Monday gives us a great chance to get caught up on league races across all five divisions. As you can see in the breakdown below, there are a large number of games on tap that could determine conference champions.
CLASS 1A
5280: Defending state champion Belleview Christian (5-0) stands alone in first with Denver Jewish Day, Flatirons Academy and Denver Waldorf all one game back in the loss column. The most important game of the week comes early as Belleview hosts Denver Waldorf on Tuesday night. Both are in the top 10 and that winner could easily land the title. One more note on the conference as only two clubs will advance to regionals in this year’s format. The top two teams from district pair up with the top two from the West in the regional round.
ARK VALLEY: Fans in this league will have to wait until almost the final day of the season to crown a champion. February 18th is the date for the Kim/Branson-Springfield matchup. The other two teams in the league have just two wins overall so the Mustangs and Longhorns head-to-head battle with determine the championship.
BLACK FOREST: Three teams are unbeaten as Hanover (1-0), Simla and Evangelical Christian (both 2-0) enter February with a share of first place. That will change this week as Hanover plays the other two clubs head-to-head; visiting Simla on Tuesday and Evangelical Christian on Thursday. Wins in both set up the Hornets for the title. Losses in both could make it difficult for a top four league finish as Elbert and Kiowa have one league loss apiece. Simla also heads to Kiowa on Friday in another important contest.
FISHERS PEAK: Should crown the champion this week as Primero heads to La Veta on Thursday. Both clubs are 1-0 in the three-team league.
HIGH PLAINS: No change from last week as Granada (2-0), McClave (3-0) and Wiley (3-0) remain in a three-way tie for first. None of those three collide this week but McClave has a tough trip to Cheyenne Wells on Thursday. The host Tigers are 2-1 and still in contention for the crown in a very good conference.
NORTH CENTRAL: Briggsdale survived Fleming 49-48 on Saturday and that win not only kept the Falcons unbeaten overall but gave them sole possession of the conference lead as well. They host Peetz on Friday and even though the Bulldogs are just one game back in the league race, the Falcons will be heavily favored. They’re 13-0 and Peetz is just 2-10 on the season.
SOUTHERN PEAKS: Sierra Grande picked up a key win over Creede last week so the Panthers (2-0) continue to share first place with Centennial (2-0). Creede (2-1) slipped to third with the loss. That result leaves the biggest remaining game between Centennial and Sierra Grande on February 12th as it could decide the champion.
YWKC: Idalia clinched the championship by beating Arickaree/Woodlin last week. They’re 4-0 in league play with Otis (2-1) in second. Idalia also beat Otis by 32 points earlier in the year so regardless of how the Wolves end up against Bethune this week, they’re the league champions.
NON-LEAGUE: Several very attractive non-league games are on the 1A schedule this week and all will impact the RPI standings and district pairings.
- TUESDAY: Haxtun at Briggsdale
- THURSDAY: Sierra Grande at Cheraw
- SATURDAY: Peyton at Simla
- SATURDAY: Cheyenne Wells at Stratton
- SATURDAY: Genoa Hugo at Fleming
- SATURDAY: Cotopaxi at Sierra Grande
- SATURDAY: Springfield at Cheraw
CLASS 2A
BLACK FOREST: It’s a very important week for Peyton as they seek the conference championship. The Panthers (1-0) share the early lead with Thomas MacLaren (3-0) with Dolores Huerta and Calhan one game back in the loss column. The Panthers meet local rival Calhan on Monday and then visit Thomas MacLaren on Thursday. Wins in both should give them the championship and top district seed. For good measure, Peyton also faces a good 1A club (Simla) in a non-league game on Saturday.
SANTA FE: It appears to be a two team race between Fowler (5-0) and Holly (8-1) as all remaining teams have at least three league losses. The Grizzlies and Eagles collide in Holly on Tuesday night in a non-league game that won’t impact the league standings. Fowler won the first meeting 60-48 so they have the advantage in the league race.
SOUTHERN PEAKS: Have three teams still unbeaten in conference play with Sanford 3-0 and both Del Norte and Crested Butte 2-0. The Titans play the other two first place teams this week so the pressure is on them. First up is a home game with Del Norte on Tuesday and then a road trip to Sanford follows on Friday. Two wins should land the Titans the title and top district seed. Losses in both likely leave the last season battle between Sanford and Del Norte as the conference championship game.
