Only two weeks remain in the Colorado volleyball regular season and even though many conferences have already crowned their champion and automatic playoff qualifier, a few leagues remain up the air.  Colorado Preps breaks down the championship scenario in each conference in every class.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY VAN HOLLIS

 

CLASS 1A

  • 5280:  Flatirons Academy captured the league championship by beating Belleview Christian and raised their overall record to 16-2
  • ARK VALLEY:  Wiley beat Springfield for a second time this season over the weekend and that win gave the Panthers the league crown.  They are 13-1 on the season and still have two league games left with South Baca and Walsh this week.
  • BLACK FOREST:  Simla is the league champion and they also scored a nice five-set non-conference win over Cheraw last Saturday.  They have just one match this week against Colorado Springs School (2A).
  • FISHERS PEAK:  LaVeta and Manzanola (both 1-0) continue to share the conference lead and they will finally break that tie when they collide in La Veta on Friday.  La Veta also has good non-conference contests with Sangre De Cristo and Sargent on tap this week.
  • HIGH PLAINS:  Cheraw is the league champion as they finished the league slate with a perfect 5-0 record.  They sit at 16-3 overall.  The Wolverines face Kim/Branson, Genoa Hugo and Sierra Grande on consecutive days starting on Thursday.
  • NORTH CENTRAL:  Briggsdale and Fleming (6-1) share the conference championship as they split two league battles.  The Falcons are 15-3 on the season and the Wildcats 14-3.  Briggsdale meets Wiggins and Stratton for two tough matches on the road this week and then faces 2A power Dayspring Christian next week.  Fleming goes to Idalia on Friday and then turns around on Saturday to compete in a very good Sterling tournament that features the Tigers, Lamar, Wiggins and Merino.
  • SOUTHERN PEAKS:  Sangre De Cristo is unbeaten in league play and has a one game edge on Sierra Grande.  They face off in Fort Garland on September 29th.  The T-Birds have the date with La Veta on tap this week and they will enter with a record of 9-8.
  • YWKC:  Idalia has wrapped up the league crown.  They have the aforementioned match with Fleming on Friday and win or lose, that will bump their RPI number.

CLASS 2A

  • BLACK FOREST:  Calhan and Colorado Springs School (both 3-1) are tied for the conference lead.  They meet in Colorado Springs on Friday to determine the league champion and automatic playoff qualifier
  • LOWER PLATTE:  Sedgwick County (6-0) leads Haxtun (6-1) with Holyoke (4-2) in third.  Wiggins and Merino (5-3) are tied for fourth and finished with their league slate.  Sedgwick County steps away from conference play this week and needs only a win against Holyoke (26th) or Caliche (29th) to officially win the championship.  Haxtun has clinched second since they’ve beaten Holyoke and the Bulldogs have just one league match left with Akron on the 29th.  Holyoke has league matches remaining with Sedgwick County (26th) and Yuma (29th) and must win both to secure third place on their own.  They have a win over Wiggins but lost to Merino in conference play.
  • MILE HIGH:  Denver Christian (9-0) leads the division by one game over Dayspring Christian (9-1) with Union Colony Prep (8-2) in third place.  The Thunder have three league matches remaining so they cannot clinch the title this week.  They go to Clear Creek on Wednesday before finishing with Heritage Christian and Lyons next week.  They’ve already beaten both Dayspring Christian and Union Colony Prep so they’re in the drivers’ seat.  Dayspring has beaten UC Prep so they should end up second by beating both Heritage Christian (Tuesday) and Loveland Classical (Saturday).
  • SANTA FE:  Fowler (12-0) has a two game lead on Hoehne (7-2) and they play in Hoehne on Thursday.  Fowler won the first meeting in three and is 16-1 overall.  A second win hands them the championship.
  • SAN JUAN:  Class 1A Dove Creek (8-0) leads Ignacio and Dolores by one game in the conference standings.  They have a win over Ignacio and were leading Dolores 2-0 last week when the match was ended due to a medical emergency involving a fan.  That match will be replayed on Tuesday of this week but we’re not sure if the match will pick up where the other was delayed or a completely new match will be started.  Regardless of the that situation, Dove Creek is the league champion with a win; Dolores creates a three-way tie for the top spot if they spring the upset.  The Bears lone league loss came to Ignacio.
  • SOUTHERN PEAKS:  Sargent outlasted Sanford in five sets last week and that win moved the Farmers to 7-1 overall.  They have four games on tap this week and seven in the final week including a tournament.  Monte Vista has one league loss to Sargent and they play Sanford in another important match on Thursday.
  • UNION PACIFIC:  Class 1A Stratton is the league champion as they have a one game lead and wins over both second place clubs Byers and Limon.  The Eagles close the league schedule with Burlington but their toughest remaining challenge is against Briggsdale on Friday.  Limon and Byers determine second place in their head-to-head meeting on Thursday; the Badgers also tangle with highly ranked Denver Christian in non-league play on Tuesday.
  • WEST CENTRAL:  Custer County (4-0) has earned the league championship and automatic playoff bid.  They are 9-8 on the season and their 3-1 win over Center last week ended their six-match slide.
  • WESTERN SLOPE:  Meeker (9-0) has clinched the league title as they have a two-game edge and wins over both West Grand (6-2) and Soroco (5-2).  The Cowboys are also 17-0 and the lone unbeaten team left in the classification.  They have two league games remaining with Vail Mountain (Friday) and Caprock Academy (Saturday) before closing the regular season at the Buena Vista tournament next week.  West Grand has a win over Soroco so they’re in good shape for second but still have Caprock Academy (22nd) and Vail Mountain (29th) left on their league slate.  Soroco hosts Hayden on Wednesday and then meets Plateau Valley and DeBeque on Friday and Saturday.  Wins in all three coupled with a West Grand loss somewhere this week moves the Rams into second place.

