CLASS 1A GIRLS BASKETBALL REPORT by Kerry Sherman

Picture by Sally Dwyer (Genoa-Hugo vs Hi-Plains)

CLASS 1A GIRLS BASKETBALL REPORT

BY: KERRY SHERMAN

Fans are set to be treated to a number of match-ups between highly-ranked squads, beginning with two top-10 clashes on Thursday. There are even more interesting contests featuring teams ranked in the top-15 of the Thursday morning release of the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.

THURSDAY

#1 MCCLAVE (6-1) AT #10 SPRINGFIELD (6-1)

This is a rematch of the championship game from last month’s Lamar Holiday Basketball Tournament, which McClave won 55-43. Springfield led that meeting 27-24 at the half. Abrielle Gomez led the Lady Cardinals with 37 points and nine rebounds, while Jersey Speck paced Springfield with 23 points, and Cobi Mackey added 12.

#2 EVANGEL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (6-1) VS KIOWA (2-4)

ECA fell to #3 Eads 58-38 last Saturday, but bounced back on Tuesday to hand Hanover a 53-16 defeat. Mia Castro led a trio of Lady Eagles in double figures in that win with 14 points. Reagan Schultz and Natasha Mutaka both added 10. After an 0-4 start, Kiowa has won two straight, taking down Pikes Peak Christian 48-35, and Swallows Charter 43-33.

#3 EADS (7-1) AT WILEY (0-7)

Eads got a monster outing from Anna Wollert in last week’s 58-38 victory at ECA, as the junior posted a line of 20 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocked shots. Tailee Weeks-Johnson tacked on 10 more points in the Lady Eagles’ second straight win. Wiley saw its winless start to the campaign reach seven games with a 36-20 loss to Weskan (KS) last Saturday. McKenzie Mapes turned in a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Panthers in the loss.

#4 NUCLA (10-0) VS OURAY (2-7)

The Lady Mustangs ran their unbeaten streak to 10 with San Juan Basin wins over Ridgway (46-34) and Mancos (49-24) last weekend. Lantry Galley had 21 points and 11 boards in the first of those two victories, and Darcy Bray led the team in the latter with 12 points, seven rebounds, and eight steals. Ouray started the season with two wins, but has since dropped its last seven. The Lady Trojans fell to Mancos (44-23) and Montezuma-Cortez (64-7) in their last two outings.

#8 CHERAW (8-1) VS DEER TRAIL (3-3)

Cheraw ran its winning streak to seven earlier this week with a 43-31 victory over Kit Carson in High Plains play. The Lady Wolverines had picked up a 51-31 win over Swink last Saturday. Deer Trail opened the season 3-0, but has lost three straight, including a 56-25 decision to #12 Flagler in Union Pacific action on Tuesday.

#9 STRATTON (5-2) VS 2A #4 SEDGWICK COUNTY (5-2)

Stratton is in a stretch where it plays four 2A LPAA opponents in five games. The Lady Eagles split with Holyoke (40-43) and Akron (34-30) last weekend, and will travel to 2A #2 Merino on Saturday. Tuesday night, Stratton got a 53-31 win over Cheyenne Wells at home. Sedgwick County snapped a two-game slide with a 52-37 win over Wray last Tuesday. Lainee Nein scored 24 in that victory, and enters this match-up just two points from 1000 in her career.

#12 FLAGLER (5-1) AT #15 FLATIRONS ACADEMY (4-1)

Rylie Berry flirted with a triple-double in Flagler’s 56-25 win over Deer Trail on Tuesday, with the sophomore finishing with 25 points, eight rebounds, and seven steals. Those were season-highs in points and steals. Emma Donato put up 16 points to help guide Flatirons Academy to a 57-25 win over Belleview Christian last Friday. The Lady Bison looked to make it two straight in the win column on Tuesday when they visited Union Colony Prep. No score was reported from that contest.

