The battle of the two top-ranked teams in Class 3A – longtime area and league rivals – lived up to the hype.
With first place in the Patriot League, and potentially the league crown, on the line last Thursday, Platte Valley’s girls volleyball team rose to the occasion. The Broncos rallied from being one set away from defeat, posting a 26-24, 25-27, 22-25, 25-20, 17-15) victory over previously undefeated Eaton.
Senior Karsyn Fetzer led the way with 25 kills and 25 digs. Addie Grossnickle also had 25 digs, and Lauryn Uyemura had 44 assists. For Eaton, Annabelle Dejager tallied 26 kills and 22 digs and Madi Smith added 21 kills. Evie Gavette recorded 29 digs.
Platte Valley (16-1, 10-0) has two more league games remaining. Eaton (16-1, 9-1) also had two, with No. 5 Resurrection Christian up Thursday.
The conclusion of the regular season is just 11 days away. With that in mind, here is a glance at each of the state’s five classifications:
Class 5A
Chaparral put a nice bow on the Continental League crown Tuesday night, sweeping past No. 5 Rock Canyon to run the table on the league. … Cherokee Trail did the same in the Centennial League, sweeping Arapahoe to cap a perfect run in league play. The Cougars (14-2, 9-0) and Wolverines meet Oct. 29. … No. 2 Fossil Ridge has clinched at least a share of the Front Range League title with two games remaining. The SaberCats (17-4, 10-0) have won five in a row. … Pine Creek notched a massive sweep of No. 8 Pueblo West last Thursday. The Eagles (14-3, 9-1 CSML) are currently tied with the Cyclones atop the league standings. … No. 3 Valor Christian bounced back from its first loss of the season to down No. 10 Chatfield. The Eagles (16-1, 6-0) have clinched at least a share of the Jeffco crown with two games remaining.
Game of the (last) week: Pine Creek def. Pueblo West 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-17)
Game of the (upcoming) week: No. 6 Legend at No. 4 Mountain Vista, 6 p.m., Oct. 29
Class 4A
Dealing with consecutive losses to 5A Front Range League foes Fossil Ridge and Loveland, No. 10 Windsor picked up a much-needed boost Tuesday night with a five-set victory over No. 4 University. … Lewis-Palmer and Cheyenne Mountain will meet again Thursday night in Pikes Peak action. The No. 1 Rangers lost to the Red-Tailed Hawks when the two teams met the first time. … Cheyenne Mountain is coming off a loss to then-No. 9 Lutheran in four sets last Friday. … No. 2 Thompson Valley is close to locking up the Longs Peak crown. The Eagles (17-0, 14-0) host second-place and No. 9 Timnath on Oct. 29.
Game of the (last) week: Windsor def. University 3-2 (12-25, 25-20, 25-22, 24-26, 15-10)
Game(s) of the (upcoming) week: 3A No. 6 Village at 4A No. 3 Palisade, 5:30 p.m., Thursday/No. 6 Cheyenne Mountain at No. 1 Lewis-Palmer, 6:30 p.m., Thursday
Class 3A
Eaton wasn’t the only 3A top-10 program to lose its first game of the season. Lamar, now ranked fourth, went 2-2 in tournament play on Saturday with losses to current No. 3 Alamosa and 2A Wiggins. The Thunder are still in the driver’s seat in the Tri-Peaks League with two games remaining. … Alamosa wasn’t immune to the tournament blues either, as the Mean Moose fell to No. 7 Sterling, which was an impressive 3-1 in the event. That included a victory over unbeaten 1A No. 1 Merino.
Game of the (last) week: Platte Valley def. Eaton 3-2 (26-24, 25-27, 22-25, 25-20, 17-15)
Game of the (upcoming) week: No. 2 Eaton at No. 5 Resurrection Christian, 6:30 p.m., Thursday
Class 2A
Current No. 5 Colorado Springs Christian and No. 8 Wiggins had an up-and-down tournament. The Lions defeated Wiggins and 3A Sterling, but dropped matches to 1A’s top-ranked Merino and 3A’s current No. 3 Alamosa. Wiggins did top 3A power Lamar in the tourney. … Fourth-ranked Meeker has won 10 in a row, handing Caprock Academy only its second loss in Western Slope League play last Saturday. … Mancos upset previously undefeated Sargent in five sets, with Bailey Beh recording 28 kills.
Game of the (last) week: Mancos def. Sargent 3-2 (25-14, 18-25, 25-17, 20-25, 15-10)
Game of the (upcoming) week: No. 9 Heritage Christian at No. 2 Sedgwick County, 5 p.m., Oct. 29
Class 1A
The final two unbeatens in the 1A ranks fell by the wayside last week, as top-ranked Merino was handed its first loss by 3A’s Sterling in tournament play, and Sargent fell in five sets to Mancos. Kandice Pargen led Sargent with 21 kills. … Four of the top five teams in 1A suffered a loss last week. … Even with the 2-1 loss to the Tigers, Merino still had an outstanding week. The Rams took down 2A power Sedgwick County 3-0, and still went 3-1 in tournament play with victories over Severance, Colorado Springs Christian and Centauri. Merino has a big 1A matchup Saturday when it hosts No. 4 Stratton, which was upset by Hi-Plains last week. … Speaking of big matchups, No. 2 Idalia goes on the road to face No. 3 Fleming on Thursday.
Fleming also battles No. 8 Cheraw and 2A No. 1 Simla on Friday. Idalia swept past No. 5 Otis on Friday.
Game of the (last) week: Mancos def. Sargent 3-2 (25-14, 18-25, 25-17, 20-25, 15-10)
Game(s) of the (upcoming) week: No. 2 Idalia at No. 3 Fleming, 4:30 p.m., Thursday/No. 4 Stratton at No. 1 Merino, 2 p.m., Saturday
