornton in Week 2.
Week 1 vs. Mesa Ridge
Week 2 @ Thornton*
Week 3 vs. Liberty*
Week 4 @ Palmer*
Week 5 vs. Cheyenne Mountain*
Week 6 @ Coronado*
4A Western Slope
Palmer Ridge
The Bears will have its shortest trip of the year in Week 1, heading to Golden for their only nonleague contest of the condensed season before jumping into Western Slope play. The Bears will host Grand Junction in Week 2 before heading over to the Western Slope to face Grand Junction Central in Week 3.
Week 1 @ Golden
Week 2 vs. Grand Junction*
Week 3 @ Grand Junction Central*
Week 4 vs. Montrose*
Week 5 @ Fruita Monument*
Week 6 vs. Ponderosa*
CLASS 3A
Seventy percent of Class 3A schools chose to compete this fall, which forced a massive overhaul of league alignments. CHSAA announced Tuesday it cut 3A down from seven leagues to four, with seven teams competing in each league. The seven-team league alignment means some teams will have a conference-only schedule in the condensed season with a few teams having been granted one nonleague contest in the regular season.
Three of the Pikes Peak region’s four 3A teams playing this fall, Discovery Canyon, Mitchell and Lewis-Palmer, will compete in the 3A Colorado league. Canon City will compete in the South Central league with all Pueblo teams, plus Durango. Harrison, Sierra and Sand Creek opted to play in the spring season.
3A Colorado
Discovery Canyon
The Thunder’s regular season will feature seven Colorado league contests starting off with Mitchell at home on Week 1. Discovery Canyon will travel to Lutheran, Riverdale Ridge and Lewis-Palmer in its road conference games.
Week 1 vs. Mitchell*
Week 2 @ Lutheran*
Week 3 vs. Holy Family*
Week 4 @ Riverdale Ridge*
Week 5 vs. Niwot*
Week 6 @ Lewis-Palmer*
Lewis-Palmer
Lewis-Palmer will host Lutheran to kick off the 2020 season, followed by four-straight Colorado league contests before traveling to Pueblo Central for its only nonleague action of the year in Week 5.
Week 1 vs. Lutheran*
Week 2 @ Holy Family*
Week 3 vs. Riverdale Ridge*
Week 4 @ Niwot*
Week 5 @ Pueblo Central
Week 6 vs. Discovery Canyon*
Mitchell
The Marauders will open 3A Colorado play on the road against Discovery Canyon before hosting Durango in Week 2 nonconference action.
Week 1 @ Discovery Canyon*
Week 2 vs. Durango
Week 3 vs. Lutheran*
Week 4 @ Holy Family*
Week 5 vs. Riverdale Ridge*
Week 6 @ Niwot*
3A South Central
Canon City
Canon City will open the 2020 season against Pueblo Centennial on the road, before hosting back-to-back games, first welcoming South Central foe Pueblo East, and Niwot in a nonleague contest.
Week 1 @ Pueblo Centennial*
Week 2 vs. Pueblo East*
Week 3 vs. Niwot
Week 4 @ Pueblo Central*
Week 5 vs. Pueblo South*
Week 6 @ Durango*
CLASS 2A
Class 2A had the lowest percentage of schools choosing to play in the fall with 68.42 percent. In total, 26 2A teams chose the fall, while 12 programs opted to stick with the earlier scheduled spring season C.
The Pikes Peak region will have three local teams hitting the field in 2A competition this fall with Elizabeth and Woodland Park competing in the West league, and Manitou Springs competing in the Southwest conference. The Classical Academy is the lone Colorado Springs-area 2A program to choose the spring season.
2A West
Elizabeth
The Cardinals will host Lamar in Week 1 in a nonleague contest before traveling to Woodland Park to kick off 2A West action in Week 2. Elizabeth will also travel to Middle Park and Delta this season.
Week 1 vs. Lamar
Week 2 @ Woodland Park*
Week 3 vs. Moffat County*
Week 4 @ Middle Park*
Week 5 vs. Engelwood*
Week 6 @ Delta*
Woodland Park
Woodland Park opens the season on the road in Alamosa to take on the Mean Moose in a nonleague contest. The Panthers will host back-to-back 2A West opponents, first welcoming Elizabeth in Week 2, followed by Delta.
