Much like the boys’ postseason field, there wasn’t much craziness throughout the first two rounds of Class 6A-4A girls’ hoops.
No. 9 Mullen beat defending champ No. 8 Grandview in the second round as the Mustangs and No. 12 Rock Canyon are the only teams outside the top eight to reach the 6A quarterfinals.
There were only two mild surprises in the other two classes in the second round, with No. 11 Standley Lake upsetting No. 6 Green Mountain in 5A, and No. 9 Peak to Peak, led by standout forward Alexandra Eschmeyer, winning at No. 8 Kent Denver in 4A.
The quarterfinals begin at the Denver Coliseum this week, with 6A Thursday, 5A Friday and 4A Saturday.
Class 6A
No. 1 Cherokee Trail (23-2) will look to beat No. 9 Mullen (17-8) for a third straight time this winter in their quarterfinals game.
The Mustangs beat last year’s runner-up Monarch and champ Grandview in the first two rounds. Meanwhile, Delainey Miller had 11 points and 11 boards in the Cougars’ Round 2 win over No. 16 Highlands Ranch.
No. 4 Valor Christian (20-4) is touting the top-scoring offense in the class (70 PPG) ahead of its meeting with No. 12 Rock Canyon (20-5). Quinn Vansickle (18.6 PPG) has scored 22 or more in two of her last three games for the Eagles.
No. 2 Cherry Creek (21-4) against No. 7 Regis Jesuit (18-7) features two of the classification’s best in the Bruins’ Tiana Chambers (16 PPG) and the Raiders’ Hana Belibi (17.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG). Chambers had 23, Belibi 20 and nine, when Cherry Creek beat Regis 60-56 Jan. 9.
No. 3 Legend-No. 6 Horizon is another rematch from earlier in the season, with the Titans (23-2) beating the Hawks (23-2) 70-53 on Nov. 30. Horizon has won 16 in a row, Legend 13.
Class 5A
Behind Darby Haley’s 25 points and six steals, No. 3 Mead came back from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat No. 14 Mountain View 71-60 in overtime in the second round.
The Mavericks (21-4) struggled to slow down 6-footer Addie Branscum before she fouled out late in regulation. And now they have another matchup challenge with 6-2 Taylin Serlen (20.2 PPG, 10.4 RPG) when it faces No. 11 Standley Lake (21-4).
Meanwhile, No. 1 Air Academy (24-1) faces No. 8 Frederick (19-6).
Tatyonna Brown (13 PPG) has missed just two shots in two rounds for the Kadets, scoring 34 points on 14-of-16 shooting.
Zoe Wittler (12.1 PPG), who had a late-season foot injury for the Golden Eagles, has been good so far in this postseason, scoring 15 and 17 on 11-for-22 shooting.
Defending champ No. 2 Roosevelt (23-2) faces No. 7 Montrose (19-6), pinning the class’ highest-scoring offense against a stingy defense. The Roughriders average 71.9 PPG, while the Red Hawks allow just 32.
No. 4 Northfield (22-3) blew out both of its opponents to start the postseason, while No. 5 Windsor (17-8) just got by No. 21 Littleton, 49-43, in Round 2, despite shooting 27% from the field.
Class 4A
No. 1 Holy Family (23-2) beat No. 32 Eagle Ridge Academy by 69, then No. 16 Moffat County by 55 to kick start its playoffs.
The Tigers, losses this winter only to 5A No. 1 Roosevelt and No. 3 Mead, will have a unique challenge against No. 9 Peak to Peak (21-4), facing the Pumas’ 6-5 Stanford commit, Alexandra Eschmeyer (23.9, 13.1 RPG).
Elsewhere, No. 3 Riverdale Ridge (22-3) and star Brihanna Crittendon (29.3 PPG, 10.7 RPG) face No. 6 Colorado Academy (20-5). Crittendon had 31 points and 12 boards in a 49-44 win over No. 14 The Classical Academy in Round 2.
No. 4 Resurrection Christian (22-3) has won 16 straight ahead of facing No. 5 Pagosa Springs (21-4). Olivia Klein (16.6 PPG) matched No. 13 Jefferson Academy’s scoring output in Round 2, putting up 20 points in a 54-20 win.
Peyton Marvel (18.9 PPG, 13.5 RPG) leads No. 2 D’Evelyn (22-3) against No. 7 University (21-4). Marvel had 18 points and 13 boards in Round 1, then 19 and 16 in a 67-41 win over Severance Friday.