It’s not often that a winless team pushes another team that is just outside the top 10, but that was the case last Friday. Walsh (0-11, 53rd RPI) took an 0-9 mark into last week’s road contest against fellow Ark Valley foe Wiley (8-3, 15th RPI), but the Eagles would force the Panthers into double overtime. Wiley eventually won the contest 66-61, but one of the Walsh players left an indelible mark on the competition.
Freshman Jensen Renquist pumped in 40 points for Walsh, and also registered 13 rebounds, five blocks and four steals. She also put her name in the CHSAA record book, hitting 24 of 26 free throws in the loss. The previous record for made free throws in a game had been 23, shared by Lesa Morrill of Greeley West (1987-88) and Swink’s Taylor Holland (2014). Renquist followed that effort with 20 points, six rebounds, six blocks, and four steals in an 88-28 loss to #2 South Baca (10-1, 8th RPI) on Saturday.
Wiley finds itself with a pair of tough challenges this week, as the Panthers host #10 Genoa-Hugo (9-3, 11th RPI) on Tuesday and then visit Kim/Branson (6-5, 24th RPI) on Friday. Tuesday’s game is non-league, but it is important in the RPI. Genoa-Hugo ran its winning streak to five straight with victories over Idalia (5-7, 26th RPI), 2A Burlington (0-11, 52nd RPI), and Stratton/Liberty (4-6, 33rd RPI) last week. Ryely Smartt scored a total of 56 points in the three wins, including a season-high 22 against Burlington. She’s averaging 14.4 points on the season.
The win over Walsh completed a 2-0 week for Wiley, as the Panthers also beat Cheraw (5-7, 31st RPI) 37-32 the night before. Macy Rowan, who leads the team at 14 points a night, had 16 in the win over the Wolverines. Taira Weber had a team-high 18 against Walsh. She averages just under a dozen a contest.
Kim/Branson will be looking to get back on track after suffering a 39-36 loss to Felt (OK) on Monday. The Mustangs have dropped three of their last four and are just 3-3 since the calendar changed. However, they can move into sole possession of third place in the league with a win over Wiley.
The top spot in the North Central is up for grabs on Friday when #1 Briggsdale (11-0, 1st RPI) hosts third-ranked Fleming (11-1, 6th RPI). Fleming’s lone loss came at the hands of the Falcons, 65-47, back in December. Whitney Chintala, who averages better than 18 points, five assists, and nearly five steals, did not play in that match-up for the Wildcats. Kendyl Kirkwood, who also averages 18 points and adds 11 rebounds a game, had 17 and nine in the game for Fleming. Younger sister, Kally, had her first career double-double with 13 points and 12 boards, but also turned the ball over nine times as she was tasked with more ball-handling in Chintala’s absence.
Kylie Krise (24 points) and Shelby Hoffman (13 points) combined for 37 in the win for Briggsdale. Those two average 20.3 and 15.1, respectively. Krise is coming off a 26-point effort in last Saturday’s 74-16 win over Caliche (2-11, 51st RPI). Briggsdale remains alone in the NCL with a win, and extends to a two-game lead over Fleming. However, a victory by the Wildcats creates a tie atop the division.
The best match-up in the 5280 takes place on Tuesday, when Flatirons Academy (8-5, 13th RPI) hosts Belleview Christian (10-3, 16th RPI). Flatirons is tied with #7 Shining Mountain (12-1, 2nd RPI) at the beginning of the week, while the Bruins are one game back after falling to the Lions 36-24 last Thursday. That loss snapped a nine-game winning streak for Belleview Christian. The Bruins entered the fourth quarter only trailing by one, but were outscored 15-4 in the final frame. Sara Torres was the only Bruin in double figures with 11 points.
Flatirons Academy raced past Beth Eden 69-15 on the same night. The Bison led 22-0 after the first quarter and 44-6 at the half. Freshman Kenlee Durrill led them with 14 points and seven steals, while Savana Kasack added 12 points. Bryn Durrill (11) and Makayla Dannelly (10) were also scored double figures. That win was the third straight for the Bison.
After finishing 11-7 last year, Moffat (8-2, 19th RPI) is making some noise in the Southern Peaks. The Cowgirls open the week 5-0 in league play and are tied with #5 Sangre de Cristo (7-2, 5th RPI) for the lead in the division. They take a two-game winning streak into Thursday’s important league clash at home against Cotopaxi (10-3, 14th RPI). Alyssa Hammel posted her second straight double-double in last week’s 53-46 win over Sierra Grande (3-7, 40th RPI) with 16 points and 15 rebounds. The senior has six double-doubles on the season, and is averaging 18 points and nearly 14 rebounds.
Cotopaxi had its three-game streak snapped in a 34-27 loss to Sangre de Cristo last Friday, but the Pirates bounced back to beat La Veta (4-6, 43rd RPI) 52-26 the following night. Koylynn Gulliford struggled in the loss to Sangre, finishing with eight points on two of 20 shooting. She did add a team-best nine rebounds. Shaelee Coleman paced the Pirates with 11 points in that defeat. Gulliford bounced back in the win over the Redskins, almost recording a triple-double. She tallied 24 points, 12 rebounds, and nine steals. The Pirates are one game behind Moffat and Sangre in the league standings.
Elbert (10-1, 4th RPI) can keep a share of the Black Forest lead on Friday if the Bulldogs can defeat Pikes Peak Christian (5-5, 34th RPI). The Bulldogs already own a win over Evangelical Christian (7-5, 20th RPI), with whom Pikes Peak is tied for third in the league. Elbert will take a five-game winning streak into that match-up with the Eagles.
Pikes Peak Christian suffered a 42-24 loss to Kiowa (6-4, 23rd RPI) last week, but responded to earn a 30-point victory over Cripple Creek-Victor (0-10, 55th RPI) on Monday. Kiowa is tied with Elbert at 2-0 in the league, and those two meet at the end of the regular season. The Indians will have a tough non-league meeting with Genoa-Hugo on Thursday.
Eighth-ranked Lone Star (9-1, 7th RPI) has been the class of the YWKC this season, but the chase behind the Longhorns is very muddled. Idalia visits Arickaree/Woodlin (1-10, 48th RPI) on Friday, with the winner likely finishing second in the league. Arickaree/Woodlin picked up its first win of the season last Friday, beating Bethune (7-6, 42nd RPI) 35-18. Bethune could still factor into the mix, as the Bobcats will host Idalia next week.
Fourth-ranked Springfield (10-1, 3rd RPI) could take a ten-game winning streak into Saturday’s non-league clash with #9 Kit Carson (8-3, 10th RPI) if the Longhorns can beat La Veta in non-league action on Friday. Julia Mondragon, who averages 14 points a game for Springfield, posted her second straight 20-point effort in a 57-37 win over McClave (8-4, 18th RPI) last Saturday.
After a 1-3 start to the season, Kit Carson has won seven straight ahead of its Friday night game with Stratton/Liberty. Stephanie Framel is the only player averaging double figures at just over 10 points a night, but Allison Gekeler, Tieler Randel, and Reyna Isenbart have each posted at least one double digit performance during the winning streak.
