So much for sugar and spice and everything nice.
The Colorado Springs Christian volleyball team is just plain mean to opponents and has been for six years now.
Saturday night at the Denver Coliseum, the Lions extended their Class 3A state championship streak to six and improved their record since 2004 to an unbelievable 171-12.
For the third time in the streak, Colorado Springs Christian beat Valley, this time in dominating fashion, 25-17, 25-13, 26-24.
The Lions finished their season a perfect 30-0 and compiled a game record of 85-4. The Vikings, who also came into the championship match unbeaten, finished 29-1.
“It’s never easy, and they make it look so easy,” said Colorado Springs Christian coach Mike Broekhuis, who had goose bumps on his arms talking about his team. “Maybe sometimes our fans think it’s going to be so easy, but it’s not, and I was worried that we hadn’t played an ‘A’ game today.”
The Lions traded punches with Valley early in Game 1 before they decided to step on the gas pedal. Morgan Broekhuis, Brianne Vande Griend and sophomore Summer Greager sparked a 13-5 run to close out the first.
The Lions continued to attack the strength of the Vikings, their defense, and with reckless abandon.
“I love putting the ball away and when I get that set, where it is just right and nailing it, you can’t ask for more,” said Broekhuis, who will graduate in December and enroll at the University of Nebraska to continue her volleyball career.
Every time Broekhuis finished one of her game-high 18 kills, she looked as though she was sorry she did it.
“I’m not sorry for them, they asked for it,” she said.
All Valley coach Rene Aafedt could do was sit and marvel at what she and the Vikings were up against.
“Wow,” Aafedt said. “We tried to key in on two players, but they brought their other hitters and they did a great job.
“They took us out of our system a lot and we weren’t able to run our offense like we wanted to.”
3A all-tournament team
Sierra Bennett, Valley, Sr.
Morgan Broekhuis, C.S. Chr., Sr.
Savannah Garcia, Valley, Sr.
Summer Greager, C.S. Chr., So.
Lauren Santarelli, C.S. Chr., Jr.
Brianne Vande Griend, C.S. Chr., Sr.
MVP: Broekhuis
