Class 1A Girls Basketball District Predictions Week 8
I will give a much quicker run down for Class 1A Girls and 2A Boys and Girls today. Next week I plan on diving more in depth. I will be using the Districts from the CHSAA bulletin which is how team will qualify for regionals. I also see they have reverted to 2019 rules to qualify for regionals and state. I will post that below.
How to Qualify for Regionals and State
8 District each qualify 2 or 3 teams to three regionals. The three regionals are posted below
| Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 3 |
| District 1 & 8 | District 4, 5, 7 | District 2, 3, 6 |
The #1 and #2 seeds from Districts 1 and 8 will be paired, while the #1, #2, and #3 seeds from Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 will advance to a regional site. In Region 2 (4,5,7) and Region 3 (2, 3, 6), the nine qualify teams will be seeded by RPI avoiding any previous district matchups. In Region 1, District 1 and 8 #1s will play each other districts #2. Region 1 receives 2 state qualifiers, Region 2 & 3 receive three state qualifiers each.
After the Final 8 teams have been determined the teams will be re-seeded base on the following: The eight regional winners advance to the state tournament where they will be seeded by seeding criteria approved in a committee, made up of administrative representatives. The committee may use the following criteria to seed the final pairings: final RPI, previous district matchup’s, head-to-head competition, and common opponents.
A consolation bracket will be played in the Great 8.
District 1 (Just 2 teams Qualify for Regionals)
Regional Automatic Qualifier Predictions:
1. Dove Creek
2. North Park
Contenders:
3. Nucla
4. Caprock Academy
Not a ton of changes this week for District 1. Dove Creek and North Park are still the two teams I think qualify for regionals. Dove Creek is currently 11-1 but did not play last week. They get back into the action tomorrow against Mancos then an interesting test against Sierra Grande. North Park is currently 6-3 and working thru the tough 2A Western Slope League. North Park will be battle tested come District Tournament. Nucla and Caprock Academy look to be the main contenders for one of those two spots as well. Dove Creek would face the #2 team from District 8 and North Park would face the #1 team from District 8.
District 2
Regional Automatic Qualifier Predictions:
1. McClave
2. Cheyenne Wells
3. Kit Carson
Contenders:
4. Wiley
5. Cheraw
District 2 gets 3 team into regionals and will compete against District 3 & 6 at Regionals. McClave stays as my pick to win the District 2 Tournament. McClave is currently 10-1 and have not lost in 2022. McClave has solid wins on their resume as well over Wiggins, Springfield, and Kim/Branson just in 2022. McClave will face 1 lose South Baca tonight in a key non-league clash before McClave moves back into league play against Kit Carson and Cheyenne Wells. Cheyenne Wells is my pick to finish in second. Cheyenne Wells is 8-2 currently and we will see how they bounce back from their loss to Kiowa last weekend. Cheyenne Wells will travel to face Eads then host Hi-Plains the following night both are non-league games before their clash with McClave on 2/3. Kit Carson holds onto the #3 spot. Kit Carson is 6-4 currently and in 2022 they have won just 2 of their first 5 games. Things do not get easy for Kit Carson as they face McClave on Friday and Springfield on Saturday. These are two very important games and should be fun ones to watch. I have Wiley slotted into the #4 spot and would just miss regionals. Wiley had a slow start to 2022 dropping 3 straight games to Kit Carson, Cheyenne Wells, and South Baca. Wiley has since won 2 straight and will look for a 3rd when they host Cheraw on Saturday. This is a very important game for both Cheraw and Wiley as both are looking for a slight edge in seeding as I have Cheraw slotted in at the #5 spot and a contender for a regional spot as well.
District 3
Regional Automatic Qualifier Predictions:
1. South Baca
2. Springfield
3. Kim/Branson
Contenders:
4. La Veta
District 3 will get 3 teams into regionals and will compete against District 2 & District 6. I have made a few changes this week to how I think District 3 will play out after overlooking scores and a recent win. I have South Baca winning the District 3 tournament. South Baca recently picked up a 46-44 win over Springfield. I also feel that South Baca played Cheyenne Wells closer then Springfield did. South Baca has a key non-league clash against McClave tonight and should give us a feel on how good South Baca is. South Baca still must face Kim/Branson and that will probably decide seeding for the District Tournament. Springfield drops into the #2 spot. Springfield had a rough week last week dropping two straight to South Baca and McClave. Springfield will look to right the ship against Granada tonight. Springfield won’t face Kim/Branson till the end of the season and could be for the #2 or #3 seed. Kim/Branson moves into the #3 spot. Kim/Branson is currently 9-2 and they fell this week to McClave 45-19. Kim/Branson will look to get back on track when they face Walsh tomorrow night. Kim/Branson has some key games remaining against South Baca and Springfield, so their seed is still very much up in the air. La Veta I have listed as a contender. La Veta has beat the teams below them in the District but against tough competition they have faltered. If La Veta can get hot at the right time they may challenge for a top 3 spot.
