CHSAANow

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  • Fairview girls basketball joins 5A ranking at No. 8

    Fairview Arvada West girls basketball
    Grace O’Neill (15) and Fairview girls basketball are ranked No. 8 in 5A this week. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    Fairview girls basketball, 5-1 to start the season, has joined the Class 5A rankings this week.

    The Knights are No. 8 in CHSAANow.com’s poll. They went 2-1 last week, with the lone loss coming to No. 1 ThunderRidge.

    ThunderRidge retained its spot atop 5A, thanks in large part to a second win over Broomfield, which was ranked No. 2 at the time.

    Ther other big change this week was in 3A, where Sterling overtook Pagosa Springs for the No. 1 spot in the classification.

    The 4A poll added a pair of Western Slope teams this week in Durango (No. 9) and Montrose (No. 10)

    The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.

    Complete rankings are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Girls Basketball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    First-place votes are in parentheses.

    Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | 1A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 ThunderRidge (15) 6-0 168 1 3-0
    2 Grandview 3-0 129 5 3-0
    3 Highlands Ranch (2) 6-1 126 4 2-0
    4 Broomfield 4-2 111 2 2-1
    5 Monarch 6-1 105 3 2-1
    6 Horizon 4-1 75 8 2-0
    7 Lakewood 1-3 45 9 0-0
    8 Fairview 5-1 39 – 2-1
    9 Regis Jesuit 3-4 35 7 1-2
    10 Ralston Valley 4-2 30 6 1-2
    Others receiving votes:
    Rampart 26, Fossil Ridge 21, Grand Junction 9, Arapahoe 5, Denver East 4, Poudre 4, Cherry Creek 1, Mountain Vista 1, Pomona 1.
    Dropped out
    Fossil Ridge (10).

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Valor Christian (14) 3-0 140 1 2-0
    2 Holy Family 4-2 94 8 3-0
    3 Sand Creek 4-1 93 2 2-1
    4 Canon City 6-0 83 7 2-0
    5 Mesa Ridge 4-3 81 3 2-2
    6 Pueblo West 6-2 74 4 3-1
    7 Pueblo East 5-2 68 10 4-0
    8 D’Evelyn 4-3 44 5 2-1
    9 Durango 6-0 33 – 4-0
    10 Montrose 2-1 19 – 2-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Pueblo South 18, Vista Ridge 10, Wheat Ridge 9, Littleton 8, Longmont 8, Green Mountain 7, Thomas Jefferson 7, Air Academy 6, Denver South 5, Golden 4, Mullen 3, Sierra 3, Silver Creek 3, Glenwood Springs 2, Berthoud 1, Eagle Valley 1, Falcon 1.
    Dropped out
    Pueblo South (6), Longmont (9).

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Sterling (10) 4-0 135 2 2-0
    2 Pagosa Springs (2) 5-0 134 1 2-0
    3 Lutheran (1) 3-0 125 3 3-0
    4 Manitou Springs (1) 3-0 98 4 2-0
    5 St. Mary’s 6-0 94 5 3-0
    6 Eaton 2-1 67 6 2-1
    7 Faith Christian 4-3 34 7 1-3
    8 Olathe 3-1 30 – 1-0
    9 Machebeuf 2-3 19 8 1-2
    10 La Junta 6-1 18 – 3-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Platte Valley 12, Brush 9, Valley 9, Grand Valley 8, Centauri 7, Trinidad 6, Kent Denver 5, Lamar 5, Colorado Academy 4, Buena Vista 2, Strasburg 2, Liberty Common 1, The Pinnacle 1.
    Dropped out
    Trinidad (9), Lamar (10).

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Yuma (7) 3-0 94 1 3-0
    2 Hoehne (2) 5-0 88 2 2-0
    3 Akron 4-0 80 3 2-0
    4 Peyton (1) 2-0 70 4 1-0
    5 Caliche 4-0 65 5 2-0
    6 Meeker 3-0 42 7 0-0
    7 Paonia 4-2 41 6 2-2
    8 Highland 5-1 18 9 2-1
    9 Del Norte 5-0 12 8 3-0
    10 Sanford 3-2 11 10 3-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Ellicott 10, Cedaredge 8, Dayspring Christian 3, Kiowa 2, Ridgway 2, Sargent 2, Sedgwick County 2, Rye 1.
    Dropped out
    None.

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Idalia (5) 3-0 77 1 1-0
    2 Kit Carson (2) 2-0 68 3 0-0
    3 Briggsdale (1) 3-1 61 5 2-0
    4 Sangre De Cristo 5-0 49 6 2-0
    5 South Baca 3-1 40 8 1-1
    6 Norwood 2-0 35 4 2-0
    7 Fleming 2-1 31 7 0-1
    8 Springfield 3-1 20 – 2-0
    9 Eads 2-1 18 2 1-1
    10 Cheraw 5-1 15 9 3-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Shining Mountain 10, Heritage Christian 7, Prairie 6, Cheyenne Wells 3, Plateau Valley 1.
    Dropped out
    Shining Mountain (10).

  • Regis Jesuit now No. 1 in 5A boys basketball rankings

    (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
    Regis Jesuit is the new No. 1 team in Class 5A boys basketball. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    After last week’s big win, it was assumed that Regis Jesuit boys basketball would take over the top spot in Class 5A. Monday, the Raiders officially moved up.

    Regis Jesuit received 15 of the 16 first-place votes in CHSAANow.com’s poll this week, and had 159 overall points. This came on the heels of a 3-0 week to open the season, which included a win over preseason No. 1 Overland.

    But Regis was far from the only mover. ThunderRidge also started its season 3-0, and has jumped from preseason No. 5 to No. 2 this week. The 5A poll also added four new teams: No. 7 Aurora Central, No. 8 Dakota Ridge, No. 9 Cherry Creek and No. 10 Rock Canyon.

    Things changed in 4A, too. Longmont stayed put as the No. 1 team, but there are three new teams — led by No. 2 Golden, which had an impressive opening week, including wins over Vista PEAK and then-No. 6 D’Evelyn. Also joining are No. 6 Pueblo Central and No. 8 Air Academy.

    In 3A, there’s another new No. 1 team. Colorado Springs Christian assumes the top spot there after Colorado Academy lost to Fossil Ridge’s JV team last week.

    New to the 3A poll are Alamosa (No. 8) and Manitou Springs (No. 9).

    The No. 1 teams stayed put in both 2A (Sanford) and 1A (McClave).

    The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.

