With the Class 5A and Class 4A state tournaments entering the Great 8 round this weekend, Denver Post preps editor Kyle Newman offers a preview.
CLASS 5A
Girls — Friday, March 3, Denver Coliseum
No. 4 Ralston Valley (21-4) vs. No. 12 Cherry Creek (18-7), 4..: These teams have met twice this season, with Ralston Valley emerging victorious 56-42 on Dec. 8 and 70-60 on Feb. 11. Mustangs senior Ashley Van Sickle will match up against Cherry Creek freshmanJana Van Gytenbeek, Down low Ralston Valley senior Sarah Bevington goes against the likes of senior Lauren McMillen and junior Jaela Richardson.
No. 1 Highlands Ranch (23-2) vs. No. 9 Lakewood (20-5), 5:30 p.m.:CoachChris Poisson has Lakewood rolling. The Tigers are riding a nine-game win streak and only lost twice after the holiday break, both times to Ralston Valley. Junior forward Camilla Emsbo needs to drop at least 20 points for the Tigers to have a chance at the upset. Highlands Ranch boasts one of the deepest lineups in the state, headlined by the outside-inside combination of sophomore Autumn Watts and junior Tommi Olson.
No. 2 Grandview (24-1) vs. No. 7 Doherty (24-1), 7 p.m.:Grandview, led by the state’s best player in senior guard Michaela Onyenwere, has been the leading title favorite all season.But Doherty has also lost just one game this season, in overtime to 4A powerhouse Pueblo South on Jan. 3. The showdown mightbe Grandview’s toughest in-state test yet, with the Wolves needing big performances from junior Leilah Vigil and sophomore Alisha Davis in order to overcome the Spartans’ scoring trio ofsenior point guard Kalani Poloa, senior centerAubriana Noti and junior strong forwardMykiaa Minniss,
No. 3 Horizon (22-3) vs. No. 11 Regis Jesuit (19-6), 8:30 p.m.:Horizon lost just one in-state game this season—69-45 to Grandview on Feb. 7—and cruised to the Front Range League championship behind the play of senior point guardKylie Jimenez. Sophomore forward Samantha Deem has continued to play big following her return from a knee injury suffered against Grandview on Feb. 7. Sophomore guard Alyssa Jimenez and junior guard Izzy Allen also need to up theirscoring contributions against sophomore dunking sensation Fran Beliebi and the Raiders.
CLASS 4A
Girls — Friday, March 3, Higher Seed Hosts
No. 9 Golden (22-3) at No. 1 Pueblo South (23-2), 7 p.m.:Golden is coming off a back-and-forth, 56-48 road victory over No. 8 Holy Family in the Sweet 16 and is headlined by the junior power forwardduo of Abby Garnett andMakena Prey. The Demons face a formidable opponent in Pueblo South, as the Colts were the South Central Conference champions and feature four scorers averaging double figures, with juniorMaya Austin’s 14.2 points leading the way.
No. 13 Rifle (22-3) at No. 5 Windsor (19-6), 6:30 p.m.:Rifle upset No. 4 Air Academy 42-35 last weekto book a Great 8 showdown against the Wizards, who got over a postseason hump after losingin the Sweet 16 in five of the past six years. Coach Kristy Wallner’s Bears, champions of the Western Slope Conference, are pacedby junior point guard Elly Waltersand senior centerSamantha Hinkle. Meanwhile, juniorMichaela Moran leads a youthful Wizards team that doesn’t start a single senior.
No. 7 Mesa Ridge (21-4) at No. 2 Pueblo West (22-3), 7 p.m.:Coach Gil Lucero and Pueblo West have reeled off ten straight wins heading into Friday, and outlasted No. 15 D’Evelyn 66-64 in the Sweet 16. The Cyclones are led by junior Olivia Lough (17.3 points per game) and freshman Hannah Simental (10.2), sister to boys team star David Simental. But Mesa Ridge, the Colorado Springs Metro Conference champions, is formidable in their own right as evidenced by junior point guard Chloe Welch (17.8) and sophomore center Ashely Bowen (12.5).
No. 6 Valor Christian (17-8) at No. 3 Evergreen (22-3), 6 p.m.:In a meeting between all-too-familiar Jeffco League foes,the Eagles and the Cougars square offin a rematch of the 2016 championship game. Valor Christian won that affairand the programs split their two meetings so far this season, meaning this game is as much of a toss-up as any of the other matchups in the classification. Sophomore forward Claudia Dillon is the X-factor for Evergreen, while the scoring andleadership of senior Tess Boade is imperative for Valor Christian’s chances at taking one step closer to a three-peat.
