FORT COLLINS — The Holy Family girls are on a mission. Just read their warm-up shirts: BELI3VE.
The Tigers’ quest for a third consecutive Class 3A girls title has one last stop after Friday night’s 68-34 dismantling of previously undefeated Western Slope League champion Olathe at Moby Arena.
Holy Family (25-1), whose only loss of the year was to title-game foe Colorado Springs Christian in December in the Tiger Tip-Off Classic semifinals, will get another shot at the Lions tonight at 5:15 p.m.
“We owe them one, they won our tournament,” Holy Family coach Ron Rossi said. “We are looking forward to another chance to play them.”
Holy Family’s press was unlike any the Pirates (25-1) had seen all season and forced turnover after turnover and easy points for the Tigers. It was 20-2 after one quarter and 40-15 at the half.
“Just to believe that they were undefeated, we wanted to get off to a good start,” Rossi said. “Show them that there are different kinds of pressures. We didn’t want them to think just ’cause they were undefeated they were going to stay around with us.”
Holy Family had 10 players score, led by Taylor Helbig’s 14. Sarah Talamantes, who didn’t play in the first game against C.S. Christian, added 10.
Junior Morgan Stansberry led Olathe with 14 points.
C.S. Christian 46, Pagosa Springs 40 • Despite foul trouble that kept Brianne Vande Griend on the bench for most of the game, the CSC Lions (26-0) had plenty of other weapons, notably Erika Heckman.
The 6-foot-1 senior had a game-high 16 points.
“Somebody needed to step up, and luckily it was me,” Heckman said.
Top-seeded C.S. Christian never really pulled away but always seemed to have an answer for any sort of Pirates’ run. Vande Griend, who finished with six points, and Becca Bultje (eight points) hit big shots for the Lions in the final eight minutes.
Pagosa Springs (22-3) got 15 from Mary Brinton, 13 from Breezy Bryant and 10 from Megan Bryant.
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
