
Regis Jesuit sophomore Francesca Belibi (shooting) is off to a hot start for the Raiders. Seventh-ranked Regis meets No. 8 Pine Creek in a top December contest.
File photo by Greg Jungferman
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 tournamentsClass 5ARalston Valley at Fairview (Boulder), 7 p.m., Dec. 10Ralston 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. 13Coaches 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. 16The 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 4APueblo South at Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch), 5:30 p.m., Dec. 12This 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. 22No. 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 3AFaith Christian (Arvada) at St. Mary's (Colorado Springs), 7 p.m., Dec. 13Olivia 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. 17This 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. 10Kit 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.