A very good Friday schedule in girls’ basketball as conference championships will be decided all across the state. Unbeaten league teams go head-to-head in the 1A Southern Peaks, the 2A Santa Fe and the 5A East Metro. We preview those three and others.
The 1A Southern Peaks championship goes to the winner of #3 Sangre De Cristo and Sierra Grande. Both teams are 4-0 and have combined for 15 wins in 18 games overall but based on combined scores, the T-Birds are favored. They handled third-place Antonito by a 57-15 margin compared to the 13-point win for the Panthers. One coaching note; Sierra Grande boss Dave Forster spent last year in charge of the Sangre De Cristo and led them to the state tournament. Now he tries to upset his former team to land the conference crown.
Both teams have a loss to likely champion South Baca so the survivor of tonight’s game between #9 Kim/Branson and Springfield should land the runner-up spot in the Ark Valley. Maybe more importantly is the playoff boost the winner will also receive. Kim/Branson was 10th in the combined rankings we posted earlier this week with Springfield 15th.
#2 Holyoke has already landed the Lower Platte crown and #9 Wray will likely settle for third, but their game tonight is also important to the playoff picture in Class 2A. In those same combined rankings from Tuesday, Holyoke was second overall and trying to catch Sanford for the top overall playoff seed. Wray was 10th so a win this evening gets them closer to earning a first-round playoff bye. Teams immediately ahead of them are Limon and Sedgwick County.
Ignacio is one spot behind Wray and 11th in our combined rankings. They have a very good non-league pairing with fifth ranked Cedaredge. The Bruins, who are third in the combined rankings, seem to be a shoo-in for a opening round bye but it will curious to see how they respond following the big win over Paonia Thursday night. That win should give them the South division championship of the Western Slope lead and put them in a position to win the overall league title. The two division winners meet next Saturday to determine that crown.
As expected, Rye and Rocky Ford will battle for all the marbles in the Santa. The teams finished 1-2 in the race last year and will do the same again this year. Tonight’s game in Rye will determine the order. Rocky Ford is ranked fourth by the coaches and held the same spot in our overall rankings. Rye is third by the coaches but fifth in the overall rankings so the outcome is important if the two clubs meet in the post-season. Tonight’s winner may (or should) get that matchup at home.
#7 Delta can clinch the 3A Western Slope crown by winning at Basalt tonight. The Longhorns enter that game tied for second with Moffat County but only one game back of the Panthers. Should they grab the home win, the three teams will remain tied going into the final week. Both clubs enter tonight at 9-1 overall.
After tonight, Delta has one league game remaining against Grand Valley next Friday. Basalt closes their league schedule at Moffat County next Thursday.
First place in the 5A East Metro is also on the line as #9 Rangeview is home to Westminster. Both teams are unbeaten in conference play so the winner will stand alone entering the final week. Westminster has played just three games overall while Rangeview has had a tough week so far. They lost in overtime to Chaparral on Tuesday but lost another important RPI game to weather on Thursday against Valor Christian.
Below is the entire list of games involving Top 10 teams and other important conference pairings. Colorado Preps will update final scores throughout the night and then break down those results on how they impact league races.
Photo provided by Vibrant Valley Photography.
