At first glance, Platte Valley’s girls basketball team is off to a rough start in December.

The defending Class 3A state champion is 1-4 going into Friday night’s matchup with 4A Roosevelt. But those numbers don’t necessarily tell the whole story.

The Roughriders, ranked third in the CHSAANow.com coaches poll, are simply the next in a line of tough upper classification foes that the Broncos are facing during non-league play. The team’s four losses have come to 4A No. 1 Holy Family, a pair of 5A opponents in Erie and Green Mountain, and 6A Legacy. Even after the break, Platte Valley opens 2023 with two more top-10 4A teams in Eaton and University.

Such is the way of December, where records can be deceiving. Tournaments can offer competition on a much-higher scale, and some teams have a flurry of early-season games while others only have a few under their belts.

Colorado Springs Christian is currently sitting in the No. 1 spot in the 3A poll after a big victory over No. 4 Ellicott last Tuesday. Sedgwick County, the top team in 2A, has also only played three games, but is coming off a 43-39 overtime triumph over No. 9 Heritage Christian last Saturday.

In 1A, the four semifinalists from a year ago – and the current top four teams in the classification – are off to a combined 14-0 start. Defending state champion Flatirons Academy is 5-0 headed into Friday’s showdown with 2A’s No. 5 Sanford.

With only a week remaining in the 2022 portion of play, here is a quick look at the rest of the 3A, 2A and 1A classifications:

Class 3A

While the victories have yet to come for Platte Valley (1-4), senior Andi Schissler is doing her best to keep the Broncos moving forward. Schissler is averaging 19.9 points and 12.6 rebounds through five games.

Sixth-ranked Peyton improved to 5-0 on Thursday night with a rout of Swallows Charter Academy. AJ Mannering has been a force for the Panthers, averaging 26 points and 8.4 steals a game.

Like Platte Valley, Grand Valley hasn’t struggled to find wins in December. The Cardinals are 0-3, but those losses came in a tournament in Fort Collins to Rocky Mountain, Fossil Ridge and Poudre. Guard AbbeyRose Parker averaged 17 points through those three games.

Fountain Valley picked up its sixth victory Thursday night, downing Rocky Ford 53-23 behind 33 points from Gracie Stansbury.

Class 2A

Sedgwick County had to rally in the fourth quarter to force overtime against Heritage Christian last Saturday. Sophomore Abigail Dille had impressive back-to-back games, going for 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals last Friday against Pagosa Springs before contributing 12 points the next night.

No. 2 Burlington suffered its first loss last Saturday in Goodland, Kan., but the Cougars (4-1) have already taken down two top-10 teams in Akron and Wray. Sophomore Kiyarra Williams is averaging 21.2 points and 11.4 rebounds, and junior Trinitee Holmes is scoring at a clip of more than 15 points a game.

Akron’s 6-0 foot junior Addi Kessinger has posted three consecutive double-doubles to start the season for the No. 7 Rams. Kessinger is averaging 26 points and nearly 15 rebounds a game. She narrowly missed a triple-double in a 45-35 victory over Idalia last Friday, finishing with eight steals. She also has five blocks in each of Akron’s first three games.

Class 1A

Flatirons Academy senior Kenlee Durrill has enjoyed a strong past seven days for the Bison. The guard scored a combined 52 points in victories over Merino and Jefferson, shooting a combined 24-of-30 from the field. Durrill is averaging more than six assists a game through five games.

Springfield, Sangre de Cristo and Kiowa are also 5-0 on the season. Kiowa’s backcourt of Kendra Gray and Jordan Perreault should give opponents fits this season.

Briggsdale has only played two games, but junior Jenna Krise has made the most of them. Krise is averaging 25 points and five assists.

Durrill and Krise aren’t the only guards making waves. Fleming’s Kally Kirkwood ranks in the top six thus far in 1A in scoring and assists.

Dove Creek’s Lexi Gray has picked up where she left off a year ago. Gray is averaging 15.5 points and 11.8 rebounds for the No. 6 Bulldogs.