Very important night of volleyball as conference heat up across the board. League champions earn automatic bids to the 24-team regional bracket in each division so games involving conference leaders earn quite a bit of attention. Our preview today will quickly run through each division and also hit on several important games outside the rankings.
In Class 1A, #2 Simla must win at home over Kiowa to stay tied with Elbert atop the Black Forest conference. Kiowa has one league loss to Elbert so another takes them out of the title picture. #3 Stratton/Liberty stays alone atop the Union Pacific if they win at Genoa Hugo. A win also leaves them just one victory shy of clinching the league crown.
Also in 1A, #7 Springfield needs to beat Walsh to stay one game back of Ark Valley leading Wiley. The 4th ranked Panthers swept Kim/Branson on Monday. #9 Kit Carson has already clinched the High Plains title ahead of their visit to Granada.
In Class 2A, Wiggins fell to #2 in the rankings this week due to last week’s loss to Merino but the Tigers remain in the chase for the top overall playoff seed. A win over #8 Limon helps that cause and also preps them for a Lower Platte showdown with Sedgwick County later this week. #6 Dayspring Christian and #7 Vail Christian both need wins to keep a share of their conference lead. Dayspring Christian is tied with Denver Christian and Union Colony Prep atop the Mile High with Vail Christian sharing first with Meeker on the West Slope.
A win for #9 Del Norte keeps them atop the Southern Peaks while #10 Rye must beat Crowley County to keep pace with Fowler for the Santa Fe conference lead.
In Class 3A, the winner between #8 Alamosa and Centauri could end up second to Montezuma Cortez inside the Intermountain chase. The unbeaten Panthers have already clinched that crown. #5 DSST-Montview beat Arrupe Jesuit 3-0 on Monday so a win over Lake County tonight gives them the Frontier title and an automatic post-season berth. Top ranked Eaton is coming off a great rally over #2 Lutheran on Monday night and is expected to cruise past Frontier Academy. Should they do so, they will remain tied with Liberty Common atop the Patriot.
In Class 4A, the battle between #1 Palmer Ridge and #2 Cheyenne Mountain could clear up the Pikes Peaks race a bit or jumble things even more. Cheyenne Mountain opens the match up one game on Palmer Ridge and Rampart and since they’ve already beaten the Rams, a win over the Bears puts them in great position to land the crown. A win by Palmer Ridge though leaves all three teams tied in first.
#6 Thompson Valley’s loss to Frederick on Monday makes the battle between #5 Niwot-Berthoud a very important contest inside the Longs Peak. The two are tied with Thompson Valley in first so the loser falls off the pace entering the final 10 days of the season.
In Class 5A, #1 Mountain Vista clinches the coveted Continental crown by winning at Ponderosa. The Golden Eagles lead #3 Chaparral by one game and have beaten the Wolverines head-to-head. #5 Ralston Valley must beat #8 Valor Christian to maintain a share of the Jeffco lead with #10 Columbine. Valor has dropped two league games and likely can’t win the championship; even with a win this evening.
Below is the Top 10 schedule for Monday. Results will be updated as they are turned in. Colorado Preps also previews many more contests outside the rankings below.
