With the calendar rolling over to October, only a few short weeks remain in the 2024 regular season.
That means league titles will start to be decided very soon. Some marquee matchups await this month, as teams do their best to pull away from the pack. Less than 10 teams around the state remain undefeated, and that number could drop in the coming week.
Here is a quick overview of the state’s five classifications going into October:
Class 5A
With only five games remaining on the Continental League schedule, Rock Canyon couldn’t afford to slip up Tuesday night against Regis Jesuit. The fourth-ranked Jaguars rallied for a five-set victory over the Raiders to improve to 5-0 in league play, with a big showdown with No. 5 Mountain Vista ahead Oct. 8. Gianna Blanco and Alivia Eikenberg combined for 33 kills. … Top-ranked Chaparral moved to 6-0 in the Continental with a sweep of Highlands Ranch. The Wolverines host No. 9 Legend on Friday. … No. 7 Arvada West visits No. 10 Chatfield in a key Jeffco League matchup on Wednesday night.
Game of the (last) week: Rock Canyon def. Regis Jesuit 3-2 (25-27, 25-14, 23-25, 25-19, 15-9)
Game of the (upcoming) week: No. 4 Rock Canyon at No. 5 Mountain Vista, 6 p.m., Oct. 8
Class 4A
A four-game losing streak to start the season may have put Cheyenne Mountain into an early hole, but the Red-Tailed Hawks are showing signs of coming out of it. Cheyenne Mountain won its fifth in a row with a five-set victory over No. 8 Lutheran on Tuesday night, with Palmer Ridge up Friday, and No. 2 Lewis-Palmer waiting Oct. 8. … Unbeaten Thompson Valley toppled another ranked foe, sweeping No. 9 Timnath last Thursday. … No. 3 Battle Mountain rallied from being down 2-1 to hold off Glenwood Springs in five sets.
Game of the (last) week: Cheyenne Mountain def. Lutheran 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 25-17, 17-25, 15-5)
Game of the (upcoming) week: 3A No. 3 Resurrection Christian at 4A No. 5 University, 6:30 p.m., Oct. 8
Class 3A
What a week it was for No. 2 Platte Valley. The Broncos swept past former No. 3 Sterling last Thursday before surviving a marathon Tuesday night against University. Platte Valley trailed two sets to one before pulling out the final two, moving its record to 12-1 and 5-0 in the Patriot League. Karsyn Fetzer finished with 21 kills and 29 digs. … No. 3 Resurrection Christian remained a game back of Platte Valley and Eaton, holding off Sterling. The Cougars face University on Oct. 8. … Gunnison picked up victory No. 13 with a crucial Western Slope League win over No. 10 Cedaredge on Tuesday. Five players finished with at least 10 digs, led by Rose Kowal’s 16. The Cowboys only have three league games remaining.
Game of the (last) week: Platte Valley def. University 3-2 (25-20, 20-25, 18-25, 25-21, 15-12)
Game of the (upcoming) week: 3A No. 3 Resurrection Christian at 4A No. 5 University, 6:30 p.m., Oct. 8
Class 2A
In its bid to maintain pace with top-ranked Simla atop the 2A rankings, No. 2 Sedgwick County passed a big test last Friday. The Cougars were taken to five sets by No. 7 Wiggins, but went the extra mile in an extended fifth set to earn the victory. Abigail Dille and Lainee Nein each recorded 22 kills for Sedgwick County, with Nein adding 32 digs. Brooke Schmidt led Wiggins with 28 kills and setter Kennedy Kerr notched 51 assists. … Colorado Springs Christian won its fifth game in a row, improving to 4-0 in the Tri-Peaks League with a sweep of James Irwin on Tuesday. The Lions have a huge matchup coming Oct. 8 against 3A’s No. 4 Lamar. … For the second time in 11 days, Meeker swept past a ranked Rangely squad. The Cowboys improved to 4-1 in the Western Slope League by downing the No. 9 Panthers on Tuesday night.
Game of the (last) week: Sedgwick County def. Wiggins 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 17-25, 25-23, 24-22)
Game of the (upcoming) week: 2A No. 3 Colo. Springs Christian at 3A No. 4 Lamar, 6 p.m., Oct. 8
Class 1A
It was a week of big matchups and big upsets in the 1A ranks. Then-No. 1 Stratton took down former No. 2 Idalia in four sets Sept. 27, and knocked off current No. 9 McClave in tournament play Saturday. But the Eagles saw their eight-game winning streak come to a close with a five-set upset by Holyoke, which was boosted by 17 kills and 46 digs from Anessa Colglazier. … A 10-win Otis team jumped to No. 6 in the rankings after sweeping McClave, Akron and Holyoke in tournament play. The Bulldogs have a big test Thursday, hosting No. 4 Fleming
Game of the (last) week: Holyoke def. Stratton 3-2 (25-15, 25-22, 20-25, 13-25, 15-10)
Game of the (upcoming) week: No. 4 Fleming at No. 6 Otis, 4 p.m., Oct. 3