Scott Kaniewski

The Class 4A and 5A boys and girls state basketball tournaments kicked off this week. Teams lucky enough to make the 48-team tournament learned their seedings when the Colorado High School Activities Association released its brackets Feb. 22.

Here’s a look at the seedings and early-round matchups for local area schools.

Class 5A girls

Highlands Ranch

The Falcons won the Continental Conference yet again. And as a reward, they were granted a No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the Sharon Wilch Region.

Highlands Ranch [21-2] enters the playoffs looking for its fourth consecutive state title and seventh in the last 10 seasons.

The Falcons open tournament play Feb. 27, getting the winner of No. 8 Fountain-Fort Carson [13-9] vs. No. 9 Lakewood [12-11].

Meagan Fulps and Jenessa Burke will lead the Falcons on a run that should have them in the final four.

Mountain Vista

Showing how much CHSAA values the Continental League, the Golden Eagles, who went 2-9 in league play, still earned a berth into the state tournament.

No. 11 Mountain Vista [11-13 overall] had to go on the road against No. 6 Durango [14-9] in the first round of the playoffs in the Alice Barron Region, Feb. 24. Results from the game were not available by the time the newspaper went to print.

ThunderRidge

The Grizzlies made a case to belong among the top teams this season. However, in the span of four days, they lost to Continental rivals Regis and Highlands Ranch. Their only other loss came against Regis in nonleague play.

Its stellar play earned ThunderRidge [20-3] the No. 1 seed in the Carol Callan Region. The Grizzlies start tournament play Feb. 27 against the winner of No. 8 Arvada West [17-6] vs. No. 9 Overland [8-15].

Rachel Messer, Carlie Needles and Brooke Jelniker have each scored more than 300 points and will have to produce if the Grizzlies hope to break through to their first state title since 2005.

If the Grizzlies can reach the final four, a showdown with Highlands Ranch looms.

Class 4A girls

Rock Canyon

The Jaguars finished the season with a 7-16 record.

Still, they earned a No. 11 seed for the playoffs in the Sharon Wilch Region, having to go on the road against No. 6 Windsor [12-11] Feb. 24. Results from the game were not available by the time the newspaper went to print.

Class 5A boys

Highlands Ranch

Despite finishing the season three games under .500, the Falcons were granted a first-round home game Feb. 26 in the Glenn Wilson Region.

The Falcons [10-13] got a No. 8 seed and welcome No. 9 Bear Creek [11-12]. Waiting for Highlands Ranch if it can beat Bear Creek is a road game at No. 1 Eaglecrest [20-3].

The Falcons finished in sixth place in the Continental Conference. A four-game losing streak near the end of the season hurt their chances for a better seeding.

Greg Sullivan and Fabian Sebastion are averaging 14 points per game.

Mountain Vista

A better overall record than rival Highlands Ranch didn’t help the Golden Eagles. Finishing 4-7 in the Continental League and 11-12 overall sends the Golden Eagles on the road as the No. 10 seed in the RW Truscott Region. They’ll play at No. 7 Cherry Creek [10-13] Feb. 26.

Eric Anderson has put up 400 points this season. If the Golden Eagles want to get to the second round, he’ll have to score big. A win would put Mountain Vista back on the road against No. 2 George Washington [22-1].

ThunderRidge

Last season the Grizzlies were a top seed. This year it’s a different story.

Finishing third in the Continental League still earned the Grizzlies [15-8] a No. 3 seed and a first-round home game Feb. 28 in the Glenn Wilson Region. They’ll play the winner of No. 6 Montbello [14-9] vs. No. 11 Liberty [9-14] .

Do-everything player Dave Arnold leads the Grizzlies with nearly 500 points. Arnold has the Grizzlies playing well; they’ve only lost once in their last eight games. They lost to the Continental’s top two teams by a combined six points, showing they can hang with anyone.

If ThunderRidge can get past their first game, a possible matchup against No. 2 Green Mountain awaits.

Class 4A boys

Rock Canyon

The Jaguars opened the playoffs at home.

Earning a No. 8 seed, Rock Canyon played host to No. 9 Wasson [7-15], Feb. 25. Results from the game were not available before the newspaper went to print.

Playing a Continental League schedule, the Jaguars went 5-6 and finished 11-11 overall.

If the Jaguars defeated Wasson, they’d go on the road to play No. 1 Windsor [20-3] Feb. 28 in the Ron Shavlik Region.