Volleyball teams continue to work through conference schedules with hopes of landing a league title and earn the guaranteed regional tournament berth that goes with it. Several conference leaders go head-to-head during the upcoming week and that’s the focus of our top volleyball matches.
CLASS 5A
Cherry Creek at Eaglecrest (Centennial) — Tuesday
Castle View at Chaparral (Continental) – Tuesday
Ralston Valley at Lakewood (Jeffco) — Wednesday
Valor Christian at Chatfield (Jeffco) — Thursday
Eaglecrest at Cherokee Trail (Centennial) — Thursday
Rangeview at Prairie View (East Metro) — Thursday
Rocky Mountain at Fort Collins (Front Range) — Thursday
NOTES: Cherry Creek, Eaglecrest and Cherokee Trail are all unbeaten in the rugged Centennial but that will change as the leaders collide. Eaglecrest meets both co-leaders during the week and wins in both put the Raptors in charge of the title chase. Castle View trails Chaparral, Highlands Ranch and Rock Canyon by one game in the Continental so the defending state champs need a win to stay in that race. Jeffco teams have played just one conference game so far so the games on tap this week will start to sort out the top standings. Ralston Valley and Lakewood both won league openers last week and share the lead with Valor Christian and Dakota Ridge. Rocky Mountain and Fort Collins have both suffered a league loss so only the winner will stay one game back of the two leaders; Fossil Ridge and Loveland. Prairie View is the first team at 2-0 in the East Metro and face a Rangeview team (2-1) that routinely challenges for that league championship.
CLASS 4A
Evergreen at D’Evelyn (Jeffco) — Tuesday
Longmont at Niwot (Northern) – Tuesday
Battle Mountain at Steamboat Springs (West Slope) — Tuesday
Pueblo West at Pueblo Centennial (South Central) — Tuesday
Pueblo County at Pueblo East (South Central) — Tuesday
Palmer Ridge at Discovery Canyon (Pikes Peak) – Thursday
Weld Central at Skyview (Colorado 7) – Thursday
NOTES: It’s already a two-team race in the Jeffco as leaders Evergreen (4-0) and D’Evelyn (3-0) have already built up a two-game lead on the rest of the conference. First and second will be sorted out when they collide on Tuesday. They meet for a second time later in the season. Battle Mountain and Steamboat Springs are tied with Palisade for the Western Slope lead. All three teams have a league loss and one will fall off the pace after their match on Tuesday. Pueblo West and Pueblo County (both 2-0) have the early edge in the South Central over Pueblo Centennial and Pueblo East (both 1-1). If the Cyclones and Hornets both win on Tuesday; then the race for the title is already down to two clubs. Weld Central (3-0) goes to Skyview (4-0) to determine sole possession of the Colorado 7 lead.
CLASS 3A
Sterling at Resurrection Christian (Patriot) — Tuesday
Prospect Ridge at Lutheran (Metro) — Tuesday
Peak to Peak at Faith Christian (Metro) – Tuesday
Lutheran at Peak to Peak (Metro) — Thursday
University at Valley (Patriot) — Thursday
Colorado Springs Christian at Manitou Springs (Tri Peaks) — Thursday
Aspen at Delta (West Slope) — Thursday
NOTES: Four teams (Lutheran, Faith Christian, Prospect Ridge, Peak to Peak) survived the first two weeks of Metro league play without a loss. The leaderboard will change greatly with the three matches between those leaders this week. Sterling (1-0) opens the week tied with Eaton, University and Valley (all 2-0) for the early Patriot top spot. The Tigers need a quality road win at Resurrection Christian in Loveland on Tuesday to keep pace. University and Valley square off in another highly anticipated clash. Colorado Springs Christian and Manitou Springs are both 5-0 inside the Tri Peaks and each has at least a two-game advantage on all others there so the winner could easily end up with the league championship. Aspen is one of three unbeatens atop the Western Slope as the Skiers are tied with Coal Ridge and Cedaredge going into the match with Delta (3-1).
CLASS 2A
Dove Creek at Mancos (San Juan) – Tuesday
Merino at Wiggins (Lower Platte) — Thursday
Sanford at Del Norte (Southern Peaks) — Friday
Del Norte at Sargent (Southern Peaks) – Saturday
Kit Carson at Yuma (non-league) – Saturday
NOTES: The headliner of course is the anticipated battle between Kit Carson and Yuma this Saturday. Both teams are again ranked #1 in their respective class and the meeting will give both clubs tremendous competition heading into the October playoff drive. Yuma is the favorite to land the Lower Platte title this year so they will watch with interest the result from Merino-Wiggins. Those clubs are a combined 6-0 in conference play. Del Norte sits alone atop the Southern Peaks and the Tigers have already beaten second-place clubs Sargent and Sanford once this year. Another over both should wrap up the championship. Dove Creek (5-0) has a one-game edge on Dolores and Mancos (one loss apiece) so they need a win on Tuesday to remain alone in first inside the San Juan.
CLASS 1A
McClave at Cheyenne Wells (High Plains) — Tuesday
Otis at Merino (Non-league) — Tuesday
Genoa Hugo at Byers (Union Pacific) — Tuesday
Pikes Peak Christian at Elbert (Black Forest) – Thursday
Sangre De Cristo at Creede (Southern Peaks) — Friday
NOTES: Four conference games are on our list this week and two of them have a direct impact on league championships. Sangre De Cristo shares the top spot in the Southern Peaks with La Veta but Creede is still in the discussion as the Miners have just one league loss. Elbert (4-0) and Pikes Peak Christian (2-0) are co-leaders in the Black Forest so their winner takes over sole possession of the lead. Byers is 1-1 in the Union Pacific as they’ve beaten Burlington and lost to Flagler/Hi Plains. Genoa Hugo is 2-1 with wins over Burlington and Deer Trail and an early loss to Stratton/Liberty. McClave and Cheyenne Wells are likely playing for second place behind Kit Carson in the High Plains league. Merino has a huge league date with Wiggins on Thursday but must first tangle with an Otis club that beat the Wiggins on their way to landing the Akron Tournament title.
