A few of the top prep games on tap this week:

Boulder vs. Fairview boys basketball, Thursday

Whenever the Panthers and Knights go toe-to-toe in Boulder, it generally provides a good snapshot of how their seasons are going up to that point. This year, by far, paints a much different picture than in years past.

Fairview boys basketball has broken out this season with an early 8-2 record, losing only to Horizon and Longmont, both through overtime efforts. Senior Spencer Brown (17.4 points per game) and sophomore Trevor Ochs (12.9 ppg) have been the main catalysts of that success.

Boulder, by contrast, is still experiencing growing pains with its 5-6 record but has enjoyed strong production from senior Cole Morrow (19.9 ppg), junior Lake Smith (14.9) and junior Lewis Racine (14.6).

Boulder vs. Fairview girls basketball, Thursday

The ladies have followed much of the same pattern as the boys. The Knights held a 7-3 mark before Tuesday’s late matchup against Niwot, while the Panthers sat at 5-6 before meeting up with Mountain Range, also on Tuesday.

Standout players for Boulder include senior Megan Matthews (13.5 ppg) and sophomore Lexi Oder (13.4), while Fairview houses just one double-digit scorer in sophomore Chloe Hickory (10.4). Last week, senior Alice Rowe sunk an overtime buzzer beater to defeat Longmont.

Kent Denver vs. Jefferson Academy boys basketball, Thursday

It’s a top-10 matchup with all of the makings of an instant classic.

Second-ranked Kent Denver, one of the undisputed title favorites in Class 4A, boasted a 9-2 record as of Monday night and has done so with a monster scoring presence that includes Caleb Fay (23 ppg), Elvis Lloyd (11.8) and Clay Tierney (11.7).

The No. 7 Jaguars, by contrast, entered Tuesday night’s game against Pomona with a 7-1 mark, having only lost to Lamar, while focusing most of the scoring into the talents of senior Josh Neely (19.6) and junior Jimeto Orji (18.1).

Holy Family vs. Mead wrestling dual, Thursday

Mead’s defending Class 4A state champions will hit the mats with some familiar faces headlining their program, namely junior Trey Tatham (113 lbs., 20-8 record), junior Breckan Palko (120, 20-9), sophomore Eric Hansen (138, 21-12), senior Hunter Humphrey (150, 24-10), junior Carter Woods (165, 23-4) and senior William Eilers (190, 32-5).

The Tigers will be fielding some top performers that include senior Oscar Hageman (106, 16-6), junior Kaden McCracken (113, 16-6), junior Lorenzo Trujillo (120, 17-8), freshman Adam Moore (132, 13-3), junior Fisher Reenan (150, 18-8) and senior Camden Austin (190, 22-3).

Frederick at Mead girls basketball, Friday

The Golden Eagles and Mavericks will get the chance to air out their rivalry on the court and will pit two of the St. Vrain Valley School District’s best teams against each other.

No. 2 Mead enjoyed an 11-2 record before Tuesday night’s meeting with Monarch and has carried its general dominance into league play thanks to four scorers averaging double digits: sophomore Madi Clark (13.1 ppg), senior Darby Haley (11.4), junior Elena Gomez (10.5) and sophomore Taylor Gordon (10).

No. 11 Frederick, sitting at 8-3 before its Tuesday meeting with Broomfield, has been able to master much of its 5A competition thanks to its top scorer, senior Zoe Wittler (14.7) and overall excellent rebounding ability (30.1 rebounds per game).