LOWER PLATTE: Yuma (4-0) and 1A Merino (2-0) share the top spot with Wray, Holyoke and Wiggins one game back. Both teams have road trips to Holyoke this week as Yuma tries to slay the Dragons on Friday and then Merino takes its turn the next night. The Rams also host Sedgwick County on Friday. Defending state champion is coming off a tough loss to Limon and has two home league games this week against Haxtun on Friday and Caliche on Saturday. Both could be tough outs.
MILE HIGH: Denver Christian’s road win at Highland on Saturday moved the Thunder into sole possession of first place. They’re 6-0 with Highland (6-1), Heritage Christian (5-1) and Lyons (5-1) one game off the pace. The loss also snapped the Huskies incredible 70-game conference winning streak. The key game this week is on Tuesday as Heritage Christian hosts Lyons in basically an elimination game as the loser will fall two games out of first.
SAN JUAN: Mancos (6-0) and Ignacio (1-1) are separated by one game in the standings and that’s because the Bluejays won the first meeting between the two rivals earlier in January. Game two is on Tuesday and another win virtually locks up the league championship for Mancos. Ignacio must win to gain a share of the title or they will spend the rest of a busy February trying to hold onto second. They’ve only played two conference games to date due to several scheduling changes brought on by COVID.
UNION PACIFIC: Limon (3-0) and Byers (3-0) enter the week tied for the conference lead with Stratton (2-1) still alive. The Eagles are one game back in the standings but control their immediate future as they visit Byers on Monday and Limon on Friday. It’s a difficult chore but should the Eagles gain wins in both they also gain control of the title chase. Losses in both leave Limon and Byers to duke it out for the championship on February 11th.
WEST CENTRAL: 1A Cotopaxi (3-0) is alone in first by one game over Custer County and South Park. None of the three face off this week but Cotopaxi plays Custer County on the 10th and South Park on the 14th. The top three spots will be determined by results of those two games.
WESTERN SLOPE: Meeker and Cedaredge collected wins over Vail Mountain and Vail Christian on Saturday so now the Cowboys and Bruins share the conference lead with Vail Christian. All three have one league loss. Vail Mountain fell into a fourth place tie with 1A Caprock Academy as both have two league losses. Coming up Saturday is the rivalry game between Vail Mountain and Vail Christian. That’s the only direct meeting between any of the top five clubs.
NON-LEAGUE: Two games outside the conference races caught our attention in Class 2A. Game two is very important to seeding the District 5 tournament as the Thunder and Bulldogs are grouped together in that bracket.
- SATURDAY: Peyton at Simla
- SATURDAY: Denver Christian at Byers
CLASS 3A
INTERMOUNTAIN: Alamosa’s second win of the league schedule over Pagosa Springs last week kept the Moose alone in first (3-0) with a one game edge on Centauri (3-1). The Moose and Falcons have not played yet but they’re on the schedule against one another this Friday. That game is in Alamosa and represents the first of two conference battles.
METRO: Colorado Academy (4-0) is alone atop the standings but the Mustangs are chased by one loss teams Faith Christian and Kent Denver and two loss clubs Lutheran, Manual and Prospect Ridge. The crowded race could sort out a bit with three games of note this week. Lutheran heads to Faith Christian on Tuesday and then Prospect Ridge tries to stay alive by beating both Colorado Academy on Wednesday and Kent Denver on Friday. The first is at home with game two a road trip to challenge the high scoring Sun Devils.
PATRIOT: History is repeating itself here as Sterling and Resurrection Christian share the conference lead with identical 5-0 marks. The Tigers and Cougars have battled for league supremacy over the past five years and the rivalry is renewed on Friday when they face off in Loveland. The winner will stand alone in first. Eaton is third at 4-1 with Platte Valley, Brush and Strasburg all in fourth with two losses apiece. Eaton has a tough trip to University on Tuesday and also hosts Liberty Common on Thursday.
TR PEAKS: Even with a couple of weeks remaining in league play, this race may have already been settled. St Mary’s (7-0) is in a good spot as they lead Colorado Springs Christian and Salida (both 6-2) by two games in the loss column. And the Pirates have already beaten both clubs. Colorado Springs Christian currently has the tiebreaker over Salida as they beat the Spartans head-to-head. So if all three teams win out, St Mary’s is the champion with CSCS second and Salida third. St Mary’s is on the court twice this week; against James Irwin on Wednesday and Banning Lewis on Thursday.
