ALAMOSA — With volleyball in the valley nearly halfway through the season a postseason window is becoming apparent. The latest coaches’ poll shows where the coaches believe the talent lies. Points are based on a 1-10 scale with teams receiving points based on how coaches rank them a No. 1 ranking netting 10 points, 2 getting 9 and so on.

5. Alamosa – 63 (3A)

Monday morning the Colorado High School Activites Association (CHSAA) released the coaches’ poll rankings for volleyball. Alamosa earned 63 points and placed fifth overall a spot they’ve held since Sept. 2nd. The Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) is much kinder to Alamosa with the Moose ranked second only to the defending state champion Lutheran Lions.

Alamosa’s Mean Moose (7-1) were very impressive in the state playoffs a season ago. The only losses Alamosa suffered were to the two teams that played in the title match. This season the Moose are off to another strong start. Alamosa saw most of their quality competition at the Glenwood Invitational. Facing the likes of 4A Glenwood Springs as well as 2A’s No. 1 team Denver Christian, Alamosa put together a 3-1 record at the away invitational.

The Moose are fresh off a win to start their league schedule against a talented Montezuma-Cortez squad. The Moose defeated the Panthers in a game that went down to the wire 3-2. Alamosa will see Cortez once again when they head south as part of Centauri’s triangular early Saturday morning. Alamosa and Cortez are assigned in the first match at 9 a.m. Saturday, the 21st.

Others receiving votes

Centauri – 3 (3A)

Centauri (4-3) has yet to crack the top ten of the rankings earning three points from votes this week. This season, the Falcons started with a solid four-game winning streak, since then it has been a tough haul as the Falcons dropped the next three.

At the time of publishing, the Falcons held the No. 33 spot by RPI and if the season ended today would likely qualify for the postseason. The Falcons play in a competitive league with the likes of Alamosa, Montezuma-Cortez and Bayfield all currently holding spots in the top 20 RPI rankings, but they’ve taken a step in their league with a win over Monte Vista (1-6).

Centauri can take another step this Saturday the 21st as they’ll have both Cortez and Alamosa in town for a triangular. The Falcons will take on Cortez in the second match of the day, Cortez and Alamosa will play first at 9 a.m.

Sangre de Cristo – 3 (1A)

The T-Birds dropped out of the coaches’ poll top-ten rankings on September 2nd since then they have been garnering points from the fringes. This week Sangre de Cristo is on the outside looking in with 3 points. Sangre de Cristo is ranked 22nd by RPI.

With new head coach Rachael Ringler the Thunderbirds (5-2) have had a decent start to the season with wins over league opponents – Manzanola and Mountain Valley-Moffat. Sangre’s only losses have been to John Mall (2A) and Alamosa (3A), one and two classes above the Thunderbirds respectively. Occupying the 1A class things are rather simple as each district will be sending three teams this year decided by pool play at the end of the year.

Sangre needs only to worry about their own league and postseason pool play. Sangre de Cristo can get a jump on that this weekend. Sangre will be playing two league games on back-to-back days Friday the T-Birds will be in San Luis to face Centennial High at 6 p.m. then on Saturday morning back home to host Sierra Grande at 10 a.m.