CHSAANow

Tag: Flagler

  • Volleyball rankings: Legend returns to 5A poll

    Legend volleyball team
    Legend volleyball is back in the top-10 in 5A. (Ray Chen/ArrayPhoto.com)

    As the season comes into the home stretch the top teams of the CHSAANow.com volleyball rankings are all holding their positions.

    Cherokee Trail, Lewis-Palmer, Eaton, Resurrection Christian and Idalia held on to the No. 1 positions in their respective classes.

    The big movement in 5A was the return of Legend to the top 10. The Titans briefly held on to the No. 1 spot in 5A this season and fell out of the poll last week, despite getting a big win over then-No. 4 Rock Canyon.

    Legend swept Douglas County on Tuesday, which played a part in their return to the top 10.

    The top eight teams in the 4A rankings remained intact this week. The Classical Academy was the lone newcomer as they took over the No. 8 spot.

    This week will see plenty of excitement in 4A as No. 1 Lewis-Palmer travels to No. 2 Cheyenne Mountain in a huge league contest. This has also become a big volleyball rivalry in the Pikes Peak Athletic Conference over the last few seasons.

    After sweeping No. 2 University last week, Platte Valley is climbing back up the top 10 in 2A. They jumped from No. 6 to No. 4 as result of the win. The loss did not affect University, however, as the Bulldogs remained in the No. 2 spot.

    Faith Christian joins the 3A rankings at No. 9. The Eagles fell out of the poll two weeks ago.

    Panoia made the biggest jump in 2A this week, going from No. 9 to No. 6. Union Colony and Ignacio are this week’s newcomers, coming in at No. 7 and No. 8, respectively.

    The 1A rankings also saw the addition of two new teams as Norwood lands at No. 9 and Walsh comes in right behind them at 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 for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Volleyball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

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

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Cherokee Trail (8) 14-2 106 1 2-0
    2 Chaparral 12-4 86 3 1-0
    3 Chatfield 14-2 83 2 2-1
    4 Mountain Vista (2) 12-3 79 5 1-0
    5 Brighton (1) 14-3 53 8 1-0
    6 Rock Canyon 11-3 49 4 0-0
    7 Denver East 13-4 46 6 1-0
    8 Rocky Mountain (1) 14-2 36 10 2-0
    9 Legend 10-6 29 – 1-0
    10 Prairie View 14-0 23 7 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Grandview 17, Arapahoe 13, Ralston Valley 12, Fossil Ridge 8, Highlands Ranch 7, Cherry Creek 6, Columbine 4, Rangeview 3.
    Dropped out
    Grandview (9).

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Lewis-Palmer (13) 18-2 130 1 2-0
    2 Cheyenne Mountain 14-1 115 2 2-0
    3 Ponderosa 9-6 92 3 0-0
    4 Montrose 14-2 85 4 1-0
    5 Holy Family 17-2 74 5 2-0
    6 Longmont 16-1 71 6 2-0
    7 Windsor 13-3 43 7 2-0
    8 Delta 17-3 32 8 3-1
    9 The Classical Academy 13-4 19 – 2-0
    10 Steamboat Springs 15-3 16 9 1-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Valor Christian 9, Thomas Jefferson 8, Elizabeth 5, Air Academy 4, Pueblo West 3, Roosevelt 3, Erie 2, Evergreen 2, Battle Mountain 1, Niwot 1.
    Dropped out
    Valor Christian (10).

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Eaton (11) 18-0 110 1 1-0
    2 University 12-2 83 2 2-1
    3 Manitou Springs 12-3 77 4 2-0
    4 Platte Valley 15-4 67 6 2-0
    5 Colorado Springs Christian 12-2 65 3 2-0
    6 Alamosa 17-2 52 7 2-0
    7 Valley 13-6 43 5 2-0
    8 Lutheran 11-4 39 8 2-0
    9 Faith Christian 10-5 23 – 1-0
    10 SkyView Academy 12-4 22 9 0-0
    Others receiving votes:
    St. Mary’s 6, Pagosa Springs 4, Sterling 4, Coal Ridge 1, Peak to Peak 1.
    Dropped out
    Pagosa Springs (10).

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Resurrection Christian (6) 15-1 95 1 2-0
    2 Yuma (3) 15-1 89 2 2-0
    3 Dayspring Christian 16-1 63 4 2-0
    4 Lyons (1) 14-2 55 3 1-1
    5 Vail Christian 15-2 42 5 1-0
    6 Paonia 13-3 37 9 3-0
    7 Union Colony 15-2 36 – 2-0
    8 Ignacio 12-4 27 – 3-0
    9 Ridgway 15-1 25 8 3-0
    10 Colorado Springs School 15-2 23 7 3-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Sargent 16, Limon 15, Rye 15, Cedaredge 8.
    Dropped out
    Rye (6), Limon (10).

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Idalia (5) 17-0 83 1 2-0
    2 Otis (2) 16-1 70 2 2-0
    3 Weldon Valley 13-3 66 3 1-1
    4 Fleming 14-4 50 5 1-1
    5 Sangre de Cristo (1) 17-0 44 6 2-0
    6 Kit Carson 15-2 41 7 2-0
    7 La Veta (1) 17-1 40 8 2-1
    8 Flagler 14-3 38 4 1-0
    9 Norwood 11-4 14 – 3-0
    10 Walsh 13-4 11 – 1-1
    Others receiving votes:
    McClave 9, Briggsdale 8, Community Christian 6, Moffat 5, Elbert 4, Cheraw 3, Genoa-Hugo/Karval 1, Prairie 1, Sierra Grande 1.
    Dropped out
    Briggsdale (9), Community Christian (10).

  • Volleyball rankings: Cherokee Trail returns to No. 1 spot in 5A

    Grandview Cherokee Trail volleyball
    Cherokee Trail is the No. 1 team in 5A volleyball this week. (Ray Chen/ArrayPhoto.com)

    Cherokee Trail has regained the top spot of the Class 5A CHSAANow.com volleyball rankings. The Cougars were voted as the preseason No. 1, but early losses knocked them down in the polls.

    Chatfield had held onto the No. 1 ranking since Sept. 14, but a surprising loss to Ralston Valley last week was enough to knock them off their perch. Grandview and Rocky Mountain were this week’s newcomers to the 5A rankings at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively.

    Lewis-Palmer remains the top team in 4A. Holy Family jumped two spots, landing at No. 5 this week and Steamboat Springs comes in as the lone newcomer to the 4A poll.

