Top 10 Colorado Girls Basketball Games in December

Sure, Nov. 30 marked the official start of winter sports. But everyone knows that the winter season doesn't fully come into focus until football championship weekend is over, signifying the end of fall.

With all the gridiron action now complete, it's time to give winter a little love. Here's a look at the top 10 girls basketball games for the remainder of December, keeping in mind the best of the bunch might have already happened. That was when Grandview (Aurora), top-ranked in the CHSAANow.com preseason poll, and four-year star Michaela Onyenwere knocked off No. 2 Ralston Valley (Arvada) and talented point guard Ashley Van Sickle 62-52 on Dec. 2.

MaxPreps Colorado regular-season tournaments

Class 5A
Ralston Valley at Fairview (Boulder), 7 p.m., Dec. 10
Ralston Valley has rebounded well from the Grandview loss and still has a chance to upend a quality opponent before the holiday break in the finale of the Fairview Festival. Fairview has started 4-0, including tournament wins against the past two 5A state champs (ThunderRidge and Broomfield). Ashley Panem, Grace O'Neil and Denali Pinto are all scoring fervently for the Knights. For Ralston Valley (2-1), Van Sickle has averaged 19 points and Micheala Shaklee has pitched in 14 a game.

Highlands Ranch at Monarch (Louisville), 6:30 p.m., Dec. 13
Coaches Caryn Jarocki and Bill Bradley have squared off in numerous high-level contests, but it used to be the Highlands Ranch-ThunderRidge rivalry. They'll reprise their rivalry here, with Bradley now at Monarch for a second season. Each team has started well, with No. 3 Highlands Ranch (3-1) receiving prime production from junior Tommi Olson. Monarch's senior combo of Peyton Carter and Jasmine Jeffcoat have paced a 4-1 start for the unranked Coyotes.

Regis Jesuit (Aurora) at Pine Creek (Colorado Springs), 7 p.m., Dec. 16
The Nos. 7 and 8 teams in the preseason poll will square off here. Regis, 3-1 entering Friday's matchup with Grandview, has gotten a sizzling start from 6-foot-1 sophomore Francesca Belibi, who is averaging 19.3 points and 8.3 rebounds. Pine Creek (2-1) counters with senior Courtney Stanton, who leads a balanced group known for playing stifling defense. The Eagles have held their previous two opponents to a combined 38 points.

Class 4A
Pueblo South at Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch), 5:30 p.m., Dec. 12
This is a matchup of the only two teams that received first-place votes in the preseason poll, with Valor garnering 12 to earn the top spot and No. 5 Pueblo South receiving three. Valor, the two-time defending champion, lost plenty to graduation but is in good hands with Tess Boade and Mary Newland in the fold. Four players are averaging double figures for Pueblo South (3-0), led by Maya Austin's 20 points a game.

Holy Family (Broomfield) at Pueblo West, 4 p.m., Dec. 22
No. 2 Holy Family has already endured losses to Mullen (Denver) and Evergreen – the Nos. 3 and 4 ranked teams – but the Tigers (2-2) still have a chance to knock off a Top 10 opponent before the break. No. 8 Pueblo West (2-0), though, is viewing this as its own chance to do so, and the Cyclones will be ready to roll behind junior Olivia Lough. Holy Family has been led by Leah Schwartz in the early going.

Class 3A
Faith Christian (Arvada) at St. Mary's (Colorado Springs), 7 p.m., Dec. 13
Olivia Florek appears geared up to have a gigantic year for No. 6 St. Mary's (2-0), which harbors ambitions of a deep postseason run. This early-season Top 10 matchup will serve as a litmus test for No. 8 Faith Christian (3-2), which is led by junior Jenna Schiavone and senior Hristina Geraskova. Faith Christian's losses were to defending champion and No. 4 Lutheran (Parker) and 4A Glenwood Springs, by a combined six points.

Manitou Springs vs. Pagosa Springs (at Lutheran), 7:30 p.m., Dec. 16
This tournament matchup is something more fitting for the deep rounds of the postseason, and might just be a preview of that. Top-ranked Manitou Springs has started 1-2, but both losses were to quality 4A opponents, and the Eagles figure to be right in the 3A mix behind the high-scoring Shelby Megyeri. Pagosa Springs has gone 77-2 over the previous three seasons with a title in 2014-15. The No. 3 Pirates are off to a 1-0 start this season.

Class 2A
Yuma at Wray, 5:30 p.m., Dec. 16
While all teams might be staring up at top-ranked Paonia to begin the season, this contest might be the gem of the opening month. No. 2 Yuma, after all, defeated Paonia 55-46 in last season's title game and is off to an impressive 3-0 start. Wray, meanwhile, checks in at No. 4 and has gotten a hot start from senior Paige Beckman. The Indians are looking at this one as a chance to firmly establish themselves as a top-level contender.

Liberty Common (Fort Collins) at Akron, 4 p.m., Dec. 17
This cross-classification matchup promises intrigue, as 2A No. 5 Akron will welcome 3A's 10th-ranked team to its home floor. Akron (1-1) is a regular to the deep rounds of the postseason and will be seeking a quality win to boost spirits in the early going. Fort Collins-based Liberty Common has started 3-0 and is getting a tremendous start from do-it-all senior Halley Miklos, who has averaged 25.7 points in the Eagles' 3-0 start.

Class 1A
Idalia at Kit Carson, 2 p.m., Dec. 10
Kit Carson earned the No. 1 spot in the preseason rankings, and talented senior Micayla Isenbart and the Wildcats will have an immediate chance to validate that designation. After opening against Wiley on Friday, Kit Carson will face a stern test when defending-champion and No. 4 Idalia visits. The Wolves (2-0) have gotten a hot start from sophomore Breann Shaffer in defense of their 2016 crown.