It’s a huge weekend across the classification, with nearly every league having important games on tap. However, before looking forward, a quick look back at games that took place earlier in the week is needed.
Things got a whole more interesting in the 5280 on Tuesday night, as Front Range Baptist (8-4, 4th RPI) worked overtime to upset previously unbeaten Cornerstone Christian (13-1, 2nd RPI), 60-58. The second-ranked Bulldogs had been 2-0 in OT games this season. With Brandt Vos being held to nine points, five below his average, Noah Rumbyrt stepped up with 14 points, matching his career-high, but it wasn’t enough for the Bulldogs. There is now a three-way tie for the top spot in the league, with Front Range Baptist, Cornerstone Christian, and #4 Mile High Academy (8-1, 1st RPI) all sharing the lead.
On Wednesday night, third-ranked Sangre de Cristo (11-1, 5th RPI) took another step towards the Southern Peaks crown with a 59-18 win over Primero (4-5, 30th RPI). It was the sixth straight win for the Thunderbirds, who lead the league by a game over Sierra Grande (5-8, 37th RPI). Those two hook up next Saturday. Sangre meets Cotopaxi (8-6, 34th RPI) on Thursday, and the T-birds already own a 67-40 victory over the Pirates this season.
Thursday’s slate also includes a key game in the Arkansas Valley, with fifth-ranked Walsh (7-4, 8th RPI) visiting rival Springfield (9-4, 7th RPI). The #8 Longhorns saw their four-game winning streak snapped by #7 Kit Carson (10-4, 6th RPI) last week. After that non-league loss, they return to conference play in what can be considered a “must win” situation. With one league loss already in the books, a second all but eliminates the Longhorns from the league race. Beau Dukes, who posted 21 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks in the loss to Kit Carson, leads Springfield at just over 12 points and 8.4 rebounds on the season.
Walsh is the only team in the Ark Valley without a league loss and the Eagles can put themselves firmly in control of the division with a win on the road. They are just 3-2 in their last five games, but both losses were to out of state opponents. Only one of their four losses this season has been to an in-state team, and that was 2A #1 Holly in the Lamar Holiday Tournament. Since 2006, this rivalry series has been one of runs. Springfield won four in a row, and then Walsh ran off six straight. The Longhorns answered with six straight wins of their own, and now, the Eagles have claimed the last six meetings.
A three-way tie atop the Black Forest will see one team fall out on Thursday, as #9 Evangelical Christian (11-3, 12th RPI) hosts Elbert (6-6, 27th RPI). ECA has won six straight, scoring 73 or more points three times in the process. The Eagles have scored at least 60 points 10 times this season, their first in 1A. Elbert has won its last two games to get back to .500 on the season. The Bulldogs seem to be more comfortable playing at a tempo that keeps them in the 40s, so this will be a clash of styles. The winner will remain tied with Kiowa (3-8, 49th RPI) atop the division.
Friday has three games on tap that could really either create clarity in their respective league, or more confusion. First, in the High Plains, Kit Carson looks to lock up a top-two finish with a win against Cheraw (11-3, 10th RPI). The Wildcats still have McClave (7-6, 17th RPI) on the schedule, so they can’t lock up the title with a win. The Wolverines need a win to keep their hopes alive in the league, as they were tripped up by Cheyenne Wells (4-9, 36th RPI) last week.
Kit Carson has four players averaging between eight and 11 points a game, making it hard to pick one player to shut down. Sullivan Farmer leads the group at 11 points a night, and Jayden McCombs-Farmer has been scoring 9.5 points a game since returning from his hip injury in early January. Cheraw, who has dropped 17 straight meetings with the Wildcats, has three players averaging double figures in scoring. Colt Honey leads the trio at 13 points a night, followed by Josiah Vasquez at 11.4, and Gabe Montoya at 10.3 points per game.
The North Central got a shake up last week when Prairie (10-5, 20th RPI) upset #6 Peetz (9-4, 9th RPI), 64-61. That created a tie between those two atop the league. Now, Briggsdale (10-5, 13th RPI) sits one game behind them and they will pay a visit to the Bulldogs on Friday. Peetz was nearly upset for a second straight game as the Bulldogs escaped Caliche (5-10, 42nd RPI) on Tuesday, 62-61. The Buffs had a shot at the buzzer for the win but could not capitalize. Peetz is just 2-2 in the last couple weeks.
Briggsdale will enter the game a bit short-handed, as freshman Braden Krise, the team’s second leading scorer at just under 10 points a game, was injured in a biking accident over the weekend. He scored nine points in an earlier 55-37 to the Bulldogs. Peetz has won nine straight meetings in the series and has not lost to the Falcons since March 1, 2014.
Things will start to shake out in the YWKC on Friday, when two of the three teams tied for the lead square off. Otis (6-6, 18th RPI) plays host to Arickaree/Woodlin (9-3, 11th RPI) with the winner likely remaining tied with Idalia (6-8, 35th RPI) for the league lead. Idalia faces Bethune (5-6, 40th RPI) on Friday, so the winner in Otis could potentially be alone in first.
Otis has won two straight, picking up quality wins last weekend over Briggsdale and #10 Haxtun (9-5, 15th RPI). The Bulldogs also saw the return to action of Cullen Glosson, who had missed the entire season up to last Friday after recovering from surgery to fix a dislocated elbow suffered during football season. Glosson will help take some of the scoring load off of Ty Hunt, who averages 22 points a game. In his first two games back, Glosson averaged the same number. Arickaree/Woodlin has won three straight, including a 71-67 OT decision at Idalia last Friday. Arturo Ramos, who scored scored a career-high 21 points in that contest, is one of four Indian-Mustangs in double figures at 10.5 ppg. Kevin Ramirez leads the group at 13.6, followed by Andy Miller at 11.5, and Michael McCaffrey at 10.8. Since 2014-15, A/W is 7-3 against Otis. They split two meetings last year, with Otis winning 49-44 in the regular season and A/W taking a 65-61 win in districts.
The top game on the schedule for Saturday takes place in the Western Slope, where #1 De Beque (14-0, 3rd RPI) looks to strengthen its hold on the lead in the division. The Dragons seized sole possession of the lead last week with a 64-60 victory over 2A Vail Christian. They will be favored to move past 2A Vail Mountain on Friday, setting up Saturday’s showdown with 2A Plateau Valley. De Beque has only failed to score 60 points in a game once this season. They still put up 58 in a victory over Norwood in that contest.
The Dragons picked up a 60-47 win on the road over Plateau Valley back on Dec. 19th, with Wes Ryan scoring 27 points, one off his season-high. Brennan Rigsby added 18 points and eight boards, and Dillon Baumgardner made it three Dragons in double figures, scoring 10 points. On the season, Rigsby is pumping in close to 22 points and pulling down nine rebounds, while Ryan adds 18.7 points. Plateau Valley has won six straight games ahead of Friday night’s home game with West Grand. The Cowboys are led by Stevenson Reynolds at 16.1 points per game. He had 20 points and 12 rebounds in the first meeting. Trevor Brown and Austyn Vig each add a little over nine points a game for the Cowboys who are 24-4 against the Dragons dating back to 2005. De Beque, however, has won two of the last three games in the series.
