Ladies first, including in Colorado high school basketball.
The Class 5A and 4A final fours tip off today at the University of Colorado’s Coors Events Center in Boulder with a couple of defending champions, evident league dominance and enough hopefuls to fill Krzyzewskiville.
In 5A, it’s a Continental League thing. There is the hunted, Highlands Ranch, which has won two big-school titles in a row and five of the past eight. But the pack in pursuit, consisting of Chaparral, Regis and ThunderRidge, also is a part of this season’s Continental congress that has ruled the class.
In matching the feat of the 2006 Centennial boys, the Continental also is assured of taking its ninth consecutive 5A championship.
“You know how you bicker at league meetings?” Chaparral coach Tony Speights asked. “At ours, we laughed and said, ‘Let’s all try to get there.’ ”
They’re here. Chaparral will meet the fourth-year Regis Raiders, who won 38-36 in a league game. The Raiders, who have lost in-state only to Highlands Ranch, are slower these days because junior point guard Mariah Williams continues to try to play through an ankle injury, but plenty of other talent is healthy and ready.
Speights is well aware Regis isn’t satisfied with its first three seasons, which produced two semifinal showings and a title game — its first two seasons were in 4A — although he’s too happy about his Wolverines’ performance to care.
“This is awesome,” he said.
In its first final four, Chaparral is riding high with senior guard McKayla Gorman at the front of a big team that includes Sam Martin and Alyssa McGuinnis, and is coming off a strong free-throw performance, 14-of-15 by Gorman.
The other matchup has received more attention because it’s Highlands Ranch and nearby ThunderRidge, which won the three titles the Falcons haven’t since 1999.
ThunderRidge lost the league meeting 62-55, but continues to grow with more defensive intensity and a crisper offense that moves the ball. Rachel Messer, Brooke Jelniker, D’Ambra Evans and Carlie Needles smell a final.
But Highlands Ranch can grind it out, then shift gears as if in a Porsche. The Falcons haven’t lost to a Colorado team since Feb. 6, 2007 (Regis), a span of 27 games.
As for 4A, defending champion Broomfield, 52-2 since the start of the 2006-07 season, has monopolized the level through size, strength and know-how. Whether it’s Anna Prins, Chaundra Sewell, Mariah Metoyer or anyone else on perhaps Colorado’s deepest roster, the Eagles’ all-around game is a handful.
Golden has first dibs. The Demons have won 17 games in a row behind player of the year candidate Cassie Lambrecht, Samantha Neal and Emily Warehime.
Silver Creek, which stopped Broomfield’s 41-game win streak on Feb. 1, craves a fourth matchup with the Eagles, who gave the team its only two losses. Meghan Heimstra had 27 points in the Great 8, a performance that will be needed against Pueblo East (Malea Gregory, Katie Eickelman).
Girls basketball
Class 5A
STATE TOURNAMENT
Final Four
at Coors Events Center, Boulder
Today’s semifinals
(2) ThunderRidge (19-7) vs. (1) Highlands Ranch (23-3), 7 p.m.
(1) Regis (24-2) vs. (1) Chaparral (22-4), 8:30 p.m.
Championship: Friday, 8 p.m.
Class 4A
STATE TOURNAMENT
Final Four
at Coors Events Center, Boulder
Today’s semifinals (1) Golden (22-5) vs. (1) Broomfield (25-1), 5:30 p.m.
(1) Silver Creek (24-2) vs. (1) Pueblo East (25-1), 4 p.m.
Championship: Friday, 6 p.m.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
