CLASS 1A GIRLS BASKETBAL REGIONAL PREVIEW
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
It’s regional time, and the 1A girls got started with a pair of games on Thursday night. Due to religious restrictions, Mile High Academy can’t play from sundown Friday through sundown Saturday, so their region, Region Seven, will be on a Thursday/Friday schedule. Seven of last year’s eight state qualifiers are in the field of 32, including the Final Four. The winners of each region will advance to next week’s state tournament in Greeley. Games are listed in bracket order.
REGION ONE (AT MCCLAVE HIGH SCHOOL)
#1 MCCLAVE (21-2) VS #32 ELBERT (9-14)
McClave has occupied the #1 spot in CHSAA’s Selection and Seeding Index since the initial release, and the Lady Cardinals have taken everyone’s best shot. They’ve won four straight since an OT loss to 2A Simla. Abrielle Gomez went over 1000 points for her career on a night when she was one assists away from recording a triple-double. The junior averages more than 16 points and almost six steals a night. Addison Vallejos is also a double digit scorer, putting up just over 13 points a game. Elbert had its recent winning streak snapped by Genoa-Hugo/Karval and then followed that with a loss to Cheyenne Wells. Piper Warren averages a double-double, scoring just over 10 points and grabbing more than 12 rebounds. Melanie Hermes isn’t far behind with 9.7 ppg, while leading the Lady Bulldogs in assists and steals.
#16 FLAGLER (13-9) VS #17 GRANADA (13-9)
Flagler had a seven-game winning streak early in the season, but went cold and dropped the next four and seven of eight in the stretch. The Lady Panthers finished by winning six of their last seven. Sisters Rylie Berry and Sydnie Berry both score 11 points a game, while Jenna Schier pulls down just under nine boards. A hot start saw the Lady Bobcats win their first four out of the gate, but then a three-game slide started to cause issues. Granada only won consecutive games twice after that, until a late four-game winning streak. Dayzriana Quintana nearly averages a double-double scoring 9.5 points and grabbing 9.8 rebounds. She’s also tops on the team with 3.1 steals.
REGION EIGHT (AT HI-PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL)
#8 HI-PLAINS (15-8) VS #25 KIM/BRANSON (12-8)
Hi-Plains finished runner-up in the YWKC and had a late seven-game winning streak snapped in the NCL/YWKC tournament last weekend. Both losses at the end of event were to teams that are hosting this weekend. Freshman Cambria Seaman scores just under 13 points a game, and Serenity Hernandez adds a little more than nine. Seaman leads the team in every category but blocks, and swipes 5.1 steals a night. Kim/Branson had its own early four-game winning streak, but the Lady Mustangs did not win consecutive games again until late in the season. Charlee Buhrle (10.4) and Kennedy Cranson (9.0) lead the team in scoring, while Sorrel Mosimann pulls down close to 10 boards.
#9 DE BEQUE (16-6) VS #24 LONE STAR (12-10)
The Lady Dragons won six of their final eight games, and earned third place in the Western Slope in the process. They are led by a trio of double digit scorers, two who average a double-double. Avery Rigsby (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Ava Vines (12.5 ppg, 10 rebounds) lead the way, but Allyson Sandidge also gives the team just over 11 points. It was a very interesting ride to the end of the regular season for Lone Star. The Lady Longhorns lost two straight, won three in a row, lost three, and finished with three straight wins. What a rollercoaster! Lone Star counters with three solid scorers of its own, led by Jade Kuntz at 13.5 ppg. Aimee Trejo scores 11.2, and Peytyn Kuntz adds a little over nine.
