Teams in the Class 5A Jeffco League may be looking up at Valor Christian’s girls volleyball program in the league standings, but that hardly means the league is a one-trick pony.
After Tuesday evening’s slate of games, five teams from 5A Jeffco were sitting in the top 14 of the seeding index, measured by RPI and MaxPreps rankings. Reigning state champion Valor was No. 2, with Arvada West (6th), Dakota Ridge (9th), Ralston Valley (11th) and Columbine (14th) also making noise.
The Eagles (9-1, 1-0) already own a victory over A-West, with a matchup against Dakota Ridge (8-1) set for next Tuesday as league play gets rolling. Ralston Valley and Arvada West also face off that night.
Columbine is tied with Rock Canyon and Chaparral for the most victories in 5A with 11.
Here is a quick look at some of this week’s top games in each classification:
Class 5A
Chaparral at Legend, 6 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 25
There are plenty of worthy contenders for this spot: Rampart hosts Pueblo West in a big CSML clash next Tuesday, and Dakota Ridge will attempt to upend Valor Christian in Jeffco play the same night. But it’s hard to argue against the Continental League clash between Legend and Chaparral, which already tangled in a five-set battle back on Aug. 30. The Titans won that night in five sets, rallying to take the final three of the match. The Wolverines (11-2, 5-0) have won six in a row since a loss to No. 1 Fossil Ridge, and rallied to edge Mountain Vista on Monday behind 28 kills from Lauren Waggoner, 35 digs from Jenna Baller and 46 assists from Ainsley Adams. … Legend (10-2, 4-0) fell to Valor 3-1 on Tuesday night to snap a six-game winning streak.
Class 4A
Glenwood Springs at Battle Mountain, 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 30
Battle Mountain’s September has been light on games, but the Huskies (5-0, 4-0 in Western Slope League going into Tuesday night) have made the most of it. Battle Mountain closes the month with a top-10 showdown at home against Glenwood Springs before a hectic October gets rolling. … Glenwood (8-1, 2-0) had only lost to No. 2 Mullen. Outside of that loss, the Demons had dropped only one set going into Tuesday’s night tilt with Delta. Senior Gianna Zambrano leads the squad in digs and aces.
Class 3A
Bayfield at Alamosa, 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 27
Alamosa plays three games in five days this week, including Intermountain League matchups with Montezuma-Cortez and Bayfield. The Mean Moose (11-1, 3-0) swept Bayfield in the teams’ first meeting Sept. 11, with Aubrey Rothermich going for 19 kills and four total blocks. … Bayfield (7-4, 2-1) has a challenging stretch of its own this week, matching up with top-five programs in Centauri and Alamosa before visiting Farmington, NM, on Saturday. Seniors Evelette Hollibaugh (116 kills), Lauren Rich (149 digs) and Avery Shipman (261 assists) have paced the Wolverines.
Class 2A
Buena Vista at Sanford, 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 27
The Southern Peaks League may very well come down to these two teams, both of which are on a roll as of late. Buena Vista (10-2, 3-0) has won seven in a row since a loss to Denver Christian earlier this month. The Demons took down another top-10 team in Rye last Friday, holding on for a 25-23, 25-21, 21-25, 25-21 victory and withstanding a 21-kill effort from Rye’s Isabella Bond. … Sanford (8-0, 3-0) has only played eight contests, but has a busy October on tap.
Class 1A
McClave at Granada, 5 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 30
Defending state champion McClave hasn’t played since Sept. 16, but a tournament Saturday followed by a High Plains League showdown with Granada will get the Cardinals back into a rhythm. McClave (10-1, 3-0) was swept at Simla on Sept. 13 before taking down Kit Carson three days later. … Granada (10-1, 3-0) has won eight in a row. The Bobcats are getting more than four kills a set from freshman Camryn Coleman, who also leads the team in blocks and digs.