    Complete rankings are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Boys Basketball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    First-place votes are in parentheses.

    Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | 1A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Regis Jesuit (15) 3-0 159 2 3-0
    2 ThunderRidge 3-0 121 5 3-0
    3 Eaglecrest 3-0 117 4 3-0
    4 Overland 0-1 109 1 0-1
    5 Denver East (1) 1-0 107 3 1-0
    6 Chaparral 2-1 57 6 2-1
    7 Aurora Central 4-0 37 – 4-0
    8 Dakota Ridge 3-0 35 – 3-0
    9 Cherry Creek 3-0 27 – 3-0
    10 Rock Canyon 3-1 24 – 3-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Mountain Vista 23, Northglenn 13, Rangeview 12, Abraham Lincoln 7, Cherokee Trail 7, George Washington 7, Arvada West 5, Fossil Ridge 4, Montbello 4, Legend 3, Grand Junction 1, Ralston Valley 1.
    Dropped out
    Abraham Lincoln (7), Arvada West (8), Rangeview (9), Mountain Vista (10).

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Longmont (14) 2-0 175 1 2-0
    2 Golden (3) 3-0 144 – 3-0
    3 Thomas Jefferson 2-1 90 4 2-1
    4 Sand Creek 2-0 83 7 2-0
    5 D’Evelyn 2-1 76 6 2-1
    6 Pueblo Central 3-1 75 – 3-1
    7 Pueblo East (1) 3-0 61 9 3-0
    8 Air Academy 2-0 55 – 2-0
    9 Pueblo South 2-2 40 2 2-2
    10 Lewis-Palmer 2-2 38 3 2-2
    Others receiving votes:
    Mountain View 29, Valor Christian 25, Vista Peak 21, Pueblo West 14, Palmer Ridge 10, Holy Family 9, Niwot 8, Conifer 7, Evergreen 6, Montezuma-Cortez 4, Steamboat Springs 4, Mitchell 3, Denver South 2, Glenwood Springs 2, Widefield 2, Falcon 1, Mead 1, Silver Creek 1.
    Dropped out
    Valor Christian (5), Holy Family (8), Denver South (10).

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Colorado Springs Christian (7) 3-0 141 2 3-0
    2 Faith Christian 2-0 116 3 2-0
    3 Colorado Academy (7) 2-1 112 1 2-1
    4 Lutheran (1) 4-0 90 6 4-0
    5 Jefferson Academy 3-0 84 5 3-0
    6 Kent Denver 3-0 73 8 3-0
    7 The Pinnacle 2-0 52 10 2-0
    8 Alamosa 3-0 28 – 3-0
    9 Manitou Springs 1-0 26 – 1-0
    10 Moffat County 0-2 25 4 0-2
    Others receiving votes:
    Sterling 14, St. Mary’s 13, Eaton 11, DSST-Stapleton 9, Bennett 8, Monte Vista 8, Platte Valley 6, Grand Valley 4, Machebeuf 3, Brush 1, Strasburg 1.
    Dropped out
    St. Mary’s (7), DSST-Stapleton (9).

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Sanford (10) 2-0 100 1 2-0
    2 Akron 2-0 79 5 2-0
    3 Resurrection Christian 2-0 76 4 2-0
    4 Ignacio 2-2 63 2 2-2
    5 Simla 2-0 56 3 2-0
    6 Rye 1-2 37 7 1-2
    7 Sedgwick County 2-0 35 8 2-0
    8 Meeker 0-0 28 6 0-0
    9 Crowley County 1-0 19 – 1-0
    10 Peyton 1-0 13 – 1-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Ellicott 9, Yuma 9, Paonia 8, Holyoke 6, Limon 4, Caliche 3, Swink 3, Center 1, Mancos 1.
    Dropped out
    Holyoke (9), Yuma (10).

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 McClave (8) 1-0 97 1 1-0
    2 Sangre De Cristo (1) 3-0 82 8 3-0
    3 Springfield 2-0 71 – 2-0
    4 Fleming 1-1 57 4 1-1
    5 Norwood 0-0 46 2 0-0
    6 Jim Elliot 2-0 39 9 2-0
    7 Kit Carson 1-0 34 – 1-0
    8 Holly 1-1 27 5 1-1
    9 Ouray (1) 2-0 22 – 2-0
    10 Granada 0-0 16 10 0-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Hi-Plains 9, Peetz 8, Prairie 8, Arickaree/Woodlin 7, Cornerstone Christian 7, South Baca 7, Cheyenne Wells 6, Cheraw 3, Eads 2, Flagler 1, Primero 1.
    Dropped out
    Hi-Plains (3), Cheyenne Wells (6), South Baca (7).

  • ThunderRidge takes over atop 5A girls basketball rankings

    With the preseason No. 1 losing earlier in the week, that left preseason No. 2 Broomfield as the presumptive No. 1.

    Until ThunderRidge knocked off the Eagles on Saturday.

    So when the dust settled on Monday morning, it was the Grizzlies (3-0) who assumed the No. 1 spot in CHSAANow.com’s Class 5A girls basketball rankings. They got nine of the 17 first-place votes, and had 139 overall points.

    Broomfield remained at No. 2 with three first-place votes and 129 points.

    Regis Jesuit, which lost to Monarch last Tuesday, fell to No. 8. Monarch is No. 3 this week after going unranked in the preseason.

    Also joining the 5A poll this week is No. 6 Ralston Valley.

    Elsewhere, there are also new No. 1 teams in 3A (Pagosa Springs) and 1A (Idalia).

    The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.

    Complete rankings are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Girls Basketball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    First-place votes are in parentheses.

    Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | 1A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 ThunderRidge (9) 3-0 139 10 3-0
    2 Broomfield (3) 2-1 129 2 2-1
    3 Monarch 4-0 125 – 4-0
    4 Highlands Ranch (4) 4-1 116 4 4-1
    5 Grandview (1) 0-0 86 3 0-0
    6 Ralston Valley 3-0 76 – 3-0
    7 Regis Jesuit 2-2 60 1 2-2
    8 Horizon 2-1 58 9 2-1
    9 Lakewood 1-3 34 6 1-3
    10 Fossil Ridge 2-1 31 5 2-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Rampart 28, Denver East 21, Arapahoe 8, Fairview 8, Grand Junction 6, Cherry Creek 5, Mountain Vista 2, Palmer 1, Pine Creek 1, Rocky Mountain 1.
    Dropped out
    Cherry Creek (7), Rampart (8).

