The boys basketball teams from Fairview and Boulder find themselves heading in different directions as they meet up for their annual rivalry on the hardwood Thursday night.
The Knights (7-4) lost four of five heading into last weekend before turning things around with three wins in five days. On Tuesday, senior Jake Genschaw exploded for a career-high 21 points on 9-for-10 shooting in a 63-44 win over Niwot. His previous high in points came early last month, when he scored a dozen and shot a perfect 5 for 5 from the field.
Boulder (1-11) is struggling a year after it won the Rocky Mountain League and snapped a four-year postseason drought. Lake Smith had 41 points on 55% shooting in an 84-80 loss to Mountain Range on Tuesday. Despite the Panthers’ blemished record, Smith is having a nice season, averaging 18.3 points per game.
On Thursday, the Panthers and Knights will play the girls game at 4:30 p.m. at Boulder High School, followed by the boys game at 6 p.m.
Fairview at Boulder basketball doubleheader, Thursday at 4:30/6 p.m.
The Panther girls have won their last three meetings against the Knights, including beating them twice a season ago, while Fairview has won six straight in the boys’ series.
Lexi Oder, averaging 16 points per game this winter, had eight points when the Panthers met the Knights at the Fairview Festival in the team’s first meeting last season, then another 12 in Boulder’s 20-point win last January.
Fairview enters this year’s meeting playing well, having won five of its last six games, mirroring the position it was also in last year for its second meeting with the Panthers. On Tuesday, the Knights beat Niwot, 52-34. Olivia Soto had 18 points, giving her 38 over her last two games and an average of 12.3 points per game this season.
Mead at Frederick girls basketball, Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
The Granite Peaks League is underway and so are the league’s many developing storylines.
Here, the Mavericks (8-3, 3-0) will need a win to stay atop the standings, while Frederick (7-4, 1-1) will look to get back in the race after falling to Broomfield (10-0, 2-0) on Tuesday.
The undefeated Eagles host Horizon (11-2, 3-0) at the same time Thursday. Erie (7-3, 2-0), which nearly upset CHSAA 6A No. 1 Cherokee Trail last week, is at Monarch (5-5, 1-2). Longmont (8-4, 3-0), which played outside the league against 5A No. 3 Standley Lake late Wednesday, will host Broomfield next Tuesday.
Top of the Rockies for wrestling; starting Friday at 6 a.m., ending Saturday around 10 p.m.
We’ll have a larger preview coming out Friday.
Out of the five local teams in attendance last year, only two area wrestlers made the finals, both graduating seniors, and neither of them won.
This year, Boulder, Broomfield, Centaurus, Legacy and Monarch are back. Erie and Fairview join.
Erie’s Noah Bridgewater, Legacy’s Matthew Clifton and Monarch’s Levi Carlucci each finished fifth in their respective weight classes at the tournament last season and are eligible to return.
All competing in Class 5A, Bridgewater is ranked ninth at 138 pounds, Clifton is second at 132 pounds and Carlucci is third at 165 pounds.
Dick Hewson Last Chance Meet for girls swimming, Saturday at Thompson Valley High School, starting at 8 a.m.
The invite and swimming facility at Thompson Valley High School are named after Dick Hewson, the CHSAA Hall of Fame swim coach who led TV and Loveland to success in the pool over a 26-year career. Hewson retired in 1991 and passed away in August at the age of 88.
Broomfield is scheduled to attend.
St. Vrain All City Meet for girls swimming, Saturday at 3 p.m.
Silver Creek has won this meet every season (outside of the pandemic year when it was cancelled) since 2013-14, per MaxPreps.
Last season, the Raptors won two individual events and two relays to edge the Cougars for the team title. Erie was third, followed by Longmont, Frederick and Skyline.
Silver Creek’s Katie Vandenbos and Juliet Story each have the top time on their team in three events. Niwot’s Genevieve Saunders has the state’s top score in diving (432.90).