    The Eaton Reds are continuing their impressive season and still hold a firm grasp on the No. 1 spot in 3A. Despite going 0-1 last week, Colorado Springs Christian School jumped one spot this week to land at No. 3 this week.

    SkyView Academy breaks into the 3A rankings at No. 9 this week. The Hawks are winners of six of their last seven matches.

    Ridgway and Limon break into the 2A rankings at No. 8 and No. 10 respectively this week. Resurrection Christian holds on the top spot in 2A despite their 70-match winning streak coming to an end.

    Still-undefeated Idalia remains the top team in 1A. They’re joined in the rankings this week by La Veta (No. 8) and Community Christian (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 for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Volleyball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

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

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Cherokee Trail (6) 12-2 99 3 2-0
    2 Chatfield (1) 12-1 90 1 0-1
    3 Chaparral 11-4 78 5 2-0
    4 Rock Canyon (1) 11-3 70 4 2-1
    5 Mountain Vista (2) 11-3 66 2 0-1
    6 Denver East 12-4 46 7 2-0
    7 Prairie View 12-0 36 6 2-0
    8 Brighton (2) 13-3 33 10 1-0
    9 Grandview 8-6 28 – 1-1
    10 Rocky Mountain 12-2 21 – 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Legend 19, Cherry Creek 12, Ralston Valley 12, Rangeview 10, Columbine 8, Fossil Ridge 8, Arapahoe 6, Legacy 6, Highlands Ranch 5, Castle View 4, Regis Jesuit 2, Fairview 1.
    Dropped out
    Cherry Creek (8), Legend (9).

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Lewis-Palmer (12) 16-2 128 1 2-0
    2 Cheyenne Mountain (1) 12-1 115 2 2-0
    3 Ponderosa 9-6 98 4 2-0
    4 Montrose 13-2 94 3 3-0
    5 Holy Family 15-2 60 7 2-0
    6 Longmont 14-1 52 6 2-0
    7 Windsor 11-3 50 5 0-1
    8 Delta 14-2 20 9 2-0
    9 Steamboat Springs 14-2 17 – 2-0
    10 Valor Christian 6-6 14 8 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    The Classical Academy 13, Pueblo West 10, Elizabeth 9, Air Academy 7, Berthoud 7, Roosevelt 7, Thomas Jefferson 7, Battle Mountain 4, Discovery Canyon 2, Durango 1, Erie 1, Evergreen 1.
    Dropped out
    The Classical Academy (10).

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Eaton (11) 17-0 110 1 2-0
    2 University 10-1 98 3 1-0
    3 Colorado Springs Christian 10-2 71 4 0-1
    4 Manitou Springs 10-3 70 5 2-0
    5 Valley 11-6 58 2 1-1
    6 Platte Valley 13-4 55 6 2-0
    7 Alamosa 15-2 51 7 4-1
    8 Lutheran 9-4 37 8 1-0
    9 SkyView Academy 12-4 15 – 2-0
    10 Pagosa Springs 12-5 11 10 0-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Faith Christian 8, Peak to Peak 7, Coal Ridge 4, La Junta 4, St. Mary’s 4, Sterling 2.
    Dropped out
    Peak to Peak (9).

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Resurrection Christian (9) 13-1 99 1 1-1
    2 Yuma 13-1 80 2 2-0
    3 Lyons (1) 13-1 74 3 2-0
    4 Dayspring Christian 14-1 67 4 2-0
    5 Vail Christian 14-2 48 5 3-2
    6 Rye 12-1 30 8 1-0
    7 Colorado Springs School 12-2 27 6 1-1
    8 Ridgway 12-1 25 – 2-0
    9 Paonia 10-3 24 9 2-1
    10 Limon 11-3 22 – 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Union Colony 18, Ignacio 17, Sargent 9, Cedaredge 6, Akron 4.
    Dropped out
    Ignacio (7), Union Colony (10).

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Idalia (5) 15-0 78 1 2-0
    2 Otis (2) 14-1 74 2 1-0
    3 Weldon Valley 12-2 60 4 1-0
    4 Flagler (1) 13-3 53 3 3-2
    5 Fleming 13-3 42 5 2-0
    6 Sangre de Cristo 15-0 37 6 4-0
    7 Kit Carson 13-2 23 7 5-0
    8 La Veta (1) 15-0 22 – 2-0
    9 Briggsdale 10-4 17 10 3-0
    10 Community Christian 13-2 16 – 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    McClave 14, Prairie 14, Nucla 11, Deer Trail 7, Genoa-Hugo/Karval 6, Hi-Plains 6, Moffat 6, Norwood 4, Rocky Mountain Lutheran 4, Walsh 3, Springfield 2.
    Dropped out
    McClave (8), Prairie (9).

  • Volleyball rankings: Chaparral returns to 5A poll

    Chaparral Arapahoe volleyball
    Chaparral is No. 5 in this week’s 5A volleyball poll. (Kevin Keyser/KeyserImages.com)

    Chaparral has jumped back into the Class 5A volleyball rankings.

    The Wolverines (9-4) are now ranked No. 5 in CHSAANow.com’s poll.

    Chatfield remained atop the 5A ranking, getting nine of the 11 first-place votes. Also moving up were Prairie View, now No. 6, and Denver East, up to No. 7.

    The four other No. 1 teams also stayed put: Lewis-Palmer (4A), Eaton (3A), Resurrection Christian (2A) and Idalia (1A). Lewis-Palmer and Eaton are unanimous top teams in their respective classifications.

    Other newcomers include the following:

    • In 4A: No. 8 Valor Christian and No. 10 The Classical Academy.
    • In 3A: No. 9 Peak to Peak.

    There were no new teams in the 2A or 1A rankings.

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

    Complete rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Volleyball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

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

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Chatfield (9) 12-0 103 1 2-0
    2 Mountain Vista (1) 11-2 88 2 2-0
    3 Cherokee Trail 10-2 82 3 2-0
    4 Rock Canyon 9-2 68 4 1-0
    5 Chaparral 9-4 51 – 2-0
    6 Prairie View 10-0 49 8 1-0
    7 Denver East 10-4 30 10 0-0
    8 Cherry Creek 9-4 29 5 1-1
    9 Legend 8-5 26 7 1-1
    10 Brighton (1) 12-3 23 9 1-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Grandview 13, Highlands Ranch 13, Rocky Mountain 9, Fossil Ridge 8, Ralston Valley 7, Legacy 6, Lakewood 3, Rangeview 2, Broomfield 1.
    Dropped out
    Grandview (6).