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Valor Christian (11) 1-0 114 1 1-0
    2 Sand Creek 2-0 99 3 2-0
    3 Mesa Ridge (1) 2-1 87 4 2-1
    4 Pueblo West 3-1 79 5 3-1
    5 D’Evelyn (1) 2-2 68 6 2-2
    6 Pueblo South 1-2 43 2 1-2
    7 Canon City 4-0 30 – 4-0
    8 Holy Family 1-2 28 7 1-2
    9 Longmont 1-0 27 – 1-0
    10 Pueblo East 1-2 25 9 1-2
    Others receiving votes:
    Glenwood Springs 21, Montrose 17, Green Mountain 15, Air Academy 10, Silver Creek 9, Wheat Ridge 9, Denver West 8, Sierra 7, Pueblo County 6, Littleton 4, Falcon 3, Thompson Valley 3, Berthoud 1, Mead 1, Thomas Jefferson 1.
    Dropped out
    Montrose (8), Silver Creek (10).

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Pagosa Springs (5) 3-0 127 2 3-0
    2 Sterling (7) 2-0 105 1 2-0
    3 Lutheran (1) 0-0 104 3 0-0
    4 Manitou Springs (1) 1-0 89 4 1-0
    5 St. Mary’s 3-0 85 6 3-0
    6 Eaton 0-0 64 5 0-0
    7 Faith Christian 3-0 32 – 3-0
    8 Machebeuf 1-1 31 7 1-1
    9 Trinidad 2-1 22 – 2-1
    10 Lamar 2-1 20 8 2-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Olathe 15, Valley 15, La Junta 14, Kent Denver 11, Alamosa 8, Buena Vista 6, Brush 5, Monte Vista 5, Platte Valley 4, The Pinnacle 3, Grand Valley 3, The Academy 2, Liberty Common 1, Salida 1.
    Dropped out
    Peak to Peak (9), Olathe (10).

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Yuma (7) 0-0 95 1 0-0
    2 Hoehne (2) 3-0 87 2 3-0
    3 Akron 2-0 79 5 2-0
    4 Peyton (1) 1-0 72 4 1-0
    5 Caliche 2-0 63 3 2-0
    6 Paonia 2-0 52 6 2-0
    7 Meeker 3-0 33 7 3-0
    8 Del Norte 2-0 17 – 2-0
    9 Highland 3-0 15 – 3-0
    10 Sanford 0-1 13 9 0-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Ellicott 7, Cedaredge 6, Rye 4, Ignacio 2, Ridgway 2, Sedgwick County 2.
    Dropped out
    Rye (8), Simla (10).

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Idalia (6) 2-0 87 2 2-0
    2 Eads 1-0 72 4 1-0
    3 Kit Carson (1) 2-0 67 8 2-0
    4 Norwood (1) 0-0 58 3 0-0
    5 Briggsdale (1) 1-1 49 1 1-1
    6 Sangre De Cristo 3-0 44 – 3-0
    7 Fleming 2-0 33 7 2-0
    8 South Baca 2-0 27 – 2-0
    9 Cheraw 2-1 18 6 2-1
    10 Shining Mountain 1-1 13 5 1-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Prairie 6, Springfield 6, La Veta 5, Genona-Hugo/Karval 4, Heritage Christian 2, Otis 2, Flagler 1, Plateau Valley 1.
    Dropped out
    Community Christian (9), Otis (10).

  • All-state volleyball teams for 2014 season

    The 2014 all-state volleyball players of the year. From left: Eaglecrest's Jordyn Poulter (5A), Lewis-Palmer's Alexa Smith (4A), Resurrection Christian's Madison Webb (2A), Idalia's Reagan Shaffer (1A) and Eaton's Kortney Lockey (3A). (Photos: Tim Visser and Matt Daniels/MaxPreps)
    The 2014 all-state volleyball players of the year. From left: Eaglecrest’s Jordyn Poulter (5A), Lewis-Palmer’s Alexa Smith (4A), Resurrection Christian’s Madison Webb (2A), Idalia’s Reagan Shaffer (1A) and Eaton’s Kortney Lockey (3A). (Photos: Tim Visser and Matt Daniels/MaxPreps)

    The 2014 all-state volleyball teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.

    These team were created following a lengthy process which included nominations from leagues and then a vote of coaches.

    Scroll down to see the teams, or use the menu below to navigate to the class of your choosing.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | 1A

    [divider]

    Class 5A

    Player of the year: Jordyn Poulter, Eaglecrest

    Coach of the year: Stephanie Schick, Chatfield

    First Team
    Name School Year Pos.
    Madison Laufenberg Castle View Senior OH
    Bridgette Lococo Fossil Ridge Senior MH
    Haley Mclaren Grandview Senior OH/RS
    Amelia Metzler Chatfield Senior S/OPP/OH
    Jordyn Poulter Eaglecrest Senior S
    August Raskie Rampart Senior S
    Abbi Reid Denver East Senior OH
    Shayli Siegfreid Highlands Ranch Senior L/DS
    Santaisha Sturges Regis Jesuit Senior OH
    Second Team
    Name School Year Pos.
    Audrey Cheng Fairview Sophomore S/RS
    Amanda Cushen Rampart Senior OH
    Mattison DeGarmo Douglas County Senior OH
    Jillian Desmond Regis Jesuit Senior MH
    Simone Gibeau Ralston Valley Senior OH
    Anne-Liese Golletz Chatfield Senior MB/OH
    Kalee Maricle Eaglecrest Senior MB
    Teryn Mills Chaparral Senior L
    Natalie Passeck Chaparral Senior OH
    Melanie Patenaude Cherry Creek Senior OH/RS
    Shannon Webb Cherokee Trail Junior OH
    Sidney Wicks Cherokee Trail Senior S/RS


    [divider]

