Most of the conference championships in Class 1A girls’ basketball will determined in the final week with head-to-head matchups of team leaders.  South Baca-Springfield meet in the Ark Valley, Kiowa-Elbert face off in the Black Forest, McClave challenges Kit Carson in the High Plains and Lone Star meets Arickaree/Woodlin in the YWKC.  We look at those races and all others.
 
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Flatirons Academy (5-0) has clinched the league title as they lead both Shining Mountain and Mile High Academy by one game.   The Bison have beaten both clubs to have the edge in all tiebreakers.  Second place will be determined when Shining Mountain hosts Mile High on Tuesday.
ARK VALLEY
The stage has been set for the much anticipated clash between Springfield and South Baca.  Both teams are 3-0 in the conference they meet on Thursday to determine first and second.  The winner also nabs the top district seed.  RPI standings are also at stake which could play a role in the state tournament bracket should both teams make it far.  Springfield goes into the week at #1 with South Baca at #4.  Wiley is the number three team based on an earlier win over Kim/Branson as the Mustangs end up fourth.
BLACK FOREST
Kiowa (4-0) and Elbert (5-0) share the lead by two games over Pikes Peak Christian and Evangelical so their head to head matchup on Thursday will determine the top two spots.  Pikes Peak Christian goes to ECA on the same night and that outcome will determine third and fourth.
HIGH PLAINS
Kit Carson (4-0) starts the final week with a one game edge on McClave (3-1) and those two clubs collide on Friday to determine the top spot. A McClave win puts them at number one with Kit Carson sliding to number two.  Should the Wildcats win, they earn the title with McClave possibly falling into a three-way tie with Cheraw and Eads ( both 2-2). Both teams are in action on Friday as the Wolverines host Cheyenne Wells and the Eagles battle Granada.  In head-to-head matchups, McClave beat Cheraw but lost to Eads.  Cheraw topped Eads last Friday.
NORTH CENTRAL
Fleming and Briggsdale are both 6-1 and share the conference lead.  They’ve already played twice and split those games so there’s a high probability the two will be co-champions.  Each has one league game left with Briggsdale having the more difficult challenge.  They visit third-place Prairie on Friday while Fleming is heavily favored against Peetz.  Concerning district seeding, the first tiebreaker is head-to-head and the second is winning percentage.  Both remain tied there so RPI may determine which club gets the top district seed and as of Sunday, Fleming is #2 and Briggsdale #5.  Prairie has clinched third place and is the likely #5 seed for the district tournament as they sit behind both Longmont Christian and Merino in RPI.
SOUTHERN PEAKS
The key remaining contest is set for Thursday as Sangre De Cristo hosts Moffat County.  Sangre is alone in first (9-0) with a one game edge on Cotopaxi and Moffat.  They’ve already beaten Cotopaxi so a win over Moffat gives them the conference championship and also gives second place to Cotopaxi.  An upset by Moffat leaves the three teams tied for the conference championship.  Fourth place is not nearly as clear as Antonito, Centennial, La Veta and Sierra Grande all enter the week with four losses.  Antonito will get to 6-4 as they will earn a forfeit win over Aguilar but there are two other games that will impact the final result.  Centennial goes to La Veta on Wednesday and then La Veta hosts Sierra Grand the next night.  Which ever club gets through that stretch without a loss will tie Centennial for fourth and then the position comes down to head-to-head.
YWKC
Lone Star is 15-1 overall and Arickaree/Woodlin just 2-13 but their matchup on Friday will determine the championship.  Lone Star is 3-0 in the conference with Arickaree/Woodlin at 2-0.  The Indian/Mustangs also have a game at Idalia on Tuesday but even with a loss they remain in the title chase.  Lone Star is the champion with a win on Friday regardless of what happens on Tuesday.  Arickaree/Woodlin is the champion if they win twice this week.  If Arickaree/Woodlin falls at Idalia but beats Lone Star, all three teams share the top spot.  Regardless of the conference outcome, Lone Star will be the #1 district seed as they sit #6 in RPI and no other district competitor is in the top 20.  Idalia is #24 and likely will be the #2 seed.
1A TEAMS IN COMBINED CONFERENCES

  • Merino will end up fifth in the Lower Platte conference but will be the top 1A seed from the league.  Caliche (2-15) will head to the District 4 bracket from the conference.  The Rams are in-line for the #4 seed at districts with Caliche most likely #8 as they fell to Peetz head-to-head.  The two are separated by just one spot in the RPI standings.
  • Longmont Christian is 10-6 overall and will end up in the upper division of the 13-team Mile High conference.  They’re also #13 in RPI which puts them as the number three seed behind Fleming and Briggsdale in District 4.  They lead Merino by four spots in the race for third.
  • Dove Creek (6-1) is the winner of the 1A portion of the San Juan chase as they finished four games up on Nucla and five on Ouray.  The Bulldogs are #22 in RPI which would place them as the #2 seed in districts behind Debeque (#19) from the Western Slope.
  • DeBeque will finish fourth in the Western Slope if they get by Rangely on the road this Saturday.  They’re currently tied with Soroco in fourth but beat the Rams head to head.  As mentioned, the Dragons are in position to land the top seed in District 1.
  • Genoa Hugo ended up second behind Limon in the Union Pacific as their lone league came to the Badgers.  Stratton/Liberty was next among 1A teams following by Flagler/Hi Plains and Deer Trail.  Genoa Hugo heads to District 7 for the post-season where they should the top seed as they lead Elbert by four spots in the RPI.  Stratton/Liberty and Flagler/Hi Plains move to District 5 and appear to be seeded fourth and fifth.