CHSAANow

Category: Winter Sports

  • 3A girls basketball: Platte Valley battles to state title win over Lutheran

    COLORADO SPRINGS — The fifth girls basketball title for Platte Valley is a family thing.

    Three sets of siblings and some of their closest friends battled through a tough fourth quarter, getting the ultimate reward at the end. Seventeen years after last hoisting the trophy, Platte Valley beat Lutheran 51-44 to claim the Class 3A girls basketball championship.

    And in the strangest of years, the championship game was the first time during the entire playoff run that the Broncos (16-1 overall) played an opponent that didn’t come out of the Patriot League.

    “We were kind of hoping that we’d see someone different that we hadn’t played yet,” coach Tonya Schissler said. “It felt like our district tournament getting through the state tournament. These girls did a great job playing as a team. That’s what got us through it.”

    Platte Valley Lutheran girls basketball
    More photos. (PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)

    That team is made up of two of her daughters as well as two other sets of siblings. But even considering the girls that aren’t related, this team has felt like a family for a really long time.

    “It’s so fun, we’ve all played together for so long,” Bree Bunting said. “We’re so familiar with each other and it’s so much fun to see our hard from when we were really young to now pay off.”

    The trust in each other was the primary factor, however. The Broncos jumped out to a 9-1 lead to start the game, but Lutheran’s Stephanie Schultz erased in the blink of an eye. The two teams battled into halftime where Platte Valley held a three-point lead.

    The Lions (15-2) started knocking down big shots in the third quarter and Raelyn Kelty scored seven of her 11 points in that quarter, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer that gave them a 34-32 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

    But the Broncos weren’t phased. They knew they had the mental toughness to keep the momentum from fully swinging back to the Lions.

    Cora Schissler scored eight of her game-high 15 points in the fourth as the Broncos pulled ahead and refused to let go of the lead.

    “They came out strong in that third quarter,” Schissler said. “We came right back out and knew that this was the last game of our season no matter what. We had to give it our all.”

    That’s exactly what they did. There was a brief moment of panic when Bree Bunting fouled out, but even as she watched from the bench, she knew the game was in capable hands. It all goes back to that family trust.

    “It was tough,” Bunting said. “But I was so glad my team was able to carry it out and they played hard and did such a great job.”

    The last time the Broncos won a girls basketball title was 2004 when they beat Lamar 85-77. This also completes a one-loss season for the Broncos. They fell to Vanguard back on Jan. 30. The Coursers were the No. 1 seed heading into the 3A tournament but lost to Lutheran in the semifinals.

    Platte Valley Lutheran girls basketball
    More photos. (PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)
    Platte Valley Lutheran girls basketball
    More photos. (PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)

  • 4A hockey: Battle Mountain tops Crested Butte to claim program’s first state title

    LOVELAND — Heading into the third period, Battle Mountain goalie Logan Gremmer knew there was no room for error. His team trailed by one. He had already let the puck into the net four times. A fifth would spell doom.

    On the other side of the ice, he got the help he needed. Jensen Rawlings tied the game then Hunter Davis scored the game winner in overtime. A 5-4 win gave Battle Mountain the Class 4A state hockey title and the first hockey championship in school history.

    After celebrating with his teammates and receiving the state championship trophy, he made his way to the locker room as his emotions were getting the better of him.

    “I’m doing as well as anyone can be doing,” he said.

    He wasn’t lying. He was between the pipes on March 9 when Crested Butte beat the Huskies 5-1. It was one of just two losses on the year for Battle Mountain and it was a painful memory that they had to bring up Thursday morning before making their way to the Budweiser Events Center.

    “We brought it up this morning and talked about it briefly,” coach Derek Byron said. “We knew what we had to do to get it done today. We made some adjustment and we had to play strong.”

    The Titans got a good bounce as Matthew Solanik fired the puck from the blue line and it snuck by Gremmer. Wyatt Horn and Tyler Knox scored before the first period edge to give the Huskies a 2-1 lead.

    Then a goal fest broke out in the second half. The Titans scored two power play goals to regain the lead before each team added another. Heading into the third period, the Titans held on to that one-goal lead, putting every bit of pressure on Gremmer heading into the third.

    “I was nervous, but I knew it was shut down hockey,” he said.