    Class 4A

    Player of the year: Alexa Smith, Lewis-Palmer

    Coach of the year: Susan Odenbaugh, Lewis-Palmer

    First Team
    Name School Year Pos.
    Lindsey Baker Cheyenne Mountain Senior OH
    Courtney Domme Cheyenne Mountain Senior L
    Mariah Evans Lewis-Palmer Junior S
    Jessica Jackson Thomas Jefferson Senior OH
    Cori Kirschling Niwot Senior OH
    Nicole Montgomery Lewis-Palmer Senior OPP/OH
    Becca Page Ponderosa Senior S
    Allegra Shippy Pueblo West Senior MB/OH
    Alexa Smith Lewis-Palmer Senior OH
    Allison Smith Ponderosa Junior OH
    Second Team
    Name School Year Pos.
    Kellyn Alexander Montrose Senior OPP/OH
    Lydia Bartalo Lewis-Palmer Sophomore MB
    Mattison Dabovich Pueblo West Senior OH
    Mackenzie Ellison Battle Mountain Senior OH
    Erica Grove Mitchell Senior MH
    Taylor Harrington Steamboat Springs Senior MB
    Elise Hill Montrose Junior OH/OPP
    Braya Hunt Valor Christian Junior S/OPP
    Maddie Labor Steamboat Springs Junior L
    Emily Lambrecht Canon City Senior OH/OPP/S
    Jordan Pingel Air Academy Senior OH
    Jenna Price Cheyenne Mountain Senior OH
    Kylee Shook Mesa Ridge Junior MH
    Camille Smith Ponderosa Junior MH
    Cassidy Wurth Valor Christian Senior MB


    [divider]

    Class 3A

    Player of the year: Kortney Lockey, Eaton

    Coach of the year: Gwen Forster, Eaton

    First Team
    Name School Year Pos.
    Cori Aafedt Valley Senior S/OPP
    Alondra Garza Valley Senior L
    Kirstie Hillyer Bayfield Senior MH/RS
    Shayla Klein Sterling Senior OH/MH
    Kortney Lockey Eaton Senior OH
    Katie McKiel Manitou Springs Junior OH
    Layne Pachl Valley Senior OH
    Caiden Rexius Eaton Junior OH
    Cori Scott Buena Vista Senior S
    Tarynn Sieg Eaton Sophomore MH/RS
    Second Team
    Name School Year Pos.
    Sydney Brooks Manitou Springs Senior L
    Mackenzie Chrisman Sterling Senior MH/S
    Cassie Davis Colorado Springs Christian Sophomore S/RS
    Cassidy Defurio Buena Vista Senior OH
    Kaitlyn Detlefsen Coal Ridge Junior MH/OH
    Danyle Dupray Faith Christian Senior OH
    Madison Fisher University Junior S
    Angala Jensen Manitou Springs Junior S
    Chelsey Lockey Eaton Freshman S
    Kyra Mix Platte Valley Senior MB/RS
    Jamie Nielson Colorado Springs Christian Junior MH/MB
    Bailey Schumacher Eaton Junior L/S
    Katie Whitelaw St. Mary’s Senior OH


    [divider]

    Class 2A

    Player of the year: Madison Webb, Resurrection Christian

    Coach of the year: Caleb Howard, Resurrection Christian

    First Team
    Name School Year Pos.
    Jordan Baer Akron Senior OH
    Rachael Edler Caliche Senior OH
    Easton Hartigan Paonia Senior MH/OH
    Preston Lienemann Resurrection Christian Senior OH
    Mallory Noble Yuma Junior S/RS
    Leah Roberson Swink Senior MH/MB/OH
    Katrina Terrell Yuma Senior MH/OH
    Tara Traphagan Yuma Junior OH/MH
    Madison Webb Resurrection Christian Senior S
    Second Team
    Name School Year Pos.
    Taylor Carsten Paonia Junior S
    Karli Christensen Akron Senior S
    Morgan Hartigan Paonia Senior OH
    Bailee Jones Hoehne Senior S/OPP
    Jaedyn Lambrecht Caliche Junior S
    Megan Mosby Del Norte Senior OH
    Peighton Roth Yuma Junior L/DS/OH
    Kaitlyn Rutherford Ridgway Junior OH
    Sarah Schaller Sargent Junior OH
    Laney Swan Colorado Springs School Sophomore S
    Kelci VanTreese Sargent Senior MB


    [divider]

    Class 1A

    Player of the year: Reagan Shaffer, Idalia

    Coach of the year: Derek Herbert, Fleming

    First Team
    Name School Year Pos.
    Megan Chintala Fleming Senior L
    Rachel Frantz Fleming Senior S
    Aurelia Isenbart Kit Carson Senior –
    Timmi Keisel Fleming Senior MH
    Kylee Kuntz Otis Junior 0/S/OH
    Deborah Kurtzer Fleming Senior OH
    Antonya Schaffert Otis Junior OH
    Reagan Shaffer Idalia Junior OH/DS
    Jennay Terrell Idalia Junior MH/DS
    Rena Trujillo La Veta Senior S
    Second Team
    Name School Year Pos.
    Allie Beiriger Sangre De Cristo Senior L
    Tanaia Hansen Eads Senior OH
    Jade Hasz Flagler Junior L/OH
    Hanna Herman Hi-Plains Senior MH/S/DS
    Micayla Isenbart Kit Carson Freshman –
    Emily Kaiser Prairie Sophomore MH
    Lissette Lefforge Otis Junior 0/MB
    Alyssa Lovato Cheraw Junior S
    Elayna Muller Fleming Senior DS
    Elisha Rodwell Flagler Junior OH/OPP
    Abbey Stagner Sangre De Cristo Senior OH/MB
    Brittany Tezak Cotopaxi Senior –
    Abby Valerio Rocky Mountain Lutheran Senior MH
    Jordan Williams Norwood Senior –

  • Overland heads preseason 5A boys basketball rankings

    Denver East Overland boys basketball
    Austin Conway and Overland are the preseason No. 1 team in 5A boys basketball. (Pam Wagner).

    Overland, a final four team a season ago, is the preseason No. 1 pick in Class 5A boys basketball.

    The Trailblazers return a talented roster, as well as three of their four leading scorers from 2013-14. Included are senior Division I commits Austin Conway (Wyoming) and Ryan Swan (Air Force), as well as top 2016 national recruit De’Ron Davis.

    Overland got 10 first-place votes, and had 151 total points.

    Regis Jesuit is No. 2 in CHSAANow.com’s 5A poll, while defending champion Denver East begins at No. 3. Eaglecrest is fourth, and ThunderRidge rounds out the top 5.

    Also ranked in the preseason is No. 6 Chaparral, No. 7 Abraham Lincoln, No. 8 Arvada West, No. 9 Rangeview and No. 10 Mountain Vista.

    Elsewhere, Sanford is the lone defending champion to open up as a preseason No. 1 team. It heads the 2A poll.

    Reflecing the uncertainty of the 4A this year, eight different teams received first-place votes in that classification’s preseason ranking.

    Longmont got five of those votes, and leads the 4A poll as preseason No. 1. Pueblo South also got five first-place votes, and is No. 2.

