CLASS 3A VOLLEYBALL REPORT
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
The calendar has flipped to October and the postseason will be here before we know it. As league play gets even more intense, this week has some incredible match-ups in Class 3A. We take a look at some of those top contests, using the Tuesday morning release of the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index for reference.
TUESDAY
#2 PLATTE VALLEY VS 4A #5 UNIVERSITY
Platte Valley is unbeaten in the Patriot and trails #1 Eaton by a half game in the standings. University is right behind the Lady Broncos. Platte Valley has won seven straight and has only lost two sets in that run. Both were in a five-set win over #15 Forge Christian. University had been undefeated until dropping a league match to Eaton last Tuesday. The Lady Bulldogs got back on track by beating Liberty Common on Thursday.
#4 RESURRECTION CHRISTIAN VS #6 STERLING
Resurrection Christian sits fourth in the Patriot, half a game behind University, while Sterling is a half game back of the Lady Cougars in fifth. The Lady Cougars have won eight in a row since an early season loss to Platte Valley. The last five have been against teams in either 4A or 5A. Sterling has lost two of its last three, to Eaton and Platte Valley. After this match, the Lady Tigers only have one more against a team above them in the league standings.
#8 GUNNISON VS #9 CEDAREDGE
These are the only two teams in the Western Slope without a league loss. Gunnison has a half game lead over the Lady Bruins, so the winner will sit alone atop the standings. The Cowgirls have put four straight wins on the board, while Cedaredge has won nine consecutive. Only two of those have been sweeps. The Lady Bruins already own a win over third place Aspen, while Gunnison plays the Lady Skiers next week.
#12 PEAK TO PEAK VS #25 KENT DENVER
Peak to Peak is tied for the lead in the Metro with #11 Stargate School, while Kent Denver is in the cellar, having won only one set in four league matches. The Lady Pumas have won five straight since getting swept by Eaton three weeks ago, including victories over #13 Bennett and Forge Christian. Those were in tournament play, and Peak to Peak still has a league match with Forge Christian on the slate. The Lady Sun Devils have dropped seven in a row, four by sweep.
THURSDAY
#1 EATON AT #7 STRASBURG
Eaton has a good chance to be undefeated coming into this match, and pending the outcome of Tuesday’s match between Platte Valley and University, the Lady Reds could possibly be alone in first place in the Patriot. They have lost a total of seven sets on the season, only two in league play. Strasburg had won two in a row in front of Tuesday’s match at Brush, both by sweeps. The Lady Indians are sixth in the league, but counting this match will have meetings with three of the five teams ahead of them in the standings.
#2 PLATTE VALLEY AT #14 WINDSOR CHARTER ACADEMY
Windsor Charter finds itself in the bottom half of the Patriot standings, but the Lady Firebirds still have matches with three of the top five teams in the league. They’ve won three of their last four, with the lone loss coming against Eaton.
#3 LAMAR AT #17 BANNING LEWIS ACADEMY
Lamar is one game ahead of Colorado Springs Christian in the win column for the lead in the Tri-Peaks. The Lady Thunder have only lost two sets this season, and just one of those has been in league play. Banning Lewis is fourth, a game and a half out of the lead. The Lady Stallions have won three of their last four.
2A #3 COLORADO SPRINGS CHRISTIAN AT #20 SALIDA
CSCS sits right on the heels of Lamar in the Tri-Peaks and the Lady Lions have a huge match with the Lady Thunder next Tuesday. They most likely need to push their current four-match winning streak to seven to make that showdown for the league title. Salida has a match on Tuesday against a solid 1A La Veta and the Lady Spartans enter that contest having dropped three of their last five. They are ninth in the standings, but could shake things up with an upset of the Lady Lions.
#22 MIDDLE PARK AT #13 BENNETT
Middle Park owns a one game lead in the win column over Alameda atop the Frontier standings, with Bennett just one full game back of the Lady Panthers. Pending the results of Tuesday’s matches, Middle Park could be riding a six-match winning streak into the match-up. The Lady Tigers had won two straight heading into Tuesday’s meeting with 2A Limon.
FRIDAY
#10 THE VILLAGE AT THE NIKE TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
The Village will face some high level competition at the Nike Tournament of Champions, including Basha (AZ), Omaha (NE) Northwest, and Maricopa (AZ). The Lady Mountaineers will likely take an eight-match winning streak into that tournament. They’ve only dropped two sets in the streak ahead of Tuesday’s match against 4A Pueblo South.
ROOSEVELT TOURNAMENT
The Roosevelt tourney will include Fort Lupton, Loveland, Horizon, Prairie View, Riverdale Ridge, The Academy, and Resurrection Christian. It starts on Friday and continues on Saturday.
SATURDAY
#3 LAMAR AT FOWLER TOURNAMENT
Lamar steps out of league play for the Fowler tournament, which includes 2A programs Limon, Denver Christian, Vail Christian, and Fowler. Limon is the only one of those four under .500 on the season.
CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN INVITATIONAL
The Classical Academy (#26) will face off with 4A teams Cheyenne Mountain (#14) and Pueblo County (#12).
MileHigh Prep Report 