CLASS 1A VOLLEYBALL REPORT
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
Just three weeks remain in the regular season and the back end of the schedule is loaded with huge match-ups in Class 1A. We’re taking a look at some of those key matches that are slated for the first half of the week. All rankings come from the Tuesday morning release of the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index. These are not all of the contests featuring teams in the top-24, but the ones that have the chance to really change the seeding down the stretch.
TUESDAY
#2 IDALIA (15-2) AT 2A #22 BURLINGTON (10-6)
Idalia took down Sedgwick County in three sets on Saturday, knocking the Lady Cougars out of the top spot in 2A. The Lady Wolves will try to add a win against another set of Lady Cougars from 2A when they visit Burlington on Tuesday night. Burlington started the season 6-0, but has struggled to string wins together since. They dropped four straight prior to beating Kiowa to take seventh place at the Stratton Bash last Tuesday.
#3 FLEMING (13-2) AT 2A #10 HAXTUN (11-5)
These neighbors have met 16 times since the start of the 2007 season. Fleming is 14-2 in those previous match-ups, but both of Haxtun’s wins have come in the last five outings. Fleming is on the verge of locking up the North Central title, and can grab a share of that on Thursday against #21 Prairie, who swept Haxtun on Monday night.
#4 STRATTON (14-2) AT 2A #28 BYERS (6-10)
Stratton won the title of its annual tournament last Saturday, beating #11 Hi-Plains for the crown. It was the fifth straight championship for the Lady Eagles, who can secure a share of the Union Pacific title with a road win at Byers. Byers is one of the teams right behind Stratton in the league standings, along with Burlington, who they will play next Tuesday.
#5 OTIS (14-4) VS #18 WELDON VALLEY (6-9)
Otis takes the floor for the first time since beating Stratton in four sets last Friday. That win gave the Lady Bulldogs three straight victories and Ws in 11 of their last 12. The lone blemish was a three-set loss to Fleming. Weldon Valley is just 2-5 in the last seven outings, with a five-setter to #26 Caliche as the only loss to a team not currently in the postseason bracket.
#11 HI-PLAINS (11-7) AT #14 GENOA-HUGO/KARVAL (11-7)
Both of these teams are fighting for a chance to host a regional as one of the top-12 teams in the final Seeding Index release in three weeks. Hi-Plains took out Burlington in three sets and #9 Cheraw in two to reach the finals of the Stratton Bash. The Lady Patriots lost the championship to the hosts in three. Genoa-Hugo/Karval beat #24 Lone Star to open that tournament, before falling to Stratton in two and Cheraw in three. Counting this match-up, only two of the remaining matches for the Lady Pirates are against teams currently in the postseason bracket.
#15 LA VETA (11-5) AT 2A #29 CUSTER COUNTY (11-5)
The Lady Redhawks are pretty close to having a regional berth sewn up, but still have an outside shot at hosting a bracket. They had won two straight before falling to 2A #25 Buena Vista in four sets last Thursday. This is one of two important road trips this week for La Veta, as a visit to #34 Springfield awaits on Thursday. Custer County has already surpassed last season’s win total by three and the Lady Bobcats sit atop the West Central.
#24 LONE STAR (8-9) VS #30 ARICKAREE/WOODLIN (8-11)
#25 SOUTH BACA (12-7) AT #39 HOLLY (7-10)
#26 CALICHE (6-8) VS #32 AKRON (6-11)
We group these three matches together for a couple of reasons. First, they are all league matches, the top one in the YWKC, middle in the Ark Valley, and the final one in the LPAA. Of the three, South Baca is in line to win its league, earning an automatic spot into the postseason. If that happens, Lone Star is the team that would get bumped for the final spot in the regional field. It makes for an exciting Tuesday night on the Eastern Plains.
WEDNESDAY
#12 FLATIRONS ACADEMY (14-3) VS 2A #43 DAWSON SCHOOL (8-8)
Flatirons shares the lead in the Mile High with 2A #9 Heritage Christian, and the Lady Bison also occupy the final hosting position in 1A. Their showdown with the co-leaders isn’t until the final regular season match, but they can keep the pressure on with a win here. Dawson School is down the standings in the league, and currently outside of the postseason in 2A, but the Lady Mustangs could make a huge move with an upset.
#22 DE BEQUE (10-6) AT #28 PLATEAU VALLEY (7-9)
Plateau Valley’s postseason hopes just might hang in the balance here. A win, and the Cowgirls get into contention for one of the final spots, and hurt the chances of the Lady Dragons. Conversely, De Beque solidifies its spot in the field with a win, while also putting a pretty serious ding in the possibility of the Western Slope foe making the bracket.
THURSDAY
#3 FLEMING AT #21 PRAIRIE
As noted earlier, Fleming can secure a piece of the title in the NCL with a win here. Prairie is looking to play spoiler and also help improve its postseason seeding. Fleming swept the first meeting three weeks ago.
#22 DE BEQUE VS 2A #15 CAPROCK ACADEMY (14-1)
With a win on Wednesday, De Beque would only be a game back of the tri-leaders in the Western Slope. They keep their slim league title hopes alive with another win on Thursday. Caprock is one victory away from matching the program’s highest total, set last season.
MileHigh Prep Report 