Class 1A Girls Basketball District Predictions Week 3
We are about 2 ½ weeks into the basketball season and we are nearing Christmas Break. We have a few big tournaments this weekend and plenty of season left. I am just giving a quick update to my preseason predictions but also, I will mention any big stories for teams. Remember Class 1A has changed the way to qualify for Regionals. You now must just be ranked inside the top 32 of the CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index to make it to Regionals or win your District. District winners also host if they are ranked inside the top 16 of the CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index. I have my regionals predictions at the end of the article. Those are my original predictions from the preseason.
District 1
1. Dove Creek
2. Nucla
3. North Park
4. De Beque
5. Caprock Academy
District 1 will be a combination of the 1A/2A Western Slope League and the 1A/2A San Juan League. Remember all District will be seeded by the CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index. Winning your district is the one way to guarantee your berth into the state tournament. Not a ton of changes to District 1. Dove Creek remains my pick to win the District. Dove Creek is 4-2 to start the year with the losses coming to 3A Ignacio and 3A Centauri. Dove Creek has been dominating against 2A and 1A opponents. They are competing in a tournament this weekend and face Dolores right of the bat. Nucla makes the biggest movement into the #2 spot. Nucla is playing good basketball and they fell in doublt OT to Hayden and by 2 to Mancos. Nucla also beat North Park by 30. Nucla is playing in a tournament this weekend and face Monticello UT. North Park is not off to the start I imagined losing every game by 25+ points. The face Weldon Valley Saturday and is a very important game for them to gain some momentum. De Beque and Caprock Academy are off to surprising 1 lose starts and could easily jump up higher in the district they face each other this weekend we will give us a early look at how is the top of those teams.
My predictions for District 1
District Champion: Dove Creek
Regional Contenders: Dove Creek, Nucla
District 2
1. Cheyenne Wells
2. Kit Carson
3. Granada
4. McClave
5. Cheraw
6. Wiley
7. Eads
District 2 will be a combination of the High Plains League and Arkansas Valley League. Remember all District will be seeded by the CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index. Winning your district is the one way to guarantee your berth into the state tournament. District 2 looks like it will be a slugfest and many teams will be looking for Regional spots. Most teams in the District have not played many in-state opponents so this upcoming weekends tournaments could give us their first real look. Cheyenne Wells is one of those teams. Cheyenne Wells has not played a in-state opponent but will when they play Briggsdale in the Idalia tournament. This will be a very big test for Cheyenne Wells and see how they match up against a top team in 1A. Kit Carson has played two in-state opponents but neither put up much of a challenge to Kit Carson. Kit Carson will be competing in the Lamar Holiday Shootout and face Eads in the first round. Granada has played just 1 game and they defeated 2A Crowley County 54-27. Granada will compete in the Lamar Holiday Shootout, and we will continue to learn about this team. McClave could be the team to make the biggest move after this weekends games. McClave defeated all three KS teams in the Border Battle and are 3-0. McClave as mentioned in my preseason poll is my dark horse pick and their opening three games have me ready to move them up. McClave will compete in the Lamar Holiday Shootout and face Wiley to open. Cheraw is the final team I want to mention. Cheraw is 4-1 to start the season and lost by just 2 points to Sangre De Cristo in the finals. Cheraw did bounce back nicely defeating ECA and Hanover. Cheraw will face Kim/Branson to close out 2022.
My predictions for District 2
District Champion: Cheyenne Wells
Regional Contenders: Cheyenne Wells, Kit Carson, Granada, McClave, Cheraw
District 3
1. Springfield
2. Kim/Branson
3. La Veta
4. South Baca
5. Walsh
6. Manzanola
7. Primero
District 3 will be a combination of the Arkansas Valley League and the Fishers Peak League. Remember all District will be seeded by the CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index. Winning your district is the one way to guarantee your berth into the state tournament. No big changes from my preseason predictions till now. Springfield remains my pick to win District 3 and they are off to a hot start at 4-0. Springfield will be competing in the Lamar Holiday Shootout and face Walsh to open the tournament. Kim/Branson is also off to a solid 3-1 start. Their best win is over Sierra Grande, and they will look to add to their resume when they host Cheraw Thursday. Kim/Branson closes 2022 with a game against Swink on Friday. La Veta is 1-2 to start the year and they have a early head to head win over South Baca. They have two big games against Hoehne on Thursday and Centennial on Saturday. We will learn if La Veta is a true regional contender after this weekend. South Baca may also remain a contender but are off to a 1-3 start. They will need a strong start in 2023 to get back into contention.
My predictions for District 3
League Champion: Springfield
Regional Contenders: Springfield, Kim/Branson, La Veta
District 4
1. Briggsdale
2. Fleming
3. Prairie
4. Weldon Valley
5. Longmont Christian
District 4 will be a combination of the North Central League and One team from the Mile High League. Remember all District will be seeded by the CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index. Winning your district is the one way to guarantee your berth into the state tournament. I believe that District 4 will be a two-horse race between Briggsdale and Fleming. Briggsdale is off to a 2-0 start with a nice win over 3A Yuma. Briggsdale will face another big test from Cheyenne Wells in the Idalia tournament. Fleming is off to a 3-0 start with a nice win over 2A Haxtun & Caliche. Fleming will face Flagler in a tournament this weekend. Prairie has moved higher up the board for a regional spot after a 3-1 start. Prairie has a quality win over Otis but face a much bigger test in the NJC Holiday Tournament this weekend.
