BOULDER — Looking past any opponent will always be a big no-no. Looking forward to one, however, can be all the extra inspiration a team needs.
Once Broomfield saw Northern League rival Silver Creek book its spot Wednesday in Friday’s Class 4A state final, the Eagles couldn’t stop the forward thinking.
“Before we even walked out of the locker room,” Broomfield coach Mike Croell said of when the Raptors crossed his mind.
Broomfield, the defending state champion, took care of business by dispatching Golden 69-32 in a display of ruthless efficiency at the Coors Events Center.
The Eagles (26-1) shot 51 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Demons 47-23 to set up their fourth game this season against the Raptors (25-2) here at 6 p.m. Friday.
The Eagles, winners of 11 straight, are 2-1 against Silver Creek this season.
“I think the fourth time is really going to prove who’s the better team,” senior guard Mariah Metoyer said. “We’re all really excited about it. A little nervous, but good.”
Metoyer was very good in the third quarter against Golden (22-4), as she scored 12 of her 15 points and grabbed five of her eight rebounds. While Metoyer had the Eagles’ transition game purring, the junior twin towers of 6-foot-6 Anna Prins and 6-1 Chaundra Sewell were having a field day through three quarters.
Sewell finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Prins led with 16 points and nine boards.
“You’re going to make your money by going inside,” Croell said. “I think we got two of the best, if not the best, inside 1-2 punch.”
Golden’s Cassie Lambrecht’s first basket came 51 seconds before halftime as she began the game 1-for-10 from the field, before finishing with 16 points.
“We were obviously on our heels in the first half, and we play a lot better when we put the other team on their heels,” Demons coach Jeff Neal said.
