As the playoffs draw ever closer, seeding plays a massive role in a team’s postseason success. Which makes it all the more important that Fossil Ridge wins games down the stretch to increase their position.This importance was brought to the forefront as the Sabercats went 2-2 after four games in five days.

The first on the road on Friday night against the Horizon Hawks. Horizon has always been a difficult matchup for Fossil, as they have split the previous six matchups down the middle. 

“We play Horizon enough times…we always know it’s going to be a fight,” says head coach Jamie Menefee.

Fossil was fortunate enough to start the game off strong, going on an 18-0 run to take a 20-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. After a solid second quarter, the Sabercats held a 33-18 lead heading into halftime. 

“I think it was just our teamwork, our passes, and our energy that really helped us,” says junior forward Carmen Arkin.

But the Hawks refused to go away, pulling the game within two points at the end of the third quarter. Fossil Ridge was in serious trouble of letting this important game slip through their fingers. But Menefee spoke with his team during the break, as they rallied during the fourth quarter to secure a 56-46 victory.

“It’s not that we hit a lot of shots in the fourth,” Menefee says. “But we executed to get really good shots. Even when we missed we got plenty of rebounds.”

A big part of the rebounding effort came from Arkin, who snatched up nine boards to go alongside 11 points. Arkin dominated inside the paint, outworking the Horizon players to gain the advantage inside. 

“I think in practice, going against my teammates and getting my confidence up really helps in the game,” Arkin says. 

Unfortunately Fossil Ridge had less success against Legacy the next day, falling 39-34 in a low-scoring affair. The Sabercats had to play two road games within a span of 15 hours, and the fatigue caught up with the team. Fossil could not buy a bucket all game, combining their lowest point total and field goal percentage all season. 

Despite the loss, Kaycee Steinke continued her hot streak from the three-point arc, making both of her attempts. Another star was senior forward Ella Lavigne, who put up 13 points and 10 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the year. 

Things didn’t get any better on Monday, as Fossil lost to No.13 Arapahoe 64-52. The Sabercats got off to a rough start, falling behind 21-5 after the first quarter. Despite outscoring Arapahoe the rest of the way, the initial deficit was just too great. 

Luckily Fossil Ridge bounced back in a major way, burying Mountain Range 82-23 in their first home game after three straight on the road. The Sabercats wasted no time, taking control, scoring 50 points in the first half alone.

With these split decisions, Fossil Ridge is stuck at No. 23 in the latest CHSAA Seeding Index, leaving them just behind in the battle for a home playoff game. In order to secure a first round game in Fort Collins, the Sabercats will have to leapfrog seven other teams in their last four games. They look to move up their ranking with a game on Friday, January 11 at home against Rocky Mountain.