Colorado Preps Weekly

Season B is officially here and even though it brings with it mask requirements and spectator restrictions, it is generally being welcomed with open arms. For many area youth, it will be the first competitive action they have seen in more than 10 months.

After a week of practice, competitions were scheduled to begin this most recent Monday and a lot of eyes will be on the mats, seeing if Wray can add yet another state title to its trophy case. The Eagles open the season as the #1 team in Class 2A, as ranked by Tim Yount of On The Mat Rankings. They are expected to draw a challenge from area programs, with Rocky Ford, Crowley County, Yuma and Sedgwick County/Fleming all in the preseason top 15.

One of the reasons Wray is the favorite is senior Tyler Collins, who steadily climbed the podium from third place at 132 as a freshman, to second at 138 as a sophomore, until he claimed the title at 152 last season as a junior. He's the preseason favorite to repeat. Jose Molina, who took second for the Eagles at 220 last season, moves up to 285 and is ranked #1 to begin the campaign.

Crowley County's Adam Schultz, who went undefeated at 170 last season, also moves up, and is the favorite at 195 to begin this year. Fabian Lopez, who won the weight last year for Sedgwick County/Fleming, is right on his heels.

Class 3A sees a couple local programs crack the preseason top 15, with Lamar and La Junta both making the initial field. For La Junta, their hopes begin at 106 pounds with sophomore Elijah Montalvan, who is ranked #1 to begin things. He was one spot away from making a state appearance as a freshman.

Lamar's hopes are tied to Zane Rankin, who after winning consecutive titles at 132 pounds, will be moving up to 138 this season. Another championship would make him one of the most decorated wrestlers in school history. He's #2 in the rankings.

Girls wrestling is also getting underway and a lot of attention locally will be focused on the 111 pound classification. Lamar's Crystalyn Felan opens as the #2 wrestler at the weight after winning the title there two years ago and finishing second at 100 last season. Not far behind is Yuma's Fatima Duran, who finished fourth last season at this weight. She's fourth to begin the year. Yuma also has high hopes for Mia Dischner, last year's sixth place finisher at 185, and Eva Ruiz, who qualified at 161 last season.

Neither Lamar nor La Junta's girls cracked the preseason top 15 in Class 3A girls basketball, but both did receive votes. Lamar, looking to bounce back after last season's 10-13 mark opens play on Thursday at home against Dolores Huerta and against Atlas Prep on Friday. The Lady Tigers were a little better last year, finishing at 12-11. They tip off at home on Thursday with Pueblo Centennial, and visit Fowler on Saturday.

The Class 2A preseason rankings are littered with area programs, including right at the top, where Rye and Limon check in at #1 and #2. Rye was 24-0 heading into its first round state contest with Sanford, where the Lady Thunderbolts came up short, 46-31. They bring back all but one player off that roster, and will get going this season with a road trip to Manitou Springs on Thursday and a home contest on Saturday with #8 Del Norte.

Limon was also 24-1 when last season abruptly came to a close, but the Lady Badgers were preparing for their semifinal contest at state. Unlike Rye, they were hit hard by graduation, with seven seniors leaving the program. The rebuilt roster gets out of the gates with a home game against Genoa-Hugo on Friday, ahead of a road trip to #11 Yuma on Saturday.

Sanford, Holyoke and Wray round out the preseason top five, while Rocky Ford (#6) and Holly (#13) are area squads that begin ranked. Swink, Fowler, Burlington, Crowley County, Trinidad, Hoehne and Byers were all part of the group that received votes.

The top of the Class 1A girls rankings has a decidedly Northeastern Colorado flair, with league rivals Briggsdale and Fleming holding down the top two spots. However, the southeastern part of the state quickly gets representation from the likes of #4 South Baca, #5 McClave, #6 Kit Carson and #11 Springfield. Add in Kim/Branson, Wiley, Cheraw, and Granada, and there will rarely be a night without top competition in the region.

Games to watch in the opening week have Kim/Branson visiting Crowley County and Wiley hosting Holly on Thursday. Friday sees Kit Carson hosting Prairie, while McClave welcomes in Stratton/Liberty and Idalia hosts Burlington. Saturday's top contests have Kit Carson at Wiley, Idalia visiting Briggsdale, and Cheraw visiting Kim/Branson. Kit Carson will visit Limon next Tuesday in what will be a clash of ranked squads.

Not much is expected from Lamar and La Junta in the Class 3A boys field, as neither garnered much preseason love in the coaches poll. Lamar checked in with a total of three votes and the Tigers were not listed on a single ballot. The Savages, who went 13-10 last season, begin with home games against Dolores Huerta and Atlas Prep on Thursday and Friday. La Junta, coming off a 10-13 year, visit Pueblo Centennial and Fowler on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

Familiar faces dot the top of the Class 2A boys rankings, with Limon and Yuma earning the first two spots. However, right behind those two powers is Fowler. Holly, with a new head coach, comes into the season at #9. Burlington, Crowley County, and Rye all received votes.

The first weekend of the season has the top two teams squaring off, as Yuma hosts Limon on Saturday. For the Badgers, it will be their second ranked contest of the season, as they host 1A #7 Genoa-Hugo on Friday. Yuma starts on Thursday at Brush. Fowler opens with a non-league trip to Colorado Springs Christian on Friday, before hosting La Junta on Saturday.

As mentioned, Genoa-Hugo boys drew plenty of attention from the Class 1A coaches, checking in at #7 to begin the season, but the Pirates aren't the only area school to start off ranked, as they are joined by #4 Kit Carson, #11 Walsh, #13 Granada and #14 Kim/Branson. Cheraw missed the top 15 by nine votes, while Cheyenne Wells, Eads, Stratton/Liberty, Springfield, Manzanola, Wiley and McClave also received votes.

Week one has no shortage of important games, with Thursday featuring Kim/Branson at Crowley County, Friday having Cheraw at #12 Evangelical Christian and Saturday highlighted by Kit Carson at Wiley and Cheraw at Kim/Branson. Also on Saturday, Burlington hosts #3 Merino. Looking forward to early next week, Kit Carson visits Limon on Tuesday.

Season B also includes girls swimming and diving. La Junta got its schedule started on Tuesday when the Lady Tigers hosted Manitou Springs. They're back in the pool on Saturday, hosting Salida.