REGION FIVE (AT FLEMING HIGH SCHOOL)
#5 FLEMING (17-6) VS #28 CREEDE (13-10)
Four of Fleming’s losses came to top four seeds, including the #1 seed in both 1A and 2A. The Lady Wildcats won the North Central with a over #6 Briggsdale. Brooke Schaefer paces the team with 12.5 points a night, and Ciana Lousberg adds just a touch over 10. Runner-up in the Southern Peaks, Creede lost its first three games to open the season, and seven of its first nine, but bounced back with an 11-3 run to close the regular season. The Lady Miners boast two of the top players in the classification when it comes to steals, as Lila Fairchild (7.1) and Jasmin Laing (7.0) both find themselves in the top 5. Fairchild adds 21 points while Laing goes for 13.5 per game..
#12 CHEYENNE WELLS (14-8) VS #21 SIERRA GRANDE (14-9)
It took Cheyenne Wells until early January to win consecutive games, and then the Lady Tigers ripped of five wins in six contests. They won five of the last seven to close the regular season. Paige Ryser, who went over the 1000 point mark about midway through the season, leads the team in scoring (14.5), steals (5.4), and assists (3.8). She’s also tied for the team-lead in rebounding at just short of six a game. Aliyah Muth is second in scoring at 6.1 points, and follows Ryser in steals and assists. The Lady Panthers ran through the Fishers Peak with an unbeaten mark, but they had some struggles early in the season, losing five of seven in December. Jaylyn Quezada is tops on the squad at 12.1 points, and she’s followed closely by Eneria Quintana, who’s a point back.
REGION FOUR (AT STRATTON HIGH SCHOOL)
#4 STRATTON (18-5) VS #29 LA VETA (9-10)
Stratton won its first eight games of the season, before dropping two to highly-ranked teams. The Lady Eagles would rip off another seven-game winning streak, before losing three straight. None of their losses were to teams ranked outside of the top 5 in either 1A or 2A. Sophia Isenbart leads the way at 17 points a game, and adds 7.4 rebounds. Clare Miltenberger is first in assists (5.3) and steals (5.0), and second in scoring at just under nine a game. It was a regular season of highs and lows for La Veta, who had both a four-game winning streak, as well as a four-game slide. Aspen Autry went over 1000 points in her career during the season, and leads the Lady Redhawks at 18 points per game. Jaiden Goemmer leads in rebounds and assists, while Autry is tops in steals.
#13 FLATIRONS ACADEMY (18-5) VS #20 CHERAW (14-8)
February treated Flatirons Academy very well, as the Lady Bison reeled off a nine-game winning streak in the month, and finished the regular season with 10 wins in their final 11 contests. Annabelle Rakers leads in every category, including scoring 18.8 points a game, and averaging more than six steals and five assists. Cheraw went 6-4 down the stretch, with consecutive wins only once in the span. Two of the losses were by single digits. Kieran Harris (10.1) and Adi Miell (10.0) are the top scorers for the Lady Wolverines. One of the two stands atop every stat for the team.
REGION TWO (AT IDALIA HIGH SCHOOL)
#2 IDALIA (19-4) VS #31 WELDON VALLEY (10-13)
Not only did Idalia win the regular season YWKC title, the Lady Wolves followed that with the championship of the NCL/YWKC tournament last weekend. They enter the postseason on an 11-game wining streak, Ten of the 11 opponents are in the regional brackets, either in 1A or 2A. Jaylyn Kechter, who surpassed 1000 points in her career during the season, leads the Lady Wolves with 12.5 points and 8.6 rebounds, while Krista Wieser adds 11.1 points. The return of Ailyn Monarrez-Estrada from a knee injury suffered last season has been a huge addition for Idalia. Weldon Valley is 5-2 in the last three weeks, including a pair of wins in the NCL/YWKC round robin for the fifth and sixth place teams in each league. Annie Onufrak tops the Lady Warriors in every stat, and averages 12.3 points and 9.2 boards.
#15 PRAIRIE (13-10) VS #18 OTIS (10-11)
Prairie only won three of its last five, and one of the losses was to Otis (50-27) in the consolation semis of the NCL/YWKC tourney. Hannah Kugler, who averages 17.7 ppg, was limited to 10 in the loss. Freshman Molly Walker was just under her 10.4 average, scoring nine. Aedyn Tribelhorn led Otis with 18. She averages just over 14 on the season. Layce Perry and Madelyn Willeke added nine points apiece for the Lady Bulldogs.
