If there was a way for the North Park girls basketball team to fly under the radar, coach Randy Hodgson would have found it. Yet with a 21-1 record entering the Class A state tournament today at the Air Force Academy, the Wildcats will be hard to overlook.

North Park is making its fifth consecutive appearance and hopes to finally take home the gold ball. The Wildcats placed third last season after runner-up finishes in 2004 (to Strasburg) and 2005 (McClave). They open with surprising Flagler (9-14).

"We basically had 4 1/2 starters coming back this season, so we have been optimistic," said Hodgson, who has been at North Park for 26 seasons. "Our only state losses the past four years have been to the eventual champion. We're not about to overlook anyone. Flagler may not have the best record, but they come in having won their last four games."

When it comes to tradition among the eight teams, Eads (21-2) leads the way. The Eagles are seeking their seventh championship. Caliche and Merino (16-7), the only other schools in the field to have won titles, each are going for their fourth titles.

Haxtun (19-4) and Merino have an opening-round game. Haxtun has beaten the Rams twice this season, 46-45 and 36-28.

"It looks to me that there are eight pretty good basketball teams at the tournament," Merino coach Bryan Dermer said. "It will be wide open for anyone. We've played Caliche three times this season. They beat us the first two, but we beat them at the district championship game."

La Veta (17-5) might be the most difficult team to judge. The Redskins have not played any of the other seven tournament entrants.

One team that will not be overlooked is Kit Carson. The Wildcats have one of the best sports traditions in the classification.

"Kit Carson (20-3) is on our side of the bracket and we know the talent these girls have because of volleyball," said Hodgson, also the North Park volleyball coach. "They play Caliche (18-5), another school with an outstanding tradition."

Team-by-team capsules

Caliche (18-5)

• The Buffs, coached by Dave Huss, finished fourth last season, losing to North Park in the third-place game. They split regular-season games with tournament entrant Haxtun and won two of three against Merino. The Buffs are led by Amy Martin (11.4 points), Tanya Morgan (9.1) and Kelsey Stumpf (8.8).

Eads (21-2)

• Eads won the title in 2003, its first under coach Shawn Randel and sixth overall. Talli Hansen, a 6-foot-1 junior and second-team all-state selection last season, leads the Eagles in scoring (18.0) and rebounding (12.4). They split games this season with Kit Carson and lost their only other game to Sharon Springs, Kan. Jordan Barnett has chipped in with 8.7 points a game.

Flagler (9-14)

• The Panthers of coach Mike Campbell, back at state for the first time since 2004, lost nine consecutive games from mid-December to mid-January. Included were two losses to Merino and one to Kit Carson. Behind Shelby Fritzler (13.1 points), they have picked up the pace by winning their past four.

Haxtun (19-4)

• The Bulldogs, coached by Monte Green, were state runners-up to McClave last year. Their only loss to a Class A school this season was to Caliche, 39-36, which they also beat 52-38. Kassie Kroeger, a 6-0 senior (9.52 points), and Dara Kipp (11.3) have been the leaders up front for the Bulldogs.

Kit Carson (20-3)

• The Wildcats lost to Springfield in the regular season but rebounded to beat the Longhorns when it counted, in regionals last week, to advance. Under coach Sara Crawford they have split games with Eads. Sabrina Dawson (11.6 points) and Melissa Jolly (10) have been the leaders in the quest for the school's first girls basketball championship.

La Veta (17-5)

• The Redskins have won eight in a row but have not played any of the other seven qualifiers. Of their five losses, three were to Hoehne. Junior Kyndall Alverez (14.7 points, 7.7 rebounds), freshman Shelby Morgan (9.9 points, four steals) and junior Carlee Koutnik (7.9 points, six rebounds) have been the leaders for coach Kent Smith.

Merino (16-7)

• Coach Bryan Dermer and the Rams won their last of three state titles in 2002. They are making their first appearance in the quarterfinals since then. Two of their losses this season came against 2A qualifiers Limon and Wray. Richelle Fritzler (11 points) and Callie Scalva (10.6) have been consistent all season. The Rams lost their season opener 46-45 to quarterfinal opponent Haxtun.

North Park (21-1)

• The Wildcats of coach Randy Hodgson have come close the past four seasons but have yet to win the gold ball. They are undefeated in Class A, losing their only game to 2A qualifier Plateau Valley. Cassie Corkle, a second-team all-state selection last year, leads the team in scoring. She has had ample help this season from Kelsey Souza, who is second in scoring and rebounding, and Joy Nameth, the team's leading rebounder.

stockers@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5275

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