CLASS 1A
FINAL: #3 Sangre De Cristo beat Sierra Grande 53-20
FINAL: #10 Limon (2A) beat #5 Simla 48-43
#6 McClave at Cheraw (PPD)
FINAL: #7 South Baca beat Wiley 65-38
FINAL: #8 Elbert beat Pikes Peak Christian 50-10
FINAL: #9 Kim/Branson beat Springfield 35-28
Lone Star at Arickaree/Woodlin (Moved to Saturday)
FINAL: Idalia beat Hi Plains 33-17
FINAL: Dove Creek beat Mancos 42-30
GAME NOTES: Sangre De Cristo is the Southern Peaks champion as they rolled past Sierra Grande tonight. Both teams were 4-0 in conference play entering the game but the T-Birds jumped to a quick 20-6 advantage on their way to the victory. South Baca had already clinched the Ark Valley title but finished the conference run without a loss as they downed Wiley. Kim/Branson collected second in that conference with their home win against Springfield. Dove Creek stayed perfect in the San Juan as they keep pace with 2A Ignacio atop that conference. Lone Star sits atop the YWKC by one game over Arickaree/Woodlin and Idalia but their game was pushed back to Saturday because they couldn’t locate officials to work the game. Idalia stayed one game off the pace and took a huge step to second place with their win over Hi Plains. Elbert’s win over Pikes Peak Christian kept the Bulldogs tied with Simla for second in the Black Forest. Both trail Evangelical Christian by one game and both play the Eagles in the final week.
CLASS 2A
FINAL: #1 Sanford beat Sargent 59-30
FINAL: #2 Holyoke beat #9 Wray 61-55
FINAL: #3 Rye beat #4 Rocky Ford 52-48
FINAL: #5 Cedaredge beat Ignacio 49-43
FINAL: #8 Sedgwick County beat Akron 63-46
FINAL: Center beat Custer County 45-35
FINAL: Burlington beat Byers 49-44
GAME NOTES: Center stayed perfect inside the Southern Peaks with the road win at Westcliffe. They’re now 8-2 on the season and will likely challenge top ranked Sanford for the league championship next week. Sanford remained unbeaten as well with their win over Sargent. Holyoke had already clinched the Lower Platte title before their win over Wray. Sedgwick County also collected second place officially by beating Akron. Burlington also clinched second place in the Union Pacific with their win over Byers. Limon is that league champion. Cedaredge scored a second straight win in as many days. The Bruins took first place in the Western Slope South on Thursday by beating Paonia and followed up with a solid non-league road win at Ignacio tonight. The two wins solidify the Bruins hopes of landing a first-round bye. A tremendous game in Rye where the Thunderbolts captured a second straight Santa Fe league crown. They lead Rocky Ford 21-3 in the first quarter only to see the Meloneers battle all the way back to force a 42-42 tie with seven minutes remaining. The Thunderbolts though held the ball well and made free throws to secure the win. Both teams are playoff bound and both have a chance to earn a first round bye.
CLASS 3A
FINAL: #2 Centauri beat Alamosa 56-16
FINAL: #7 Delta beat Basalt 61-48
FINAL: Moffat County beat Grand Valley 66-48
GAME NOTES: In finishing off a two-game sweep of Alamosa, Centauri stayed unbeaten inside the IML and kept their one game lead on Pagosa Springs. They play the Pirates a second time next week. Delta’s win over Basalt gives the Panthers the league championship. The victory kept them unbeaten in league play as well. Basalt dropped to third; one game back of Moffat County. The Bulldogs and Longhorns collide next Thursday.
CLASS 4A
#1 Holy Family at Mead (PPD)
FINAL: #5 Mullen beat Overland 88-10
#6 Windsor vs Silver Creek
FINAL: #8 Canon City beat Harrison 51-41
FINAL: Littleton beat #10 D’Evelyn 45-38
CLASS 5A
FINAL: #1 Grandview beat Eaglecrest 74-32
#5 Fossil Ridge vs Legacy
FINAL: #8 Arapahoe beat Cherokee Trail 60-40
#9 Rangeview vs Westminster
FINAL: Broomfield beat Horizon 49-27
FINAL: Fruita Monument beat Durango 33-31
GAME NOTES: A costly loss for Horizon as the 22-point setback to Broomfield dropped them out of a first place tie with Monarch atop the Front Range. Both went into the night 7-1 in league play but now Monarch will be alone in first if they can get by Fairivew. Horizon is now tied with Fossil Ridge for second. No changes in the Centennial chase. Grandview kept their two game edge on Mullen and Arapahoe while the Mustangs and Warriors continue to share second. Arapahoe meets both of their rivals next week.
