The Class 3A/2A Lower Platte League may very well be in the midst of one of the hottest title chases in the state.
With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, nothing has been decided as four teams jockey for position. Yuma, currently ranked fourth in Class 3A, is sitting in first with a 4-0 mark after upending ranked 2A league foes Akron and Wray and then another top-10 team in Limon. Fourth-ranked Wiggins (9-5, 2-1) is up next Friday, with a potential first-place showdown looming Feb. 10 with 2A’s top-ranked Merino (11-2, 3-0).
Speaking of the Rams, they bounced back from a loss to 1A Stratton by taking down previously unbeaten Fleming and then topping Limon. Merino hosts No. 3 Akron (9-5, 3-1) on Friday and visits Sedgwick County (9-4, 2-2) on Saturday.
On Tuesday, Akron turns around visits Wiggins in yet another top-five matchup.
The 4A/3A Tri-Peaks is right up there as well. No. 1 Colorado Springs Christian (15-0, 11-0) is currently in first, but still has to play No. 9 The Vanguard School on Feb. 16. The Coursers first have to take on No. 6 St. Mary’s on Tuesday in a battle of teams currently second in the league standings with 8-1 marks.
No. 5 Ellicott and 4A Lamar are each 8-2 in Tri-Peaks play.
Finally, in 1A, one of the classification’s most anticipated matchups of the season takes place Saturday when No. 1 Flatirons Academy travels to No. 2 Briggsdale.
As the regular season hits its final two weeks, here is a quick look at the Class 3A, 2A and 1A classifications:
Class 3A
Yuma (9-3 overall) avenged one of its early-season losses by taking down Wray 59-49. Lea Richardson’s 17 points led Wray, which raced past Limon 53-34 four days later behind 12 points from Emma Rayl. The team’s nine-game winning streak was snapped Wednesday with a 66-41 loss to a 17-1 Sidney (Neb.) squad.
A Colorado Springs Christian school that topped 100 points in back-to-back games found itself in a fight with Buena Vista. The Demons limited the Lions to a season-low in points but ultimately fell 35-30. CSCS junior Grace Minihane is averaging 21.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.3 steals.
Platte Valley continues to battle through its rough schedule. The Broncos (8-7) took 4A No. 3 Lutheran to two overtimes last Saturday before falling 44-42. Platte Valley rallied in the fourth quarter to force an extra session, and the another one, but managed only two points in the second OT. Bree Bunting shot just 20 percent from the floor but still led Platte Valley with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Raelyn Kelty paced the Lions with 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Broncos still have the edge in the 3A Patriot League with a 5-0 mark.
After taking on St. Mary’s on Tuesday, The Vanguard School goes up against No. 10 Fountain Valley next Thursday. St. Mary’s kept its hopes of a share of the league title alive with a 71-67 overtime victory over Lamar. Freshman Jaela Pedro’s 22 points and 10 rebounds paced the Pirates.
No. 3 Centauri (13-2, 6-0 in 4A/3A Intermountain) is closing in on a league crown, but needs to defeat 4A No. 10 Alamosa on Feb. 10 for a second time this season.
Class 2A
Limon, which has dropped three of its last four games, has a chance to rebound with another big week ahead. The 10th-ranked Badgers (8-4, 3-0 in Union Pacific) host No. 5 Wray on Friday, and the big league matchup with No. 2 Burlington takes place Saturday.
The Cougars (10-3, 3-0) had a five-game winning streak end last Tuesday with a 68-44 loss to Goodland (KS). On Thursday Burlington faces Stratton in Union Pacific play next Thursday.
Simla moved into the top 10 at No. 8 with a 43-28 victory over Akron. The Cubs (7-6, 1-0 in Black Forrest) have won three in a row.
No. 6 Sanford (9-4, 3-0 in 3A/2A Southern Peaks) has won five in a row since a loss to 4A Alamosa. Seniors Alyssa Edgar and Makenzie Reynolds are each averaging more than 10 points a game.
Class 1A
Fleming’s loss to Merino was the start of a rough stretch for the fifth-ranked Wildcats. Fleming (8-3, 1-1 in North Central) dropped a league game to No. 2 Briggsdale the next night, falling 64-30. Then Akron pushed the slide to three games with a 41-38 triumph Tuesday.
Jenna Krise’s 26 points and nine assists sparked Briggsdale (11-0, 2-0). The senior’s 16 points and 10 assists led the way in a 67-43 victory over Otis last Friday, and after topping Fleming, the Falcons rolled past Haxtun 62-34. Krise went for 23 points in that contest, with Macie Klem adding 15.
The game with Flatirons Academy (14-1) is a can’t-miss attraction. The Bison has won seven in a row since its only loss of the season to 4A Resurrection Christian, and the matchup of Krise and FA’s Kenlee Durrill will be one of the season’s best.
Fourth-ranked Kiowa saw its unbeaten run ended with a 53-39 upset loss to Cheyenne Wells on Monday night. The Tigers have a chance to pull off another big victory Friday night against No. 6 Granada.
No. 10 Kit Carson (8-4, 1-1 in High Plains) has a challenging few days ahead, with No. 9 Cheraw visiting on Friday, and No. 3 McClave next Thursday.
Stratton, fresh off its upset of 2A’s No. 1 Merino, topped Kit Carson 40-36 last Friday. The Eagles (7-5) jumped into the 1A rankings at No. 8.