FRIDAY

#1 MCCLAVE AT #3 EADS

These two met in the semifinals of the Lamar Holiday Basketball Tournament, where the Lady Cardinals eked out a 43-39 victory. Gomez had 19 for McClave, while Wollert put together 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Eagles. The winner of the rematch will maintain a share of the lead in the High Plains.

#5 FLEMING (5-2) AT #11 PRAIRIE (5-2)

Brooke Schaefer pumped in 20 points to lead Fleming past Otis 45-34 last Saturday, pushing the winning streak of the Lady Wildcats to four. Prairie got 24 points and 16 rebounds from Hannah Kugler in a 46-34 win over Haxtun last Saturday. That was the third straight win for the Lady Mustangs. Fleming has won 18 of the last 19 meetings in the series between these North Central rivals.

#6 CALICHE (8-1) VS 2A #4 SEDGWICK COUNTY

After losing their 2025 finale to Fleming, the Lady Buffs have opened 2026 with three straight wins. They took down Deer Trail (75-12) and #14 Briggsdale (49-44) last weekend, and then collected a 48-43 victory over 2A Holyoke on Tuesday. Sedgwick County has won eight straight in the series.

#7 IDALIA (6-2) AT OTIS (2-5)

The lead in the YWKC is up for grabs in this match-up, with both teams entering unbeaten in league play. Idalia’s won five straight overall, including victories of 71-26 at St. Francis (KS) last Friday, and 42-17 at Hi-Plains on Saturday. Ailyn Monarrez-Estrada had 14 points for the Lady Wolves on Friday, and 10 on Saturday. Otis lost for the fifth time in six games on Tuesday, falling to Haxtun 47-28. Mireia Fernandez led Otis with 11 points.

#10 SPRINGFIELD VS PRIMERO (4-3)

Mackey went for 26 points and 10 rebounds for Springfield in last Saturday’s 64-33 win over Cheyenne Wells, pushing her season average to 18 points a game. Primero hosts South Baca on Friday, with the Lady Bulldogs looking to bounce back from a 51-11 loss to Kim/Branson last Thursday. That loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Primero.

#12 FLAGLER AT 2A LIMON (1-5)

Flagler looks to climb above .500 in the Union Pacific with a win over the Lady Badgers, who have dropped four straight overall. Last weekend, Limon fell to Calhan (61-19) and #13 Genoa-Hugo/Karval (41-26).

#13 GENOA-HUGO/KARVAL (4-4) AT 2A #13 BYERS (4-4)

The Lady Pirates sit atop the Union Pacific with a 2-0 mark following last week’s 41-26 win over Limon. They had their three-game winning streak snapped last Saturday in a 42-25 loss to 2A #6 Calhan. This is the first UP league game for Byers this season, and the Lady Bulldogs enter on a two-game slide. The latest defeat came on Tuesday to Denver Christian, 73-47. Layla Sayler led the way in the loss with a dozen points.

#14 BRIGGSDALE (6-2) VS LONE STAR (4-5)

After getting out to a 5-0 start, Briggsdale has lost two of its last three, including last Saturday’s 49-44 defeat by Caliche. Claire Brown put up 23 points in that loss, and Bailey Loyd added 16. Following a 48-37 loss to Hi-Plains in YWKC play last Friday, Lone Star got back in the win column the next night by beating Deer Trail 56-40. Jade Kuntz tallied 14 points and eight assists, while Paityn Forry recorded 12 points and 10 rebounds for her first career double-double.

SATURDAY

#2 EVANGEL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY VS 2A LAS ANIMAS

#5 FLEMING VS #13 GENOA-HUGO/KARVAL

#8 CHERAW AT SANGRE DE CRISTO

#9 STRATTON AT 2A #2 MERINO

#10 SPRINGFIELD AT HOLLY

#11 PRAIRIE VS KIMBALL (NE)

#12 FLAGLER VS WILEY

#14 BRIGGSDALE AT WELDON VALLEY

TUESDAY

#4 NUCLA AT 2A #9 PLATEAU VALLEY

#5 FLEMING AT 2A #8 AKRON