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Lewis-Palmer (12) 14-2 128 1 7-2
    2 Cheyenne Mountain (1) 10-1 115 2 1-0
    3 Montrose 10-2 89 3 1-0
    4 Ponderosa 7-6 81 4 0-0
    5 Windsor 11-2 69 5 2-0
    6 Longmont 12-1 59 6 2-0
    7 Holy Family 13-2 57 7 2-0
    8 Valor Christian 4-6 19 – 2-0
    9 Delta 12-2 18 9 1-1
    10 The Classical Academy 9-4 14 – 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Steamboat Springs 13, Elizabeth 12, Pueblo West 11, Berthoud 10, Thomas Jefferson 5, Air Academy 4, Battle Mountain 3, Discovery Canyon 2, Niwot 2, Durango 1, Evergreen 1, Mountain View 1, Thompson Valley 1.
    Dropped out
    Berthoud (8), Elizabeth (10).

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Eaton (11) 15-0 110 1 2-0
    2 Valley 10-5 78 6 1-0
    3 University 9-1 77 2 1-1
    4 Colorado Springs Christian 10-1 67 3 1-1
    5 Manitou Springs 8-3 60 5 1-0
    6 Platte Valley 11-4 55 4 0-2
    7 Alamosa 11-1 42 7 4-1
    8 Lutheran 8-4 38 8 1-0
    9 Peak to Peak 11-1 30 – 2-0
    10 Pagosa Springs 12-4 18 10 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Faith Christian 6, SkyView Academy 6, Platte Canyon 5, La Junta 4, Coal Ridge 3, St. Mary’s 3, Buena Vista 2, Sterling 1.
    Dropped out
    Faith Christian (9).

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Resurrection Christian (8) 12-0 95 1 2-0
    2 Yuma (1) 11-1 84 2 1-0
    3 Lyons (1) 11-1 71 3 0-1
    4 Dayspring Christian 12-1 67 5 2-0
    5 Vail Christian 10-0 42 9 2-0
    6 Colorado Springs School 11-1 40 6 1-0
    7 Ignacio 9-2 36 7 3-0
    8 Rye 11-1 31 8 1-0
    9 Paonia 8-2 23 4 1-2
    10 Union Colony 11-2 18 10 1-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Sargent 16, Ridgway 14, Limon 7, Cedaredge 2, Sanford 2, West Grand 2.
    Dropped out
    None.

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Idalia (5) 13-0 79 1 4-0
    2 Otis (2) 13-1 78 3 2-0
    3 Flagler (1) 10-1 70 2 4-0
    4 Weldon Valley 11-2 58 4 2-0
    5 Fleming 11-3 40 5 2-0
    6 Sangre de Cristo (1) 11-0 33 6 3-0
    7 Kit Carson 8-2 26 8 1-0
    8 McClave 10-1 23 9 2-0
    9 Prairie 9-4 20 7 0-1
    10 Briggsdale 7-4 12 10 0-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Nucla 11, La Veta 9, Hi-Plains 7, Moffat 7, Rocky Mountain Lutheran 7, Genoa-Hugo/Karval 5, Norwood 4, Walsh 4, Community Christian 3, Heritage Christian 1, Springfield 1.
    Dropped out
    None.

  • Volleyball rankings: Mountain Vista makes jump to No. 2 in 5A

    Cherry Creek Mountain Vista volleyball
    Mountain Vista is No. 2 in 5A volleyball this week. (Tim Visser/TimVisserPhotography.com)

    Every No. 1 team in the CHSAANow.com volleyball rankings held their position, but there was still plenty of new looks near the top of each class.

    In Class 5A, Chatfield remains undefeated at No. 1, but they have company nipping at their heels. The Mountain Vista Golden Eagles made the jump from No. 10 to No. 2 following a sweep of 4A’s Ponderosa, a team that many would call one of the best in the state, regardless of classification.

    Undefeated Prairie View and Bright both join the rankings this week at No. 8 and No. 9, respectively.

    In 4A, Lewis-Palmer has yet to relinquish the top spot this year, but now it has Colorado Springs-area rival Cheyenne Mountain right behind them at No. 2. The Indians looked impressive during a 3-0 sweep of Doherty this week and will get their shot at the Rangers later this season.

    Ponderosa fell two spots following its loss to Mountain Vista.

    New to the 4A poll this week is Elizabeth, who comes in at No. 10.

    Eaton continues to remain dominant in the 3A rankings, even taking down last week’s No. 2 Platte Valley early last week.

    Undefeated Alamosa breaks into the 3A rankings this week, jumping all the way up to No. 7.

    Resurrection Christian says firmly in the No. 1 spot in 2A. One team did break their way into this week’s poll as Vail Christian lands at No. 9.

    The No. 1 team in 1A is still Idalia, who has yet to lose this season. McClave played its way into the 1A rankings this week, landing at No. 9.

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

    Complete rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Volleyball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

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

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Chatfield (6) 10-0 98 1 1-0
    2 Mountain Vista (2) 9-2 71 10 5-0
    3 Cherokee Trail (1) 8-2 69 2 1-1
    4 Rock Canyon (1) 8-2 53 3 1-1
    5 Cherry Creek 8-3 50 6 1-1
    6 Grandview 6-4 42 8 2-0
    7 Legend 7-4 41 4 0-2
    8 Prairie View 9-0 35 – 2-0
    9 Brighton (1) 11-3 30 – 1-1
    10 Denver East 10-4 27 7 1-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Rangeview 20, Lakewood 18, Chaparral 10, Fossil Ridge 8, Columbine 7, Ralston Valley 7, Legacy 6, Castle View 4, Regis Jesuit 4, Arapahoe 2, Rocky Mountain 2, Broomfield 1.
    Dropped out
    Lakewood (5), Chaparral (9).

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Lewis-Palmer (12) 7-0 120 1 2-0
    2 Cheyenne Mountain 9-1 103 3 2-0
    3 Montrose 9-2 90 4 1-0
    4 Ponderosa 7-6 82 2 1-1
    5 Windsor 9-2 65 7 2-0
    6 Longmont 10-1 54 6 3-0
    7 Holy Family 11-2 45 5 1-1
    8 Berthoud 7-4 23 10 1-1
    9 Delta 11-1 13 9 2-0
    10 Elizabeth 7-2 11 – 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Steamboat Springs 10, The Classical Academy 10, Valor Christian 9, Discovery Canyon 6, Durango 6, Thomas Jefferson 5, Mead 3, Roosevelt 2, Air Academy 1, Niwot 1, Pueblo West 1.
    Dropped out
    Valor Christian (8).