CLASS 1A
FINAL: #1 Fleming beat Holyoke 3-1
FINAL: #2 Simla beat Kiowa 3-0
FINAL: #3 Stratton/Liberty beat Genoa Hugo 3-2 (Game 5: 15-13)
FINAL: #7 Springfield beat Walsh 3-0
FINAL: #8 Briggsdale beat Lone Star 3-0
#9 Kit Carson at Granada
CLASS 2A
FINAL: #2 Wiggins beat #8 Limon 3-0
FINAL: Heritage Christian beat #6 Dayspring Christian 3-1
FINAL: #7 Vail Christian beat North Park 3-0
FINAL: #9 Del Norte beat Center 3-0
#10 Rye vs Crowley County
CLASS 3A
FINAL: #1 Eaton beat Frontier Academy 3-0
FINAL: #4 Sterling beat Estes Park 3-0
FINAL: #5 DSST-Montview beat Lake County 3-0
FINAL: #6 University beat Yuma 3-0
FINAL: #8 Alamosa beat Centauri 3-1
FINAL: #9 Resurrection Christian beat Strasburg 3-0
FINAL: St Mary’s beat #10 Colorado Springs Christian 3-2
CLASS 4A
FINAL: #2 Cheyenne Mountain beat #1 Palmer Ridge 3-2
FINAL: #3 Windsor beat Centaurus 3-0
FINAL: #4 Coronado beat Mesa Ridge 3-0
FINAL: #5 Niwot beat Berthoud 3-2
FINAL: #6 Thompson Valley beat Riverdale Ridge 3-0
CLASS 5A
#1 Mountain Vista at Ponderosa (Cancelled)
FINAL: #2 Cherry Creek beat Mullen 3-0
FINAL: #9 Legend beat #3 Chaparral 2-1
FINAL: #4 Cherokee Trail beat Eaglecrest 3-0
FINAL: #6 Grandview beat Smoky Hill 3-0
#9 Legend vs Heritage
#10 Columbine at Bear Creek
OUTSIDE THE RANKINGS
FINAL: Pueblo West beat Pueblo County 3-0
FINAL: Fort Collins beat Monarch 3-0
FINAL: Fossil Ridge beat Broomfield 3-1
FINAL: Horizon beat Rocky Mountain 3-1
FINAL: Vista Peak beat Prairie View 3-1
4A: D’Evelyn (4-3) at Golden (4-2)
FINAL: Skyview beat Eagle Ridge Academy 3-2
FINAL: Coal Ridge beat Cedaredge 3-2
FINAL: Prospect Ridge beat Faith Christian 3-0
FINAL: Platte Valley beat Liberty Common 3-1
FINAL: Sanford beat Monte Vista 3-2
FINAL: Highland beat Union Colony Prep 3-0
FINAL: Belleview Christian beat Front Range Baptist 3-0
NOTES: Pueblo West leads Pueblo County and Pueblo South by two games in the South Central chase. The Cyclones also play South on Thursday to two wins this week lock up the crown and a 5A playoff berth. The Front Range race is very tight. Fossil Ridge opens the night in first (4-0) but Loveland, Rocky Mountain, Fort Collins, Broomfield and Monarch are just one game back. Tonight’s schedule has most of those clubs pairing up for key league contests. Prairie View and Vista Peak are two of the three unbeatens left in the East Metro; joining Brighton for the conference lead. The winner steps between the Bison and Thunderhawks steps forward as the top challenger to Brighton who sits 6-1 overall.
The 4A Jeffco lead belongs to five one-loss teams in Evergreen, D’Evelyn, Golden, Green Mountain and Littleton. So the loser of D’Evelyn-Golden will fall from that logjam.
In Class 3A, Eagle Ridge Academy and Skyview are both unbeaten inside the Colorado so the winner gains the inside track to the title and playoff berth. Eagle Ridge scored a big win over third place Weld Central last week so they’re in great position with another victory tonight. The winner of Coal Ridge-Cedaredge stays within range of first place Basalt in the Western Slope. The Titans and Bruins are tied with Delta one game back in second place. Faith Christian and Prospect Ridge battle for second behind Lutheran in the Metro. Each has one league loss and Faith has a match remaining with Lutheran. Prospect Ridge dropped their league battle with the Lions. As mentioned, top ranked Eaton is heavily favored to beat Frontier Academy so Liberty Common must win at Platte Valley to keep pace atop the Patriot. The Reds and Eagles meet on Saturday but Liberty Commons also hosts Sterling on Thursday.
In Class 2A, Sanford and Monte Vista remain in the mix for second place behind Del Norte in the Southern Peaks. Sargent is a third team battling for that spot. Union Colony could get pushed by Highland in their bid to keep a share of the Mile High lead with Denver Christian and Dayspring Christian. Highland is 5-3 in the conference and can only play the role of spoiler.
In Class 1A, Front Range Baptist and Belleview Christian are tied with Flatirons Academy for the 5280 lead so their matchup could serve as an elimination game in that chase.
