Cherry Creek and top freshman Jana Van Gytenbeek will look to derail Grandview later this month when the teams meet in Class 5A Centennial League play. Grandview is ranked No. 9 nationally by MaxPreps.
File photo by Jeffery Tucker
League races are going down to the wire. Some teams across the state harbor not only ambitions of a league title, but also an unbeaten regular season.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the top 10 girls basketball games in February, as teams seek one final push to solidify or improve their position in the postseason bracket. Every classification is represented in the list.
Class 5A Fairview (Boulder) at Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins), 6:30 p.m., Feb. 3Second place in the Front Range League – and ostensibly a prime tournament seed – is on the line here. Each team has lost to No. 4
Horizon (Thornton), which appears on a warpath to win the league. But No. 7 Fariview (16-3, 7-1) and its trio of high scorers is aiming to remain entrenched in second place of the 13-team league while Fossil Ridge (12-5, 6-2; tied for third place) and top scorer
Ashley Steffeck are looking to overthrow the Knights.
Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) at Grandview (Aurora), 5:30 p.m., Feb. 15Many have already penciled in Grandview as the Centennial League champ. Cherry Creek isn't one of those. Sure, top-ranked Grandview (16-1, 9-0) is ranked ninth in the nation in
MaxPreps' Xcellent 25, has UCLA-bound
Michaela Onyenwere and defeated Creek 70-55 last month. But the No. 8 Bruins and freshman sensation
Jana Van Gytenbeek will likely be able procure a share of the league title with a win here.
Class 4A Windsor at Holy Family (Broomfield), 7 p.m., Feb. 7 This one could decide the Tri-Valley League, as each team enters the weekend 12-5, 8-1. Windsor won the initial matchup 40-33 last month, but now
Michaela Moran and company will have to repeat the feet on the No. 8 Tigers' home floor. Holy Family has reeled off five straight wins since that setback, and coach Ron Rossi always has his team playing at peak efficiency near playoff time.
Pueblo West at Pueblo South, 7 p.m., Feb. 10If its current positioning stays intact, top-ranked Pueblo South (16-1, 5-0) be looking to run the table in the South Central League while second-place Pueblo West (14-3, 4-1) will be seeking a share of the title. The teams' first matchup was all it was cracked up to be, with South needing a strong fourth quarter to edge the No. 3 Cyclones 53-49. South's
Andrea Nelson (15 points) and West's
Olivia Lough (20) were the top scorers in that one.
Evergreen at Golden, 6 p.m., Feb. 14Evergreen appears en route to a Jefferson County League title, but the Cougars (16-1, 8-1) might have to overthrow the team that ruined their unbeaten season to do it. Golden (15-3, 7-2) nipped Evergreen by two points last month, and if the Demons do it again, they could not only break even in the league standings, but hold a tiebreaker advantage over the Cougars. Junior
Makena Prey had 17 points and eight rebounds in the first matchup.
Class 3A St. Mary's (Colorado Springs) at Colorado Springs Christian, 5:30 p.m., Feb. 10St. Mary's and top scorer
Olivia Florek have their eyes on sole possession of the Tri-Peaks league title. The top-ranked Pirates (13-0, 7-0) also have an undefeated season hanging in the balance. But No. 6 Colorado Springs Christian (13-2, 8-1) has other ideas. The Lions and sophomores
Megan Engesser and
Rachel Ingram would like nothing more than to put a dent in both pursuits.
Sterling at Eaton, 6 p.m., Feb. 10 Sterling also has its eyes on an unbeaten regular-season and an unblemished run through the Patriot League. The ultra-balanced Tigers (15-0, 7-0), who do not have a player that averages double digits but several who hover near, will face a 10th-ranked Eaton squad that will be eager for this one. The Reds (12-3, 6-1), who currently occupy second place, feature a similarly balanced scoring attack.
Class 2A and 1A Soroco (Oak Creek) at West Grand (Kremmling), 5:30 p.m., Feb. 3While top-ranked and unbeaten
Paonia probably has the 2A/1A Western Slope League on lockdown, this contest could decide second place. Each team enters 12-2, 5-1 and on a five-game winning streak. Soroco has thrived behind
Chloe Veilleux and
DaKota Bruner while West Grand has leaned on the talents of
Peyton Bodemann and
Gabby Willson.
Heritage Christian (Fort Collins) at Lyons, 5 p.m., Feb. 14Lyons has navigated its way through the 2A landscape admirably this season, but the No. 7 Lions' biggest challenge could come in the form of a 1A team. Lyons (13-2, 6-1) will play host to unbeaten Heritage Christian (15-0, 8-0), which is ranked No. 5 in 1A and currently occupies first place in the hybrid Mile High League. Eagles senior
Sarah McGinley averages 21.4 points and 11.1 rebounds.
Kit Carson at Fleming, 3 p.m., Feb. 4Five 1A teams entered the week undefeated, but these two are considered the best of the bunch by voters. Kit Carson will put its No. 1 ranking on the line on No. 2 Fleming's home floor. Super sophs
Tess Hornung of Kit Carson and
Jenna Lengfelder of Fleming will be on display in a matchup of squads that both entered Friday 13-0.