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Eaton (9) 13-0 99 1 3-0
    2 University 8-0 84 4 3-0
    3 Colorado Springs Christian 9-0 79 3 2-0
    4 Platte Valley 11-2 64 2 1-1
    5 Manitou Springs 7-3 53 5 1-0
    6 Valley 9-5 46 6 1-1
    7 Alamosa (1) 7-0 35 – 2-0
    8 Lutheran 7-4 26 9 2-0
    9 Faith Christian 6-4 18 10 2-0
    10 Pagosa Springs 10-4 15 7 1-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Peak to Peak 12, St. Mary’s 6, SkyView Academy 5, Sterling 3, Coal Ridge 2, La Junta 2, Buena Vista 1.
    Dropped out
    St. Mary’s (8).

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Resurrection Christian (7) 10-0 79 1 2-0
    2 Yuma 10-1 68 2 3-1
    3 Lyons (1) 11-0 55 3 1-0
    4 Paonia 7-0 51 5 2-0
    5 Dayspring Christian 10-1 48 4 2-0
    6 Colorado Springs School 10-1 33 7 2-0
    7 Ignacio 6-2 26 10 3-0
    8 Rye 10-1 21 6 3-1
    9 Vail Christian 8-0 16 – 3-0
    10 Union Colony 10-1 13 9 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Ridgway 12, West Grand 8, Sargent 7, Fowler 2, Cedaredge 1.
    Dropped out
    Ridgway (8).

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Idalia (4) 9-0 60 1 1-0
    2 Flagler (1) 6-1 56 2 0-0
    3 Otis (2) 11-1 52 3 5-0
    4 Weldon Valley 9-2 48 4 1-1
    5 Fleming 9-3 30 6 2-0
    6 Sangre de Cristo 8-0 25 10 1-0
    7 Prairie 9-3 18 7 2-1
    8 Kit Carson 7-2 17 9 1-0
    9 McClave 8-1 15 – 2-0
    10 Briggsdale 7-3 12 5 1-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Norwood 9, Nucla 9, La Veta 7, Cotopaxi 6, Genoa-Hugo/Karval 5, Community Christian 3, Hi-Plains 3, North Park 3, Moffat 2, Springfield 2, Walsh 2.
    Dropped out
    Nucla (8).

  • Volleyball rankings: 5A poll sees all kinds of shakeup, adds four teams

    Cherry Creek Mountain Vista volleyball
    Cherry Creek volleyball broke into the Class 5A rankings this week. (Tim Visser/TimVisserPhotography.com)

    This week’s CHSAANow.com volleyball rankings received quite a shakeup as Cherry Creek (No. 6), Denver East (No. 7), Chaparral (No. 9) and Mountain Vista (No. 10) all broke into this week’s Class 5A poll.

    Even when there was status quo, there was change: For the first time this season, the No. 1 team in Class 5A held their spot, as Chatfield took seven of the 10 first-place votes this week.

    Both Cherokee Trail (No. 2) and Rock Canyon (No. 3) jumped one spot. Rock Canyon looked strong against then No. 5 Regis Jesuit last week, showing that they have earned their spot as a top-three team.

    Legend is fourth this week, and Lakewood moved into the top-5 from No. 9. Grandview is No. 8 this week.

    In 4A, Lewis-Palmer continues to top the poll. The Ranges looked impressive in a 3-0 sweep over Valor Christian last Thursday. Holy Family also continues to impress and they made the jump from No. 10 to No. 5 as a result.

    At 9-1, Delta breaks into the poll at No. 9.

    The teams in the 3A rankings remained the same this week, but Platte Valley leapt over CSCS to come in at No. 2. Eaton stayed in their position at No. 1 and received all 10 first-place votes.

    Resurrection Christian has yet to lose and remains the top team in 2A. They are joined in the poll this week by Union Colony (No. 9) and Ignacio (No. 10).

    Idalia held firm in the top spot of the 1A poll. There were no newcomers this week, but Briggsdale did jump from No. 10 to No. 5. Weldon Valley fell two spots, going from No. 4 to No. 2.

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

    Complete rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Volleyball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

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

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Chatfield (7) 9-0 91 1 1-0
    2 Cherokee Trail (3) 7-1 85 3 1-0
    3 Rock Canyon 7-1 80 4 1-0
    4 Legend 7-2 56 2 1-1
    5 Lakewood 8-0 50 9 5-0
    6 Cherry Creek 7-2 34 – 4-1
    7 Denver East 9-3 25 – 2-2
    8 Grandview 4-4 24 8 3-2
    9 Chaparral 6-3 20 – 2-0
    10 Mountain Vista 4-2 19 – 2-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Brighton 18, Coronado 17, Columbine 15, Prairie View 14, Regis Jesuit 13, Arapahoe 9, Eaglecrest 9, Ralston Valley 7, Rangeview 7, Legacy 6, Fruita Monument 4, Castle View 3, Broomfield 1.
    Dropped out
    Regis Jesuit (5), Brighton (6), Castle View (7), Columbine (10).

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Lewis-Palmer (10) 5-0 109 1 2-0
    2 Ponderosa (1) 6-5 95 2 4-4
    3 Cheyenne Mountain 7-1 91 3 4-1
    4 Montrose (1) 8-2 76 4 2-1
    5 Holy Family 10-1 51 10 3-0
    6 Longmont 7-1 50 6 2-0
    7 Windsor 7-2 42 7 2-0
    8 Valor Christian 1-5 33 5 1-2
    9 Delta 9-1 23 – 2-1
    10 Berthoud 6-3 19 9 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Pueblo West 13, Durango 8, Elizabeth 8, The Classical Academy 8, Steamboat Springs 7, Air Academy 5, Northridge 5, Palisade 5, Mead 3, Mesa Ridge 3, Thomas Jefferson 3, Roosevelt 2, Vista Ridge 1.
    Dropped out
    Pueblo West (8).

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Eaton (10) 10-0 100 1 5-0
    2 Platte Valley 10-1 80 3 3-0
    3 Colorado Springs Christian 7-0 74 2 3-0
    4 University 5-0 63 5 2-0
    5 Manitou Springs 7-3 48 4 2-1
    6 Valley 8-4 45 6 3-0
    7 Pagosa Springs 9-3 26 8 1-0
    8 St. Mary’s 5-3 24 9 2-0
    9 Lutheran 5-4 18 7 1-0
    10 Faith Christian 4-4 17 10 2-3
    Others receiving votes:
    Peak to Peak 13, Alamosa 9, Centauri 8, La Junta 8, Coal Ridge 5, Salida 5, Middle Park 4, Sterling 4.
    Dropped out
    None.

