PPAC’s newfound parity in girls’ hoops

It took four years, but it looks like the rest of the Pikes Peak Athletic Conference has finally caught up to Sand Creek.

The Scorpions (4-6, 0-2) lost their first two games in league play last week, snapping a 56-game winning streak that dates all the way back to when the PPAC was established in 2012.

In their defeat, the rest of the league finds hope.

“It’s been a long time since everybody else wasn’t playing for second,” Palmer Ridge coach Dennis Coates said. “It’s definitely different than any other year in the PPAC.”

The Bears (8-3, 2-0) and Air Academy (8-2, 2-0) sit atop the standings after a week and face each other Wednesday as the Kadets put their seven-game winning streak against Palmer Ridge’s five-game streak.

The winner will hold the top spot in the standings alone in an all-around competitive league.

“Anybody can knock each other off,” Air Academy coach Phil Roiko said. “There’s not anybody in the league that you can overlook and that should make us all better come playoff time.”

CSCS embraces rigid boys’ hoops schedule

Even before the RPI playoff system, Colorado Springs Christian has always been eager to schedule top teams in 5A and 4A under coach Mark Engesser.

“Not many say yes (to play us),” Engesser said. “But we try to get as many as we can, the hardest competition possible to prepare us for regionals and state.”

The Lions (6-1) finish their nonconference schedule against Pueblo West (8-1) in the Rampart Tournament on Monday, a matchup between defending 3A and 4A champions.

The Lions split against two 5A teams to start the tournament, losing to Rampart by 16 points Friday before beating Fruita Monument in overtime Saturday.

In the win, Justin Engesser hit a 3 to tie the game at 48 at the end of regulation. Noah Hopkins then hit the game-winning 3 with five seconds remaining in OT.

They might need some similar magic to knock off the Cyclones.

“They’re going to be really hard to beat,” coach Engesser said. “They’ve only lost one or two of their top players from last year whereas we lost four of our top guys.”

Peltier remains undefeated at Mullen Invitational

Rampart senior Lance Peltier pinned Northridge’s Wyatt Carpenter in 5 minutes and 29 seconds in the 106-pound finals Saturday, leading the Rams to a third-place finish in the 13-team invite with 141.5 points.

Peltier improved to 18-0, only 11 months since he fell in the first round of state as Rampart’s lone qualifier.

“I’m hoping we could qualify four, maybe five guys this year,” Rams coach Rich Riley said. “This tournament was a huge confidence boost for us.”

It’s good timing, too. Rampart has a dual with Pine Creek on Wednesday.

Manitou Springs gaining confidence on the mat

After taking third in the Rebel Invite at Denver South on Saturday, many wrestlers from Manitou Springs wondered what more they could have done to slide up another spot.

Cherokee Trail won the 15-team tournament with 227.5 points, while the Mustangs (94.5) finished 1.5 points behind Rock Canyon (96) to round out the top three.

“What if” was the conversation afterward.

“Couple of the kids have the gumption enough to be introspective and realize that it’s not just me, it’s about the team,” Manitou Springs coach Paul Bonner said. “‘Had I done a little bit better maybe the team would have done better.’ So that’s kind of neat to see.'”

Ceasar Sanchez (113) and Julian Sanchez (285) both won titles for the Mustangs, who have a limited but talented roster.

Bonner said his team started the season with seven wrestlers but acquired four more since the winter break.

“We have a small group of kids who have a good attitude and a lot of dedication,” he said.

BRENT W. NEW, THE GAZETTE