    And that’s what he did for the rest of the night. Gremmer faced 12 shots between the third period and overtime and turned them all away. He watched as Rawlings scored on a goal that was fired from near the blue line and bounced off the glove of Crested Butt goalie TJ Wonnacott.

    Neither team could break the 4-4 tie at that point and they went into overtime, a sudden death scenario where someone was going to claim their first hockey championship.

    The suspense didn’t last long as Davis scored the game winner just over two minutes into the overtime period.

    “We just did what we had to do,” Davis said. “We know what we practice and we just went and played how we always play.”

    The Huskies had previously played in two state championship games, losing one to Cheyenne Mountain in 2002 and one to Regis Jesuit in 2008.

    “We wanted it so bad,” Davis said. “We’ve never had a hockey championship at Battle Mountain and we really wanted to beat Crested Butte after they beat us 5-1.”

    They got their redemption. And because of it, the Huskies are state hockey champions for the first time.

    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

  • Windsor girls basketball punches its ticket to 4A state title game

    LAKEWOOD — Windsor will play for the Class 4A girls basketball state championship Sunday at the World Arena in Colorado Springs.

    The No. 3-seeded Wizards defeated No. 2 Green Mountain 70-44 on the Rams’ home court Thursday night. It’s the first girls basketball title game appearance for Windsor since the program won the 4A championship in 1994.

    “This means so much. We were so ready and excited,” Windsor junior Alexis Backhaus said. “We’ve been ready since June. We’ve been doing things since then to prepare. This is what we were meant to do this season.”

    Windsor senior Kylie Sanger (3) bring the ball down the court while being guarded by Green Mountain sophomore Jayda Maves. Sanger poured in four 3-pointers to help the Wizards to a 70-44 victory in the Class 4A state semifinal. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    Windsor faces No. 4 Mullen (16-2 record) in the championship game scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday. The Mustangs dominated No. 2 Holy Family 75-50 in the other semifinal.

    “Mullen is a really good team,” Windsor junior Olivia Reed said about the title game Sunday. “We are just going to do what we’ve been doing. We’ll stay together and take it on as a team.”

    The Wizards (16-1) took on the previously undefeated Rams on Green Mountain’s home court. Green Mountain led 9-8 through a sluggish first quarter for both teams offensive, but Windsor turned it on in the second quarter.

    Backhaus poured in a pair of early baskets in the third quarter. Reed powered her way inside to put Windsor up 14-11 with 4:55 left in the second quarter. Then it was senior Kylie Sanger’s turn to get going offensively with a pair of 3-pointers before the midway point of the second quarter.

    “We are super in shape,” Backhaus said of the Wizards outscoring the Rams 43-26 in the second and third quarters. “We just kept running and pushing. We kept running our offense like we do every game.”

    Backhaus (23 points), Sanger (14 points) and Reed (20 points) carried the load offensively combining for 57 points. Backhaus and Sanger poured in three 3-pointers each during the middle quarters. Reed dominated down low to help the Wizards to an eighth straight victory.

    “My teammates do a really good job of getting me good looks,” said Reed, who scored most of her points in the paint. “It was awesome.”

    Green Mountain’s lone senior — Courtney Hank (33) — played her final game of her prep career Thursday night. Hank finished with more to 1,000 points and 600 rebounds during her stellar 4-year career with the Rams. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) 

    It was a heartbreaking loss for Green Mountain (17-1). The Rams were undefeated going into the state semifinal game. Green Mountain’s last loss came a year ago when the Rams lost in the 4A state semifinal against Holy Family.

    “Windsor is on a different level for now,” Green Mountain coach Darren Pitzner said. “It’s something our next senior class and our underclassmen can emulate and shoot for. I’m excited about where Green Mountain is going.”

    The Rams have a 41-4 record over the past two seasons that included the program’s first state semifinal appearances.

    “I’m really excited about the whole Green Mountain community that they’ve got a program from our 2nd-graders all the way up to our seniors to be proud of and motivated to see what they can accomplish,” Pitzner said.

    Green Mountain graduates just one senior in Courtney Hank. Last year’s 4A Jeffco League MVP finished her career with more than 1,000 points and 600 rebounds.

    “I’ve been lucky to coach a special senior in Courtney,” Pitzner said. “She has been the foundation of the turnaround of this program and the face of this program.”

