CLASS 3A VOLLEYBALL REPORT
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
As the season enters its penultimate week in Class 3A, we want to take a look at how the current CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index breaks down. Several teams have locked up regional hosting spots, about half a dozen more are fighting for what appears to be three spots, and the bottom end of the bracket is close to seeing its final qualifiers.
REGIONAL HOSTS
The top eight teams in the current Seeding Index are pretty solid locks to host regional pods, with Platte Valley, Eaton, Alamosa, Lamar, Resurrection Christian, The Village, Sterling, and Gunnison all having sizable leads over the next group in the standings. Entering play on Tuesday, #8 Gunnison held a lead of close to .04 points over #9 Stargate School.
Stargate School is .032 ahead of #10 Strasburg, which looks to be large enough to put them in as a host at this time. It starts to tighten up considerably after that. Strasburg’s lead over #11 Peak to Peak is just .0022, and Peak to Peak is about .018 in front of #12 Bennett.
Things really start getting interesting between Bennett and Bayfield for what could be the final hosting spot. The gap between the Lady Tigers and Lady Wolverines is .000084, so those two could easily flip positions. The Academy, currently #14 in the Index, appears to be the last team in the mix for that final hosting position. The Lady Wildcats are just a bit more than .012 behind Bayfield, and .031 ahead of #15 Middle Park.
LAST TEAMS IN
With all potential league winners (of leagues with at least five teams) already safely in the top-36 of the Index, the final few spots should go to at large teams. The lowest of them is DSST: Conservatory Green out of the City. The Lady Green Hornets are currently 34th, but should they drop out of the top-36 at the end of the regular season, they would bump the team holding that 36th position. That final spot is currently occupied by Jefferson Academy.
The gap between #30 KIPP Denver Collegiate and #33 Prospect Ridge Academy is just .007, with DSST: Montview and Kent Denver sandwiched in between. DSST: Conservatory Green is right on the heels of PRA, sitting .0014 back.
The next gap is a bit larger, with DSST: CG leading STEM Highlands Ranch by .008. That feels too big to overcome in less than two weeks, but you never know how things will shake out down the stretch. Jefferson Academy is another .0013 back.
It looks like the biggest challengers for that final spot are Eagle Ridge Academy (-0.020), Woodland Park (-0.024), and North Fork (-0.030).
KEY MATCHES THIS WEEK
Prospect Ridge Academy at Kent Denver (TUESDAY)
Jefferson Academy at The Academy (WEDNESDAY)
KIPP Denver Collegiate at Rangeview (WEDNESDAY)
DSST: Conservatory Green at Northfield (WEDNESDAY)
STEM School HR at Sheridan (THURSDAY)
Stargate School at Jefferson Academy (FRIDAY)
Eagle Ridge Academy at The Academy (FRIDAY)
MileHigh Prep Report 