As Colorado Springs Christian’s Morgan Broekhuis answered reporters’ questions after Saturday’s Class 3A championship match, a group of fellow students gathered nearby and screamed “We love you, Morgan!”
For anyone in the Denver Coliseum who watched the junior lead the Lions to their fifth consecutive state title via a 25-22, 25-21, 25-22 sweep of Faith Christian, it was hard not to feel the same.
The 6-foot-5 Broekhuis was the shining example of a title match that was tilted because of two things: size and experience. Standing 6 inches taller than anyone on the Eagles’ side of the court and playing in her third championship, Broekhuis led C.S. Christian with 18 kills and 16 assists.
“We pass and we set, and we have amazing hitters,” said Broekhuis, whose team swept Eaton in the semis and only lost one game all weekend. “It all works. Once it’s up there, hitting it’s the easy part.”
C.S. Christian coach Mike Broekhuis couldn’t have agreed more with his daughter.
“When we can get our setters standing still and throw that ball, we feel Brianne (Vande Griend) and Morgan can hit the ball as hard as anybody in the state,” Broekhuis said.
The Eagles found that out the hard way in their first championship appearance since 1997. After building a 19-16 lead in Game 1, Faith Christian watched as the defending champs went on a 9-3 run to finish, including three powerful kills from Broekhuis.
“When you’re that big, you can sideout when you want,” said Eagles coach C.L. Hubbard. “It’s just tough. They’re huge, and then they’re good.”
Hubbard’s squad also had a 20-19 lead in the second stanza, but sophomore Jamie Pickett and junior Janel Gibeau’s solid play wasn’t enough to prevent the Lions from putting their foot down with a 5-1 run to close.
“Usually what you find when you have a good team and a great team is you can get to about 22 or 23, but the great team usually wins out,” said Hubbard.
Class 3A
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Morgan Broekhuis, C.S. Christian, Jr.
Janel Gibeau, Faith Christian, Jr.
Gracie Howe, Eaton, Jr.
Sarah Katawa, Valley, Jr.
Jamie Pickett, Faith Christian, So.
Brianne Vande Griend, C.S. Christian, Jr.
MVP: Morgan Broekhuis
