CLASS 2A BOYS BASKETBALL REPORT
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
There’s been lots of jockeying for postseason seeding position in the last few weeks, and that could continue into the final two weekends. There are a number of big games in 2A Boys, including several involving teams in the top 16 of Thursday morning’s release of the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.
#1 SIMLA (15-4)
After picking up a big 79-44 win over 1A Evangel Christian last Thursday, Simla had a showdown with the top-ranked team in 1A, McClave, on Saturday. The Cubs got 24 points from Evan Guy, who hit five three-pointers, but fell 72-61. Tatum Kochera added a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. They bounced back with a 72-39 win over 1A #8 Elbert on Tuesday. Kochera erupted for 31 points and 21 rebounds. Simla goes to Burlington on Friday and will host Holyoke on Saturday.
#2 SANFORD (18-1)
The Mustangs secured the Southern Peaks title with a pair of wins last weekend. They moved past #16 Center 54-37 on Thursday, and then they beat Del Norte 59-22 on Saturday. Trason Gartrell led the way with 11 points against Center, and he tallied 13 points against Del Norte. Sanford hosts 4A #28 Pagosa Springs on Friday.
#3 HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (14-4)
The Eagles moved to within one victory of an unbeaten Mile High league record by taking down #7 Front Range Christian 63-58 last Saturday, and Estes Park on Tuesday by a 60-47 count. They got 19 points from Eddie Packard on Saturday, and 17 from Alec Lundy on Tuesday. Heritage Christian wraps league play on Thursday at home against Belleview Christian. Saturday has the Eagles visiting #6 Byers.
#4 GOLDEN VIEW CLASSICAL ACADEMY (18-3)
With a 70-47 victory at Loveland Classical on Wednesday, the Sentinels remained unbeaten in the Foothills league. They hold a one game lead over #5 Twin Peaks Classical Academy in the lead, and they have the head-to-head tiebreaker. Golden View Classical has a second game with William Smith in just over a week, after beating the Eagles 52-48 last Wednesday. George Hermanson had 17 points and 15 rebounds in that win.
#5 TWIN PEAKS CLASSICAL ACADEMY (19-1)
The Timberwolves have won five straight since suffering their only loss of the season to GVCA earlier this month. Two of those wins came this week, as TPCA beat Rocky Mountain Lutheran 73-64 on Tuesday, and Aurora West College Prep 71-31 on Wednesday. David Bosire and Matthew Wurth both had double-doubles on Tuesday, with Bosire posting 19 points and 14 rebounds, and Wurth recording 18 points and 17 boards. The Timberwolves will host Liberty Tree Academy on Monday.
#6 BYERS (15-4)
The Bulldogs had a chance to remain in the hunt for the Union Pacific crown last Friday when they visited #13 Limon. Byers led in the second half, but the Badgers rallied for a 55-52 win, giving the Bulldogs their second loss in league play. They will host Heritage Christian on Saturday, and they are the #1 seed in next week’s LPAA/Union Pacific crossover tournament. The Bulldogs will host Burlington on Tuesday in quarterfinal action.
#7 FRONT RANGE CHRISTIAN (15-4)
Last Saturday’s 63-58 loss against Heritage Christian dropped Front Range Baptist to fourth in the Mile High league, but the Falcons rebounded with a 71-52 victory at Gilpin County on Tuesday. Caleb Harris led the way on Tuesday with 25 points, and they got double-doubles from Haeden Morton and Zach Woo, Morton posted 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Woo added 14 points and 13 boards. The Falcons visited 1A #3 Flatirons Academy on Thursday.
#8 VAIL CHRISTIAN (13-3)
The Saints sit atop the Western Slope, but they have two big league games this weekend. They host 1A #2 Nucla on Thursday, and #18 Caprock Academy on Saturday. Vail Christian had its 12-game winning streak snapped by #17 Custer County last Thursday, 58-42. Rayman Romanin tallied 13 points in the loss.
#9 HAXTUN (12-7)
Haxtun is second in the LPAA, half a game behind #10 Merino, who owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Fightin’ Bulldogs. They picked up a couple of nice wins last weekend, beating 1A #22 Idalia 60-49 on Friday, and 1A #28 Caliche 63-50 on Saturday. Haxtun had four players in double figures against Idalia, led by Chase Goddard with 14 points. He scored 27 points on Saturday. Haxtun goes to Sedgwick County on Friday, and will be the #3 seed in the LPAA/UP crossover. The Fightin’ Bulldogs will host Holyoke on Tuesday.
#10 MERINO (10-9)
The Rams remained undefeated in LPAA play with a 58-39 win over Akron last Thursday, getting 12 points apiece from Zavier Trenkle and Reb Heller. Merino backed that up with a tough 44-37 victory over 1A #10 Otis on Friday pushing its winning streak to four. Trenkle recorded a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Rams go to Holyoke on Friday. They are the #2 seed in next week’s LPAA/UP crossover, with a quarterfinal home game on Tuesday against Sedgwick County.
#11 SWALLOWS CHARTER ACADEMY (16-4)
Swallows Charter is one of the hottest teams in the classification, winning nine straight entering the weekend. The latest of those came on Tuesday against Fowler, 54-40. Christian Garcia led the Spartans with 21 points and 11 rebounds. The Spartans are tied with #15 Crowley County and #22 Las Animas atop the Santa Fe standings, and they have finished their league slate. They will host Liberty Tree Academy on Thursday.
#12 PLATEAU VALLEY (12-7)
After dropping three straight, the Cowboys have now won three in a row. They jumped out to a 24-4 first quarter lead on 1A #14 De Beque on Tuesday, and then scored 36 in the second en route to an 82-44 victory. Colter Ralston poured in 40 points, hitting nine three-pointers. The Cowboys sit second in the Western Slope, behind Vail Christian. Plateau Valley goes to Nucla on Saturday, and to 3A Cedaredge next Tuesday.
#13 LIMON (10-8)
With last Friday’s big 55-52 come from behind win over Byers, Limon remained tied with 1A #5 Stratton for the Union Pacific lead. The Badgers made it three wins in a row on Saturday, beating Fowler 70-35. They trailed 28-27 at the half in that one, and then exploded for a 43-7 second half. Limon hosts Stratton on Friday and the winner claims the league title. The Badgers also host 1A #17 Evangel Christian Academy on Saturday, and will host Akron on Tuesday in the quarterfinals of the LPAA/Union Pacific crossover. They are the #4 seed in that tournament.
#14 CAMPION ACADEMY (8-3)
The Cougars played in a tournament this week, and got a 56-14 win on Thursday. They had another game on Thursday in that tourney, Minnetonka Christian Academy.
#15 CROWLEY COUNTY (10-8)
Crowley County is on a five-game heater, including a victory over Las Animas that created a three-way tie for the lead in the Santa Fe. That win came early in the streak, and the most recent victory was last Friday over Calhan, 60-43. The Chargers have a big game against Fowler at home on Thursday, and they need a win to remain tied for the league lead. Crowley County also hosts Thomas MacLaren on Friday.
#16 CENTER (12-7)
The Vikings finished second in the Southern Peaks with their 54-37 loss to Sanford last Thursday. Center lost a second straight, falling to 1A #9 Sierra Grande on Saturday. The Vikings will host Hoehne on Thursday.
MileHigh Prep Report 