CLASS 2A BOYS BASKETBAL REGIONAL PREVIEW
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
The regional round for basketball gets underway this weekend, with the field being whittled down from 32 to the Great 8 by the end of Saturday’s action. Last year’s champion and runner-up are both in the field, but only Sanford is in the top eight seeds, earning the Mustangs a hosting position. All games are listed in bracket order.
REGION ONE (AT SIMLA HIGH SCHOOL)
#1 SIMLA (20-2) VS #32 BURLINGTON (7-16)
It’s only been two weeks since Simla took an 81-44 victory over the Cougars, with Tatum Kochera putting 31 points in the book. Weston Schaal was the lone Cougar in double figures, posting 15 points. Kochera is one of three Cubs scoring in double digits at 20.7 ppg. Caston Cox adds 15.6 and Treven Kochera puts up close to 11. Schaal averages 12.3 ppg for Burlington, but has been in double digits in each of the last 11 games. Adan Lopez-Mitchell is the only other Cougar in double figures at just over 10 points a night. The Cougars were seventh in the LPAA/UP crossover tournament last weekend.
#16 DOVE CREEK (16-7) VS #17 VAIL MOUNTAIN (12-6)
In their first year as a 2A program, the Bulldogs have won 16 games for the second time in three years. Dove Creek had won 12 in a row prior to back to back losses to Ouray and Ridgway. Those came by a total of four points. Liam Hassell, Sheldon Gardner, and Trevan Ivie all average at least nine points and eight rebounds. Vail Mountain finished the season strong, winning its last four games, and seven of the last nine In Charlie Vidal, Hunter Iverson, and Cole Lewis, the Gore Rangers also have three players scoring more than nine points a game
REGION EIGHT (AT SANFORD HIGH SCHOOL)
#8 SANFORD (18-5) VS #25 TWO ROADS CHARTER (13-8)
The Mustangs rolled to an unbeaten mark in the Southern Peaks and then followed that up with a title in the league tournament last weekend. They’ve won three straight and 10 of the last 11 overall. Ben Sittler puts up close to 16 points and three steals a night, while Trason Gartrell adds 10.5 points and a team-high 5.3 rebounds. This was the first year as a CHSAA member for the Falcons, who won just two games last year. In fact, Two Roads Charter only had 11 wins in the program’s history prior to this season. They had won four straight before a loss to Twin Peaks Charter in their last outing. Kevyn Feldon averages 17.6 points a game, while freshman Weston Berhow puts up a double-double of 12 points and 11 boards.
#9 HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (15-8) VS #24 RIDGWAY (13-8)
Heritage Christian broke a three-game slide by beating Lyons in the seventh place game of the Mile High league tournament on Saturday. The Eagles are 6-4 in their last 10. Alec Lundy (18.8 ppg) and Levi Hermsen (18.6 ppg) provide a strong 1-2 punch. Ridgway won the title in the San Juan Basin with last week’s win over Dove Creek. That’s part of a five-game winning streak for the Demons entering regional play. Henry Deppen leads a trio of scorers in double figures at 14.5 points, while Brodie Musgrove and Isaac Baskfield each score 13.3 points a night.
REGION FIVE (AT PLATEAU VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL)
#5 PLATEAU VALLEY (20-1) VS #28 UNION COLONY PREP (12-11)
After dropping their opening contest of the season, the Cowboys have reeled off 20 consecutive victories ahead of regional play. That run helped Plateau Valley win the Western Slope crown. Jack Vig (17.0), Colter Ralston (10.8), and Jackson Bevan (10.1) do most of the heavy lifting for the Cowboys, as no one else averages five points a game. Union Colony Prep finished 11th in the Mile High, but got hot late, winning four straight, including three games in the league tournament last week. The Timberwolves close to 33 points a game out of Josiah Rodriguez (18.1) and Tanner Sarchet (14.6). The duo also pulls down more than 15 boards a night.
#12 FOWLER (14-9) VS #21 CRESTED BUTTE (13-10)
The Grizzlies finished second to Crowley County in the Santa Fe with a lopsided loss to the Chargers two weeks ago. They dropped a much closer game to Crowley County last weekend. Both losses were part of a 5-5 finish to the regular season. Isaiah Montoya is the lone Grizzly scoring double figures, leading the team at 15.8 points. The Titans also went 5-5 down the stretch, claiming third in the Southern Peaks league, and then following that with a third place standing in the league tournament. Adin Kurak is among the state leaders in scoring at 20.6 ppg.
REGION FOUR (AT BYERS HIGH SCHOOL)
#4 BYERS (19-4) VS #29 CENTER (11-12)
Byers, the runner-up in the Union Pacific, won the crossover tournament between the UP and LPAA last weekend, to finish the regular season on a six-game winning streak. Sharpshooters Quincy Eacret (13.2) and James Maes (9.7) lead the Bulldogs in scoring, with both having hit more than 30 three-pointers on the season. After winning in the opening round of the Southern Peaks tourney, Center lost the next two and ended the regular season having lost eight of the last nine. The Vikings have no stats available.
#13 AKRON (12-11) VS TWIN PEAKS CLASSICAL ACADEMY (15-8)
Akron went 5-5 in its final 10 games, including consecutive losses in the LPAA/UP tournament over the weekend. The Rams went 4-5 in games decided by single digits. That includes a split of two overtime contests. Caleb Poss averages a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds a night for the Rams. The Timberwolves enter the match-up winners of five straight and eight of their last 10. Matthew Wurth heads up a trio of players in double figures for TPCA at 12;4 a night, while also pulling down 11.6 rebounds. Jace Ross and Angel Ortega are both just over 10 points per game.
