MileHigh Prep Report Class 3A Girls Basketball Preseason Rankings
Note: I am just going to quickly give the rankings and a quick breakdown of what they are returning. I will be doing my District/League Predictions for Class 1A thru 3A later in the week. Practice is underway today and games kickoff for Basketball December 2nd.
Class 3A
| Rank | Team | Notes |
| #1 | C.S Christian Defending State Champions | C.S Christian is your Class 3A defending State Champions. They had a perfect season last year in rout to winning the title. C.S Christian will return plenty of talent to repeat as champions but do lose their #1 scorer. C.S Christian will look to Rose Ross (9.9 ppg), and Abigail Perry (5.7 ppg) to lead C.S Christian to a title defense. |
| #2 | Resurrection Christian Lost in the Final Four to Holy Family (4A) | Resurrection Christian moves from Class 4A down to Class 3A and bring with them a loaded roster to compete right away. Resurrection Christian lose their #2 scorer but return the rest of their roster. Olivia Klein (16.7 ppg) will be the leader and will look for Callie Gillespie (7.5 ppg) and Lysette Baatz (6.0 pg) to take steps forward this season. |
| #3 | Yuma Lost in the Final Four to Peyton | Yuma lost in the Final Four to Peyton but finished in 3rd place. Yuma will bring back a very young roster and this team could be a threat to win it all this year. Yuma lose their #2 scorer. Yuma does return Jade Lungwitz (8.2 ppg), Alina Moran (7.3 ppg), and Taryn Sheffield (4.4 ppg). |
| #4 | Centauri Lost in the Elite 8 to Yuma | Centauri lost in the Elite 8 to Yuma in a close game. Centauri will bring back nearly their entire roster losing just 1 senior from a year ago. Hannah Curtis (10.6 ppg), Braelyn Tucker (8.6 ppg), and Joselyn McCarroll (6.5 ppg) look to be the leaders this season for Centauri. |
| #5 | St. Mary’s Lost in the Final 4 to C.S Christian | St. Mary’s took 4th place last year falling in the Final Four to C.S Christian and the 3rd place game to Yuma. St. Mary’s will have to find a new top scorer but bring back Jaela Pedro (12.5 ppg) and Sydney Ramirez (12.2 ppg). Depth will have to step up this season if St. Mary’s plans on making a deep run. |
| #6 | Denver Christian Made State Tournament went 1-2 (2A) | Denver Christian had a successful season last year in Class 2A. Denver Christian went 1-2 at the State Tournament but looked to be a team that would be a threat next year. Denver Christian moves into Class 3A and should be a contender right away. Denver Christian returns their entire roster including their top 5 scorers. Kamiree Fuller (15.1 ppg) and Noelani Book (12.6 ppg) are back to lead the Thunder into Class 3A. |
| #7 | Wiggins Made State Tournament went 1-2 (2A) | Wiggins finished in 4th place in Class 2A last year going 1-2 in the state tournament. Wiggins if fully healthy should be a huge threat in Class 3A right away. Kennedy Kerr (13.4 ppg) and Riley Hunt (10.8 ppg) will be the leaders my biggest concern for Wiggins is depth scoring. |
| #8 | Strasburg Lost in the Elite 8 to Peyton | Strasburg made it to the Elite 8 last year falling to Peyton. Strasburg will have a few holes to fill losing their top scorer and some key bench players. Strasburg will look for Natalie Damron (11.3 ppg) and Peighton Marrero (11.0 ppg) to step up and be leaders, but the bench will have to step up this year. |
| #9 | Highland Lost in the Elite 8 to C.S Christian | Highland reached the Elite 8 last season before falling to C.S Christian. Highland will be looking to reload this year. Highland will have to replace their #2 thru #4 scorers but with key leadership back in Briza Flores (18.3 ppg) they should still be a contender. |
| #10 | Roaring Fork Lost in Sweet 16 to Highland | Roaring Fork found some success last season qualifying for the State Tournament and winning one game advancing to the Sweet 16. Roaring Fork will return nearly their entire roster losing their #5 scorer. Roaring Fork returns Carly Crownhart (18.1 ppg), Riley Bevington (10.4 ppg), and Nikki Tardif (8.6 ppg). Roaring Fork should see big improvements this year. |
| #11 | Platte Valley Lost in the Sweet 16 to Strasburg | Platte Valley had one of the bigger opening round upsets last year defeating Bennett in the opening round. Platte Valley was young last season and lose just one senior who was the #3 scorer. Platte Valley returns Lauryn Uyemura (11.3 ppg) and Alyssa Salazar (7.8 ppg). More depth will need to step up but the Broncos should be a threat again this year. |
| #12 | Cedaredge Lost in the Sweet 16 to Centauri | Cedaredge had success last season reaching the State Tournament and winning a game but falling short of the Elite 8. Cedaredge will look to build off last season and they should losing just 1 of their top 7 scorers. Carely Malinowski (13.3 ppg) is back for the Bruins, but other players must step up around her this year. |
| #13 | Salida Lost in the Sweet 16 to Grand Valley | Salida reached the Sweet 16 last season falling to Grand Valley in that round. Salida had a lot of inexperience last season, and they will look to build off the success they had. Braeden Johnson (11.8 ppg) is back for the Spartans, but no other player scored over 7 ppg last year and that must improve if Salida wants to advance farther this year. |
| #14 | Vanguard Lost in the First Round to Ignacio | Vanguard entered the state tournament as the #11 seed but was upset in the first round by Ignacio. Vanguard will return 4 of their top 5 scorers but lose their #1 scorer from a year ago. Jordyn Christensen (10.5 ppg) and Lily Blanchard (8.9 ppg) are back for Vanguard, but more depth will have to step up this year. |
| #15 | Brush Lost in the First Round to Yuma | Brush reached the State Tournament last season falling in the first round to Yuma. Brush was young last season, and they will lean on a group of seniors this year to help make a deeper playoff run. Jocelynn Middlemist (10.0 ppg) and Brisa Aguirre-Garcia (7.3 ppg) are both back to lead the Beatdiggers. |
| #16 | Monte Vista Lost at Regionals to Wray | Monte Vista makes the move back into Class 3A this season after finding plenty off success last season but falling short of the state tournament at Wray. Monte Vista will return key pieces in Allessah Archuleta (9.5 ppg) and Heysenny Beltran (8.5 ppg) but the Pirates will be searching for more depth to take key steps forward this season. |
| Teams to Watch for: | Forge Christian, Ellicott, Jefferson, North Fork, Bennett, SkyView Academy, Buena Vista, Meeker, Ignacio, Prospect Ridge, Peyton, St. Mary’s Academy, Windsor Charter, Grand Valley, Rye |
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