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Resurrection Christian (5) 8-0 73 1 1-0
    2 Yuma 7-0 70 2 2-0
    3 Lyons (3) 10-0 68 3 2-0
    4 Dayspring Christian 8-1 44 4 2-0
    5 Paonia 5-0 40 5 2-0
    6 Rye 7-0 36 6 1-0
    7 Colorado Springs School 8-1 21 8 3-0
    8 Ridgway 5-1 18 7 2-1
    9 Union Colony 8-1 12 – 2-0
    10 Ignacio 3-2 9 – 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    West Grand 8, Fowler 7, Vail Christian 7, Byers 3, Soroco 3, Kiowa 2, Sanford 2, Custer County 1, Haxtun 1.
    Dropped out
    West Grand (9), Swink (10).

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Idalia (5) 8-0 52 1 2-0
    2 Flagler (1) 6-1 48 3 2-0
    3 Otis 6-1 41 4 1-0
    4 Weldon Valley 8-1 35 2 2-0
    5 Briggsdale 6-2 27 10 1-0
    6 Fleming 7-3 25 5 3-0
    7 Prairie 7-2 23 7 2-0
    8 Nucla 6-1 17 9 1-1
    9 Kit Carson 6-2 15 6 2-1
    10 Sangre de Cristo 7-0 12 8 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Cotopaxi 9, La Veta 8, McClave 6, Genoa-Hugo/Karval 5, Hi-Plains 5, Holly 1, Norwood 1.
    Dropped out
    None.

  • Volleyball rankings: Chatfield takes over No. 1 spot in 5A

    For the second-straight week, there is a new team on top of the Class 5A volleyball rankings. Chatfield has taken over.

    The Chargers, now 8-0, went 2-0 last week with wins at Rocky Mountain and Green Mountain.

    Lewis-Palmer Legend volleyball
    Lewis-Palmer and Legend battled last week. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    Legend took over the top spot last week, then was swept by Lewis-Palmer, the top team in 4A, last week.

    With the loss to the Rangers, the Titans fell to No. 2 this week. Legend and Cherokee Trail each only fell one spot to second and third, respectively. The biggest jump in 5A came from Brighton. The Bulldogs went from unranked to No. 10, and have now raised to sixth.

    Newcomers to the 5A include Lakewood at ninth and Columbine at No. 10.

    The top five teams in 4A went unchanged and the overall poll itself remains relatively unscathed from last week. It did welcome two new teams in Berthoud at ninth and Holy Family at No. 10.

    St. Mary’s joins the 3A poll at ninth, thanks in part to a big win over Manitou Springs at the Bishop Machebeuf Tournament over the weekend. The Mustangs dropped to fifth as result to the loss against the Pirates, as well as a loss to Resurrection Christian. Defending champion Eaton remained the top team in 3A.

    Resurrection Christian continues to cruise this season and was a unanimous pick as the top team in 2A. They the only No. 1 team this week to receive every first place vote. The bottom of the 2A poll looks vastly different this week with the addition of the Colorado Springs School (eighth), West Grand (ninth) and Swink (No. 10).

    Idalia hangs on to their place atop the 1A rankings after an impressive 4-0 week. They’re joined in the top 10 by Nucla and Briggsdale.

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

    Complete rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Volleyball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

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

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Chatfield (6) 8-0 91 3 2-0
    2 Legend (1) 6-1 88 1 1-1
    3 Cherokee Trail (2) 6-1 76 2 3-0
    4 Rock Canyon (1) 6-1 69 4 1-0
    5 Regis Jesuit 6-2 53 5 2-0
    6 Brighton (1) 7-0 46 10 2-0
    7 Castle View 6-2 29 8 1-1
    8 Grandview 1-2 27 7 0-1
    9 Lakewood 3-0 25 – 2-0
    10 Columbine 6-0 19 – 1-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Denver East 13, Cherry Creek 11, Mountain Vista 10, Eaglecrest 8, Ralston Valley 7, Legacy 6, Prairie View 6, Arapahoe 5, Chaparral 5, Coronado 5, Rangeview 2, Broomfield 1, Fairview 1, Fort Collins 1, Fruita Monument 1.
    Dropped out
    Cherry Creek (6), Mountain Vista (9).

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Lewis-Palmer (10) 3-0 109 1 2-0
    2 Ponderosa (1) 2-1 96 2 2-1
    3 Cheyenne Mountain 3-0 91 3 2-0
    4 Montrose (1) 6-1 72 4 1-0
    5 Valor Christian 0-3 52 5 0-2
    6 Longmont 5-1 40 7 2-0
    7 Windsor 5-2 38 8 1-1
    8 Pueblo West 2-4 33 6 0-1
    9 Berthoud 4-3 23 – 2-0
    10 Holy Family 7-1 20 – 3-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Thompson Valley 11, Delta 9, Elizabeth 8, Northridge 8, Air Academy 7, Niwot 7, The Classical Academy 7, Mead 5, Palisade 5, Durango 4, Steamboat Springs 4, Battle Mountain 3, Mullen 2, Roosevelt 2, Thomas Jefferson 2, Eagle Valley 1, Vista Ridge 1.
    Dropped out
    Niwot (9), Air Academy (10).

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Eaton (8) 5-0 89 1 3-0
    2 Colorado Springs Christian (1) 4-0 78 2 4-0
    3 Platte Valley (1) 7-1 72 4 5-1
    4 Manitou Springs 5-2 59 3 5-2
    5 University 3-0 55 5 2-0
    6 Valley 5-4 53 7 2-0
    7 Lutheran 4-4 34 6 0-1
    8 Pagosa Springs 8-3 27 8 3-2
    9 St. Mary’s 3-3 22 – 3-3
    10 Faith Christian 2-1 15 10 2-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Peak to Peak 9, Centauri 8, Bayfield 6, Sterling 5, La Junta 4, Alamosa 3, Frontier Academy 3, Middle Park 3, Buena Vista 2, SkyView Academy 2, Coal Ridge 1.
    Dropped out
    Sterling (9).

