A new champion is guaranteed, as Springfield knocked three-time titlist Kit Carson out in the regional semifinals. Four of the eight teams in the field have at least 20 wins, with two more needing one victory to reach that milestone. After one year away, the tournament returns to UNC-Greeley, with the championship contest shifting to the Loveland Events Center on Saturday.
Individual statistics quoted below are courtesy of MaxPreps. Teams are listed in bracket order.
#1 SPRINGFIELD LONGHORNS (20-2)
COACH: Kevin Stolebarger
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Won Ark Valley title (4-0), 2nd in District 3
REGIONALS: Beat Kit Carson 38-29, Genoa-Hugo 59-41
STREAK: Won 2 straight, 19 of last 20
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 4-1
Wins: Holly (2), McClave, South Baca
Losses: South Baca
TEAM NOTES: Defeated first round opponent (McClave) 57-37 in regular season – won 17 straight games between losses – went 5-0 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1101-697 – won title at Lamar Holiday Tournament – second appearance in program history (1982)
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Julia Mondragon | 14.9 | 6.0 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 3 |
| Alexis Crane | 8.4 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 37 |
| Kylie Parks | 8.0 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 17 |
| Brinlyn Dukes | 4.5 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 16 |
| Payton Arbuthnot | 4.5 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 9 |
| Melanie Woller | 4.5 | 3.3 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 1 |
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#8 McCLAVE CARDINALS (16-6)
COACH: Brianne Howe
STATE TITLES: 2009, 2006, 2005, 2004
LEAGUE: 2nd in Mile High (3-2), won District 2 title
REGIONALS: Beat Kim/Branson 32-24
STREAK: Won 3 straight and 8 of 9
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 0-2
Wins: None
Losses: Springfield, South Baca
TEAM NOTES: First appearance since 2011 – outscored opponents by 125 points on the season – 6-1 in games decided by single digits – 13th state tournament appearance
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Anna Beckett | 15.0 | 4.9 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 7 |
| Maggie Chase | 8.9 | 7.8 | 3.7 | 2.7 | 7 |
| Katie Roesch | 8.5 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 5 |
| Tehya Dickerson | 3.4 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1 |
| McKenzie Kiniston | 3.2 | 5.6 | 0.8 | 1.6 |
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#4 FLEMING WILDCATS (21-2)
COACH: Randy Kirkwood
STATE TITLES: 1981 (A-II)
LEAGUE: Tied with Briggsdale for North Central title (7-1), 2nd in District 4
REGIONALS: Beat Lone Star 52-45
STREAK: Won 1, 18 of last 19
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 1-2
Wins: Briggsdale
Losses: Briggsdale (2)
TEAM NOTES: Overcame 18-point halftime deficit in regional final – won 17 games between losses to Briggsdale – fifth consecutive 20+ win season – fourth place last two seasons – runner-up in 2017 and 2011 – consolation champ in 2010 – outscored opponents by 511 points on the season – 10th state tournament appearance – 2-1 in games decided by single digits – Kendyl Kirkwood went over 1000 career points during season
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Whitney Chintala | 18.8 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 32 |
| Kendyl Kirkwood | 18.4 | 12.3 | 2.3 | 3.9 | 3 |
| Kally Kirkwood (IR) | 10.1 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 10 |
| Zoey Vandenbark | 6.1 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 20 |
| Lexi Schaefer | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1 |
| Samantha Pope | 2.1 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1 |
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#5 SHINING MOUNTAIN WALDORF LIONS (18-5)
COACH: Mike Hawkes
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: 2nd in 5280 (5-1), 2nd in District 8
REGIONALS: Beat Flatirons Academy 39-28
STREAK: Won 1, 5 of last 6
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 0-2
Wins: None
Losses: Briggsdale (2)
TEAM NOTES: First state appearance in program history – avenged two losses to Flatirons Academy with win in regional final – most wins since 2008-09 (also 18 wins) – 5-3 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents by 335 points
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Lola Conaway | 12.9 | 6.3 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 10 |
| Frances Hilliard | 11.2 | 4.3 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 28 |
| Kalea Zeender | 10.4 | 7.2 | 1.7 | 3.5 | 10 |
| Sophia Matarrese | 6.0 | 8.1 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 4 |
| Olivia Jabari | 4.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 8 |
| Anna Gromicko | 2.1 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
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#2 BRIGGSDALE FALCONS (22-1)
