CLASS 1A GIRLS BASKETBALL REPORT
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
The regular season is in its final weeks, and the remaining games will click off in a hurry. Opportunities to earn a spot in the 32-team regional bracket will diminish with each passing day. Outside of winning a league title outright, the only way to get into the bracket is through the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.
There’s been little change in the top-10 of the Index over the last two weeks, with McClave, Stratton, Eads, Briggsdale, and Idalia occupying spots one through five. We’ll turn our attention to the teams sitting 27-37, as they are in the mix to be last in or out.
#27 COTOPAXI
The Lady Pirates have games with #47 Moffat on Thursday and 2A #11 Center. Since losing three in a row, Cotopaxi has won three straight. Wednesday night, they dominated Antonito 52-15. A win on Saturday would provide a huge boost to their hopes of making the regional field.
#28 LONE STAR
Lone Star took a two-game slide into Thursday’s game with out-of-state opponent Leyton (NE). The Lady Longhorns are looking for a strong finish in the YWKC league, with games at #35 Bethune on Saturday and at home against #15 Otis. They need to hold serve against Bethune and hope for an upset next Tuesday to improve their positioning in the Index.
#29 SOUTH BACA
South Baca is part of the logjam behind Springfield in the Arkansas Valley. The Lady Patriots host one of the other teams in that mix, #30 Holly, on Saturday. They lost the third place game of the RL Ballard Invitational to the Lady Wildcats back in early December by a 36-28 count. They’ve lost three of four heading into that rematch. Next Monday, the Lady Patriots travel to Bethune for a rescheduled contest from a few weeks back.
#30 HOLLY
Like South Baca, the Lady Wildcats also go into the rematch on Saturday trending in the wrong direction. Holly has lost two straight and six of the last eight. They will also travel to 3A #22 Peyton next Wednesday.
#31 CENTENNIAL
One of the few teams in this portion of the Index riding a hot streak, Centennial has won three in a row going into Friday’s Southern Peaks clash at #23 Sierra Grande. The league lead is on the line in that contest. The Lady Rams go right from that to another big road game in the league, visiting #52 Antonito on Saturday.
#32 CREEDE
Creede remains in the mix in the Southern Peaks, with the Lady Miners only having one league loss. They get their shot at Centennial next Friday, but have this weekend off. Their return to action is ext Thursday against Moffat.
#33 ELBERT
With last week’s loss to #17 Flagler, the Lady Bulldogs have dropped two in a row and three of their last four. A loss to #7 Evangel Christian in that run likely left an at large berth as the only path into the regional bracket for Elbert. The Lady Bulldogs have a stretch of three games in five days, beginning with 2A #37 Kiowa on Thursday. That’s followed by a Saturday night clash with #26 Arickaree/Woodlin, and then a road trip to #4 Briggsdale on Monday.
#34 WILEY
After breaking a nine-game losing streak to begin the season and winning three straight, the Lady Panthers dropped a 46-30 contest to Granada last Saturday. They had valued possession of the ball in the winning streak, but committed 36 turnovers in that loss. Wiley is part of the pack behind Springfield in the Ark Valley. The Lady Panthers host #13 Cheyenne Wells on Saturday and Flagler next Wednesday.
#35 BETHUNE
For the sixth time in the MaxPreps era, Bethune has won six games in a season. The Lady Bobcats host Idalia on Thursday in search of setting a new high-water mark for the program in close to 20 years. A win would also improve their own postseason hopes, while also preventing an unbeaten run through the YWKC league by the Lady Wolves. The Lady Bobcats will also host Lone Star on Saturday in league play, and then host South Baca in the weather rescheduled contest on Monday.
#36 WELDON VALLEY
A loss to Loveland Protestant Reformed Christian on Tuesday snapped a modest two-game winning streak for Weldon Valley, sending the Lady Warriors to a fifth loss in their last eight games. The challenge to make the postseason field gets tougher on Friday, when they face #6 Fleming, who has won 33 straight meetings in the MaxPreps era. Next Wednesday, the Lady Warriors travel to #50 Rocky Mountain Lutheran.
#37 DENVER JEWISH DAY
The Lady Tigers remain in the hunt for a title in the 5280, trailing #22 Mile High Academy by a game in the loss column. A loss to Denver Waldorf on Wednesday hurt their chances of winning the league and making the postseason. They can help their cause against Victory Prep Academy on Thursday, Front Range Baptist on Monday, and Golden View Classical Academy.
MileHigh Prep Report 