    Lewis-Palmer is third, Thomas Jefferson is fourth and Valor Christian rounds out the top five. Defending champion Pueblo East is No. 9 in the preseason. Holy Family, last season’s 3A champion which moved up to 4A this year, is No. 8.

    In 3A, Colorado Academy leads the way. The Mustangs, runner-up last season, received seven of the 11 first-place votes.

    1A’s preseason poll is led by McClave. Defending champion Hi-Plains is No. 3.

    The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.

    Complete rankings are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Boys Basketball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    First-place votes are in parentheses.

    Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | 1A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Overland (10) 0-0 151
    2 Regis Jesuit (1) 0-0 117
    3 Denver East (4) 0-0 110
    4 Eaglecrest 0-0 94
    5 ThunderRidge (1) 0-0 89
    6 Chaparral 0-0 82
    7 Abraham Lincoln 0-0 50
    8 Arvada West 0-0 39
    9 Rangeview 0-0 35
    10 Mountain Vista 0-0 28
    Others receiving votes:
    Legend 25, Fossil Ridge 11, Cherry Creek 10, Rock Canyon 9, Dakota Ridge 6, Highlands Ranch 6, Chatfield 4, Smoky Hill 4, Aurora Central 3, Cherokee Trail 3, Montbello 3, Boulder 1.

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Longmont (5) 0-0 132
    2 Pueblo South (5) 0-0 102
    3 Lewis-Palmer (2) 0-0 90
    4 Thomas Jefferson (1) 0-0 89
    5 Valor Christian (1) 0-0 84
    6 D’Evelyn (1) 0-0 69
    7 Sand Creek 0-0 55
    8 Holy Family 0-0 44
    9 Pueblo East (1) 0-0 43
    10 Denver South (1) 0-0 36
    Others receiving votes:
    Golden 33, Cheyenne Mountain 30, Pueblo Central 18, Air Academy 14, Denver West 13, Mead 13, Steamboat Springs 11, Mesa Ridge 10, Thompson Valley 10, Pueblo West 8.

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Colorado Academy (7) 0-0 103
    2 Colorado Springs Christian (2) 0-0 89
    3 Faith Christian (2) 0-0 80
    4 Moffat County 0-0 66
    5 Jefferson Academy 0-0 44
    6 Lutheran 0-0 39
    7 St. Mary’s 0-0 25
    8 Kent Denver 0-0 21
    9 DSST-Stapleton 0-0 19
    10 The Pinnacle 0-0 17
    Others receiving votes:
    Brush 16, Manitou Springs 14, Grand Valley 12, Machebeuf 9, Platte Valley 8, Aspen 7, Centauri 6, Eaton 6, Sterling 6, Monte Vista 5, Buena Vista 4, Bennett 2, Frontier Academy 2, St. Mary’s Academy 2, University 2, Strasburg 1.

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Sanford (10) 0-0 100
    2 Ignacio 0-0 89
    3 Simla 0-0 57
    4 Resurrection Christian 0-0 56
    5 Akron 0-0 46
    6 Meeker 0-0 41
    7 Rye 0-0 35
    8 Sedgwick County 0-0 28
    9 Holyoke 0-0 24
    10 Yuma 0-0 16
    Others receiving votes:
    Center 13, Crowley County 13, Denver Christian 11, Caliche 9, Peyton 6, Ellicott 4, Mancos 1, Swink 1.

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 McClave (8) 0-0 95
    2 Norwood 0-0 75
    3 Hi-Plains (1) 0-0 68
    4 Fleming 0-0 62
    5 Holly 0-0 54
    6 Cheyenne Wells 0-0 45
    7 South Baca 0-0 34
    8 Sangre De Cristo (1) 0-0 29
    9 Jim Elliot 0-0 22
    10 Granada 0-0 15
    Others receiving votes:
    Peetz 6, Arickaree/Woodlin 5, Denver Jewish 5, Shining Mountain 5, Cheraw 4, Otis 4, Primero 4, Kit Carson 3, Community Christian 2, Sierra Grande 1.

  • Regis Jesuit girls basketball No. 1 in preseason 5A rankings

    Fossil Ridge Regis Jesuit girls basketball
    Regis Jesuit girls basketball leads the preseason 5A poll. (Ray Chen/arrayphoto.com)

    Regis Jesuit girls basketball, winner of the last two Class 5A titles, heads the classification’s preseason poll.

    The Raiders received 11 of the 16 first-place votes in CHSAANow.com’s poll, which was released Monday. They also had 139 overall points, edging preseason No. 2 Broomfield (130).

    Regis hasn’t lost to an in-state team since dropping a game to ThunderRidge in Feb. 2013. That’s a span of 28 consecutive wins against Colorado teams. The school is also 42-1 against in-state teams since the start of the 2012-13 season.

    Broomfield lost in last season’s 4A title game, and is making the move to 5A this season.

    Grandview is No. 3, and No. 4 Highlands Ranch and No. 5 Fossil Ridge round out the top 5.

    Also ranked in the preseason are No. 6 Lakewood, No. 7 Cherry Creek, No. 8 Rampart, No. 9 Horizon and No. 10 ThunderRidge.

    In 4A, Valor Christian is the preseason No. 1. Pueblo South is No. 2, and defending champion Mesa Ridge is No. 3. Holy Family, winner of last year’s 3A title which has moved up to 4A, is No. 7.

    Sterling leads 3A’s preseason poll. Pagosa Springs, last season’s runner-up, is No. 2.

    Yuma is the favorite in 2A. It was runner-up last season to Lutheran, which opens as No. 3.

    Briggsdale heads the 1A ranking. Defending champion Norwood is No. 3.

    The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.

    Complete rankings are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Girls Basketball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    First-place votes are in parentheses.

    Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | 1A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Regis Jesuit (11) 0-0 139
    2 Broomfield (3) 0-0 130
    3 Grandview 0-0 116
    4 Highlands Ranch (1) 0-0 104
    5 Fossil Ridge (1) 0-0 89
    6 Lakewood 0-0 74
    7 Cherry Creek 0-0 59
    8 Rampart 0-0 46
    9 Horizon 0-0 40
    10 ThunderRidge 0-0 29
    Others receiving votes:
    Monarch 16, Poudre 11, Dakota Ridge 7, Arapahoe 6, Mountain Vista 4, Denver East 2, Legacy 2, Pine Creek 2, Castle View 1, Palmer 1, Ralston Valley 1, Rocky Mountain 1.

