CLASS 1A VOLLEYBALL REPORT
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
In just over a week, the regular season will be finished and the postseason brackets will be released. Before that happens, we get some incredible late season match-ups in Class 1A, starting with this weekend. Once again, the rankings we use come from the latest release of the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.

FRIDAY

2 IDALIA (19-2) AT #4 FLEMING (15-3)

It’s non-league, but there’s plenty of recent history between these two. This will be the fourth meeting
between the two in the past four years, with Fleming having won two. Idalia, the YWKC league champ, took a four-set victory last year. Fleming locked up the North Central crown last week. This match could have sizable impact on the postseason seeding.

3 STRATTON (16-3) VS #23 PRAIRIE (9-10)

Stratton sealed its Union Pacific title by beating Burlington on Tuesday night. Prairie currently owns a postseason spot, but a league champion is sitting outside of the top-24, meaning the Lady Mustangs would be knocked out if they don’t move up a spot before the end of the regular season.

14 LA VETA (13-6) AT 2A #17 SANFORD (13-6)

There’s still an outside shot of reaching a regional hosting spot for La Veta, and it starts with an inter-
classification contest at Sanford. A win would be a big boost to those chances for the Lady Redhawks. It
won’t be an easy task, as the Lady Mustangs have won their last three matches. This part of the Rye
Tournament, in which La Veta will also see 4A #38 Pueblo Central, as well as the hosts, who are #10 in
2A.

26 FLAGLER (9-11) AT #20 WELDON VALLEY (7-11)

Just over a week ago, it looked like Flagler had zero shot at making the bracket. A hot streak now has the Lady Panthers just outside the bubble. A win on the road could make the final week interesting, with two league champions sitting between them and the final spot in regionals. Weldon Valley has a brutal
schedule in the final week, so getting a win here would be a nice springboard into a slate that has four matches in five days.
SATURDAY

1 MERINO (18-1) VS #3 STRATTON (16-3)

Merino locked up the LPAA title on Tuesday night with a win over Caliche. It was a night of milestones
for the Lady Rams, as head coach Christin Sutter earned the 200th victory of her career, and Brooklyn Sutter became the Class 1A career record holder for assists, topping 3500. She’s one of only five players in state history to surpass that number. Merino has won five of the last six meetings, all coming in the Stratton Bash. This is the first best of five match between them in the MaxPreps era.

FLEMING TRIANGULAR
Fleming hosts #8 Cheraw and 2A #1 Simla in one of the most interesting triangulars this season. All three are going to host regionals in two weeks, but this could shake up the Seeding Index in a big way. Cheraw has the most to gain. If the Lady Wolverines can win of their matches, a move into the top-five is possible.

7 DOVE CREEK (19-1) AT 2A #24 IGNACIO (13-7)

For Dove Creek, a win means the San Juan Basin title. The Lady Bulldogs swept Ignacio in September,
early in what has become a 16-match winning streak. They are already locked in as a regional host, but it’s always nice to add a league championship to the resume.