1A: Otis boys host, Otis girls, Arickaree teams travel

Otis High School’s boys basketball team will be hosting a Class 1A regional, Friday and Saturday.
The Bulldogs, 18-4, finished second to Stratton in the District 5 Tournament, last weekend in Brush, but still ended up with the fifth seed in the 32-team regional.
That means they get to host a four-team regional, first playing 28th-seed Nucla, 8-10, on Friday at 6 p.m. Also coming to Otis will be 12th-seed Cheraw, 14-8, and WashCo-rival Arickaree, 12-7,which will make the short trip to Otis as the 21st seed. Cheraw and Arickaree will play at 7:30 p.m.
Friday’s winners will meet in the regional final on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Stratton is the fourth seed, so that means if both win their regional, Otis and Stratton will play again in the 1A Great 8, next Thursday at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.
Otis opened District 5 action last Wednesday, February 22, at home against Flagler, cruising to a 62-27 win. The Bulldogs led 46-4 at halftime. Charlie Kendrick had 15 points, Jack Willeke 10 points, four assists and three steals, Carter Wells 10 points, Mitchell Stivers five points and three assists, Kaleb Jones five points, Sawyer Packer four points and three steals, JJ Ward three points, three assists and six steals, Taylor Ringlein three points and three rebounds, Erick Thorn two points and three assists, Ethan Gardner two points, E. Bencomo two points, Jacob Perry one point and three rebounds, Grady Bechtle four rebounds, and Austin Hornung three rebounds.
The Bulldogs faced Lone Star in the semifinals, Friday in Brusy, cruising to a 70-44 win. Lone Star, which pulled off a first-round upset, kept it close until Otis went on a 25-8 run in the third quarter. Statistics were not available.
The win moved Otis into the district final, Saturday, where the Bulldogs could not keep up with a tough Stratton team, losing 71-58 to snap a 16-game winning streak. Statistics were not available.

ARICKAREE BOYS
The Arickaree boys basketball team was knocked out early in the District 5 Tournament, last week, but still finds itself in the Class 1A regional round.
The Bison, 12-7, get to make the short trip to Otis for regional. They are the 21st seed and will play 12th-seed Cheraw, 14-8, in the regional semifinal Friday at 7:30 p.m. The winner will play either fifth-seed Otis or 28th-seed Nucla in the regional final at 2 p.m. Saturday with a chance to advance to the 1A Great 8 in Greeley.
Arickaree played a thriller against Lone Star in the first round of District 5, last Wednesday in Otis, eventually losing 50-48. Lone Star jumped into the lead in the first quarter, but Arickaree finally rallied in the fourth before coming up just short.
Nic Hermes had 12 points and five rebounds, Dillon Noletubby 11 points and three rebounds, Bryce Shaffer 10 points and six rebounds, Logan Wright nine points, four rebounds and three steals, Jake King four points, eight rebounds and four steals, and Hayden Page two points and two rebounds.

LONE STAR BOYS
The Lone Star boys basketball team pulled off a big win last week in the Class 1A District 5 Tournament, but still did not advance to regional.
The Longhorns opened District 5 play last Wednesday against Arickaree, holding off the Bison for an exciting 50-48 win. Lone Star statistics were not available.
The win advanced them to the semifinals Friday in Brush against second-seed Otis, where the Longhorns lost 70-44 after sticking close in the first half. Lone Star statistics were not available. The team finished with a 6-12 record.

OTIS GIRLS
The Otis High School girls basketball team is making the nearly nine-hour trip to Dove Creek in western Colorado for the Class 1A regionals.
The Bulldogs, 8-13, are the 20th-seed in the 32-team regional field. They will play 13th-seed Cheraw, 14-6, on Friday at 5:30 p.m. Dove Creek, 19-2, is the fourth seed and will play 29th-seed De Beque, 10-10, on Friday. The winners will meet in the regional final on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Otis made it to the District 5 semifinals, last week.
The Bulldogs opened district play February 21 with a 49-37 win over Flagler. They led by only three before pulling away in the fourth quarter. Aedyn Tribelhorn had 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals, Rowan Tribelhorn 11 points and seven rebounds, Madelyn Willeke 11 points and 18 rebounds, Alli Hornung 10 points, six rebounds and four assists, Hailey Stivers two points, Kayce Perry four rebounds, and Layce Perry three rebounds.
Otis ran into top-seed Stratton in the semifinals, Friday in Brush, losing 59-35. A. Tribelhorn had nine points, nine rebounds and four assists, Willeke eight points and nine rebounds, R. Tribelhorn eight points and seven rebounds, Stivers four points and three rebounds, L. Perry four points and three steals, and Hornung two points and two assists.

ARICKAREE GIRLS
The Arickaree girls basketball team has made the Class 1A 32-team regional field.
The Bison are the 22nd seed and will be heading to sixth-seed Kiowa for regional, Friday and Saturday. They first play 11th-seed Fleming on Friday at 6:30 p.m., while Kiowa plays 27th-seed Front Range Baptist. Friday’s winners will play in the regional final on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Arickaree, 10-10, won its first game in the District 5 Tournament before bowing out in the semifinals.
The Bison held on to beat Hi-Plains 40-37, earlier last week. Statistics were not available.
That put them into the district semifinals last Friday in Brush, where they lost 63-34 to the Idalia Wolves. Arickaree statistics were not available. Idalia also is in regional as the 12th seed.

LONE STAR GIRLS
Lone Star’s girls basketball team saw its season come to an end last week with a 47-24 loss to Idalia in the Class 1A District 5 Tournament.
The Longhorn finished with a 6-11 record after winning the 1A consolation championship last season. Lone Star statistics were not available.