CLASS 3A

  • CONFLUENCE:  DSST-Byers (3-0) and Addenbrooke Academy (5-0) share the lead with DSST-College View (5-1) in third.  Addenbrooke beat DSST-College View (3-1) last week so they’re the likely champions if they beat DSST-Byers on Thursday.  DSST-Byers and DSST-College View also meet on Wednesday so the league champion should be crowned this week.
  • FRONTIER:  DSST-Montview (7-0) is the regular season champion and will head into the league tournament as the top seed.  It gets underway on Thursday and continues this Saturday.  Academy and Lake County each shared second with one league loss with Academy gaining the tiebreaker on their head to head win.  Lake County did not face DSST-Montview during the conference schedule.
  • INTERMOUNTAIN:  Bayfield (6-1) took over the top spot with a sweep of Centauri (4-2) last week.  The two teams play again on Friday and that outcome will determine if the Wolverines win the title outright or the two end up sharing the crown.  Centauri also hosts Montezuma Cortez on Saturday so the Falcons need two wins this week to grab a piece of first place.
  • METRO:  Lutheran (8-0) and Faith Christian (7-0) are both unbeaten and tied for the conference lead with Prospect Ridge (6-1) one game back in third.  Lutheran visits Prospect Ridge on Tuesday and then faces Faith Christian next week (27th).  They could also meet in the league challenge which comes up on the 29th and 30th.  Faith Christian has a win over Prospect Ridge and the Eagles have just one league match this week; at Stargate on Tuesday.  Lutheran also suffered their first in-state loss of the season as they fell to top ranked Resurrection Christian in four sets Monday night.
  • PATRIOT:  Resurrection Christian (8-0) is alone atop the standings with a nice two-game edge on Sterling, University and Eaton (all 5-2).  Resurrection Christian can clinch the title by beating Brush on Tuesday and they’ll be favored; especially with momentum from Monday’s win over Lutheran.  The Cougars also meet Eaton next week but that match is meaningless to the title chase if the Cougars beat Brush as expected.  Sterling has wins over University and Eaton so they’re in great shape for the second spot.  The Tigers though still have three conference matches left including Frontier Academy on Thursday.  University downed Eaton in their league match so the Bulldogs are on track for third place.  They host Estes Park Tuesday and Liberty Common two nights later.  Eaton has Valley on Tuesday and Strasburg on Thursday.
  • TRI PEAKS:  Lamar (9-0) clinches the league championship by beating Banning Lewis on Tuesday night.  If they are upset there, they get another chance to win the title outright against Ellicott on the 26th.  Lamar has a one game edge and a win over second place Manitou Springs (7-1).  Manitou Springs hosts Vanguard on Tuesday and a Mustangs loss there also gives the crown to Lamar.  Vanguard is alone in third at 6-2.
  • WESTERN SLOPE:  Delta (9-0) is the league champion as they lead North Fork (6-1) and Aspen (5-1) by one game and they’ve beaten both.  The Panthers have just one conference game left and that’s at Rifle on Tuesday.  They also move up to 4A and challenge Montrose on Thursday.  North Fork and Aspen are on the schedule to face off on October 30th but each has plenty of work remaining before declaring that match for second place.  Basalt is also in that chase.  The Longhorns (4-2) are fourth and play Aspen on Thursday and North Fork in the final week.