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Valor Christian (8) 0-0 110
    2 Pueblo South (1) 0-0 87
    3 Sand Creek 0-0 83
    4 Mesa Ridge (3) 0-0 75
    5 Pueblo West (1) 0-0 50
    6 D’Evelyn 0-0 44
    7 Holy Family 0-0 42
    8 Montrose 0-0 29
    9 Pueblo East 0-0 28
    10 Silver Creek 0-0 21
    Others receiving votes:
    Longmont 18, Green Mountain 17, Palmer Ridge 17, Air Academy 14, Mullen 12, Sierra 12, Glenwood Springs 10, Elizabeth 9, Thompson Valley 7, Vista Ridge 7, Discovery Canyon 6, Windsor 5, Palisade 3, Standley Lake 3, Falcon 2, Canon City 1, Eagle Valley 1, Evergreen 1, Mead 1.

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Sterling (4) 0-0 93
    2 Pagosa Springs (4) 0-0 84
    3 Lutheran (3) 0-0 75
    4 Manitou Springs (1) 0-0 62
    5 Eaton 0-0 61
    6 St. Mary’s 0-0 43
    7 Machebeuf 0-0 37
    8 Lamar 0-0 30
    9 Peak to Peak 0-0 27
    10 Olathe 0-0 22
    Others receiving votes:
    Brush 19, Platte Valley 19, Centauri 17, Trinidad 15, Strasburg 12, La Junta 9, Salida 9, Kent Denver 8, Buena Vista 6, Valley 6, Moffat County 3, Monte Vista 2, Grand Valley 1.

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Yuma (8) 0-0 96
    2 Hoehne (1) 0-0 82
    3 Caliche 0-0 71
    4 Peyton (1) 0-0 68
    5 Akron 0-0 63
    6 Paonia 0-0 47
    7 Meeker 0-0 41
    8 Rye 0-0 21
    9 Sanford 0-0 16
    10 Simla 0-0 13
    Others receiving votes:
    Dayspring Christian 6, Del Norte 6, Sargent 5, Highland 4, Sedgwick County 4, Ellicott 3, Clear Creek 2, Ridgway 2.

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Briggsdale (4) 0-0 88
    2 Idalia (2) 0-0 82
    3 Norwood (3) 0-0 78
    4 Eads 0-0 58
    5 Shining Mountain 0-0 48
    6 Cheraw 0-0 41
    7 Fleming 0-0 35
    8 Kit Carson 0-0 29
    9 Community Christian (1) 0-0 22
    10 Otis 0-0 15
    Others receiving votes:
    Peetz 8, Elbert 6, Gilpin County 6, Hi-Plains 4, La Veta 4, Sangre De Cristo 4, Weldon Valley 4, Kim 3, South Baca 3, Flagler 2, Springfield 2, Wiley 2, Jim Elliot 1, Rocky Mountain Lutheran 1.

  • Fleming, winner of 48-straight, captures 1A volleyball

    Fleming players post with the 1A volleyball state championship trophy. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
    Fleming players pose with the 1A volleyball state championship trophy. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    DENVER — The deafening noise at the Denver Coliseum and the delirium of five courts of state finals volleyball would seem to get just about any person amped.

    But for some strange reason, it didn’t seem to get the Fleming girls volleyball team ready to defend its Class 1A state title.

    “Oh,” Fleming senior Timmi Keisel said. “That’s not something new for us. A lot of times we start slow. Like I said our slow start wasn’t anything new. It didn’t’ freak us out or anything like that.”

    Touché.

    The slow start and a loss in the first set to challenger Idalia, though, couldn’t erase a magical season for Fleming.

    Fleming players celebrate winning the 1A championship. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
    Fleming players celebrate winning the 1A championship. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    The Wildcats overcame the first set and put together three brilliant ones, winning their second consecutive state title on Saturday at the Coliseum, 3-1. Fleming won 17-25, 25-16, 25-17 and 25-15.

    “It’s a pretty special group,” Fleming coach Derek Herbert said. “What a night. What a great year.”

    It certainly has been a banner year for the Wildcats. The defending 1A state champions came in having won 47 in a row — Saturday was 48 — and had some stark numbers throughout.

    Fleming’s last loss, a five-setter, came in September of last year. In that time span they have dropped a total of just 15 sets.

    Idalia, though, came to play. After falling to the Wildcats in the second week of the season, the Wolves weren’t intimidated by any of the numbers. Jennay Terrel, Reagan Shaffer, Bryce Shafer and Stephanie Helling owned the net in the first set and provided a diverse attack.

    The teams traded leads until a Bryce Shafer kill made it 12-10 for the Wolves. From there Idalia put together mini runs of 4-0 and 6-0 to close out the set.

    It seemed an upset could be in the making.

    “We knew if they got a second set it would be so much harder,” Keisel said. “At that point it was do or die for us.”

    Not to worry for the Wolves. Early in the second set, Fleming had turned the momentum. The Wildcats jumped out to a 16-4 second set lead and dominated the third set with a slew of hitters and the calm demeanor of senior setter Rachel Frantz.

    Finally, in the fourth, Keisel took over.

    The senior, who had a game-high 17 kills, couldn’t be stopped. She had five kills in the deciding fourth set, including the championship clincher.

    “They’re a great team,” Idalia coach Kylie Chamberlain said. “If you’re going to lose in the championship you want to lose to a great team.”

    The win caps off a 30-0 season for the Wildcats, one in which dominance in Class 1A became second nature.

    “We got smart kids,” Herbert said. “They just adjust. You hurt us one game and we start to figure out how you hurt us. But every time is amazing. Every time is a blessing.”

  • Football roundup: Ralston Valley pulls off miraculous win on 56-yard field goal

    Ralston Valley's Collin Root kicks the game-winning 56-yard field goal. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)
    Ralston Valley’s Collin Root kicks the game-winning 56-yard field goal. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

    Ralston Valley looked to be the first major upset victim of the Class 5A football playoffs.

    Then senior Collin Root drilled a 56-yard field goal on the final play of the Mustangs’ second-round game against Eaglecrest. It made for an unbelievable, miraculous 44-43 win.

    “56-yarder, with that kind of pressure, by Collin Root, it’s just an unbelievable kick,” Ralston Valley coach Matt Loyd told Colorado Preps’ Scoreboard Show on Friday night.

    Ralston Valley's Collin Root reacts to kicking the game-winning field goal against Eaglecrest. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)
    Ralston Valley’s Collin Root reacts to kicking the game-winning field goal against Eaglecrest. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

    The two teams slugged it out the entire night, with Eaglecrest methodically marching down and kicking what looked to be a game-winning field goal with 38 seconds left following a fumble recovery.

