CLASS 1A GIRLS BASKETBALL DAILY DIGEST – FEB. 24TH by Kerry Sherman

CLASS 1A GIRLS BASKETBALL DAILY DIGEST – FEB. 24TH

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

One automatic qualifier into regionals was awarded last night, and the rest of the field should be known by the end of tonight. South Baca is the first team officially into the bracket, and the Lady Patriots will have a lot of company in a matter of hours.

DISTRICT ONE (GAMES AT OLATHE HS)

It’s round two for #1 Dove Creek and #2 De Beque, with the winner collecting the District 1 title. De Beque won a tight 41-38 contest back on Dec. 8^th, overcoming an 8-1 first quarter deficit. Allyson Sandidge had 17 points for the Lady Dragons, and Ava Vines pulled down 15 rebounds. Ralynn Hickman had 15 points to lead the Lady Bulldogs.

Dove Creek locks up a hosting spot in regionals with a win, as the Lady Bulldogs open the day sitting seventh in the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index. It’s not as cut and dried for the Lady Dragons, as they began the day 19^th. A victory may not be quite enough to climb into the top-16. Starting today at 24^th, Nucla also appears to be safely locked into a regional berth.

DISTRICT TWO (GAMES AT LAMAR COMMUNITY BUILDING)

Action begins with a third place game between two teams safely in the regional field, as the #2 seeded Eads Lady Eagles tangle with #4 Kit Carson. Eads won the regular season meeting 44-42 early last month. The Lady Eagles got double-doubles from Lexi Shotton (15 points, 11 rebounds) and Anna Wollert (13 points, 12 rebounds), as well as 12 points from Bailey Sierra. Kit Carson was led by freshman Avery Johnson’s 19 points, and Payge Booker-Rady added 10 points.

The championship clash has #1 McClave scrapping with #3 Cheyenne Wells. With both teams inside the top-10, the winner is guaranteed a regional hosting spot. The Lady Cards won the first match-up of the season last month, 57-29, thanks to a 17-1 first quarter. Abrielle Gomez went for 20 points, while Ashlynn Steinbrunn and Zoe Martinez added 15 and 12, respectively. Aubry Carroll was the lone Lady Tiger in double figures, scoring 11 points. Shaylee Scheler tallied eight.

Not only will all four of these teams, all inside the top-10, represent the district in regionals, but so will Granada (22^nd) and Cheraw (23^rd). Only Wiley (36^th) looks like it will be left out of the bracket.

DISTRICT THREE

The rubber match between #1 South Baca and #2 Springfield was everything you could hope for, going down to the final horn. South Baca eked out a 36-35 victory to win the district title. With the Lady Patriots 13^th in the Seeding Index this morning, they will host a regional pod next weekend. Springfield (15^th) and Kim/Branson (26^th) are also going to be in the field of 32. La Veta (32^nd) will have some stressful hours while the bracket is finalized. Kim/Branson beat the Lady Redhawks 36-28 to take third place.

DISTRICT FOUR (GAMES AT NORTHEASTERN JUNIOR COLLEGE)

Top-seeded Briggsdale (4^th) takes on #3 Prairie (12^th) for the title this afternoon, and either would host a regional pod with a win. Jenna Krise powered Briggsdale to a 47-37 victory over the Lady Mustangs last weekend, scoring 34 points. Hannah Kugler and Emily Andrews had 13 apiece for Prairie.

Fleming (9^th) will join the two finalists in the next round, while Weldon Valley (33^rd) finds itself in a similar situation as La Veta, playing the wait and see game.

DISTRICT FIVE (GAMES AT BRUSH HS)

As expected, it’s the top two seeds meeting for the crown in District 5. Top-seeded Stratton beat #2 Idalia twice during the season, 47-21 at the Akron Holiday Tournament and 47-41 last Thursday. Sedonia Isenbart went for 18 points, 10 rebounds, and seven steals in the first meeting, and her cousin, Sophia Isenbart added 13 points. Krista Wieser tallied nine points and five rebounds for Idalia.