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Resurrection Christian (9) 7-0 90 1 6-0
    2 Yuma 5-0 70 2 0-0
    3 Lyons 8-0 67 4 7-0
    4 Dayspring Christian 6-1 57 3 1-1
    5 Paonia 3-0 52 5 2-0
    6 Rye 6-0 48 8 4-0
    7 Ridgway 3-0 32 6 1-0
    8 Colorado Springs School 5-1 24 – 5-0
    9 West Grand 6-0 12 – 2-0
    10 Swink 5-1 10 – 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Union Colony 9, Ignacio 4, Byers 3, Fowler 3, Kiowa 3, Soroco 3, Cedaredge 2, Merino 2, Wray 2, Rangely 1, Vail Christian 1.
    Dropped out
    Caliche (7), Sargent (9), Akron (10).

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Idalia (5) 6-0 50 1 4-0
    2 Weldon Valley 6-1 47 3 2-0
    3 Flagler (1) 4-1 42 2 2-1
    4 Otis 5-1 41 6 1-0
    5 Fleming 4-3 30 4 3-3
    6 Kit Carson 4-1 24 7 2-1
    7 Prairie 5-2 22 5 4-1
    8 Sangre de Cristo 5-0 17 8 1-0
    9 Nucla 5-0 12 – 4-0
    10 Briggsdale 5-2 9 – 4-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Springfield 7, Community Christian 6, Cotopaxi 6, Heritage Christian 5, Hi-Plains 5, Kim 4, La Veta 3, Norwood 3, Genoa-Hugo/Karval 1, North Park 1.
    Dropped out
    La Veta (9), Norwood (10).

  • Legend takes over as No. 1 in 5A volleyball rankings

    Mountain Vista Legend volleyball
    Legend is the new No. 1 team in Class 5A volleyball. (Ray Chen/ArrayPhoto.com)

    Legend volleyball, No. 8 in the Class 5A preseason poll, has risen to the No. 1 spot after the first full week of action.

    The Titans, now 5-0, beat former No. 1 Cherokee Trail, then-No. 4 Regis Jesuit and Air Academy, at the time ranked No. 9 in 4A, in the past week.

    The schedule doesn’t get any easier. Legend has a date with 4A No. 1 Lewis-Palmer on Thursday.

    There was much more shakeup to the 5A poll, which is conducted by CHSAANow.com. Cherokee Trail remained very high, at No. 2, but there was a lot of change behind the Cougars.

    Chatfield moved up two spots to No. 3, Rock Canyon rocketed from unranked to No. 4, and Regis Jesuit moved into the top five.

    Cherry Creek is No. 6, Grandview is No. 7, and then three newcomers round out the ranking: No. 8 Castle View, No. 9 Mountain Vista and No. 10 Brighton.

    In the 4A ranking, Lewis-Palmer retained its grip on the top spot. That poll added No. 7 Longmont and No. 9 Windsor. Montrose also made a big jump in going from No. 7 to No. 4.

    The other No. 1 teams also stayed put: Eaton (3A), Resurrection Christian (2A) and Idalia (1A).

    Other new teams this week include Faith Christian (No. 10 in 3A), Rye (No. 8 in 2A) and the following in 1A: Sangre de Cristo (No. 8), La Veta (No. 9) and Norwood (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 for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Volleyball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

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

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Legend (9) 5-0 106 8 5-0
    2 Cherokee Trail 3-1 93 1 3-1
    3 Chatfield 6-0 68 5 6-0
    4 Rock Canyon 5-1 68 – 5-1
    5 Regis Jesuit 4-2 67 4 4-2
    6 Cherry Creek (2) 1-1 40 3 1-1
    7 Grandview 1-1 38 2 1-1
    8 Castle View 5-1 31 – 5-1
    9 Mountain Vista 2-1 20 – 2-1
    10 Brighton 5-0 18 – 5-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Arapahoe 16, Eaglecrest 14, Denver East 13, Lakewood 13, Rangeview 12, Fairview 10, Highlands Ranch 9, Columbine 8, Ralston Valley 7, Legacy 6, Chaparral 4, Fruita Monument 3, Rampart 2, Broomfield 1, Loveland 1, Mountain Range 1.
    Dropped out
    Eaglecrest (6), Chaparral (7), Fairview (9), Highlands Ranch (10).

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Lewis-Palmer (10) 1-0 117 1 1-0
    2 Ponderosa (1) 0-0 106 2 0-0
    3 Cheyenne Mountain (1) 1-0 100 3 1-0
    4 Montrose 5-1 64 7 5-1
    5 Valor Christian 0-1 54 5 0-1
    6 Pueblo West 2-3 44 4 2-3
    7 Longmont 3-1 23 – 3-1
    8 Windsor 4-1 22 – 4-1
    9 Niwot 0-0 21 10 0-0
    10 Air Academy 1-3 19 9 1-3
    Others receiving votes:
    Berthoud 17, Mullen 12, Holy Family 11, The Classical Academy 10, Palmer Ridge 7, Thompson Valley 6, Woodland Park 5, Canon City 4, Elizabeth 4, Thomas Jefferson 4, Battle Mountain 3, Mead 2, Roosevelt 2, Eagle Valley 1, Sierra 1, Silver Creek 1.
    Dropped out
    Mullen (6), Battle Mountain (8).

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Eaton (8) 2-0 98 1 2-0
    2 Colorado Springs Christian (1) 0-0 83 2 0-0
    3 Manitou Springs (1) 0-0 71 3 0-0
    4 Platte Valley 2-0 67 6 2-0
    5 University 1-0 59 5 1-0
    6 Lutheran 4-3 50 8 4-3
    7 Valley 3-4 39 4 3-4
    8 Pagosa Springs 5-1 24 10 5-1
    9 Sterling 2-2 22 9 2-2
    10 Faith Christian 0-0 12 – 0-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Bayfield 8, Alamosa 7, St. Mary’s 5, Peak to Peak 4, Machebeuf 1.
    Dropped out
    Bayfield (7).

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Resurrection Christian (6) 1-0 76 1 1-0
    2 Yuma (1) 5-0 73 2 5-0
    3 Dayspring Christian 5-0 54 7 5-0
    4 Lyons (1) 1-0 52 6 1-0
    5 Paonia 1-0 48 5 1-0
    6 Ridgway 2-0 30 9 2-0
    7 Caliche 1-3 23 3 1-3
    8 Rye 2-0 22 – 2-0
    9 Sargent 2-0 19 10 2-0
    10 Akron 1-5 13 4 1-5
    Others receiving votes:
    Colorado Springs School 10, Byers 5, Wray 4, Rangely 3, Fowler 2, Hoehne 2, Ignacio 2, Kiowa 1, Merino 1.
    Dropped out
    Colorado Springs School (8).

