With three full decades of coaching under his belt, Moffat County’s Craig Mortensen knows how to prepare a basketball team. But there is one thing all of those years of experience cannot help with, and he has it.
“You can’t teach height. You can’t coach someone to be 6-feet-5,” said Mortensen, referring to senior Cayla Maneotis.
Maneotis returns to a Bulldogs team that went undefeated through the regular season before getting stopped in the state semifinals. Maneotis said a lesson was learned at the state tournament, and Moffat County is back hungrier than ever.
“Everyone was bummed last year that we were one game away from playing for a championship. But we were mad, too, and we’re using that as motivation,” said Maneotis, who has signed to play for Northern Colorado.
Five of the top seven players are back for another run at Moffat County, and they have their sights set on a trip to the 4A state title game scheduled for March 9 at the Coors Events Center in Boulder. The field is heavy at the top, starting with defending state champion Mullen and continuing with Broomfield, Berthoud, Sterling and Moffat County.
The Bulldogs never have won a basketball title, but have been a playoff regular for years. After winning 25 consecutive games before running into now-5A Regis last season, Moffat County is eager to get back at it.
“We are going to continue down the same road,” Mortensen said. “We got a taste of what it’s like to get to the final four, and we have to be hungry and humble again this year.”
Maneotis is joined by returning starters Markie Workman and Angie Charchalis as Moffat County begins another run at the championship trophy. After getting stunned by the speed of Regis last season, Workman said the Bulldogs will be respectful but unafraid of the competition this time around.
“Regis totally set the tone of that game,” Workman said. “We didn’t play our game at all. We know now that we just have to go out and play. You can’t let where you are and who you’re playing get to you.”
Mullen, which won the school’s fourth girls basketball title last season, took a big hit with graduation. But the Mustangs never seem to lack for talent, and seniors Bianca Holley and Jenna Erdle step in as the next group of leaders.
Broomfield is the preseason No. 1 and for good reason. Seniors Katie Calderwood, who signed with Washington State, and Caitlin Stem join three talented – and tall – sophomores who saw plenty of action last season.
Anna Prins (6-6) is recovered from a knee injury, and Chaundra Sewell and Sophia Rhodes complete a starting lineup that returns intact. The Eagles belong to the 16-team Northern League, which was split into two divisions this season, and will have to handle teams such as Silver Creek and Niwot in the West Division.
Berthoud, Greeley West and Sterling, led by block-machine Schylur Edelman, will duke it out in the East. Berthoud is packed with talent, including returning starters Brittany Fiske, Maggie Murtagh, Jasmine Cervantes and Alisa Heronema.
Golden will be a handful in the Jefferson County League, with big scorers Cassie Lambrecht and Samantha Neal in the lineup, and Montrose, as always, will make it tough on its Southwestern opponents thanks to Britney Creamer.
