AURORA — It took a while, but Katelyn McDaniel and the Highlands Ranch Falcons got it together Saturday night.
“Finally,” said McDaniel after heading a 71-51 decision of rival Regis Jesuit in the Class 5A Continental League.
In improving to 15-3 overall and 6-0 in the league, Highlands Ranch made just 1-of-10 shots during the opening four minutes but started to pull away in the second quarter.
McDaniel, bound for San Diego, rolled to 16 points in the third quarter — she led all scorers with 26 — as the Falcons, top-ranked in The Denver Post/9News 5A poll, turned it into a rare laugher in the series. It couldn’t have come soon enough for her or coach Caryn Jarocki, who recorded her 449th career victory.
“I don’t think I was working that well offensively,” McDaniel said of her first-half performance. “But then we got into the transition aspect and we started to make some shots.”
The Falcons, ahead 34-17 at halftime, pushed their lead to 62-35 after three quarters.
“It was rough. We came out as cold as ice,” Jarocki said.
However, she noted the Falcons’ superior rebounding, “then we got some ball movement . . . I think we’re coming, I think so. We still have room for improvement, we’re working on it, but I see us on the uphill. We’re doing a good job.”
Michaela Neuhaus added 19 points, Liza Heap sparked the assault on the backboards and the Falcons’ defense, particularly their press, bothered the younger Raiders, who slipped to 11-7 and 4-2.
No. 5 Regis Jesuit, which earlier lost leader Katie Heckman to an injury, dressed eight freshmen. Little wonder coach Carl Mattei indicated his team averages 28 turnovers per game. On Saturday, they had surpassed their norm by the fourth quarter.
“I’ve got seven 14-year-olds and one 15-year-old, so they’re trying. They get frustrated, in front of a big crowd,” Mattei said. “It’s a good experience for them.”
Friday the Falcons will host co-league leader and rival ThunderRidge.
Highlands Ranch 17 17 28 9 — 71
Regis Jesuit 7 10 18 16 — 51
Highlands Ranch — Mallon 1 3-6 6, Heap 2 2-2 7, Baker 1 0-0 3, McDaniel 11 3-5 26, Neuhaus 7 3-4 19, Yates 1 0-0 2, Morgan 3 1-2 8. Totals 26 12-19 71.
Regis Jesuit — Dent 3 5-7 11, Montgomery 1 3-4 5, Revels 2 2-4 6, Rooney 2 0-0 4, Hall 1 0-0 2, Cox 0 1-2 1, Akigbogun 5 1-2 11, Lidge 4 2-2 11, Molyneaux 0 0-0 0, Ptasinski 0 0-0 0, Neubert 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 14-21 51.
3-point goals: Highlands Ranch — Neuhaus 2, Mallon, Heap, Baker, McDaniel, Morgan. Regis Jesuit — Lidge. Total fouls — Highlands Ranch 14, Regis Jesuit 15. Fouled out — None. Technicals — None.
