Pikes Peak Area rankings: Palmer girls are 5A No. 1

PIKES PEAK AREA RANKINGS

BOYS' BASKETBALL

5A

1. Liberty (2-1), No. 1 last week

2. Fountain-Fort Carson (3-1), No. 2

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

4A

1. Lewis-Palmer (5-0), No. 1

2. Sand Creek (3-0), No. 2

3. Wasson (4-0), No. 3

3A

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

2. James Irwin (3-1), No. 2

3. St. Mary’s (1-2), No. 3

2A

1. Peyton (2-1), No. 1

2. Calhan (2-1), No. 2

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

NOTES: The top two 5A teams held serve last week but could meet up at this week’s Fairview Festival in Boulder. Action started Monday and continues with games Wednesday and Friday. … Defending 4A state champion Lewis-Palmer is allowing an average of just 42.5 points a game in starting 5-0. The Rangers play at Pueblo Central on Tuesday, the same team they knocked out of the 4A playoffs last March in the round of 8. Also in 4A, Discovery Canyon (5-0) and Cheyenne Mountain (4-0) are knocking on the door … CSCS hosts defending 3A state champion Faith Christian on Wednesday. Don’t be deceived by the Eagles’ 2-4 record; they’ve played 4A competition in five games and two of their losses were by a combined five points. … Peyton started a three-win week against 3A James Irwin and will look to extend that Saturday at 3A Manitou Springs.

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

5A

1. Palmer (4-0), No. 1 last week

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

3. Doherty (3-3), No. 3

4A

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

2. Mesa Ridge (4-0), No. 2

3. Palmer Ridge (4-0), No. 3

3A

1. St. Mary’s (3-0), No. 1

2. TCA (2-0), No. 3

3. Manitou Springs (2-2), No. 2

2A

1. Vanguard (4-0), No. 1

2. ECA (3-0), No. 2

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

NOTES: Palmer made it 2-for-2 against top state-ranked teams on Dec. 5, beating Highlands Ranch, four days after upending 4A No. 1 Pueblo South … Sand Creek continued its tough presesason schedule last week with setbacks to Pueblo South and Highlands Ranch. Palmer Ridge won all three of its games and the girls’ title at the Mountain Madness Tournament in Woodland Park. Canon City is unranked but improved to 4-2 with three wins out of four at last week’s Pueblo County Tournament … St. Mary’s, behind games of 25 and 20 points from Gabi Florek, started its season with three straight wins and a title at the Tiger Tip Off at Holy Family in Broomfield … Vanguard leads 2A in scoring at 68.5 points and is among the leaders in defense, too, allowing just 27.5 points. The Coursers host Florence, which reached the 3A round of 16 last season, on Thursday. ECA gets quite the test when it plays at TCA on Saturday.

HOCKEY (first week)

1. Doherty (4-1)

2. Fountain Valley (2-1)

3. Air Academy (1-1)

NOTES: While we might be getting a late start on the hockey rankings, we wanted to get a feel for the teams. ... Opening the season with four wins in five games, Doherty has caught our eye and so it is ranked first. It helps when three of the top five points scorers in the Peak Conference play for the Spartans. ... The Danes’ only loss is to Regis. Join the crowd. ... Kadets’ loss to Regis was by three. Not bad against the perennial powerhouse.