Boulder – As a frequent visitor to Colorado playoffs across the board, Broomfield hasn’t been a stranger to championships since the 1960s.
Even at the beginning of suburban sprawl, the Eagles developed and earned the reputation of solid play, toughness and coming at opponents in waves.
But for as competitive as they have been in girls basketball through recent years, it has been a state title that has eluded them.
No more.
The Eagles downed upstart Harrison 61-43 on Friday night at the Coors Events Center to capture the Class 4A championship, their eighth different sports title since 1963.
It was their 26th victory in succession. They finished 27-1. Harrison ended 24-4.
Admittedly, they began slowly and full of nerves, and needed a surge in the fourth quarter to seal it, but it is a welcomed addition to their trophy case.
“All of the girls deserve it,” Broomfield coach Mike Croell said. “We’d go out to a lead, then you’d look and, ‘Bam!,’ it was down to four or something. It was enough to give a coach a heart attack.
“But what a great, great effort by all the girls.”
With three sophomore starters, the future bodes well for Broomfield, but it took the Eagles until the final eight minutes to seal it.
Despite turnovers and poor shooting haunting both teams – nearly every player seemed to be as tight as a guitar string – Broomfield maintained breathing room into the final quarter.
The Eagles led 22-18 at halftime and 33-29 after three quarters.
Then the Eagles got into the flow, particularly behind Caitlan Stem, who scored 16 of her game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter, a final effort for the senior.
Stem got a bunch of her points when the game was in hand, but her two quick baskets were the spark as the Eagles went on a 28-14 run.
Chaundra Sewell and Anna Prins, a couple of 10th-graders who undoubtedly will be in the spotlight the next two seasons, each added 10 points. Prins, despite 4-of-15 shooting, also grabbed 17 rebounds.
“I was nervous,” Prins said. “I haven’t played in a game like this. But we won.”
Broomfield shot a modest 40 percent for the game, but it didn’t matter – the Panthers were ice cold by making just one of their first 11 shots and finishing 9-of-41 for 22 percent.
Harrison coach Tamie Hollon, who has two younger sisters on the team, said dealing with television timeouts were among a litany of new experiences for her younger group (Harrison dressed only four seniors).
“I don’t think anyone expected us to be here,” Hollon said. “I told the girls that they should be proud of what they accomplished.”
Paige Ricker paced the Panthers with 22 points and Tracee Hamacher added 11.
Harrison 7 11 11 14 – 43
Broomfield 15 7 11 28 – 61
Harrison – A. Moore 0 3-4 3, Taylor 0 1-2 1, Ricker 5 11-14 22, Hamacher 2 7-12 11, Penninton 1 0-0 2, K. Hollon 0 0-0 0, Tefft 1 2-2 4, C. Moore 0 0-1 0, Ingargiola 0 0-0 0, Harris 0 0-0 0. Totals 9 24-35 43.
Broomfield – Prins 4 2-4 10, Sewell 4 2-5 10, Stem 7 7-8 23, Rhodes 3 1-2 7, Calderwood 1 2-2 4, Snow 1 0-0 2, Biegner 1 3-4 5, Davies 0 0-0 0, Chase 0 0-0 0, Fankell 0 0-0 0, Ford 0 0-0 0, Hix 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 17-25 61.
3-pt. goals – Ricker; Stem 2. Total fouls – Harrison 22, Broomfield 23. Fouled out – Prins. Technicals – None.