    But Ralston Valley got one last crack. With Eaglecrest in a prevent defense, and despite having just one timeout, the Mustangs dialed up three straight run plays — two by Kyle Rush, another by Andrew Wingard — to drive down to Eaglecrest’s 39-yard-line with 3.3 seconds remaining.

    With the famous Legacy Stadium wind at his back, Root stepped up and drilled the kick. Eaglecrest coach Mike Schmitt later told the Aurora Sentinel that he thought the odds of it going through the uprights was “1 percent.”

    “He’s such a heck of a kicker, and he’s hit 55 in practice multiple times,” Loyd said. “The key word being ‘practice.’ Different story with the game on the line in order to keep moving on.”

    Root entered the game having hit 2-of-4 field goals this season, with a long of 43.

    “It was unbelievable,” Loyd said. “It was pretty exciting for our guys. We’ve actually been out there three times before, and lost heartbreakers, so we were able to win that one.”

    The Mustangs, a No. 1 seed, move on to host No. 2 Fairview in the quarterfinals.

    [divider]

    4A: (13) Falcon 28, (4) Denver South 13

    Matt Bastian, Josiah Hall, Jeff Vela and Wyatt Aaberg each had rushing touchdowns for the Falcons, who pulled the biggest upset of 4A’s first round.

    “We knew we had to go on the road and battle against a really tough team, and our kids really came together and found a way to get it done tonight,” Brian Green, Falcon’s co-head coach, told the Scoreboard Show.

    It was Vela’s score in the third quarter which made it 21-7 as Falcon announced the upset potential to the state. The Rebels did cut it to 21-13 later in the third quarter, but Aaberg’s touchdown put the game away.

    Falcon did a great job of containing South’s ground game, as well, and actually didn’t allow a rushing touchdown.

    Denver South entered the game averaging 323.7 rushing yards per game. Falcon held the Rebels to 35 yards on 29 carries.

    “It’s just an incredible job by our kids,” Green said. “It was a great gameplan, and just attacking. We weren’t sitting back waiting for them — but just attacking and running downhill on defense.”

    Falcon jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the game. It advances to play Pueblo South in the quarterfinals, a team that beat the Falcons 24-21 on Sept. 19. Falcon will host.

    [divider]

    4A: (5) Pueblo South 20, (12) Greeley West 7

    Ray Mitchell had two rushing touchdowns to spot Pueblo South a 14-0 lead in the first half and the Colts never looked back en route to the win. The defense had an outstanding night, as well.

    “I can’t give enough praise to our defense and what they did, and getting off the field in key situations, and making plays,” Pueblo South coach Ryan Goddard told the Scoreboard Show. “Our kids just stepped up.”

    Nate Spinuzzi also kicked a pair of 23-yard field goals in the win. The final came on a long, time-consuming drive which put the game out of reach.

    “It’s a tribute to our offensive line, and credit to those guys up front, and our backs,” Goddard said. They did a fantastic job of just grinding it out and getting first downs.”

    [divider]

    5A: (2) Fairview 45, (3) Overland 27

    Quarterback Johnny Feauto threw four first-half touchdown passes, three to Tim Ryan, as Fairview opened a 28-0 halftime lead and never looked back.

    “To be able to get that halftime lead was a great start,” Fairview coach Tom McCartney told the Scoreboard Show.

    Feauto finished with five touchdown passes, and Ryan also added a 65-yard rushing touchdown.

    [divider]

    Short stuff

    • Arickaree/Woodlin carved out a spot in 6-man’s championship game with a 72-22 win over Fleming in the semifinals.
    • No. 2 Fort Collins beat No. 15 Rampart 49-6 in 4A. The Lambkins get a rematch with Longmont next. “We had to battle the elements,” coach Eric Rice told the Scoreboard Show. “The skies opened up and it pretty much poured the whole second half, and we didn’t see that in the forecast. I’m proud of our kids for being able to adjust.”
    • Two No. 1 seeds in 5A just rolled in running clock wins: Cherry Creek beat No. 4 Bear Creek 56-21, and Grandview beat No. 5 Lakewood 40-0.
    • Another big win for a top seed in 5A: No. 2 Valor Christian beat No. 3 Mountain Vista 44-0. Quarterback Dylan McCaffrey threw for 318 yards and two touchdowns.
    • One more: No. 2 Regis Jesuit 44, Heritage 0. Alec Barnes rushed for three touchdowns.
    • In 4A, No. 7 Longmont beat No. 10 Pueblo Centennial 26-7. Longmont has won seven straight games after a 1-3 start. “It’s super-exciting to be able to do that,” coach Doug Johnson told the Scoreboard Show. “It’s just a tough-minded group of kids.”
    • Discovery Canyon, 3A’s top seed, easily handled No. 16 Berthoud, 41-0. It’s actually the first playoff win in school history. “We talked a little bit about it, and just about the disappointing exit of the previous two seasons,” coach Shawn Mitchell told the Scoreboard Show. “I feel like this group just has a different mentality. I don’t think they had too much anxiety about that. I think that they were just focused on being 1-0 at the end of this week. But for the program itself, it was a big hurdle to get over.”

    [divider]

    More coverage

  • Playoff football roundup: Gunnison slips Sterling’s upset bid in 2A

    It came down to a fourth-down conversion in overtime, then an extra point, but Gunnison survived.

    No. 12-seeded Sterling pushed the No. 5 Cowboys to overtime on Saturday afternoon in the Class 2A football playoffs.

    Tied at 22 at the end of regulation, Sterling scored on its possession in overtime, but went for two points and didn’t convert.

    When it got the ball, Gunnison quickly faced a third-and-10. Gunnison quarterback Jake Wallin scrambled to the 1-yard-line to set up a 4th-and-1. The next play, running back Brady Wilson scored. The Cowboys then kicked the extra point to take a 29-28 win.

    “It’s playoffs. A win is a win,” Wallin told the Gunnison Country Times afterward. “It doesn’t matter what the score is. If you win, you go on, if you lose, you’re taking your pads off for good. We’re excited to play another week.”

    Gunnison advances to play Eaton, the No. 13 seed which upset No. 4 Lamar 41-20 on Saturday.

    Eaton led 26-7 at halftime in that game. Lamar cut it to 26-14 with a score early in the third quarter, but Eaton pulled away with a 15-point fourth quarter.

