State tournaments begin for Colorado 5A and 4A girls basketball teams

While the girls in Class 5A and 4A dive right into the state tournament, the smaller classes will go through districts and regionals before their fields for state are determined.

With action beginning on Tuesday, here is a breakdown of the girls basketball postseason:

Kaye Garms Region
Behind the play of sophomore Raegan Beers and junior Kindyll Wetta, Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) takes the top seed in this region and the top overall seed in the state tournament. Both Beers and Wetta average more than 13 points per game, but it's their balance elsewhere that has made the Eagles a championship threat. Wetta averages better than four steals and four assists per game while Beers pulls down nearly 10 rebounds.



Rangeview (Aurora), Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins) and Vista PEAK Prep (Aurora) are the three other teams receiving a first-round bye in the region. Behind Lauren Zwetzig's 10.6 points per game, the Sabercats would love to get to the Great 8 and potentially get another crack at Valor. The two played on Feb. 20, and it was the Eagles getting an 80-53 win.

Bobbi Brown-Vandenberg Region
Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) kicked down the door on its way into the state tournament after a 53-42 win over Grandview (Aurora) of Feb. 19. The Wolves and Bruins met in last year's state championship game and were placed on opposite sides of the bracket, keeping hopes for a state-title rematch intact. Jana Van Gytenbeek leads the Bruins with 18.4 points per game. Cali Clark averages a double-double with 13 points and 10.7 rebounds. Cherry Creek is the top seed in this region and enters the state tournament as the No. 2 overall team.

Cherokee Trail (Aurora), Ralston Valley (Arvada) and Fountain-Fort Carson also received byes in this region. Fountain-Fort Carson comes in as a dangerous 10 seed, as the Trojans lost just two games all year. Torie Bass leads them in scoring with 13.7 points per game and like Clark, senior Danae Christensen averages a double-double. She scores 11 points and grabs 10 rebounds per game.

Alice Barron Region
Regis Jesuit (Aurora) takes the No. 3 seed and is the top seed of what is arguably the deepest region in the tournament. Both Jada Moore and Avery Vansickle average more than 16 points per game. In addition, the Raiders have proven to be mentally and physically tough. They knocked off Highlands Ranch on a buzzer-beating layup from freshman Savitri Jackson to claim the Continental League title. Those same Highlands Ranch Falcons are the No. 6 seed in the tournament, and there is a possibility that they could meet Regis in the Great 8. Payton Muma leads the Falcons at 15.4 points per game.

Broomfield and Denver South will also receive byes in this region.

Rhonda Blanford-Green Region
After winning two straight state championships, Grandview got beat by Cherry Creek in last year's final. The Wolves have every intention of claiming gold once again and certainly have the talent to do it. Sophomore Lauren Betts has been nearly unstoppable in the post, as she averages 17.1 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. Addison O'Grady provides a strong second option on the floor as she goes for 11.5 and 6.5 to complement Betts' output.



With Betts down low, the Wolves figure to have a size advantage as long as they're in the tournament, but that doesn't mean their road to the championship is easy. ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch) won nine of their last 10 games, including four straight to end the regular season.

There's also the great unknown of what Fruita Monument is going to bring from the Western Slope. The senior combination of Callie Allen and Lila Dere combine for about 28 points per game. That level of play resulted in the Wildcats going 21-2 on the year. That included a win over Vista PEAK Prep, the No. 9 seed in the tournament.

Denver East is the fourth team in the region to receive a first-round bye.

Class 4A // Bracket
John Mraule Region
For most of the season it was Pueblo West atop the 4A RPI, but at tournament time Sand Creek (Colorado Springs) worked its way into the No. 1 seed. Junior guard Nikki Derrell has been a steady hand for the Scorpions, averaging 15 points and four assists per game. Krystina Hagood, Kianna Lemons and Tiana Davis also average double-digit scoring numbers for Sand Creek.

Perhaps the biggest challenge in the region is Mullen (Denver), the defending 4A champion. Like last year, playing in a tough Centennial League made up of predominantly 5A teams hurt the Mustangs when it came to their seed. Sophomore Gracie Gallegos leads the Mustangs at 9.6 points per game, while fellow sophomore Imani Perez and junior Megan Pohs also score at least nine points per game.

Montrose and Canon City are the two other teams in the region that received a bye to start the tournament.



Tricia Bader-Binford Region
Having come up short in year's past, Pueblo West enters the 2020 state tournament as the No. 2 seed and is headed by a talented senior class. Hannah Simental paces the team with 16.3 points per game and is shooting 42 percent from 3-point range. Maya Sanchez adds seven points per game, and sophomore Gabby Louther has established herself as a premiere player on the team with 7.8 points per game.

After advancing to last year's Final 4, Air Academy enters this year's tournament as the No. 10 seed. The Kadets have won nine of their last 10 games, dropping just their regular season finale against top-seeded Sand Creek. Kylee Blacksten averages 15.2 points per game for Air Academy and has proven to be an elite player in the 4A field. Annie Louthan adds almost 10 points and leads the team with 3.4 steals per game.

George Washington (Denver) and Holy Family (Broomfield) start the tournament with byes and will play their first games of the postseason Saturday.

Tracy Hill Region
After battling through a tough slate in the Jeffco League, Green Mountain (Lakewood) is the No. 3 overall seed in the state tournament. The Rams rely on several players for both scoring and rebounds. Avery Oaster leads the team with 9.4 points per game. Freshman Jayda Maves averages 9.3. Three other players average 6.4 or more.

Thompson Valley (Loveland) enters the tournament as the No. 6 seed off the strength of senior Sydnee Durtsche (13. points, 11 rebounds per game) and sophomore Amelia Solt (12.1 points per game). The Eagles' only blemish on the year is a 55-47 loss to Vista PEAK Prep.

At 14-9, Durango earned the No. 14 seed and has a bye to start the playoffs. The same goes for No. 11 Sierra (Colorado Springs), which finished 18-4 and had just one loss in the Colorado Springs Metro League.



Jenny Coalson Region
Rounding out the top four seeds in the 4A tournament is Berthoud. They enter the bracket with a solid resume that includes wins against three of the top 12 teams in the field. Emily Cavey leads the Spartans with 17.2 points per game and gets plenty of support from Breanna Fowler, who adds 13.

Looking down the road, there is a potential Great 8 matchup with a league rival as Erie enters the tournament as the No. 5 seed. The Tigers and Spartans split their regular-season matchups, meaning if they should meet on March 6, there will be bragging rights at stake as well as a trip to the Final 4. Grace Moyers and Genevieve Gudino each score at least 14 points per game for Erie.

Falcon and Glenwood Springs also receive byes in the region.