CLASS 1A BOYS BASKETBALL REPORT
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
With less than a month before regionals, teams that are not in the hunt for their respective league titles are working on improving their positioning in the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index. This week, we take a look at teams currently sitting 27th through 37th in the latest release of the metric. The field of 32 will be set after play on March 1st.
#27 PRAIRIE
With only one league loss, and one league game remaining, Prairie is still technically alive in the race for the North Central crown. However, the Mustangs need to beat #45 Weldon Valley later in the month, and then get some help after their one point loss to #9 Peetz a couple weeks back. The Mustangs are out of NCL play on Saturday against #25 Eads and Tuesday against #29 Caliche. Both are at home.
#28 KIT CARSON
A four-game losing streak had negatively impacted the postseason hopes of the Wildcats, who still have High Plains league games against #6 Cheyenne Wells and #1 McClave. The first of those two comes on Friday on the road. That’s followed by a tussle with #33 Idalia on Saturday, also on the road.
#29 CALICHE
The lone 1A member of the LPAA, Caliche takes a two-game winning streak into Friday’s contest with 2A #19 Holyoke. The Buffs lost an earlier meeting against the Dragons 48-37. A split of the season series would likely move the Buffs up several spots in the Index. That’s the first of four games in five days, as Caliche also hosts #56 Deer Trail and #7 Denver Waldorf, before visiting Prairie next Tuesday.
#30 HANOVER
Following a three-game skid with consecutive wins, the Hornets are still on the regional bubble. They host #3 Primero on Friday and then hit the road for a Black Forest league game with #23 Miami-Yoder on Saturday. The Hornets will also host #58 CSDB next Wednesday.
#31 WILEY
Having lost five of the last seven, Wiley finds itself directly on the bubble with a trip to #54 Manzanola on Friday before hosting Cheyenne Wells on Saturday. The Panthers also have a game next Wednesday against #42 Flagler.
#32 NORTH PARK
If the season ended today, the Wildcats would be the last team in the bracket. But, with just short of a month left, they have time to climb the Index. That begins with a potential season sweep of 2A #51 Hayden on Friday. North Park will also host 2A #36 Caprock Academy on Saturday. Both games are part of the Western Slope schedule.
#33 IDALIA
The Wolves have lost five of six heading into Thursday’s YWKC league contest at #41 Bethune. However, they pushed #20 Arickaree/Woodlin to the end last Friday while playing without two starters, falling 47-38. After the trip to Bethune, the Wolves will host 2A #32 Burlington on Friday and Kit Carson on Saturday.
#34 OURAY
Like the team ahead of them in the Index, the Trojans hit the weekend having lost five of their last six. They’ll play three games in five days, as the schedule gets compacted late in the season. That stretch begins with 2A #43 Dolores on Friday and 2A #55 Mancos on Saturday. The run ends on Tuesday against 3A #43 Olathe.
#35 CENTENNIAL
The Rams begin play on Friday having won three of the last four, but they’re just 3-5 since the calendar flipped to 2025. Road trips to #2 Sierra Grande and #52 Antonito are on tap for the weekend. Manzanola visits on Tuesday.
#36 SPRINGFIELD
After a season-opening win, the Longhorns dropped nine straight. Now, they’re streaking in the other direction, having won their last four. Springfield will put that streak on the line Friday against Ark Valley foe Walsh (#38). The Longhorns will host Flagler on Saturday and Stanton County (KS) on Tuesday.
#37 LONE STAR
The third place team in the YWKC, trailing #4 Otis and Arickaree/Woodlin, Lone Star took a two-game losing streak into play on Thursday against Potter-Dix (NE). The Longhorns get Friday off before visiting Bethune on Saturday in a league tilt. They will also host Otis next Tuesday.
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