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Idalia (5) 2-0 52 1 2-0
    2 Flagler (1) 2-0 50 2 2-0
    3 Weldon Valley 4-1 42 4 4-1
    4 Fleming 1-0 37 9 1-0
    5 Prairie 1-1 32 5 1-1
    6 Otis 4-1 29 3 4-1
    7 Kit Carson 2-0 24 7 2-0
    8 Sangre de Cristo 4-0 16 – 4-0
    9 La Veta 3-0 11 – 3-0
    10 Norwood 0-1 9 – 0-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Cotopaxi 6, Community Christian 5, Eads 5, Nucla 5, Elbert 4, Heritage Christian 2, McClave 2, Briggsdale 1.
    Dropped out
    Genoa-Hugo/Karval (6), Nucla (8), Community Christian (10).

  • Three teams favored to three-peat in preseason volleyball rankings

    (Tim Visser/TimVisserPhotography.com)
    Resurrection Christian volleyball is the No. 1 team in the preseason 2A volleyball poll. (Tim Visser/TimVisserPhotography.com)

    Last fall, for the first time in state history, every single volleyball champion successfully defended its title. Three of them are favored to win a third consecutive championship heading into the 2015 season.

    Defending champions Lewis-Palmer (Class 4A), Eaton (3A) and Resurrection Christian (2A) are among top-ranked teams in the CHSAANow.com Volleyball Polls, which were released Monday. Also heading their respective classifications are Cherokee Trail (5A) and Idalia (1A).

    The last team to win more than two straight titles was Cheyenne Mountain, which won five from 2008-12.

    Lewis-Palmer is actually coming off a mythical national championship in addition to its two 4A titles. The Rangers got eight of the 11 first-place votes in 4A’s preseason poll. Ponderosa, the team they beat for the 2014 title, is No. 2.

    Eaton, the defending 3A champion, holds the top spot in that poll after getting eight of the 10 first-place votes in that class. Colorado Springs Christian opens at No. 2.

    In 2A, Resurrection Christian — yes, another defending champion — got six of the seven first-place votes to top the preseason poll. The Cougars have actually won 58-straight matches, which ranks fifth-best all-time. Yuma is No. 2.

    Cherokee Trail opens as the favorite in 5A. The Cougars got six of the 11 first-place votes. Grandview, last season’s champion, is No. 2 and got one first-place vote.

    Cherry Creek is No. 3, and Regis Jesuit is No. 4. Chatfield, the 2014 runner-up, is No. 5. The Charges received two first-place votes.

    Two teams — Fossil Ridge and Brighton — received first-place votes, but did not make the 5A ranking.

    The 1A poll is led by Idalia, which got all six first-place votes. Flagler is No. 2.

    Fleming won last season’s 1A title, and has won 47 consecutive matches. The Wildcats open at No. 9.

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

    Complete rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Volleyball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

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

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Cherokee Trail (6) 0-0 101
    2 Grandview (1) 0-0 85
    3 Cherry Creek 0-0 78
    4 Regis Jesuit 0-0 64
    5 Chatfield (2) 0-0 59
    6 Eaglecrest 0-0 55
    7 Chaparral 0-0 32
    8 Legend 0-0 30
    9 Fairview 0-0 23
    10 Highlands Ranch 0-0 21
    Others receiving votes:
    Fossil Ridge 18, Arapahoe 14, Brighton 10, Denver East 9, Pine Creek 9, Fort Collins 8, Ralston Valley 8, Rampart 7, Columbine 6, Loveland 6, Rocky Mountain 6, Lakewood 5, Rock Canyon 3, Rangeview 2, Douglas County 1.

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Lewis-Palmer (8) 0-0 106
    2 Ponderosa (1) 0-0 89
    3 Cheyenne Mountain (2) 0-0 76
    4 Pueblo West 0-0 50
    5 Valor Christian 0-0 48
    6 Mullen 0-0 30
    7 Montrose 0-0 28
    8 Battle Mountain 0-0 26
    9 Air Academy 0-0 19
    10 Niwot 0-0 18
    Others receiving votes:
    Thomas Jefferson 13, Holy Family 12, Longmont 12, Roosevelt 12, Thompson Valley 12, Berthoud 11, The Classical Academy 9, Mead 8, Windsor 8, Woodland Park 5, Eagle Valley 3, Mesa Ridge 3, Canon City 2, Silver Creek 2, Durango 1, Green Mountain 1, Sierra 1, Steamboat Springs 1.

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Eaton (8) 0-0 98
    2 Colorado Springs Christian (1) 0-0 70
    3 Manitou Springs (1) 0-0 67
    4 Valley 0-0 66
    5 University 0-0 59
    6 Platte Valley 0-0 56
    7 Bayfield 0-0 32
    8 Lutheran 0-0 25
    9 Sterling 0-0 23
    10 Pagosa Springs 0-0 19
    Others receiving votes:
    Faith Christian 14, Coal Ridge 10, Middle Park 3, St. Mary’s 3, Buena Vista 2, Eagle Ridge 1, Olathe 1, Peak to Peak 1.

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Resurrection Christian (6) 0-0 62
    2 Yuma 0-0 55
    3 Caliche 0-0 42
    4 Akron 0-0 39
    5 Paonia 0-0 37
    6 Lyons (1) 0-0 30
    7 Dayspring Christian 0-0 22
    8 Colorado Springs School 0-0 19
    9 Ridgway 0-0 18
    10 Sargent 0-0 14
    Others receiving votes:
    Rye 12, Swink 11, Simla 8, Byers 7, Vail Christian 5, Cedaredge 2, Ignacio 1, South Park 1.

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Idalia (6) 0-0 60
    2 Flagler 0-0 49
    3 Otis 0-0 43
    4 Weldon Valley 0-0 35
    5 Prairie 0-0 30
    6 Genoa-Hugo/Karval 0-0 21
    7 Kit Carson 0-0 19
    8 Nucla 0-0 16
    9 Fleming 0-0 13
    10 Community Christian 0-0 10
    Others receiving votes:
    La Veta 8, Cheraw 6, North Park 6, McClave 5, Springfield 4, Eads 3, Hi-Plains 2.

