Pikes Peak Area rankings: Lewis-Palmer boys' drop out of No. 1 spot

BASKETBALL

BOYS

5A

1. Fountain-Fort Carson (6-3), No. 1 last week

2. Liberty (3-5), No. 2

3. Rampart (5-3), No. 3

4A

1. Sand Creek (7-0), No. 2

2. Lewis-Palmer (7-2), No. 1

3. (tie) Wasson (7-1), No. 3

Cheyenne Mountain (8-0), No. 3

3A

1. CSCS (4-2), No. 1

2. James Irwin (5-2), No. 2

3. TCA (3-2), No. 3

2A

1. Peyton (6-1), No. 1

2. Calhan (2-2), No. 2

3. Pikes Peak Christian (3-3), No. 3

NOTES: Don’t look too closely at Liberty’s 3-5 record and four-game losing streak heading into 2013. The Lancers’ five losses belong to teams with a combined 32-8 record, including 7-2 Lewis-Palmer (the Rangers were still undefeated at the time) and 9-0 Mountain Vista last week. … And speaking of Rangers, they dropped two games in the span of three days. Granted it was to 4A No. 2 state-ranked D'Evelyn and 5A Chaparral on the road, but back-to-back losses will get you if you're in the driver's seat. ... Sand Creek and Cheyenne Mountain both remained undefeated last week, as did Discovery Canyon (8-0), which started PPAC league play early with a win over Palmer Ridge. … CSCS had its four-game winning streak abruptly ended by Widefield on Thursday. … With the weather-shortened Mountain Lion High School Holiday Shootout last week at UCCS, Peyton and Calhan face an extended break, neither playing again until the second week of January.

GIRLS

5A

1. Palmer (6-1), No. 1 last week

2. Rampart (6-2), No. 2

3. Liberty (5-3), NR

4A

1. Mesa Ridge (7-0), No. 2

2. Sand Creek (4-3), No. 1

3. Palmer Ridge (6-1), No. 3

3A

1. St. Mary’s (4-0), No. 1

2. TCA (5-0), No. 2

3. Ellicott (3-2), No. 3

2A

1. Vanguard (7-0), No. 1

2. ECA (5-1), No. 2

3. Peyton (5-1), No. 3

NOTES: Rampart takes a three-game winning streak into the break on the strength of a 68-42 win against Pueblo Central, avenging a road loss to the Hornets that was part of a 4-4 start a season ago. … Mesa Ridge impressed at the Heritage Memorial Hoopla, limiting Monarch, a 5A finalist last season, to just 34 points and only 42 the next day to Valor Christian. … TCA has allowed just 138 points in five games, an average of 27.6 points. … Vanguard put away Ellicott early on Thursday with a 25-8 run to start the game. The Coursers have scored fewer than 60 points just once this season.

HOCKEY

1. Doherty (5-2), No. 1 last week

2. Fountain Valley (2-1), No. 2

3. Air Academy (2-1-1), No. 3

NOTES: No change in this week's hockey standings with a dearth of activity before the break. But when the new year begins, the conference action ramps up, with Air Academy in action the day school resumes, Jan. 2. ... Fountain Valley awaits its Jan. 4 showdown against Lewis-Palmer. ... Air Acadmey gets a shot at No. 1 Doherty on Jan. 9 at Sertich Ice Center.