Conference races are starting to take shape in Class 1A and 2A and our volleyball rewind for the past week gives you the most important results and how they impacted league standings.
CLASS 1A
Merino probably scored the most important win across the division as their four-set win over 2A Wiggins gave them sole possession of first place inside the Lower Platte. The Rams remain unbeaten in conference play and sit one game up on the Tigers and Yuma. They meet the defending state champions on Tuesday and a win there should give the Rams the league crown.
Briggsdale kept a share of the North Central lead as they outlasted Prairie in five sets last Thursday. The Falcons used 25 kills from Kimberlyn Krise to avenge an earlier loss to the Mustangs. They are tied with Fleming atop the conference standings while the Mustangs slid one game back. Prairie played a good share of the game without senior standout Hannah Kinnison who reportedly suffered another knee injury in the loss. An injury kept her on the sidelines for most of last season.
The Southern Peaks title chase is now down to two teams as LaVeta beat Antonito (3-0) and Sangre De Cristo downed Cotopaxi (3-1). The results left both winners unbeaten in the conference and tied for the lead. They meet on October 24th.
Nya Sciacca had 12 kills to lead LaVeta’s offense. Desi Ortivez was next with 10 kills and also added nine aces. Mary Goins handed out 25 assists.
Kit Carson took the outright lead inside the High Plains with a three-game sweep of Cheyenne Wells on Saturday. Both teams were unbeaten in league play entering the match. Allison Gekeler paced the Wildcats with nine kills and freshman Tess Johnson added eight. Cally Rady chipped in six.
The Wildcats also scored a nice four set win over Yuma two nights earlier. That game was a matchup of defending state champions as Kit Carson has won the last two in Class 1A and Yuma was the 2A champion last November.
Springfield handed South Baca their first loss last Tuesday (3-0). The Longhorns stayed perfect through two Ark Valley matches and are tied with Walsh in first place.
That same night, Belleview Christian moved past Shining Mountain in three sets. Neither team had lost a league match before the contest. Belleview stays in first and is tied with Mile High Academy and Flatirons Academy atop the 5280.
The Black Forest race remains very crowded as Elbert, Evangelical Christian and Kiowa share first place with one loss apiece. Pikes Peak Christian was also part of the tie but they were beaten by Elbert (3-0) last Thursday.
Lone Star and Norwood kept in line for a top two finish in their respective conferences with important wins last week. Lone Star outlasted Idalia in five sets and remain one game back of Otis in the YWKC. They’ve already played and lost to the Bulldogs so a second place finish may be their best hope. Norwood topped Mancos 3-2 to stay one game back of Dove Creek in the 1A portion of the San Juan league chase. The two teams play a second team on October 15th. Dove Creek won the first meeting in a sweep.
CLASS 2A
Despite the previously mentioned loss to Kit Carson, Yuma still had a productive week as their five set marathon win over Holyoke kept them in contention for the Lower Platte championship. The Indians are now tied with Wiggins in second place as both teams trail Merino by one game. Yuma has matches remaining with both opponents including Tuesday against Merino. The Indians tangle with Wiggins on October 18th. Kristin Vieselmeyer had 25 kills in the loss for Holyoke.
The Santa Fe chase got a bit more confusing on Thursday as Swallows Charter stunned previously unbeaten Fowler in three sets. Jesse Vallejos had 12 kills and freshman Kailyn Krupka added six kills and six aces. The win ranks up there as the best in Swallows Charter history.
With the loss, Fowler tumbles back into a first place tie with Swink and Rocky Ford. The Grizzlies responded with a 2-1 showing at their own tournament on Saturday. They lost to 3A Lamar but picked up a solid four-set win over Limon earlier in the day. Emily Flanscha led the offense with 23 kills and also topped the defense with 21 digs. Jayden Osborne finished with 36 assists and Ryanna Pruett collected five of the Grizzlies’ 12 aces.
It’s also crowded at the top of the Southern Peaks race thanks to Sanford’s five set win over Del Norte last Saturday. The result left both clubs with one league loss and tied with Sargent in first place. Sargent goes to Del Norte on Tuesday.
No change in the Mile High leadership as Denver Christian, Dawson and Union Colony Prep all made it through last week without a league loss. Denver Christian and Dawson both collected solid wins over Heritage Christian who should end up in the top six of the conference. Nicole Scribner had 12 kills, four aces and 25 digs to lead Dawson in all three categories. Isabella Jurika had eight kills, Arianna Guzzi collected 24 digs and Angelina Sala had 21 assists.
Meeker continues to lead the Western Slope chase as they’re unbeaten in the conference. West Grand stayed one game back with their three-set win over Rangely. Emma DeSanti had 10 kills and 12 digs to lead the Mustangs. Second place may be their best outcome as they’ve already lost the conference match with Meeker.