COACH: Colin Nicklas
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Tied with Briggsdale for North Central title (7-1), won District 4 title
REGIONALS: Beat Merino 61-35
STREAK: Won 9 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 4-1
Wins: Fleming (2), Shining Mountain (2)
Losses: Fleming
TEAM NOTES: Fifth straight 20+ win season – seventh straight season with at least 17 wins – fifth consecutive tournament appearance – sixth in last seven years – eighth since 2008 – runner-up in 2016, 2008 – 3rd place last two years and 2010 – 3-1 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1447-715 – Shelby Hoffman went over 1000 career points during the season
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Kylie Krise | 20.9 | 7.9 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 38 |
| Shelby Hoffman | 15.0 | 2.2 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 21 |
| Peyton Nicklas | 9.9 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 31 |
| Macie Klem | 5.3 | 5.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 4 |
| Makennah Tucker | 4.8 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 3 |
| Jillian Bauer | 2.8 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 2.8 | 1 |
| Emily Johnson | 2.8 | 4.4 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
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#7 COTOPAXI PIRATES (19-4)
COACH: Troy Thornton
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: 2nd in Southern Peaks (9-1), 2nd in District 6
REGIONALS: Beat Dove Creek 41-32
STREAK: Won 1, 10 of last 11
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 0-4
Wins: None
Losses: Sangre de Cristo (2), Rye, South Baca
TEAM NOTES: Fourth tournament appearance – first since 1991 – one win in three previous appearances – 2-1 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents by 492 points – Koylynn Gulliford has 10 of 23 career double-doubles this season and is two blocks away from 150 in career
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Koylynn Gulliford | 16.0 | 9.1 | 1.1 | 4.4 | 5 |
| Shealee Coleman | 10.0 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 16 |
| Claire Carlson | 8.6 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 4.8 | 1 |
| Sage Laymon | 5.1 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 15 |
| Annalise Walker | 4.1 | 3.2 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 2 |
| Jamie Sanchez | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2 |
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#3 SOUTH BACA PATRIOTS (19-3)
COACH: Thomas Jacobs
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: 2nd in Ark Valley (3-1), won District 3 title
REGIONALS: Beat Eads 54-18
STREAK: Won 3 straight, 5 of last 6
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 4-2
Wins: Del Norte, Springfield, McClave, Cotopaxi
Losses: Springfield, Boise City (OK)
TEAM NOTES: Seeking fourth straight season with at least 20 wins – seventh consecutive winning season, one in previous five – consolation champion last year – third place in 2017 – fourth place in 2016 – 2-0 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents by 586 points – Delaney Eskew went over 1000 career points during the season
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Delaney Eskew | 13.9 | 1.9 | 4.4 | 2.7 | 41 |
| Alissa Hebberd | 13.7 | 10.6 | 1.3 | 4.7 | 1 |
| Alison Wilson | 8.8 | 4.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | |
| Patience Crane | 8.5 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 25 |
| Jentry Patrick | 5.1 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 7 |
| Jami Quick | 4.1 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1 |
| Kieley Stegman | 3.5 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 6 |
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#6 SANGRE DE CRISTO THUNDERBIRDS (20-3)
COACH: Dave Forster
STATE TITLES: 1985 (A-II), 1984 (A-I)
LEAGUE: Won Southern Peaks title (10-0), won District 6 title
REGIONALS: Beat De Beque 51-33
STREAK: Won 9 straight, 15 of last 16
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 2-2
Wins: Cotopaxi (2)
Losses: Sanford, Del Norte
TEAM NOTES: Head coach Dave Forster was assistant coach when program won last title in 1985 – third straight 20+ win season, fifth in sixth years, sixth in last eight – third place in 2016 – runner-up in 2015 – 2-1 in games decided by single digits – outscored opponents 1168-550
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Kylee Christensen | 14.4 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 4.2 | 35 |
| Ashley Mortensen | 8.5 | 4.2 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 9 |
| Tori Ford | 5.7 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 19 |
| Makenzie Rogers | 5.3 | 4.9 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2 |
| Lexis Metz | 5.1 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 7 |
| Avery Palmgren | 4.9 | 4.4 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 3 |