  • 1A girls Final 4 roundup: Sangre de Cristo plays basketball with style

    LOVELAND — The Sangre de Cristo girls basketball team has a trademark style. The Thunderbirds boast lavish black and royal blue uniforms. Nearly the whole team wears headbands. They love fist pumps. Oh, and they embrace winning. So much so that they are in the 1A state finals after a 60-48 Final 4 victory over previously undefeated Kit Carson (23-1) at the Budweiser Events Center.

    In a back-and-forth tussle from tip-off, the Thunderbirds spread their wings in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 25-14 and sealing their first championship appearance since 1986. Sangre coach Brady Stagner, whose team lost in the 2A consolation finals two seasons ago, enjoyed the experience of the semifinals, but obviously enjoyed the victory even more.

    “I’m just relieved to be out of that, because that was a pressure game,” Stagner said. “From tip-off to buzzer, it was just full of pressure. I just loved the whole atmosphere. I thought it was a great high school basketball game.”

    While Kit Carson had their talented sister tandem of Micayla (16 points) and Aurelia Isenbart (13) on full display, the Thunderbirds were the superior team with every player making contributions.

    “We wore them down,” Stagner said. “We knew we had to wear them down. Those two big girls are as good as it gets. We worked hard to keep the pressure on them all night. Then, we hit free throws.”

    The coach’s daughter, Abbey, a 5-foot-11 forward, gave Sangre juice when they needed it with several and one opportunities, 15 big points in the paint, and a number of life giving fist pumps.

    “We had a team that came through big,” Stagner said. “Did she play big? Yeah, she played big, but so did Allie, so did Heather, so did Jenna, every one of them out there. We aren’t the most talented team, but we work hard as a team. That’s what’s gotten us here.”

    Allie Beiriger (16 points), Karleigh Cooley (13), and Jessica Berlinger (9) all provided balance to a Thunderbird offensive attack with five girls averaging at least 8.2 points this season.

    Sangre de Cristo (24-1) will be making their fourth appearance in the state finals. They won back-to-back crowns in 1984 (A-1 division) and 1985 (A-II) before losing 48-46 to Deer Trail (A-II) in 1986. The Thunderbirds face off against No. 4 seed Idalia (20-2) at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday in the title game.

    “We have a lot of mental toughness built up from the season,” Abbey Stagner said. “We’ve been looking forward to this since we were third graders.”

    [divider]

    (4) Idalia 58 (8) Flagler 26

    The Wolves ended Flagler’s state championship dreams with a smothering at the defensive end of the floor as the Panthers’ leading scorer, Hailey Allison, only had 7 points. Flagler upset No. 1 seed Norwood on a wild buzzer beating three-pointer by Alexis Schults in overtime on Thursday, but Schults sat out with an injury against Idalia.

    The Wolves took advantage by blowing the Panthers out from the opening tip and sealing their first state championship appearance in program history. Susana Herrera led Idalia with 15 points and Denise Cano chipped in 10 in the Final 4 win.

  • 1A girls basketball Great 8 roundup: Flagler upsets Norwood

    LOVELAND — Every team has state championship aspirations. After a 7-12 record a season ago, the Flagler girls basketball players didn’t know if a title was realistic though.

    “At the start of this season, I told them I thought they could be in the state tournament and maybe even win it,” Panther coach Gary Elrick said. “Every one of them looked at me like I’m crazy.”

    After upsetting No. 1 seed Norwood (21-2), the defending Class 1A champions, on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Alexis Schults on Thursday morning at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, its hard not to believe. The win sent the No. 8 seeded Flagler (18-6) into the Final 4.

    “Adrenaline is going through me,” Schults said.

    The Mavericks scored the game’s first basket, but the Panthers clawed to a 10-2 lead early. They pumped the margin up to double digits soon after and led 27-16 at halftime, despite 14 points by senior wing Jordan Williams, the lone 1A participant in The Show, the annual Colorado hoops all-star event.

    Flagler smothered her teammates, though, holding them to 1-of-7 from the field. Schults, all of 5-foot-2, was an aggressive, dynamic force using her quickness and shot-making to score 13 points in the first two quarters.

    More than anything, the Panthers, making their first state tournament appearance since 2007, embraced the bright lights while Norwood seemed rattled with the weight of back-to-back titles on the line.

    The Mavericks had more turnovers (20) than points (16) at the break. But, Norwood made adjustments and made a run in closing the deficit to 39-33 headed into the fourth.

    In a wild last two minutes of regulation, the Mavericks found a way to tie it up and force overtime at 48 all after Macie Magallon made a pair at the line with 7.4 seconds left. Flagler didn’t get a shot off before the buzzer.

    In extra time, Williams scored all eight of Norwood’s points and the title favorites led 56-54, but she fouled out with 19 seconds to go. Elizabeth Grimes calmly knocked down both free throws to force another tie. Norwood was called for traveling the next possession, Flagler got the ball back, and Schults sent the Panthers into the Final 4.

    “She’s so explosive that she can change a game around in 20 seconds,” Elrick said. “Good players want the ball at the end and she took a nice shot.”

    Schults led the Panthers with 24 points. Jade Hasz went 16-of-18 at the line and scored 18 points. Flagler was money on freebies, going 25-of-32.

    The Panthers move on to the state semifinals Friday.

    Williams led all scorers with 34 points in the loss for Norwood. The Mavericks will have to settle for the consolation bracket the rest of the way.

    [divider]

    (3) Sangre de Cristo 52 (6) Plateau Valley 38

    The Thunderbirds improved to 23-1 with an easy win over the Cowgirls as they led 12-6 after one and 22-14 at the break. Abbey Stagner led Sangre de Cristo with 16 points. Allie Beiriger chipped in 10.

    Sangre de Cristo will be making their first Final 4 appearance since 2010 when they face Kit Carson at 7 p.m. on Friday.

    [divider]

    (4) Idalia 41 (5) Eads 31

    Idalia improved to 19-2 after a comfortable win over the Eagles (17-7). Susana Herrera led all scorers with 15 points as the Wolves held every Eads player to single digits.

    Idalia also reached the Final 4 last year, placing fourth after dropping the third place game to Dove Creek.

    [divider]

    (2) Kit Carson 50 (7) Prairie 35

    In a game Prairie never led, the Wildcats’ sister tandem of senior Aurelia (13 points) and freshman Micayla Isenbart (24) applied constant pressure on the Mustangs with Aurelia’s work in the post and Micayla’s versatility as a 6-foot-1 guard.

    Kit Carson improved to 23-0 with the victory. They had reached three of the last four state tournaments, but this is the first time in the stretch they’ve made the Final 4.