Most of the top matches this week in Class 1A volleyball have already taken place, with a Tuesday that was filled with high caliber action. That doesn’t mean the rest of the week can be slept on.
The biggest match-up of the weekend has #1 Kit Carson visiting the top-ranked team in Class 2A, Yuma. That contest, slated for Saturday, is profiled in the 2A report. Kit Carson will be riding high entering that match after defeating Dayspring Christian, Simla, and Ignacio last weekend in the Simla tournament.
Second-ranked Otis also had a good weekend, as the Bulldogs took home the championship of the Akron tournament. Their run included a five-set win over a previously unbeaten 2A Wiggins, and a sweep of 2A Akron in the finals. It was the second sweep of the Rams in a tournament championship this season. Prior to the tourney, Otis also dominated #8 Stratton/Liberty in three sets last Friday. MaKenna Metzler had 16 kills in that match.
The Bulldogs opened this week with a sweep of #9 Merino, marking the second time this season they have downed the Rams in three sets. The first came during the NJC Spectacular. Otis wraps up the week by hosting Prairie, who has lost three straight heading into Thursday’s North Central clash with #4 Briggsdale.
Briggsdale retained its spot in the rankings despite suffering its first loss of the season to #5 Weldon Valley last Friday. The Falcons had reeled off 10 straight wins to begin the season before falling to the Warriors in four in league play. Weldon Valley showed a varied attack, with six players recording at least four kills, led by Linda Amaglio with 10. Kimberlyn Krise had 14 kills for Briggsdale, who has a Saturday league contest with Peetz.
That win over the Falcons served as an ignition for the weekend for Weldon Valley. The Warriors followed that up with a sweep of Caliche on Saturday and then another sweep of Akron on Tuesday. They once again utilized a multi-faceted attack with five players recording between five and nine kills in the match against Akron. The Warriors will host North Park on Saturday in the first meeting between the teams since 2009.
Third-ranked La Veta cruised to a victory in its only outing last week, allowing 11 total points to Centennial in a sweep. Kaylee Corsentino (8) and Desi Ortivez (7) combined for 15 of the 22 kills registered by the Redskins in the victory. La Veta will be heavily favored in both of its matches this weekend, as Primero and Antonito have combined for one win this season.
Walsh continues to ride a hot streak, remaining unbeaten after picking up four wins last week. Three of the four came against schools from Kansas with the other coming over South Baca. The sixth-ranked Eagles have dropped a total of seven sets in nine matches ahead of Friday’s home contest with Eads. Seniors Shiann Fritzler (77 kills) and Tyree Jones (53 kills) lead the attack, while fellow classman Dakota Cook is tops with 117 assists and 26 aces.
Seventh-ranked De Beque also stayed unbeaten after picking up sweep victories over Caprock Academy, Hotchkiss, and Ouray. The Dragons allowed fewer than 20 points in seven of the nine sets played. They have won 33 of 38 sets played entering Friday’s match at Hayden. Last year, the Dragons defeated Hayden in four sets, ending a five-match losing streak to the Tigers. De Beque also plays host to West Grand on Saturday, where the Dragons will be looking to snap an eight-match skid against the Mustangs.
Stratton/Liberty (#8) had only dropped one set prior to last week’s loss to Otis in a sweep. The Knighted Eagles only scored a total of 36 points in the defeat. They will try to get back to their winning ways on Thursday against a struggling Kiowa squad. That is followed by a Saturday trip to Idalia.
Merino has had great success against teams not currently in the top four of the rankings, posting an 8-0 mark in those matches. However, the Rams have two losses to Otis and another to Briggsdale. The next week of action will have them facing top competition as they visit Wiggins on Thursday and Akron on Friday, ahead of a home clash with Yuma next Tuesday. All three of those contests count in the Lower Platte. The Rams picked up two sweep victories over Akron last season and split a pair with Wiggins. They have lost the last six meetings with Yuma, failing to win a single set along the way.
Springfield (#10) joined Merino as a newcomer to the poll this week. The Longhorns had recorded three straight wins before dropping a five-setter at Wiley last Friday. Springfield led 2-1, but Wiley came back to close it out, 15-8 in the fifth. Tatum Hall led all players with 13 kills in the defeat. The Longhorns were scheduled to host South Baca on Tuesday, and they welcome McClave to town on Friday.
McClave nearly made the top-10 this week, following a key High Plains league win over Cheyenne Wells last Friday. That sweep victory included a 31-29 second set. The Cards have had a light schedule since participating in the Hi-Plains tournament a couple weeks back, playing one match each of the last two weeks.
Tuesday also saw Genoa-Hugo fall to 2A Byers in three sets, ending a five-match winning streak. The Pirates did not lose a set during that run. The match with the Bulldogs was very competitive, with Byers winning by a total of 12 points. The final set went 29-27 to the Bulldogs. Ryely Smartt had 13 kills in the losing effort. She will lead the Pirates against Wiley, on Thursday.
Elbert and Pikes Peak Christian will also square off on Thursday, with the winner grabbing sole possession of the lead in the Black Forest. Elbert carries four straight wins into the clash, while the Eagles have won seven in a row. The teams are a combined 19-3 on the season, but neither has recorded a signature win. Elbert has won 13 of 17 in the series that has only seen five of those matches end in sweeps.
Finally, Creede looks to remain in the race for the Southern Peaks crown on Friday when the Miners host Sangre de Cristo. The Thunderbirds are tied atop the league standings with La Veta, and Creede is one game back in the loss column. That defeat came against La Veta early in the season. Sangre has a difficult schedule remaining, including next weekend’s Swink tournament and the season finale against the Redskins.
