The final week of Class 2A girls’ basketball for this season begins on Thursday with the state quarterfinals in Loveland. Winners advance to the semifinals on Friday and those survivors battle for the state championship on Saturday night. A new team will be crowned as two-time champion Yuma was ousted in the regional tournament last week.
For the second straight year, Limon is the top seed. They were upset by Sanford in the quarterfinals last year but this year feature a senior laden group making one more run to the title game. They open with surprising Holly who is in the final eight after being seeded #23 in the 32-team regional bracket. The Wildcats are coming off high quality wins over Colorado Springs School and Simla in the regional tournament last week.
The 4-5 matchup pits tournament regulars Del Norte and Wray against one another. Tiger senior Kendra Parra enters her final weekend of high school hoops with nearly 1900 points for her career. Wray won a tight regional final at Meeker (57-55) last Saturday to advance. They’ve earned hardware in their last three tournament trips; winning the consolation title last year, 3rd in 2018 and 2nd in 2017.
Rye is the lone unbeaten in the field (24-0) and the very young group of Thunderbolts are in the state bracket for the first time since 2012. They face a Sanford team that has already played seven games this year against teams still alive for a state championship. They’re also battle tested as many team members were part of last year’s first round upset of Limon.
Holyoke and Ignacio are also back in the field after missing out last season with tough losses in regional finals. The matchup is interesting as it pits the inside size and power of Holyoke against a very small but very quick group of Bobcats. Both teams are very good defensively; Holyoke has given up 658 points in 23 games (28.6 per game) and Ignacio 611 (26.6).
Below are team capsules on all the state qualifiers. Teams are listed in bracket order with stats provided by MaxPreps.
#1 LIMON BADGERS (23-1)
COACH: Bart O’Dwyer
STATE TITLES: (5) – 2007, 2006, 2005, 2003, 2002
LEAGUE: Won Union Pacific (6-0)
REGIONALS: Beat Loveland Classical 81-12 & Hotchkiss 79-39
STREAK: Won 19
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 2-0
- Wins: Ignacio, Holyoke
- Losses:
TEAM NOTES: #1 seed for second straight year…lost to Sanford in quarterfinals a year ago…12th state tournament appearance in school history and 3rd straight…won five titles over a six year span from 2002-07…outscored opponents by 786 points (32.8 per game)…giving up 27.9 points per game…held 14 opponents to under 30 points…3-1 in games decided by single digits – lost only OT game to Rocky Ford.
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Trista Marx | 10.4 | 6.1 | 1.7 | 2.2 | |
| Sidney Hines | 9.0 | 3.9 | 1.5 | 3.1 | |
| Toni Lopez | 9.0 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 12 |
| Amy Weisensee | 6.1 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 9 |
| Elivia Hilferty | 5.8 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 1.4 | |
| Paige Hutshell | 3.7 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.5 | |
| Brooke Younger | 3.4 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 2 |
| Mahalie Owens | 3.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 2.9 | |
| Jaley Schubarth | 3.0 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.8 | |
| Jenna Jaklich | 2.9 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1 |
| Michiah Leeper | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 6 |
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#8 HOLLY WILDCATS (14-10)
COACH: Eric Jensen
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Tied for 4th in Santa Fe (8-5)
REGIONALS: Beat Colorado Springs School 48-44 & Simla 47-35
STREAK: Won 3 & 8 of 10
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 0-3
- Wins:
- Losses: Springfield (2), Rye
TEAM NOTES: Seeded #23 in regionals but upset Colorado Springs School and Simla to reach state tournament…2nd appearance in 3 years…reached 1A tournament in 2018 but lost first two games….last tournament win in 2009 (Beat Hi Plains)….4 tourney wins in school history…outscored opponents by 58 points (2.4 per game)…started season 3-5 but finished 11-7…..went 7-6 in games decided by single digits…won 4 of last 5 in that situation.
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Saedee Davis | 12.6 | 7.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 19 |
| Sierra Howland | 6.7 | 7.7 | 0.3 | 1.0 | |
| Athena Crum | 6.0 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 16 |
| Jean Slack | 4.9 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 1.7 | |
| Leslie Mendoza | 4.5 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 22 |
| Nadia Cerros | 3.4 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 13 |
| Shae Jensen | 1.8 | 2.9 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 4 |
| Noelia Puga | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
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#4 DEL NORTE TIGERS (20-3)
COACH: Gibbs Sanchez
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Won Southern Peaks (6-0)
REGIONALS: Beat Mancos 46-21 & Peyton 60-48
STREAK: Won 6 & 16 of 18
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: (5-3)
- Wins: Sangre De Cristo, Ignacio, Sanford (3)
- Losses: Centauri, Ignacio, South Baca
TEAM NOTES: Earned 3rd place trophy last year…beat Meeker in first round but then lost to eventual champion Yuma in semifinals…topped Sanford 44-27 in 3rd place game…5th appearance since 2012 and 3rd in last 4 years…never reached state final…outscored opponents by 494 points (21.5 per game)…averaging 54 points per game…3-2 in games decided by single digits.
