Boulder – Some of the girls at Highlands Ranch obviously don’t care about history.
In a rematch of last season’s Class 5A girls state basketball title game against Horizon, with both sides returning senior leaders and the bulk of the rosters, the Falcons weren’t in a mood to reminisce.
It was a game that should have been close from the start. Instead, after 11 lead changes in the opening 10 minutes of action, Highlands Ranch put its offensive pedal to the metal and ran around and away from the Hawks for a convincing 82-55 victory in the Final Four on Wednesday night at the Coors Events Center.
“The close games are more exciting, of course,” Falcons guard Jaclyn Thoman said. “At the same time, you want to shove it into your opponent’s face sometimes.”
Caryn Jarocki-coached Highlands Ranch (24-3), the defending state champion and winner of four of the past seven big- school titles, will play for another trophy at 8 p.m. Friday.
Thoman led the break and played her usual full-throttle game on the way to 21 points, and Jade Davis started off hot from the floor to finish with 15 points. Alyssa Fressle and reserve Hannah Breidel scored 14 apiece.
The season ended sour for Horizon (22-5), playing in its third consecutive Final Four, as reigning Ms. Colorado Basketball Hannah Tuomi watched the final 4 minutes from the bench after fouling out.
The game was over at that point, but the first 10 minutes provided the action that everyone expected.
Fressle started the scoring with a drive for two points, and Davis hit a 3-pointer soon after. But then Horizon’s Lacey Herz took the lead back with a basket, and Nikki Trujillo would take it back again – and again – with all-net 3-pointers.
Horizon trailed 22-21 early in the second quarter when all the momentum went in the favor of Highlands Ranch.
“All the jitters were gone at that point,” Davis said. “It was just any other game for us.”
Trujillo scored 22 points to lead Horizon, and Herz contributed 10 points and 12 rebounds. Tuomi ended her stellar career with 16 points.
Highlands Ranch 18 20 23 21 – 82
Horizon 18 10 15 12 – 55
Highlands Ranch – Fressle 4 6-8 14, Tsukamaki 0 0-0 0, Thoman 8 3-4 21, Ryba 3 3-7 9, Davis 5 3-5 15, Burke 3 1-2 7, Fulps 0 2-2 2, Breidel 5 2-4 14, Seifert 0 0-0 0, Floyd 0 0-0 0, Hawkins 0 0-0 0, Mallon 0 0-0 0. Totals 28 20-32 82.
Horizon – Medina 1 3-3 6, Trujillo 7 3-3 21, Tuomi 6 4-5 16, Lambert 0 0-0 0, Herz 4 2-4 10, Clements 0 0-0 0, Dillon 0 2-2 2, Neises 0 0-0 0, Barringer 0 0-0 0, Foster 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 14-17 55.
3-point goals – Thoman 2, Davis 2, Breidel 2; Trujillo 4, Medina. Total fouls – Highlands Ranch 13; Horizon 22. Fouled out – None. Technicals – None.