REGION SEVEN (AT EVANGEL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY)
#7 EVANGEL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (18-5) VS #10 SPRINGFIELD (18-6)
This region played semifinals on Thursday night due to Mile High Academy and its religious restrictions against playing on the Sabbath. ECA handled #26 Cotopaxi 58-20, shutting the Lady Pirates down after the teams were tied at 10 at the end of the first. Springfield bounced #23 Mile High Academy 49-33. The winner of Friday’s regional final will be the first to punch its ticket to state. Springfield is led by a pair of freshmen, Cobi Mackey (18.7 ppg) and Jersey Speck (137 ppg), while the hosting Lady Eagles lean on the trio of Reagan Schultz (12.8), Sara Caldwell (11.6), and Anna Stonestreet (11.5).
REGION SIX (AT BRIGGSDALE HIGH SCHOOL)
#6 BRIGGSDALE (16-6) VS #27 ARICKAREE/WOODLIN (8-15)
The two time champion, Briggsdale is looking to add a third straight title, but will have to make a run from a much lower seed than in the past two championship game. The Lady Falcons have been maneuvering through the last three weeks without Claire Brown, who is expected back from injury this weekend. They are just 4-3 in her absence. That has put more of the load on the shoulders of Kayl Klem, who averages 12.2 points and 9.7 rebounds. Brown leads at 16.7 ppg. Arickaree/Woodlin is no stranger, as the Lady Bison fell 37-33 to the Lady Falcons just two weeks back. Raeya Schrock (13) and Gabby Hermes (11) combined for 24 points in the loss. Klem had 16 for Briggsdale.
#11 CALICHE (17-6) VS #22 KIT CARSON (11-12)
Caliche got hot at the right time, winning 10 of its last 11, including a fifth place finish in last weekend’s NCL/YWCK tournament. Alexis Breidenbach (10.2), Ryann Svoboda (9.7), and Hallie Lewis (9.4) provide the Lady Buffs with three scoring options. The Lady Wildcats survived an eight-game losing streak and rebounded to close the regular season with four straight wins. Avery Johnson (12.9) and Shay Rady (9.7) are Kit Carson’s 1-2 punch on offense. Rady also leads in rebounds and assists. A side note, Kit Carson head coach Sara Crawford is a Caliche alum.
REGION THREE (AT EADS HIGH SCHOOL)
#3 EADS (19-3) VS #30 SOUTH BACA (11-11)
Eads enters the postseason on a 14-game winning streak that includes a 58-25 win over South Baca in mid-February. Behind the trio of Savanna Brown (11), Anna Wollert (10), and Jordyn Turcotte (10), the Lady Eagles controlled that contest from the outset. Wollert averages 13.4 points and 9.7 boards, while Tailee Weeks-Johnson adds 7.7 points. Turcotte is third at 6.4 on the season. Callie Hinds led the Lady Patriots with 10, and Sarah Elmore was held to six. Elmore averages 18.4 points, while Hinds chips in 9.7. Freshman Abigail Anderson gives the team 8.5 points and 8.3 rebounds.
#14 NUCLA (19-4) VS #19 GENOA-HUGO/KARVAL (12-11)
Nucla had its seven-game winning streak snapped in a late-season loss to Plateau Valley. Still, the Lady Mustangs have won nine of 10 entering the match-up. Lantry Galley is one of two double digit scorers for Nucla, leading the way at 11.7 points, just slightly ahead of Kendra McCluer at 11.3 ppg. Darcy Bray averages 8.0 points and 7.4 rebounds. The Lady Pirates lost five of their first six, and had a four-game slide in late January, but ended the season with a 9-3 stretch. Rylee Corn paces GH/K with 8.5 points and 6.9 rebounds, while Amy James adds 6.6 points.
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