    Green Mountain senior Courtney Hank, left, and Windsor junior Olivia Reed tip things off during the Class 4A state semifinal game Thursday night at Green Mountain High School. Windsor got the road victory to set-up a showdown against Mullen in the 4A state championship game Sunday, March 21, at the World Arena in Colorado Springs. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

  • Photos: Battle Mountain and Valor Christian claim state hockey championships

    LOVELAND — The 2021 hockey season concluded at the Budweiser Events Center where Battle Mountain and Valor Christian won state championships.

    [divider]

    4A Championship: (3) Battle Mountain 5, (1) Crested Butte 4 (OT)

    Battle Mountain vs. Crested Butte
    (Paul Shepardson)

    [divider]

    5A Championship: (3) Valor Christian 4, (1) Fort Collins 3

    Valor vs. Fort Collins - 5A Championship
    (Paul Shepardson)

  • 5A hockey: Valor Christian edges Fort Collins for second straight title

    LOVELAND — This time, it wasn’t going to take five overtimes. Valor Christian found a more efficient way to get around Sam Simon and because of that, the Eagles are hockey champions once again.

    Ryan Kayser scored twice, but it was Jameson Charles with a laser that got by Simon with 2:36 remaining in the third period to give Valor a 4-3 win over Fort Collins in the Class 5A hockey state championship game.

    “I’m proud of these guys,” coach George Gwozdecky said. “Anytime you can win your last game of the season, it’s a heck of an accomplishment. Considering they’re defending a championship, that’s even tougher to do.”

    Defending the title put a lot of pressure on the Eagles. Heading in, they were aware of the capabilities of Simon. They were fortunate a year ago that one goal did the trick, but at no point did they think that’d be the case in this rematch at the Budweiser Events Center.

    “One hundred percent,” Kayser said. “We knew it wasn’t going to be just one. It was going to take four, five, six. We wanted to do whatever it took.”

    Neither team found a scoring foothold in the first period and it was Aidan Beck breaking the scoreless tie, tipping the puck by Jace Ruth early in the second.

    “That top line of theirs is really dynamic,” Gwozdecky said. “If we were going to give ourselves a chance, we had to shut them down and we didn’t do a very good job of that.”

    But they were able to keep pace. The Eagles scored back to back goals as Kayser got his first and Pahos put the Eagles up 2-1 before Beck netted his second to tie the game after two periods.

    A power play goal from Kayser put the Eagles back on top before Dennis White pulled the Lambkins even once again.

    After an apparent goal got waved off, the Eagles moved with a bit more urgency and that’s when Charles fired a laser that got by Simon, sending the Valor fans into a frenzy.

    “I thought mine was going to get called off, so I didn’t get too excited,” he said. “Our momentum was getting that goal back that we lost.”

    They got it back and they didn’t give it up.

    It’s the second straight championship win for Valor as they beat Fort Collins 1-0 in the final CHSAA unclassified championship game a year ago.

    That game took five overtimes before Pahos broke the scoreless tie.

    The Eagles were able to put 40 shots on the net through the course of the game, far fewer than the 80-plus they put on Simon last year. But this year just yielded better results.

    To their credit, the Lambkins were more efficient offensively than they were a year ago as they put 19 shots on net, getting three of them past Ruth.

    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

  • Photos: Valor Christian tops Highlands Ranch to punch ticket to 5A girls basketball championship game

    No. 1 seed Valor Christian beat No. 4 Highlands Ranch 66-45 in the Class 5A girls basketball Final 4.

  • Photos: Mullen girls basketball moves to 4A title game by beating Holy Family

    Mullen girls basketball beat Holy Family 75-50 in the Class 4A Final 4.

  • Photos: Montrose boys basketball moves to 4A championship with win over Longmont

    Montrose boys basketball is headed to the 4A championship game following its 48-33 win over Longmont.

  • Photos: Windsor girls basketball heads to 4A championship following win over Green Mountain

    Windsor girls basketball beat Green Mountain 70-44 in the 4A Final 4, and now heads to the championship game.

  • Photos: Regis Jesuit girls basketball beats Grandview to advance to 5A title game

    Regis Jesuit girls basketball beat Grandview 73-69 to advance to the 5A state championship game.