With almost every league title already sewn up, most of the focus in this final week of the season centers on the Southern Peaks. That crown will be decided on Thursday, when #3 La Veta visits Sangre de Cristo.
La Veta enters the contest with the longest winning streak in the classification at 13 straight. The Redskins have not lost a set since suffering their only loss of the season to Kit Carson nearly seven weeks ago. The most recent victories came last week against Manzanola and Sierra Grande. Neither of those opponents even reached double figures in a single set.
In the 12 matches for which stats have been reported, Kaylee Corsentino has recorded a team-high 164 kills, including 13 in the victory over Sierra Grande. Nya Sciacca had 94 kills in those matches, and Desi Ortivez had 89. The trio is also ranked 1-2-3 in service aces and blocks. Mary Goins and Cailee Sanchez dominate the ball handling category, with 199 and 106 assists, respectively.
Sangre de Cristo has matched La Veta in the league, entering the contest at 9-0. However, non-conference play has been another story for the Thunderbirds, who slipped to 3-6 with a loss to 2A #6 Del Norte last Saturday. The T-Birds have dropped four of their last five heading into Thursday’s regular season finale, as they were swept in the Swink tourney two weeks ago. Those losses were to 3A La Junta, 2A #5 Swink, and Springfield, who had been ranked #9 in 1A.
Jessica Slane powers the Sangre attack with 190 kills so far this season, but she is far from the lone weapon at the net. Avery Palmgren is in triple digits with 114, and Kylee Christensen has 92, having only played in 50 of the team’s 62 sets. Three more players have at least 52 kills on the year. As a team, the Thunderbirds have cranked off 245 aces, with seven players recording at least 14. Jordyn Cantu highlights the back row defense, registering 218 digs, 55 more than anyone else on the squad. Renae Sinclair and Victoria Ford have shared the setting duties and each has at least 200 assists on the season.
La Veta has won the last eight meetings in the series, including three last year. Only one of those last eight matches went more than three sets. In the three wins last season, Corsentino pounded a total of 39 kills, with at least 10 in each match.
The Redskins will finish the regular season on Friday with a big non-league contest against Fleming, who is just outside the top-10. La Veta lost to the Wildcats last year in the state tournament in three competitive sets. Corsentino and Sciacca each had 11 kills in the match.
Saturday sees a big non-conference clash of league champions, as #4 Weldon Valley, champion of the North Central, visits 5280 winner Denver Waldorf. It will be a good opportunity for the Spartans to see how they stack up against a perennial state qualifier, who happens to own a 12-match winning streak entering the week.
The Warriors are just a victory over Peetz on Friday away from making it a clean sweep in the NCL and they blasted the Bulldogs 3-0 earlier in the season, allowing a total of 38 points. Kaybree Keating, who leads the team with 167 kills, had 10 in that victory. Denver Waldorf has a nine-match winning streak of its own, and the squad features the leading hitter in the class. Ava Ahalt has pounded 335 kills and is terminating at a 61.2% rate.
Wiley and South Baca square off on Tuesday and the Panthers were looking to secure second place in the Ark Valley behind Walsh with a win. Wiley is 15-2 in the last 17 against the Patriots, including 2-0 last year.
Pikes Peak Christian can finish second in the Black Forest with a win over Evangelical Christian on Thursday. The Eagles from PPC have won five straight since a loss at league champion Elbert, while ECA dropped six straight to open the season but has fought back to win six of its last 11. Elbert has clinched the league championship and has dates with Genoa Hugo and Kiowa on Tuesday and Thursday respectively.
Flagler/Hi-Plains has a chance to grab a share of the Union Pacific title, but the Thunder needs some help. If Byers can defeat Limon on Thursday, Flagler/Hi-Plains must knock off #9 Stratton/Liberty on Friday to force a tie in the conference.
The High Plains conference has wrapped up their league schedule with Kit Carson again taking the title.  The Wildcats have concluded their regular season but have scheduled a foundation game with Yuma on the 23rd.  It’s a rematch of a thrilling five-setter in September but it won’t count for either team in the final standings.
We’ll cover the match more in our 2A report, but DeBeque remains in the chase for a share of the Western Slope championship.  The Dragons enter the week tied with Vail Mountain in second one game back of Meeker.  DeBeque and Meeker meet on Tuesday night and an upset by the Dragons creates a three-way tie for the top spot.  A Meeker win gives them the title and leaves DeBeque down to third since they lost head-to-head with Vail Mountain.
Dove Creek continues to lead Dolores by one game in the Santa Fe standings.  The Bulldogs meet Telluride, Ignacio and Nucla this week and wins in at least two of them clinch the championship.