District 4
Regional Automatic Qualifier Predictions:
1. Briggsdale
2. Fleming
3. Merino
Contenders:
4. Haxtun
5. Caliche
District 4 will get 3 teams into regionals. District 4 will compete against District 5 & 7 at Regionals. District 4 will be one of the toughest leagues this season and the battle for the top 3 should be very interesting. Briggsdale stays as my pick to win the District 4 tournament. Briggsdale is currently 11-0 and this week picked up another solid win over 2A Wiggins 57-23. Briggsdale will face Fleming on Saturday, and this will be the best game in Class 1A. Briggsdale will also face Haxtun next Tuesday so we could see things shift in District 4 after this weekend and Tuesday. Fleming sits in the #2 spot. Fleming is undefeated at 12-0. Fleming took care of business early in 2022 beating Stratton, Merino, and Lone Star. Fleming will face 2A Akron tonight in a very interesting non-league battle. The main event will be Saturday when they travel to face #1 Briggsdale. Merino holds onto the #3 spot. Merino is 10-1 with their only loss coming to Fleming. Merino will face rival Akron tomorrow before a tough battle with Limon Saturday. Merino will face only 1 more 1A team this season and that is Haxtun on 2/11. Haxtun is in the #4 spot currently, but I think a contender for a regional spot. Haxtun is 4-8 but they have played a very difficult schedule. Haxtun will face Caliche tomorrow night before a key clash with Briggsdale on Tuesday. Don’t let Haxtun record deceive you they are a tough team. Caliche is the final team to mention. Caliche is 4-7 and hope to knock off Haxtun this Friday. Caliche is a team that is rebuilding well behind a solid group of sophomores. Caliche will be a team if they get hot in the District Tournament to watch for.
District 5
Regional Automatic Qualifier Predictions:
1. Lone Star
2. Stratton
3. Idalia
Contenders:
4. Arickaree/Woodlin
District 5 gets 3 teams into regionals and will compete against District 4 & 7 at regionals. Lone Star stays as my pick to win the District 5 tournament. Lone Star is currently 8-3 and they have cruised in their past two games winning by 30+ points. Lone Star will have a key league battle tonight against Arickaree/Woodlin. Lone Star with a win should be a #1 or #2 seed for the district tournament. Stratton comes in at #2. Stratton is 6-2 and 2022 has been solid for them picking up a key win over Kit Carson and a league win over Arickaree/Woodlin. Stratton will face Burlington tonight this is a tough matchup. Stratton still must face Idalia and Otis before locking up any seed for the District Tournament. Idalia holds the #3 spot. Idalia is 9-5 and the recent 49-45 win over 2A Wray shows they can be force to reckon with. Idalia will face Arickaree/Woodlin tomorrow night and could be a key game for seeding purposes in the District Tournament. Arickaree/Woodlin is a team I think could be a contender. Arickaree/Woodlin is 7-5 but lack a key quality win. Arickaree/Woodlin has beat the other teams below them, but they need that quality win to show they can beat the top 3 teams. Arickaree/Woodlin gets two shots this weekend when they face Lone Star and Idalia.
District 6
Regional Automatic Qualifier Predictions:
1. Sangre De Cristo
2. Cotopaxi
3. Sierra Grande
Contenders:
4. Centennial
District 6 will get 3 teams into regionals and will compete with District 2 & 3 at regionals. Sangre De Cristo stays as my pick to win District 6. Sangre De Cristo seems to be head and shoulders above the rest of the District currently. Sangre De Cristo beat Cotopaxi 46-14 but if they meet later, it’s always tough to replicate the same results. Sangre De Cristo will host Centennial this Saturday in a key league clash. Cotopaxi stays as my pick to finish in second. Cotopaxi the past 3 games have struggled to score but should break that this week. The #3 spot is the most contested. For now, I am sticking with Sierra Grande, but Centennial is right on their tails. The battle for the final spot should be a good one between Sierra Grande and Centennial.
District 7
Regional Automatic Qualifier Predictions:
1. Kiowa
2. Simla
3. Elbert
Contenders:
4. Evangelical Christian
District 7 will get 3 teams into regionals and will compete against District 4 and 5 at Regionals. Kiowa stays as my pick to win the District 7 tournament. Kiowa improved to 7-0 on the season with solid wins over Cheyenne Wells and Deer Trail. Kiowa will move back out of league this weekend when they face Genoa-Hugo and Cripple Creek. The game to watch is when Kiowa will travel to face Simla on 2/4. Simla sits at 5-4 and this week they fell to 2A Limon. Simla will look to bounce back when they travel to face Cheraw. Simla has some key games next week within the district and will be a good week to watch how Simla does. Elbert holds onto the #3 spot just ahead of ECA. Elbert had an interesting loss last week to Flagler but have since bounced back beating Colorado D&B and Miami-Yoder. Elbert will move out of league this weekend when they face 2A Fountain Valley. Evangelical Christian I think is a contender for a top 3 spot. ECA is 6-3 currently but have only played 3 games in 2022. ECA will host Miami-Yoder tomorrow night but key games still remain for ECA in February.
District 8 (Only 2 teams get to Regionals)
Regional Automatic Qualifier Predictions:
1. Flatirons Academy
2. Front Range Baptist
Contenders:
3. Rocky Mountain Lutheran
4. Belleview Christian
District 8 gets just 2 teams into Regionals and will face District 1 at Regionals. District 8 has been tough to evaluate early on with teams playing non CHSAA schools or playing non-quality opponents. Flatirons Academy is the clear-cut favorite to win District 8. Flatirons Academy is 11-1 currently with their only loss to #1 Briggsdale. Flatirons Academy has cruised in 2022 and some games to keep an eye on are North Park on 1/31, Fleming on 2/12, Resurrection Christian on 2/14, and Lone Star on 2/15. Front Range Baptist moves into my #2 spot. Front Range Baptist picked up a solid 36-24 win over Belleview Christian. Front Range Baptist still must face contender Rocky Mountain Lutheran, but I think are on pace for a #2 seed. Rocky Mountain Lutheran and Belleview Christian are other contenders.
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