REGION TWO (AT CROWLEY COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL)
#2 CROWLEY COUNTY (21-2) VS #31 DAYSPRING CHRISTIAN (9-14)
The Chargers roll into the regional games on an 11-game winning streak, with only one having been decided by fewer than 30 points. They’re averaging more than 77 points during the run. Gunner Hughes leads the classification in scoring at 23.4 points, which also ties him for fifth in the entire state. Anthoni Walter adds 15 points a game for the Santa Fe champs. Dayspring Christian heads into the match-up just 5-5 in the last 10, including a pair of losses in the Mile High tourney. Owen McClanahan paces the Eagles at 11.6 points a game, while Max Krehbiel adds just a shade over nine.
#15 HOLYOKE (12-11) VS #18 CUSTER COUNTY (14-9)
Holyoke took sixth in last week’s LPAA/UP crossover tournament, with all three games being decided by single digits. The Dragons are 4-7 in the last 11 outings, starting with an overtime loss to Akron in league play. Reid Sprague (18.6) and Colby Weber (12.5) power the offense with more than 30 combined points a game. Sprague also averages four assists. Custer County snapped a three-game slide with a win over Centennial last Saturday. The Bobcats had won five in a row prior to the losing streak. Grant Rusk leads the team at just a bit under 16 points a contest.
REGION SEVEN (AT DAKOTA RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL)
#7 GOLDEN VIEW CLASSICAL (20-3) VS #26 BELLEVIEW CHRISTIAN (10-13)
Back before the winter break, Golden View Classical got 15 points from Luke Chronowski and a dozen from Jacob Walker in a 47-35 win at Belleview Christian. The two each average close to 14 points a night for the Sentinels, who won the Foothills with a perfect 10-0 record, and enter on a 14-game winning streak. Collin Polson was the lone Bruin to hit double figures in that earlier meeting, scoring 14. Bryce Polson missed by one point. Collin leads the way at just over 11 a game, while Justus Cunningham and Kentrell Beasley are both a little over 10 a night.
#10 HAXTUN (14-9) VS #23 DEL NORTE (11-10)
Three times this season, Haxtun has lost at least two games in a row,. However, the runners-up in the LPAA/UP tournament had an eight-game winning streak snapped in that championship loss. Chase Goddard (13.4 ppg) is one of three Fightin’ Bulldogs to score in double figures, just ahead of Madden Larsen (12.1) and Ryland Wolff (10.6). The Tigers lost six of their first seven, before winning six of their next eight. They begin regionals having won their last two. Tytus Atencio is the only Del Norte player in double figures (13.3), but Noah Bailey isn’t far off at 9.8 per game.
REGION SIX (AT LOVELAND CLASSICAL HIGH SCHOOL)
#6 LOVELAND CLASSICAL (19-3) VS #27 MERINO (6-16)
After having a 14-game winning streak snapped in a two-point loss to GVCA, the Lions picked up a second straight loss, falling in OT to Addenbrooke Classical. They would beat STEM Highlands Ranch to close out the regular season. Loveland Classical has four double digit scorers, led by Trevan Coberly at 14.6 and Jackson Jensen (13.0). Kole Doan (12.4) and Hudson Ruppert (11.2) round out the quartet. Merino began the season with losses in six of its first seven games, and closed out the regular slate with six straight losses. The Rams don’t have a double digit scorer on the season, but Zavier Trenkle, Reid Samber, and Reb Heller all average at least eight points a game.
#11 SEDGWICK COUNTY (14-8) VS #22 HOEHNE (10-13)
The Cougars went 5-5 down the stretch and finished third in the LPAA/UP tournament last weekend. They were fifth in the LPAA during the regular season. Sedgwick County has five players averaging at least seven points a game, headed up by Tate Renquist (16.9). Josh Palic adds a double-double of 13.2 points and 12.4 rebounds, and Jace Ehmke is just shy of a rebound a game from his own double-double. Hoehne has dropped its last three and five of six entering regional play. The Farmers are 2-5 in single digit contests. They don’t have a double figure scorer, but Bobby Terry is close, scoring 9.4 ppg.
REGION THREE (AT BISHOP MACHEBEUF HIGH SCHOOL)
#3 BISHOP MACHEBEUF (18-4) VS #30 VAIL CHRISTIAN (9-10)
Bishop Machebeuf had won four straight and 16 of 17 prior to last week’s loss to SkyView Academy. The Bison have only entered stats for one game this season. The Saints come into the contest having lost two in a row and five of the last seven. They finished fourth in the Western Slope this season. Asher Leonard (10.2) and Oliver Neumann (9.9) are the 1-2 punch for Vail Christian.
#14 LIMON (12-11) VS #19 SWALLOWS CHARTER ACADEMY (16-7)
Last year’s state champs have had a very up and down season, but enter the regional bracket on a high. The Badgers took fifth in the LPAA/UP tournament last weekend, and are 8-3 in the last 11. Keegan Mellott leads the team in scoring at 10.6 ppg, and Drey Tacha adds 9.9 a night. Swallows Charter has made a huge jump recently, going winless two years ago, and only winning three games last season. A balanced scoring attack has been key, with three double digit scorers in Charles Perry (11.5), Andrew Breedlove (10.9), and Christian Garcia (10.0). Garcia also pulls down 10 boards a night.
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