Longmont vs. Mullen, 4 p.m.
Who: Longmont Trojans (23-3, 15-1 Northern League) vs. Mullen Mustangs (18-7, 13-1 Centennial).
Coaches: Jay Darian, Longmont, seventh season; Frank Cawley, Mullen, fifth season.
Key players: Longmont — Jamie Katuna, Jr., averaging 19.6 points; Megan Carpenter, Jr., 13.6; Tambre Haddock, Jr., 11.3. Mullen — Autumn Burt, Jr., 10.4 points; Hayley Thompson, Sr., 10.4; Bailey Holland, Jr., 11.0.
Final four appearances (since format change in 2004): Longmont, first; Mullen, fourth
Outlook: Mullen eliminated Longmont 67-55 in the Great 8 a year ago. . . . Katuna missed the Great 8 victory over Cheyenne Mountain because of a back injury against Centaurus in the Sweet 16. She is expected to play against Mullen. . . . Carpenter had 20 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots against Mesa Ridge. . . . The Trojans are 45-7 over two seasons. . . . The Mustangs lost by two points to three-time champion Broomfield a year ago. . . . Mullen has won 11 games in a row, after a 2-6 December.
Conifer vs. Broomfield, 5:30 p.m.
Who: Conifer Lobos (25-1, 12-1 Jefferson County) vs. Broomfield Eagles (25-1, 16-0 Northern).
Coaches: Jon Marston, Conifer, third season; Mike Croell, Broomfield, 15th season.
Key players: Conifer — Alison Gorrell, Jr., averaging 25.9 points; Cara Walderman, Sr., 12.1; Sam Mohrman, Jr., 5.2. Broomfield — Autumn Chase, Sr., 10.1 points; Renae Waters, Sr., 9.1; Bre Burgesser, Jr., 9.9.
Final four appearances (since format change in 2004): Conifer, first; Broomfield, fifth
Outlook: The Lobos have won 10 games in a row. . . . Gorrell has failed to score at least 21 points only four times. . . . Mohrman and Walderman each scored 13 points in the 59-46 victory over Pueblo South in the Great 8. Gorrell had 25. . . . Conifer lost in last season’s Sweet 16, 56-45 to Longmont. . . . Over two seasons, the Lobos are 47-4. . . . Broomfield is 131-5 since 2006, including 3-0 in final four games. . . . The Eagles win with balance. Six players average at least eight points. . . . Broomfield has won 67 of its last 68 games (22 in a row) and hasn’t lost to a 4A team since Feb. 1, 2008 (40-37 to Silver Creek).
Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post
