Girls basketball rankings: Grandview, Valor Christian among preseason favorites
It appears that defending girls basketball state champions are going to have their work cut out for them in 2016-17.
Only Valor Christian comes in as a No. 1 team in the CHSAANow.com preseason girls basketball rankings as a team who also finished the season hoisting a state championship trophy.
The Eagles won their second-straight Class 4A title last year, beating league rival Evergreen 55-40.
The Cougars will start the season at No. 4.
Led by Michaela Onyenwere, Grandview comes in as the top team in 5A. The Wolves advanced to the Final 4 last season, but lost a heartbreaker to eventual state champion ThunderRidge.
The Grizzlies did not break into the top 10 to start the season.
In 3A, it’s the 2016 state runner-up Manitou Springs who comes in as the No.1 team to start the year.
The Mustangs return senior Shelby Megyeri, who is regarded as one of the top guards in the state.
Defending 3A champion, Lutheran lands at No. 4 in the 3A poll.
Like the 3A poll, it’s the runner-up that will start the season at No. 1 in 2A. After falling to Yuma 55-46 in the 2A title game, Paonia will start the 2016-17 season as the top team in the class.
Yuma isn’t far behind though as the defending champ sit at No. 2.
A stunning upset in the first round of the 1A state tournament ended Kit Carson’s bid at a state title, but the Wildcats find themselves as the team to beat to start this season.
They take the No. 1 spot in the preseason 1A rankings.
Idalia comes into the season at No. 4 after claiming last year’s 1A title.
The girls basketball regular season will begin Nov. 30.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. During the regular season, they are released each Monday.
Complete rankings are below.
CHSAANow.com Girls Basketball Polls
Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.
First-place votes are in parentheses.
Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.
| Class 5A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| RK | TEAM | W-L | PTS |
| 1 | Grandview (11) | 0-0 | 118 |
| 2 | Ralston Valley | 0-0 | 89 |
| 3 | Highlands Ranch (1) | 0-0 | 83 |
| 4 | Cherry Creek | 0-0 | 81 |
| 5 | Lakewood | 0-0 | 76 |
| 6 | Horizon | 0-0 | 61 |
| 7 | Regis Jesuit | 0-0 | 28 |
| 8 | Pine Creek | 0-0 | 24 |
| 9 | Arapahoe | 0-0 | 17 |
| 10 | Loveland | 0-0 | 14 |
| Others receiving votes: | |||
| Broomfield 11, Monarch 10, Fruita Monument 9, Doherty 8, Fairview 8, ThunderRidge 7, Fossil Ridge 5, Poudre 4, Rampart 4, Castle View 1, Chaparral 1, Grand Junction Central 1. | |||
| Class 4A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| RK | TEAM | W-L | PTS |
| 1 | Valor Christian (12) | 0-0 | 135 |
| 2 | Holy Family | 0-0 | 113 |
| 3 | Mullen | 0-0 | 78 |
| 4 | Evergreen | 0-0 | 66 |
| 5 | Pueblo South (3) | 0-0 | 61 |
| 6 | Mesa Ridge | 0-0 | 59 |
| 7 | Sand Creek | 0-0 | 46 |
| 8 | D’Evelyn | 0-0 | 40 |
| 9 | Pueblo West | 0-0 | 39 |
| 10 | Golden | 0-0 | 36 |
| Others receiving votes: | |||
| Longmont 33, Windsor 32, Durango 17, Falcon 16, Air Academy 12, Green Mountain 8, Pueblo East 8, Palisade 6, Berthoud 5, Montrose 5, Discovery Canyon 3, Thomas Jefferson 3, Rifle 2, Centaurus 1, Elizabeth 1. | |||
| Class 3A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| RK | TEAM | W-L | PTS |
| 1 | Manitou Springs (5) | 0-0 | 87 |
| 2 | Sterling (2) | 0-0 | 84 |
| 3 | Pagosa Springs | 0-0 | 76 |
| 4 | Lutheran (1) | 0-0 | 62 |
| 5 | Centauri | 0-0 | 58 |
| 6 | St. Mary’s (1) | 0-0 | 52 |
| 7 | Eaton (1) | 0-0 | 38 |
| 8 | Faith Christian | 0-0 | 27 |
| 9 | Lamar | 0-0 | 19 |
| 10 | Liberty Common | 0-0 | 11 |
| Others receiving votes: | |||
| Moffat County 7, Coal Ridge 5, Grand Valley 5, Bennett 4, Olathe 3, Resurrection Christian 3, Alamosa 2, Cedaredge 2, Colorado Springs Christian 2, Kent Denver 1, Strasburg 1, Trinidad 1. | |||
| Class 2A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| RK | TEAM | W-L | PTS |
| 1 | Paonia (9) | 0-0 | 99 |
| 2 | Yuma (1) | 0-0 | 70 |
| 3 | Swink | 0-0 | 67 |
| 4 | Wray | 0-0 | 64 |
| 5 | Akron | 0-0 | 28 |
| 6 | Soroco | 0-0 | 26 |
| 7 | Haxtun | 0-0 | 20 |
| 8 | Del Norte | 0-0 | 19 |
| 9 | Lyons | 0-0 | 17 |
| 10 | Highland | 0-0 | 16 |
| Others receiving votes: | |||
| Ignacio 15, Clear Creek 14, Evangelical Christian 14, Sanford 13, West Grand 12, Hoehne 10, Sargent 7, Simla 7, Ellicott 6, Limon 5, Meeker 5, Calhan 4, Ridgway 4, Burlington 2, Fowler 2, Center 1, Custer County 1, Denver Christian 1, Norwood 1. | |||
| Class 1A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| RK | TEAM | W-L | PTS |
| 1 | Kit Carson (7) | 0-0 | 88 |
| 2 | Fleming (1) | 0-0 | 55 |
| 3 | Heritage Christian | 0-0 | 53 |
| 4 | Idalia (1) | 0-0 | 49 |
| 5 | Briggsdale | 0-0 | 47 |
| 6 | South Baca | 0-0 | 35 |
| 7 | Genoa-Hugo/Karval | 0-0 | 25 |
| 8 | Antonito | 0-0 | 23 |
| 9 | Kiowa | 0-0 | 21 |
| 10 | Branson/Kim | 0-0 | 18 |
| Others receiving votes: | |||
| Cheyenne Wells 15, McClave 13, Jim Elliot 11, La Veta 10, Sangre de Cristo 10, Hi-Plains 5, Springfield 5, Eads 4, Holly 4, Otis 3, Stratton/Liberty 1. | |||