League Champion: Briggsdale
Regional Contenders: Briggsdale, Fleming, Prairie
District 5
1. Stratton
2. Idalia
3. Otis
4. Hi-Plains
5. Arickaree
6. Lone Star
7. Flagler
8. Bethune
District 5 will be a combination of the YWKC and the Upper Plains League. Remember all District will be seeded by the CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index. Winning your district is the one way to guarantee your berth into the state tournament. So far, I would say that District 5 is very much up in the air at this point. Stratton and Idalia are off to the best starts so far. Stratton will face Otis for the second time this Friday. Idalia will get Longmont Christian this Friday in a tournament. The rest of the district is still very much up for grabs including the top 2 spots. Plenty of big games remain and it’s hard to separate these teams at all. Otis as mentioned will face Stratton for the second time this season on Friday but also face Weldon Valley on Thursday. Arickaree will face undefeated Deer Trail tonight before a tournament on Friday and Saturday where they open against Gilpin County. Lone Star will end 2022 with a league game against Hi-Plains on Friday. Hi-Plains as mentioned will face Lone Star and end 2022 against Genoa-Hugo. Flagler will get Genoa-Hugo on Thursday before kicking off a tournament against Fleming. Bethune will face Elbert to end 2022. As mentioned, I really think District 5 is up for grabs and we will see how 2022 ends.
My predictions for District 5
League Champion: Stratton
Regional Contenders: Stratton, Otis, Idalia
District 6
1. Sangre De Cristo
2. Sierra Grande
3. Centennial
4. Moffat
5. Antonito
6. Lake City
7. Creede
District 2 will be the Southern Peaks 1A League. Remember all District will be seeded by the CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index. Winning your district is the one way to guarantee your berth into the state tournament. A few changes in District 6. Sangre De Cristo remains my pick to win the District and they are off to a 5-0 start. Sangre De Cristo, I feel has yet to play their best basketball and they will need to playing in a tournament this weekend. They open against a very solid Simla team. Sierra Grande remains my pick to finish in second. Sierra Grande is 2-2 to start the season with losses coming to Springfield and Kim/Branson. Sierra Grande will face Crowley County in the Center tournament this weekend and could be their first quality win of the season. Centennial makes the jump into the #3 spot. Centennial is 2-1 to start the season. Centennial is looking for a key win and they face La Veta Saturday and that could be the win they need. Moffat falls to the #4 spot, and they could fall further depending on this weekend. Moffat is 0-5 to start the season including losses to Cripple Creek and South Park. Moffat needs a boost this weekend before heading to Christmas Break.
My predictions for District 6
League Champion: Sangre De Cristo
Regional Contenders: Sangre De Cristo, Sierra Grande, Moffat
District 7
1. Kiowa
2. Deer Trail
3. Genoa-Hugo
4. Hanover
5. Pikes Peak Christian
6. Miami-Yoder
7. Cripple Creek
District 7 will be a combination of the Black Forest League, Upper Plains League, and West Central League. Remember all District will be seeded by the CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index. Winning your district is the one way to guarantee your berth into the state tournament. Kiowa is my pick to win the District 7 tournament and they will be the heavy favorite in this District. Kiowa is off to a solid 5-0 start with quality wins over Elbert and ECA. Kiowa I believe is done for 2022 and they open 2023 with a bang against Kit Carson. Deer Trail jumps into the #2 spot. Deer Trail is 3-0 to start the season including wins over Pikes Peak Christian and Cripple Creek. Deer Trail faces a huge test tonight against Arickaree. Genoa-Hugo slides into the #3 spot. Genoa-Hugo is 1-2 to start the season and they beat Hanover. Genoa-Hugo will face Flagler and Hi-Plains to end 2022. Hanover, Pikes Peak Christian, Miami-Yoder, and Cripple Creek have plenty of questions and we will see if we can answer them more before making more changes to District 7.
My predictions for District 7
League Champion: Kiowa
Regional Contenders: Kiowa, Deer Trail, Genoa-Hugo
District 8
1. Flatirons Academy
2. Belleview Christian
3. Rocky Mountain Lutheran
4. Front Range Baptist
5. Mile High Academy
6. Denver Waldorf
7. Denver Jewish Day
District 8 is the 5280 League. Remember all District will be seeded by the CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index. Winning your district is the one way to guarantee your berth into the state tournament. Flatirons Academy is my pick to win District 8 and I am not sure who challenges them in this District. Flatirons Academy is the early favorite to repeat as Class 1A State Champions. Flatirons Academy already has quality win over 3A Strasburg, 2A Byers, 2A Gilpin County, and 2A Merino. Flatirons Academy will be taking place in a tournament this weekend. After Christmas Flatirons Academy will face 4A Resurrection Christian! Belleview Christian looks to be the main challenger in District 8. Belleview Christian has stumbled against top teams but sit a 2-3 heading into the Denver Christian Tournament. Rocky Mountain Lutheran, Front Range Baptist, and Mile High Academy all look to try and improve this season and make moves up the standings so far plenty of question marks remain for those teams.
My predictions for District 8
League Champion: Flatirons Academy
Regional Contenders: Flatirons Academy, Belleview Christian,
Regional Predictions
I am going to pick the 32 teams I think qualify for Regionals. Remember to qualify for Regionals you either need to win your District or be in the top 32 of the CHSAA Seeding & Selection Index after Districts.
District 1
Dove Creek, North Park, Nucla
District 2
Cheyenne Wells, Kit Carson, Granada, McClave, Cheraw
District 3
Springfield, Kim/Branson, La Veta, South Baca
District 4
Briggsdale, Fleming, Prairie
District 5
Stratton, Otis, Lone Star, Arickaree, Idalia
District 6
Sangre De Cristo, Sierra Grande, Centennial
District 7
Kiowa, Deer Trail, Genoa-Hugo
District 8
Flatirons Academy, Belleview Christian, Rocky Mountain Lutheran, Front Range Baptist
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