WESTERN SLOPE: Aspen (3-0) scored a big win over Grand Valley to remain alone in first. Gunnison, Roaring Fork, Coal Ridge and Moffat County are four teams currently sharing second place. Of those four, Gunnison has the most difficult week. They play three games in three days starting on Thursday and all three are on the road against fellow top five teams. First up is Aspen followed by Coal Ridge and Moffat County.
CONFLUENCE: DSST-Green Valley (3-0) is alone in first with a one edge on four teams; Lotus (4-1), Aurora West (4-1), DSST-Conservatory Green (2-1) and Addenbrooke Academy (1-1). Separation could start on Tueday as Green Valley hosts Addenbrooke and Conservatory Green visits Lotus. Then on Friday, Conservatory Green and Addenbrooke also collide. DSST-Green Valley remains the favorite especially after upsetting then 6th ranked Kent Denver last week.
FRONTIER: DSST-Montview (5-0) and Middle Park (6-0) lead the race with Bennett and Academy (both 4-1) still very much alive. There are three matchups of those four teams this week alone so it’s an important five day stretch. Middle Park heads to Academy on Thursday and the Academy has to face DSST-Montview two days later. Also on Saturday, Middle Park comes off the hills to visit Bennett. Another game that could be tight comes up on Monday as Bennett entertains fifth place Pinnacle.
NON-LEAGUE: Probably just one non-conference game of note on the schedule in 3A this week. It takes place out West.
- SATURDAY: Buena Vista at Centauri
CLASS 4A
CS METRO NORTH: Falcon (4-0) starts the week one game up on Classical Academy (3-1) plus they have a 75-66 win over the Titans on January 20th. The rematch is February 7th and a sweep by the Falcons moves them very close to the title. The Falcons will be favored. They’re 10-4 overall while the rest of the league has managed just 21 wins. That includes seven from third place Sand Creek.
CS METRO SOUTH: Palmer (5-0) gained the outright lead by beating Mesa Ridge 71-62 last Wednesday. Both teams were unbeaten in league play going in so the Terrors have now have the top spot to themselves. They have a tough test with Harrison on Tuesday as they edged the Panthers by just two points (63-61) in their first meeting. Game two with Mesa Ridge is on the slate for February 15th.
JEFFCO: Green Mountain (7-1) leads D’Evelyn (8-2) by one game and Golden (5-3) by two. All other league teams have at least three four conference losses so it’s down to a three-team race. Rematches between the top three are this week as D’Evelyn heads to Golden on Wednesday and then Golden hosts Green Mountain on Friday. D’Evelyn edged the Demons 74-62 in overtime in game one while Golden won the first meeting with Green Mountain 48-38.
LONGS PEAK: Frederick (7-0) and Riverdale Ridge (6-1) are one-two in the conference standings. They step on the same court Wednesday in Frederick with the winner grabbing sole possession of the league lead. Riverdale Ridge also has a tough test at Thompson Valley on Saturday as the Eagles are tied with Roosevelt and Severance in third place. All three have two league losses. Severance and Roosevelt also collide on Wednesday so plenty of movement could take place this week. Results will also help finalize brackets for the league tournament which will start late next week.
NORTHERN: A very good race here with Mead (6-1), Holy Family (6-1) and Windsor (5-1) sharing first place with Longmont (5-2) alone in fourth. There is balance in this league and that was on display last week as Windsor beat Holy Family, Mead beat Windsor and then Longmont took out Mead. Two more important games come up this week and Holy Family is involved in both. They host Longmont on Tuesday and then Mead on Friday. Regardless of the final standings, the league will be well represented in the state playoffs. Mead is #4 in RPI with Windsor #6, Centaurus #8, Holy Family #9 and Longmont #13. That means all five could earn first round byes in the 48-team bracket. Silver Creek is also #18 in Class 5A and competing for a first round bye.
