Peetz boys jump five spots in Colorado Preps ranking

Peetz boys basketball’s fish bowl effect didn’t last long.

After spending the first week of the new year on the outside looking in on Colorado Preps’ Coaches and Media Poll, the Bulldogs — then ranked in the first spot just outside of the Class 1A top 10 — made a huge jump to No. 6.

The shakeup fell down to losses around the classification, but the Bulldogs maintained their poise, even upsetting the secondranked team. That glorious finish came against Arickaree last Wednesday, when Peetz utilized a strong first quarter to bury the Bison 49-46.

The Bison, in response, fell from No. 2 to No. 5 this week.

Peetz began that contest with white-hot shooting, netting 20 points in the first quarter to Arickaree’s 12, but saw that flame die out in the second frame. The Bison swung the momentum back in their favor, outpacing the Bulldogs with a 14-6 scoring run, to tie things up at 26 heading into halftime.

That’s when senior Noah Naegele, who ended his night with a game-high 24 points, lit another match.

The Bulldogs reclaimed the offensive edge in the third quarter with a 14-9 advantage, then spent the final eight minutes staving off a stiff comeback attempt from Arickaree. The Bison fell just short when it mattered most, significantly shaking up the 1A poll in just its second week of existence.

While Naegele took on a large percentage of the scoring responsibility, senior Chance Segelke contributed big in other ways. He brought down eight rebounds — all on the defensive end — dished out three assists, collected one steal and blocked one shot. Sophomore Rhyder Bayne, who the Bison successfully contained on the offensive end, led the team with three steals.

The Bulldogs, now 8-2 and enjoying a threegame winning streak, will hit the road on Friday to take on a struggling Fleming team.