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Kendra Parra | 21.0 | 4.4 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 40 |
| Kaeci Madrid | 10.0 | 4.7 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 18 |
| Gabby Jones | 8.9 | 7.6 | 1.4 | 2.5 | |
| Yesenia Rosales | 4.7 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 8 |
| Lynnea Valdez | 3.8 | 3.7 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1 |
| Charley Higham | 2.1 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 3 |
| Abby Rivera | 2.0 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 1 |
| Alex Golding | 1.6 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.6 | |
| Kelci Madrid | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
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#5 WRAY EAGLES (17-7)
COACH: David Reed
STATE TITLES: (7) – 2009, 2008, 85, 79, 78, 77, 76
LEAGUE: 4th in Lower Platte
REGIONALS: Beat Calhan 50-23 & Meeker 57-55
STREAK: Won 3 & 7 of 8
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: (0-2)
- Wins:
- Losses: Holyoke (2)
TEAM NOTES: Won consolation title last year…lost to Swink in opening round but then toppled both Limon and Heritage Christian…5th straight appearance…also finished 3rd in 2018 and 2nd in 2017 (lost to Paonia)…outscored opponents by 223 points (9.3 per game)…5-3 in games decided by single digits…entered bracket as #14 seed but upset Meeker at their place last Saturday (57-55)
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Karly Godsey | 13.0 | 6.3 | 0.7 | 1.7 | |
| Tabby Jones | 11.2 | 7.0 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 29 |
| Larissa Salmans | 6.3 | 4.6 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 3 |
| Abby Shay | 6.2 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 1.8 | 22 |
| Morgan Jones | 5.4 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 1.4 | |
| Kaycee McBride | 2.7 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 1 |
| Jordlynn Wiltfang | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | |
| Chloe Cure | 1.8 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | |
| Riley George | 1.8 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1 |
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#3 RYE THUNDERBOLTS (24-0)
COACH: Kermit Spencer
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Won Santa Fe (13-0)
REGIONALS: Beat Center 63-19 & Dawson 52-26
STREAK: Won 24
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: (2-0)
- Wins: Cotopaxi, Holly
- Losses:
TEAM NOTES: Outscored opponents by 705 points (29.4 per game)…averaging 53 points per game…played just two games decided by single digits; beat Swink 38-33 & Fowler 41-33…7th tournament appearance in school history and first since 2012…3 wins in school history with all three coming in 2011 and 2012…won consolation crown in 2012 by beating Del Norte 43-34.
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Sophie Adamson | 14.7 | 5.7 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 17 |
| Jolee Ortiz | 13.5 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 30 |
| Sydney Adamson | 10.5 | 5.2 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 24 |
| Chloe Richardson | 7.5 | 4.6 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 8 |
| Morgan Elarton | 4.3 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 2 |
| Aurora Ramos | 2.7 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.7 | |
| Gracie Graham | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.4 | |
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#6 SANFORD INDIANS (15-7)
COACH: Keith Caldon
STATE TITLES: 2011
LEAGUE: 2nd in Southern Peaks (5-1)
REGIONALS: Beat Hayden 67-61 (OT) & Heritage Christian 46-37
STREAK: Won 2 & 7 of 9
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: (1-6)
- Wins: Sangre De Cristo
- Losses: Centauri (2), Pagosa Springs, Del Norte (3)
TEAM NOTES: Upset top seeded Limon in first round last year…then lost next two games to Swink and Del Norte…3rd appearance since 2016…only team to score two single digits wins to advance from regionals….record of 2-4 in games decided by single digits….1-1 in overtime games including regional win over Hayden…outscored opponents by 355 points (16.2 per game)…allowing just 28.5 points per game.
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Mackenzie Peterson | 9.9 | 5.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 18 |
| Asia Caldon | 7.9 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 17 |
| Cheyenne Caldon | 7.8 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 12 |
| Harmony Peterson | 4.9 | 3.8 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 13 |
| Riley Canty | 3.3 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 7 |
| Ariel Caldon | 2.9 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 10 |
| Haley Faucette | 2.6 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1 |
| Abbey Sittler | 2.2 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 5 |
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#2 HOLYOKE DRAGONS (22-1)
COACH: John Baumgartner
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Won Patriot (8-0)
REGIONALS: Beat Lotus School 42-8 & Soroco 41-32
STREAK: Won 13
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: (3-1)
- Wins: Wray (3)
- Losses: Limon
TEAM NOTES: Did not qualify last year after falling to Meeker (46-43) in regional final…2nd appearance in last 3 years and 2nd since 2011…won consolation crown in 2018 by beating Rangely 46-41…also beat Ignacio 45-35 in the consolation semifinals that year…outscored opponents by 465 points this season (20.2 per game)…giving up 28.6 points per game…4-1 in games decided by single digits including regional final over Soroco…has not played an overtime game.
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Kristin Vieselmeyer | 14.0 | 9.7 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 3 |
| Lauren Herman | 9.6 | 7.1 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 13 |
| Emily Jelden | 6.6 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 3.7 | 11 |
| Sarah Razo | 5.1 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 26 |
| Shianne Willmon | 4.7 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 22 |
| Victoria Race | 3.2 | 5.3 | 0.8 | 0.6 | |
| Correy Koellner | 3.6 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1 |
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#7 IGNACIO BOBCATS (18-5)
COACH: Justa Whitt
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Won San Juan (8-0)
REGIONALS: Beat Sargent 51-29 & Rocky Ford 43-28
STREAK: Won 15
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: (2-2)
- Wins: Del Norte, Pagosa Springs
- Losses: Limon, Del Norte
TEAM NOTES: Conference record of 42-1 over last four years…only league loss came in 2017 to Norwood…missed state tourney last year due to overtime loss to Wray (43-39) in regional final…3rd appearance in last 4 years…never won a state tournament game (0-11)…outscored opponents by 506 points (22 per game)…2-2 in games decided by single digits and won last 2 such games over Del Norte (61-56) & Pagosa Springs (36-35)
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Makayla Howell | 8.0 | 3.9 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 2 |
| Avaleena Nanaeto | 6.4 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 3.7 | 7 |
| Charlize Valdez | 6.1 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 10 |
| Jayden Brunson | 5.9 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 23 |
| Ebonee Gomez | 5.9 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 8 |
| Monika Lucero | 5.8 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 20 |
| Larissa Gallegos | 4.6 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 9 |
| Lacie Brunson | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 3 |
