Other than the contingent representing Frederick’s boys, who easily let out the biggest yells of the gathering, there were few surprises Sunday at the seeding meeting to announce the Class 5A and Class 4A boys and girls basketball playoff pairings.
Games will begin Tuesday for upper classes that were placed in 48-team brackets.
In 5A boys, defending champion Regis Jesuit was joined as one of the four top seeds with Denver Prep League champion Montbello as well as Fountain-Fort Carson and Rampart, which split two games and tied for the Colorado Springs Metro. By coin flip, Fountain-Fort Carson was awarded the league title.
However, Rampart didn’t complain.
“It’s awesome,” Rams coach J’on St. Clair said. “I was really happy they didn’t give us a No. 2 seed.”
Champion of the Continental, Regis Jesuit (22-1, with the loss against out-of-state competition) joins 15 others that will have first-round byes Tuesday, then host a second-round game Friday.
As expected, the Continental and Front Range leagues dominated 5A girls seeding.
A combined eight teams accounted for half of the first-round byes with Highlands Ranch, 2008-09 runner-up Monarch, Legacy and Chaparral top-seeded.
“We’ll take it,” Chaparral coach Tony Speights said. His Wolverines (17-6) also have done it without injured all-stater Sam Martin.
The group will begin play Wednesday, then be paired to 16 by Saturday.
In 4A, where significant travel will be relevant, tradition was rewarded in boys with defending champion Sierra, Sterling and Longmont among the top seeds. Joining the high end is Pueblo East (21-1), which has the best record in the field.
For girls, three-time defending champion Broomfield (22-1) has a top seed along with Mesa Ridge, Centaurus and Pueblo South.
The class will play Tuesday, Friday and Saturday this week.
Of the notables, 5A Aurora Central’s girls qualified for the first time in six seasons. The Trojans are 14-8, earned a No. 2 seed and have a first-round bye. And 5A Cherokee Trail’s girls, who won just four games last season, are 16-7 and have a No. 5 seed in their first year under veteran coach Jim Bartok.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
