The Otis High School boys basketball team could see a familiar foe if they can advance to the Class 1A Sweet 16 this weekend.
The Bulldogs, 14-7, are the 13th seed in the 32-team regional after reaching the District 5 semifinals last week. They will play 20th-seed Sangre de Cristo at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Stratton, with fourth-seed Stratton playing 29th-seed Moffat later in the day. (The Otis girls also will be playing regional in Stratton.)
Otis and Stratton already have played twice this season with the Eagles winning both meetings, including a 55-51 decision in last Friday’s district semifinal in Brush. Otis has not played Sangre de Cristo or Moffat, who both have to make a long trip to Stratton.
Friday’s winners will meet in the Sweet 16 game at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The regional champ will advance to the 1A Great 8 next week in Greeley.
The Bulldogs opened District 5 play last Wednesday with a 61-29 win over Hi-Plains, at Stratton. They raced out to a 37-9 lead in the first half. Sawyer Packer had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Grady Bechtle 13 points and 11 rebounds, Charlie Kendrick nine points, three rebounds and three assists, Mitchell Stivers six pints, four rebounds and three assists, Gavin Price six points and four assists, Jacob Perry five points and four rebounds, and Austin Hornung four rebounds and four assists.
Otis squared off against top-seed Stratton in the district semifinal, Friday at Brush High School. The Bulldogs led 27-25 at halftime, but were outscored by eight in the third quarter. Otis statistics were not available.
Arickaree boys
Arickaree’s boys basketball team was an upset victim in districts last week but still has advanced to the Class 1A 32-team regional.
The Bison, 17-3, are the 15th seed and travel to Cheyenne Wells for regional. They will play 18th-seed Denver Waldorf, 14-6, on Friday, while second-seed Cheyenne Wells takes on 31st-seed Dove Creek. The winners will advance to Saturday’s Sweet 16 with that winner advancing to the 1A Great 8 next week in the Bank of Colorado Arena on the University Northern Colorado campus.
The Bison beat Denver Waldorf earlier this month 56-52. They have not played either of the other two teams in the regional.
Arickaree was shocked by seventh-seed Lone Star 63-61 in the first round of the District 5 Tournament, last Wednesday at Arickaree. The Bison fell behind by one in the first quarter but had built a five-point lead after three quarters, 55-50. However, they scored only six points in the fourth as the Longhorns rallied for the big win.
Nic Hermes had 19 points and six steals, Jake King 13 points, fokur rebounds, four assists and seven steals, Austin Wright 12 points and 10 rebounds, Dillon Noletubby nine points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four steals, Jorge Ramos six points and three rebounds, and Zarron Skubal two points and three rebounds.
The loss knocked the Bison out of the district tournament, but their season continues.
Otis girls
The Otis High School girls basketball team has played its way into a decent seeding for the Class 1A regionals.
The Bulldogs are 10-11 and the 18th-seed in Region 2 that will be hosted by second-seed Stratton. (The Otis boys also are playing at Stratton.) They play 15th-seed Springfield, 12-9, in a regional semifinal Friday at 1 p.m. Stratton will play 31st-seed Front Range Baptist at 4 p.m. Friday’s winners will meet in the Sweet 16 at 1 p.m. Saturday, with the winner advancing to the Class 1A Great 8 next week in Greeley.
Otis has not played Springfield or Front Range Baptist, but has lost three times to Stratton, including in last Friday’s District 5 semifinals at Brush High School.
The Bulldogs opened district play last Tuesday at Stratton against Arickaree, pulling off a big 36-29 win. They trailed 14-7 at halftime but outscored the Bison 29-15 in the second half.
Aedyn Tribelhorn had 13 points, five rebounds and four assists, Alli Hornung 10 points and three rebounds, Madelyn Willeke nine points and 15 rebounds, Lydia Willeke two points and two steals, Kayce Perry two points and five rebounds, and Layce Perry two rebounds.
The Bulldogs ran into Stratton in the district semifinals Friday at Brush High School, losing 64-20. Otis statistics were not available.
Arickaree girls
Arickaree’s girls basketball team is making the long trip to Dove Creek for the Class 1A Region 6, Friday and Saturday. Dove Creek is nearly 600 miles away.
The Bison, 11-8, are the 22nd seed in the 32-team regional field. They will play 11th-seed Cheyenne Wells at 5:30 p.m. Friday. Prior to that, sixth-seed Dove Creek will play another local team, 27th-seed Lone Star, at 4 p.m. The winners advance to Saturday’s Sweet 16 at 10 a.m., with the winner of that advancing to the 1A Great 8 next week in Greeley.
Arickaree did not get out of the first round of the District 5 Tournament last week, losing 36-29 to Otis, at Strattton.
The Bison took a 9-2 lead in the first quarter and still led by seven at halftime, but were outscored 29-15 in the second half. Janiya Smith had 10 points and three rebounds, Lilly Monat seven points and five rebounds, Raeya Schrock six points, three rebounds, three assists and four steals, Janice Kalcevic five points, Keyli Vazquez one point and three rebounds, Paytin Villareal seven rebounds and Julisa Quinteros five rebounds.
The loss knocked the Bison out of district, but their season continues this week at regional.
Lone Star Girls
The Lone Star girls basketball team gets to hit the road for the Class 1A regional this week.
The Longhorns, 8-10, are the 27th seed in the 32-team regional field. They have to travel nearly 600 miles to Dove Creek to play the sixth-seed Bulldogs, 18-2, at 4 p.m. Friday. Neighboring Arickaree also is making the trip to Dove Creek, playing Cheyenne Wells in the other regional semifinal. The winners play in Saturday’s Sweet 16, with that winner advancing to the 1A Great 8 next week in Greeley.
The Longhorns lasted one game in the District 5 Tournament, losing 42-32 at Idalia last Tuesday. The game was tight early, but Idalia was able to pull away in the middle quarters. Lone Star statistics were not available.
Lone Star boys had shining moment
The Lone Star boys had one major shining moment last week before their season came to an end.
The Longhorns entered the Class 1A District 5 Tournament as the seventh seed, playing last Wednesday at second-seed Arickaree. They were 4-14 heading into the game while Arickaree was 17-2 and had beat the Longhorns 54-32 in January.
However, the Longhorns pulled off the 63-61 upset last Wednesday. They led 13-12 after the first quarter, fell behind 55-50 after the third quarter, but rallied in the fourth for a 13-6 advantage and the shocking win. Lone Star statistics were not available.
The Longhorns advanced to Friday’s semifinals at Brush High School needing to win the district title to advance to this week’s regional.
However, their season came to an end with a 70-32 loss to Idalia. The Longhorns stuck around early on, but were outscored 44-9 in the middle two quarters. Grant Kuntz had 15 points and 11 rebounds, Wyatt Cochran five points and eight assists, Owen Glenn four points and two rebounds, Jack Glenn two points, Addison Weathers two points and five rebounds, Ian Pastor two points and two rebounds, and Jesus Hermosillo two points and two rebounds. Brock Fischer had two rebounds, and Brecklin Long one rebound. Mason Mollohan also played.
The Longhorns finished with a 5-14 record.