    Elsewhere in 2A:

    • No. 1 Brush rolled over No. 16 Moffat County 49-7. Brush will face No. 8 Faith Christian, which beat No. 9 Bayfield on Saturday.
    • No. 3 Strasburg handled No. 6 Florence 48-6. Strasburg scored on six of its first seven possessions, according to the Canon City Daily Record.
    • Platte Valley, seeded No. 6, beat No. 11 Bennett 30-15. It will face Strasburg in the quarterfinals.
    • No. 2 seed Kent Denver took care of No. 15 La Junta, 58-14. The Sun Devils will face No. 7 Montezuma-Cortez, which won a wild game on Friday night.

    [divider]

    Notables

    • No. 9 Platte Canyon pulled off the lone upset in the 1A playoffs, beating No. 8 Wray on the road, 30-14. It will play defending champion Paonia in the quarterfinals. Paonia, the top seed, beat No. 16 Wiggins 49-0.
    • In 8-man, No. 8 Vail Christian held off  No. 9 Merino to win 38-34. Merino led this one 14-0 early before Vail Christian rallied to take a 24-20 halftime lead. Merino went back up 28-24, but Vail Christian grabbed the lead for good with a touchdown late in the third quarter. The Saints draw top-seeded Dayspring Christian, which is also the defending champion.
    • 6-man‘s semifinals are set: No. 1 Arickaree/Woodlin will host No. 4 Fleming, while No. 3 Peetz will be at No. 2 Eads.
    • Higher-seeded teams went a combined 25-3 in the first rounds of the 2A, 1A, 8-man and 6-man playoffs.

  • Regional volleyball roundup: Highlands Ranch wins in tiebreaker

    Highlands Ranch volleyball celebrates its regional championship in 5A. (Via @RBWHRHSAthletic on Twitter)
    Highlands Ranch volleyball celebrates its regional championship in 5A. (Via @RBWHRHSAthletic on Twitter)

    Highlands Ranch dropped its first match of the Class 5A volleyball regionals on Saturday. It was a grueling, five-set affair — but that it went five sets later turned out to be a major advantage.

    The Falcons rallied from dropping that match to later win 5A’s Region 11 in a tiebreak over Rocky Mountain, 25-15. With the win, Highlands Ranch moves on to the 5A state tournament.

    But things looked bleak for a while.

    For starters, since volleyball’s regionals moved to three-team pools a few years ago, the overwhelming majority of those advancing no longer drop a match. It has turned the tie-break scenario, once a common occurrence, into a rarity.

    Ralston Valley, the region’s host and No. 11 seed in 5A, had already beaten No. 27 Rocky Mountain in four sets to open regional play.

    So when No. 14 Highlands Ranch lost to Rocky Mountain in the region’s second match (19-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-20, 16-14), it had one last-gasp shot at qualification: knock Ralston Valley off.

    The Falcons did that, by a 3-1 margin. All three teams in the regional, at that point, were 1-1 — dusting off the tiebreak scenario. In the event of a three-way tie, two teams faceoff in a one-set playoff, with the winner facing the third in a second one-set playoff match.

    Highlands Ranch volleyball poses with the regional championship trophy. (Via @RBWHRHSAthletic on Twitter)
    Highlands Ranch volleyball poses with the regional championship trophy. (Via @RBWHRHSAthletic on Twitter)

    Highlands Ranch was set aside for the first tie break because it had won a higher percentage of total sets played (5 of 9) during the regional compared to Ralston Valley (4 of 8) and Rocky Mountain (4 of 9). Rocky Mountain beat Ralston Valley 25-15 in that first tie-break, then advanced to play Highlands Ranch.

    Highlands Ranch then won the second playoff match, 25-15, to advance to the state tournament.

    The 5A field will consist of: Eaglecrest, Grandview, Regis Jesuit, Rampart, Chaparral, Pine Creek, Cherokee Trail, Chatfield, Cherry Creek, Fairview, Highlands Ranch and Legend

    Headed to 4A’s state tournament are: Lewis-Palmer, Ponderosa, Cheyenne Mountain, Montrose, Valor Christian, Mullen, Mead, Berthoud, Battle Mountain, Pueblo West, Niwot and Air Academy.

    In 3A’s tournament: Eaton, Valley, Bayfield, University, Colorado Springs Christian, Manitou Springs, Platte Valley, Sterling, Faith Christian, Pagosa Springs, Coal Ridge and Olathe.

    Comprising the 2A field: Swink, Resurrection Christian, Paonia, Simla, Sargent, Yuma, Dolores and Colorado Springs School, as well as four Wildcard teams to be selected on Monday.

    And 1A’s field: Sangre de Cristo, Kit Carson, Otis, Weldon Valley, Norwood, Springfield, Idalia and Fleming — as well as four additional Wildcard teams.

    [divider]

    Notables:

    • A seeding committee will meet on Monday morning to finalize the pools for the state tournaments. The Wildcard selections in 1A and 2A will be selected based on the MaxPreps Freeman Rankings published on Monday. The next four highest-ranked teams who made it to regionals but didn’t advance will be the selections.
    • All five defending champions have made a return trip to the state tournament. They are: Grandview (5A), Lewis-Palmer (4A), Eaton (3A), Resurrection Christian (2A) and Fleming (1A).
    • Chatfield is the highest-remaining regional seed of any of the 5A, 4A and 3A regions. The Chargers were No. 17, and upset No. 8 Douglas County. (The 1A and 2A regions are not seeded across the classification, but instead set by district finish.)
    • Of those seeded regionals (5A-3A), the host teams went an astounding 70-2 in matches, including 212-36 in terms of sets won.
    • 5A’s Region 10 wore out the courts in its first two matches. First, No. 10 Fairview rallied to beat No. 27 Rangeview in five sets — 26-28, 25-18, 17-25, 28-26, 15-13. Rangeview then turned around and went another five sets in losing to No. 15 Arapahoe, 25-22, 22-25, 23-25, 25-14, 15-9. The final match only went four sets, a 3-1 Fairview win over Arapahoe to claim the regional crown.
    • Kit Carson trailed its first match in 1A Region B 0-2, but rallied to take a five-set win (20-25, 12-25, 27-25, 25-15, 16-14) and later won the regional.
    The Montrose volleyball team poses for a picture after winning a regional championship in Class 4A. (Tom Hoganson)
    The Montrose volleyball team poses for a picture after winning a regional championship in Class 4A. (Tom Hoganson)