CLASS 4A

  • COLORADO:  Weld Central (4-0) and Eagle Ridge Academy (2-0) are the last two league unbeatens and sit together in first place.  That will change on Tuesday as they square off in Brighton.  Eagle Ridge Academy also meets third place Fort Lupton (1-1) on Thursday so two wins put them in position to land the championship and earn a berth in the 3A regional tournament.  Weld Central is well outside the top 36 in 4A RPI and must win the league title to earn a trip to the postseason.
  • CS METRO NORTH:  Classical Academy (7-0) and Falcon (5-1) are first and second and it’s a two team race as all other league members have at least three losses.  Classical Academy beat Falcon 3-2 in the first meeting and the rematch is set for Thursday at Falcon.  The Falcons are 16-3 overall and the Titans 17-1.
  • CS METRO SOUTH:  Woodland Park (4-0) has a one game edge over Coronado, Palmer and Canon City.  Woodland Park goes to Coronado on Thursday and clinches the championship with a win there as they’ve beaten the other two second place clubs.  Palmer plays Coronado on Thursday and Canon City next week.  Canon City has a win over Coronado so the Tigers seem the best bet to end up second.
  • JEFFCO:  D’Evelyn (5-0) beat Evergreen last week to gain sole possession of the league lead.  Evergreen slipped into a second place tie with Golden and Green Mountain as all three have one league loss.  D’Evelyn becomes the league champion by beating Golden on Thursday.  The Jags have also beat Green Mountain.
  • LONGS PEAK:  Niwot (11-0) clinches the championship by beating either Riverdale Ridge on Tuesday or Severance on Friday.  Frederick (11-1) is one game back but lost their match with Niwot so getting the past the Cougars will be difficult.  The Warriors also have another test with Thompson Valley (9-2) this week but we’re unsure if that’s a conference match or if the previous meeting won by Frederick will count in the league standings.
  • NCAA:  Erie (11-0) goes to Windsor (9-1) on Tuesday and again we’re unsure if this one is the league meeting or if the previous 3-2 win by Erie is the conference battle.  If this week represents the conference matchup then both clubs are unbeaten in the conference and the winner will stand alone in first.  According to MaxPreps, Erie currently has a one-game lead based on their earlier win.
  • PIKES PEAK:  Palmer Ridge (7-0) leads 5A Rampart (6-1) by one game and both Cheyenne Mountain (6-2) and Pine Creek (also 5A / 5-2) by two games.  The defending 4A champs have a difficult week as they visit Cheyenne Mountain on Tuesday and then have the big battle with Rampart on Friday.  Regardless of the outcome on Tuesday, the Friday match against the Rams should decide the league championship.
  • SOUTH CENTRAL:  Class 5A Pueblo West (6-0) beat Pueblo County (5-1) in their first meeting so the Cyclones have a one-game edge over the Hornets in the standings.  They face off again next Wednesday (27th) and that outcome will decide the top two places.
  • WEST SLOPE:  Palisade (8-1) and Eagle Valley (5-2) hold down the top spots and they’ve split two regular season matchups already.  That means Palisade has to beat Glenwood Springs this Thursday to win the championship outright.  A loss there leaves the door open for Eagle Valley to earn a share of the top trophy beating Steamboat Springs on Tuesday and then Battle Mountain and Summit next week.  Steamboat Springs (5-3) will be a tough out as they sit third in the standings.

CLASS 5A

  • CENTENNIAL:  Cherry Creek and Grandview (6-1) ended conference play with identical records but the Bruins win the regular season crown based on their head-to-head win over the Wolves.  The two though will be seeded one-two in the league challenge which opens on Thursday so they could meet again in the championship round.
  • CONTINENTAL:  The entire league takes the week off from conference matches so we won’t know anything different until the final week.  Chaparral (9-0) has already locked up the league championship as they have just one match remaining against Ponderosa next week.  The Wolverines lead Mountain Vista (7-2) and Highlands Ranch (6-2) by two games and Legend (6-3) by three.  Highlands Ranch is in the best shape for second as they’ve beaten Mountain Vista.  They close with ThunderRidge on the 26th.  Mountain Vista has two league matches remaining with Douglas County and Rock Canyon on the 26th and 27th respectively.
  • DENVER PREP:  Thames Jefferson (14-4) and Denver East (16-6) meet on Wednesday and we believe that contest will determine the league tournament championship.
  • EAST METRO:  Brighton (4-0) and Vista Peak (6-0) share the conference lead going into their league match on Tuesday.  Brighton (11-2) has the much better record overall and is playing at home so they’ll be favored over the Bison (9-8).  All other clubs have at least two league losses so Tuesday’s winner is very close to claiming the championship.
  • FRONT RANGE:  Broomfield (8-0) is alone in first by one game over Fossil Ridge (7-1) and Legacy (7-1).  Fort Collins (6-2) is in fourth.  Broomfield (18-2) has beaten all the top challengers except for Legacy and they will visit the Lightning this Thursday.  Legacy, which lost to Fossil Ridge, also meets Fort Collins in a tough week.  They need wins in both to create a three-way tie with Broomfield and Fossil for first place.
  • JEFFCO:  Valor Christian (6-0) can win the title by beating either Pomona on Tuesday or Lakewood on Thursday.  the Eagles lead Ralston Valley (4-1) by one game and have topped the Mustangs in their conference matchup.  Ralston Valley also goes to Columbine in another key  match on Tuesday.  The Mustangs lead the Rebels and Chatfield by one game and need that win to secure second place.
  • SOUTHWESTERN:  Fruita Monument and 4A Montrose (both 6-1) are tied for first and each scored a win over the other through two conference matchups.  Both finish the league slate at home against Durango this week so those results will decide the Wildcats and Indians remain tied for if one wins the tournament outright.  Both clubs downed the Demons earlier this season.  Fruita plays the Demons on Friday and Montrose on Saturday.