Idalia had a 24-18 lead at halftime last week, but Stratton came out in the third quarter and regained the lead with a 15-5 edge in the frame. Sophia Isenbart and Camory Wedel both had 15 points for the Lady Eagles, while Wieser and Jaylyn Kechter both had 12 points and combined for 22 rebounds for the Lady Wolves.

Both of the finalists are in line to host regionals with a win. Stratton started the day third and Idalia was fifth. They will be joined in the field of 32 by Hi-Plains (16^th), Otis (18^th), Arickaree (20^th), Lone Star (27^th), and most likely Flagler (28^th).

DISTRICT SIX (GAMES AT CENTAURI HS)

There’s a chance that the winner of District 6 misses out on hosting a regional pod, as the #1 seed, Sangre de Cristo began the day sitting 17^th in the Seeding Index. Third-seed Sierra Grande is 30^th. The Lady Panthers are on the bubble, as is the team they beat in the semifinals, Creede (31^st).

Sierra Grande won the regular season clash two weeks ago, 48-46, thanks to a 19-6 fourth quarter. Jaylyn Quezada led all scorers with 29 points, and Alexia Gonzalez added 16 for the Lady Panthers. Presley Wilson had 16 for the Lady Thunderbirds, who also got 15 from Jaydra Cordova.

DISTRICT SEVEN (GAMES AT LIMON HS)

Today’s third place game could be incredibly big for both teams participating in it. Hanover (29^th) holds down one of the final spots in the regional bracket, while Pikes Peak Christian (35^th) needs a win and quite a bit of help to get into the field. A loss by the Lady Hornets could drop them outside of the bubble and sitting at home next weekend.

Those two teams have already met twice this season, and both games were barnburners. Hanover won 34-32 late last month, behind a combined 30 points from Lavana Sweazy (11), Savanna Bannister (10), and Aspen Combs (9). Rebecca Thomas led the Lady Eagles with 11 points and 10 steals. Last Thursday, the Lady Hornets used an 11-7 fourth quarter to pull out a 37-36 win. Sweazy led Hanover with 16 points, while Sarah Harris and Bella Fletcher each had a dozen for Pikes Peak Christian.

The championship pairing of #1 Kiowa (14^th) and #2 Genoa-Hugo/Karval (25^th) will both be in the regional round, but the question is if either will finish inside the top-16 and host next weekend. There is a chance that Kiowa could lose ground, even with a victory.

The Lady Indians escaped with a 44-43 victory when these two met last month. They had to work overtime to get the dub. Jordan Perreault (15 points), Paola Vidales (13 points, 15 rebounds), and Lauryn Moorehead (12 points) did most of the damage for Kiowa. Chiara Pasquetti was the lone Lady Pirate in double figures with 17 points, but Rylee Kelly (9) and Rylee Corn (8) combined for 17 more.

DISTRICT EIGHT (GAMES AT ENGLEWOOD HS)

Three of the four teams playing today are locked in for the field of 32 next week, with finalists Flatirons Academy (2^nd) and Rocky Mountain Lutheran (11^th) both in position to host with a win tonight. Mile High Academy (21^st) will join them in the bracket, but Front Range Baptist (34^th) most likely needs to win the third place game and get a little bit of help to get in.

Front Range Baptist worked out a 44-40 overtime victory in the regular season meeting with Mile High Academy. Katie Jacques led the Lady Falcons with 17 points, and Libby Ciccone had a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds. Addie Dodds paced the Lady Mustangs with 23 points, while Delanie Prowant had a double-double of 11 points and 12 boards.

Flatirons Academy dominated the Lady Eagles in their meeting last month, taking a 62-21 victory. Emma Cox pumped in 24 points for the Lady Bison, and Emily Dehaan flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 11 points, eight assists, and eight steals. Sophia Thiel (8) and Ginny Shade (7) combined for 15 points to lead Rocky Mountain Lutheran.