PIKES PEAK: Lewis Palmer (7-0) sits alone atop the standings with Air Academy (5-1) one game back and Doherty, Pine Creek and Fountain Fort Carson tied for third with two league losses apiece. Those three are the focus this week as they meet twice on the court as Doherty hots Fountain Fort Carson on Wednesday and then visits Pine Creek on Friday. Lewis Palmer plays just once this week as they host Rampart on Friday. Air Academy comes up on the 11th. The Rangers also enter the week ranked number one in Class 4A.
SOUTH CENTRAL: Pueblo South’s impressive 76-53 over Pueblo Central last Thursday moved the Colts to the top of the conference standings. Central (3-1) sits second with Pueblo County third (2-2). County looks to stay alive by beating Central on Thursday and they also face South the following Monday. South and Central get together again on February 15th.
SOUTHWESTERN: It looks like Montrose (4-0) is going to roll here. They lead Grand Junction (3-1) by one game and easily beat the Tigers by 21 points in the first meeting. Game two will take place on February 11th. Montrose and Grand Junction the only two league teams above five hundred as well overall.
WESTERN SLOPE: Palisade remained alone in first by beating Glenwood Springs on Saturday. That win kept the Bulldogs (6-0) one game up on Steamboat Springs (5-1). Eagle Valley is alone in third (4-2). Palisade hosts Eagle Valley on Friday and Steamboat Springs on Saturday and since they won the first meeting with both, the Bulldogs can basically wrap up the title with two more wins this week. Palisade beat Eagle Valley 79-58 and Steamboat Springs 52-42 earlier this month.
COLORADO: Skyview (3-0) is in first but chased by four one loss teams in Eagle Ridge Academy, Englewood, Fort Lupton and Aurora Central. The first place Wolverines could get challenged by Fort Lupton on Thursday as that’s the only game this week against any second place team. Englewood has two critical games; they go to Aurora Central on Tuesday and then host Eagle Ridge Academy two days later.
NON-LEAGUE: About the only game on the non-league slate in 4A this week is Saturday between Falcon and Mead. Entering the week, both clubs either lead their conference standings or have a piece of first place.
CLASS 5A
CENTENNIAL: Eaglecrest won the rematch with Smoky Hill on Saturday and as a result the Raptors (7-1) enter February alone in first. Smoky Hill had beaten Eaglecrest in their first meeting but last Saturday’s loss dropped them into a second place tie with Overland (5-2). Overland can create a three-way tie for the league lead if they can upset Eaglecrest on Wednesday. That’s the key game of this week.
EAST METRO: Prairie View (3-0) and Rangeview (4-0) share the lead with Vista Peak (3-1) alone in first. The first place ThunderHawks and Raiders are the only two league teams with winning records on the season so it’s a good bet they will finish first and second. The order could be determined on Tuesday as Prairie View visits Rangeview that night.
FRONT RANGE: Fossil Ridge (5-0) and Horizon (5-0) enter the week as co-leaders with Legacy and Rocky Mountain (4-1) still very much in contention. The only game pitting a top four team against one another this week is Tuesday as Fossil Ridge visits Rocky Mountain.
JEFFCO: Still very early in the league schedule with Ralston Valley (2-0) and Chatfield (3-0) both still unbeaten. Dakota Ridge, Pomona, Arvada West and Columbine each have one league loss and are in a scramble for third. The focus is on those four this week as the Wednesday schedule has Dakota Ridge at Chatfield and Pomona at Columbine. Then on Friday, Arvada West goes to Pomona. Winners will remain in range of the two league leaders.
CONTINENTAL: ThunderRidge scored a major win over Rock Canyon last week and that kept the top ranked Grizzlies alone atop the league standings. They lead Chaparral (4-1) and Mountain Vista (3-1) by one game. The Grizzlies have a tough test with Regis on Saturday. The Raiders are tied for fourth with two league losses but have the ability for an upset as they stunned #3 Denver East on Saturday. Another critical game for the top four is on Wednesday between Mountain Vista and Douglas County.
DENVER PREP: Denver East (4-0), Thomas Jefferson (4-0) and George Washington (5-0) are all unbeaten in league play. One falls off the pace on Tuesday when Thomas Jefferson meets Denver East.
NON-LEAGUE: Good schedule of non-league games this week as teams continue to jockey up and down the RPI standing for better postseason placement.
- THURSDAY: Chaparral at George Washington
- SATURDAY: Chatfield at Cherry Creek
- SATURDAY; Rocky Mountain at Denver South
