BOULDER — After three earlier games that were blowouts from the opening tips and in front of lighter crowds Thursday night at the University of Colorado’s Coors Events Center, ThunderRidge and Monarch hooked up for a competitive, knock-down, drag-’em-out fight.
Trouble was, both teams left their offenses at home.
Ultimately, ThunderRidge made fewer mistakes in taking a 46-31 victory in the Class 5A final four. The Grizzlies will take a 25-2 record into Saturday’s championship game against Broomfield, which is in its first season among big schools after dominating 4A the past decade.
ThunderRidge has won 16 consecutive games and not lost in the calendar year. The Grizzlies beat Broomfield twice in December, both in tournaments a week apart, and by scores of 62-53 and 47-45.
“It’s finally here,” said ThunderRidge junior Jaz’Myne Snipes. “All year we said we were going to make it to (the state final), and now’s it’s here.”
Monarch (24-3) had its nine-game winning streak halted.
There was a slow beginning that lasted throughout the final seconds. The Grizzlies led 9-6 after a quarter and 18-14 at halftime, when the two teams combined to miss 32 field-goal attempts and ring up 13 turnovers.
ThunderRidge created some separation to begin the third quarter, when it went on a 7-0 run, then kept Monarch chasing.
Snipes led ThunderRidge with 14 points and played a big part on defense, where she loomed large at the point of the press. She was backed by another junior, Taylor Rusk, who contributed 12.
Through three quarters, ThunderRidge made only 7-of-28 shots but led 32-23.
Guard Raegen Rohn, a senior headed to Sacramento State, scored 16 points for the Coyotes.
The Grizzlies will be going for their fourth championship. They won three in a row, from 2003-05.