Week 1 @ Alamosa
Week 2 vs. Elizabeth*
Week 3 vs. Delta*
Week 4 @ Moffat County*
Week 5 vs. Middle Park*
Week 6 @ Englewood*
2A Southwest
Manitou Springs
The Mustangs will kick off the 2020 season against Moffat County in nonleague play, followed by a pair of 2A Southwest road contests against La Junta and Alamosa before returning home to face Bayfield in Week 4.
Week 1 vs. Moffat County
Week 2 @ La Junta*
Week 3 @ Alamosa*
Week 4 vs. Bayfield*
Week 5 @ Lamar*
Week 6 vs. Pagosa Springs*
CLASS 1A
Class 1A football will feature 32 teams playing this fall, accounting for more than 76 percent of the classification.
The Pikes Peak region’s newest football program Banning Lewis Prep will play its inaugural season in the seven-team Foothills conference. Colorado Springs Christian and Peyton will compete in the 1A Tri-Peaks league.
1A Foothills
Banning Lewis Prep
The Stallions will jump right into league play, hosting Jefferson in the program’s first football contest. Banning Lewis will travel to The Pinnacle for a Week 2 conference clash before hosting Strasburg in Week 3. The team will travel to Burlington in the final week of the regular season for its only nonconference matchup.
Week 1 vs. Jefferson*
Week 2 @ The Pinnacle*
Week 3 vs. Strasburg*
Week 4 @ Platte Canyon*
Week 5 vs. Prospect Ridge Academy*
Week 6 @ Burlington
1A Tri-Peaks
Colorado Springs Christian
The Lions will travel to Monte Vista in Week 1 for a nonleague game, and will kick off Tri-Peaks play in Week 2 hosting Trinidad. CSCS will also host Rocky Ford in Week 4 and league rival Peyton in Week 6.
Week 1 @ Monte Vista
Week 2 vs. Trinidad*
Week 3 @ Rye*
Week 4 vs. Rocky Ford*
Week 5 @ Florence*
Week 6 vs. Peyton*
Peyton
Peyton is scheduled to host Center in Week 1 before traveling to Rye for its first taste of Tri-Peaks league play. The Panthers will host Florence and Rocky Ford in the regular season.
Week 1 vs. Center
Week 2 @ Rye*
Week 3 vs. Florence*
Week 4 @ Trinidad*
Week 5 vs. Rocky Ford*
Week 6 @ CSCS*
8-man and 6-man
Colorado’s small schools making up the state’s 6- and 8-man programs jumped at the chance to play fall football, with just eight of 72 teams opting to stick with the spring schedule. Of the 32 teams in the 6-man classification just two chose the spring season, resulting in the highest fall response rate of any classification at 93.75 percent. The 8-man team response was only slightly lower with 34 of 42 teams opting to play this fall for an 85 percent commitment to season A.
Pikes Peak Christian and Calhan will compete in the 8-Man Southern league
8-Man Southern
Calhan
Calhan will travel to Elbert in Week 1 in nonleague action before traveling to Pikes Peak Christian to kick off 8-Man Southern conference play. The Bulldogs will host back-to-back games, first welcoming nonleague opponent Byers, followed by Simla in conference action.
Week 1 @ Elbert
Week 2 @ Pikes Peak Christian*
Week 3 vs. Byers
Week 4 vs. Simla*
Week 5 @ Dolores Huerta Prep*
Week 6 vs. Swink*
Pikes Peak Christian
With a smaller five-team league, the Eagles will have the opportunity to play two nonleague games to bookend their regular season. Pikes Peak Christian will begin the season on the road against Lyons, and will end the regular season hosting South Park in nonleague play.
Week 1 @ Lyons
Week 2 vs. Calhan*
Week 3 @ Simla*
Week 4 vs. Dolores Huerta Prep*
Week 5 @ Swink*
Week 6 vs. South Park
