Athletics

DENVER — Green Mountain’s boys basketball team is heading to the Final 4 for the first time in over 30 years.

It could have been called the ‘Cinderella Great 8 Game’ between No. 25-seeded Sand Creek and No. 16-seeded Green Mountain, the Rams overcame a huge early deficit to grind out a 43-40 victory in the Class 5A state quarterfinal game Friday, March 7, at the Denver Coliseum.

DENVER — Green Mountain put an end to Roosevelt’s recent domination of the Class 5A girls basketball state tournament Friday morning.

The Rams took a wire-to-wire 46-42 win over the 2-time defending state champions in the first of eight Great 8 state quarterfinal games Friday, March 7, at the Denver Coliseum. 

LITTLETON — For the third straight season Dakota Ridge’s boys basketball program is heading to the Denver Coliseum.

The No. 3-seeded Eagles defeated No. 14 Palmer 72-51 on Tuesday night at Dakota Ridge High School to advance to the quarterfinals of the Class 5A state tournament. Two-time 5A/4A Jeffco League MVP — Dakota Ridge senior Ethan Berninger — led the way with a team-high 24 points.

LAKEWOOD — Defense is going to determine how far Green Mountain advances in the Class 5A girls basketball state tournament.

“If we are trying to win the whole thing and be one of those elite teams you have to defend at an elite level,” Green Mountain coach Matteo Busnardo said after the Rams’ 66-24 round of 32 home victory over Sierra on Saturday night. “Defense wins you championships. Defense wins you games. That is what we are going to keep following.”

LITTLETON — Columbine’s girls basketball team had its dancing shoes ready to go Saturday afternoon.

The Rebels got out to a quick start in the round of 32 state playoff game with a 13-0 run to begin against No. 20-seeded Monarch. No. 13-seeded Columbine eventually rolled to a 76-58 victory to advance to the Sweet 16 next week.

LAKEWOOD — Green Mountain boys basketball might just be hitting its stride at just the right time.

The No. 16-seeded Rams advanced to the Sweet 16 of the Class 5A state tournament Friday night with a 71-62 home victory over No. 17 Frederick. Green Mountain (15-9 record) will now face top-seeded Lutheran (21-3) on Tuesday, March 4.

ARVADA — Ralston Valley closed out its boys basketball regular season in style Saturday night.

The Mustangs’ 67-47 road victory against rival Arvada West gave Ralston Valley the distinction of Class 6A Jeffco League champions.

ARVADA — For the first time in over a decade Arvada West’s girls basketball team has hit the 20-win mark, but the Wildcats aren’t done yet.

“It feels amazing, but we still have work to do,” A-West senior Sara Walker said after the Wildcats’ regular-season finale win Saturday night. “Our goal is to get to the Coliseum (state quarterfinals). These next two (playoff) games are going to be big.”

GOLDEN — Like a gator lurking in muddy water waiting to strike, Standley Lake’s boys basketball team has quietly racked up an impressive regular season.

The Gators claimed their 7th straight victory Wednesday night with a wire-to-wire road victory over Golden.

DENVER — Pomona keeps on piling up the Class 5A boys wrestling team trophies. 

The Panthers won their seventh straight team title Saturday night at Ball Arena to close out the 3-day state tournament. Pomona is just one short of tying Ponderosa’s record of eight straight team titles set between 2003-2010. 

LITTLETON — It was a night to remember at Dakota Ridge High School.

On Senior Night and the Eagles’ final regular-season boys basketball game at home, Dakota Ridge (16-6 record, 8-0 in Class 5A/4A Jeffco League) officially clinched the conference title for the third straight year with a 85-59 home victory against Wheat Ridge on Thursday night.

LAKEWOOD — Green Mountain girls basketball was able to check the box Tuesday night on the No. 1 goal this season.

The Rams’ dominating 72-20 home victory over Conifer officially clinched the Class 5A/4A Jeffco League title.

LITTLETON — Tanner Braketa hit a milestone Saturday that few high school basketball players reach.

The Ralston Valley senior eclipsed the 1,500-point mark for his career during an 80-57 road victory for the Mustangs (19-0, 9-0 in Class 6A Jeffco League) at Chatfield.

DENVER — Green Mountain junior Kantyn Pearson drained probably her most significant 3-pointer of her high school career Friday night.

Facing possible overtime on the road against D’Evelyn, Pearson threw in a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded to give Green Mountain a dramatic 46-43 road victory.

ARVADA — Arvada West used an 8-0 run in the final 2 minutes Tuesday night to edge Columbine in Class 6A Jeffco League girls basketball action.

Columbine junior Jordyn Washington’s 3-point play the hard way with 2:28 left in the fourth quarter tied things up at 33-33. However, the Wildcats scored the final eight points to claim a 41-33 victory.

LAKEWOOD — Dakota Ridge’s student section broke out in chats of ‘MVP, MVP …’ on Monday night at Green Mountain High School.

While the Eagles do have last year’s Class 5A/4A Jeffco League MVP in senior Ethan Berninger, it was Nathan Esau who was defintely the Eagles’ MVP in the huge conference game. Esau scored a game-high 29 points as Dakota Ridge took a 56-46 road victory against Green Mountain.

LAKEWOOD — It’s safe to say that Simon Lunsford is showing no ill effects after suffering a broken right fibula, torn ligaments and a displaced right ankle on Nov. 22. 

The Green Mountain senior and 3-sport athlete (football, basketball and baseball) had the injury in the state quarterfinal football game playing quarterback for the Rams just over two months ago.

ARVADA — In front of a packed Ralston Valley High School gym, cross-town rival Arvada West had its way Saturday afternoon.

A-West (14-2, 5-1 in Class 6A Jeffco League) never trailed in the girls basketball conference game. The Wildcats took sole possession of second place in 6A Jeffco with a 56-35 road victory against Ralston Valley (10-7, 3-3).

LAKEWOOD — Chasing down records and setting new milestones is something Pomona’s wrestling program has gotten accustom to. 

The Panthers set a record Friday night capturing their 10th straight Class 5A Jeffco League title, breaking Pomona’s own run of nine straight set from 2005 to 2013. 

LITTLETON — History was made on the wrestling mats Thursday night.

The first girls wrestling Jeffco League Championship Tournament to determine the league champion was held at Columbine High School. Nine Jeffco teams — Arvada West, Chatfield, Columbine, Conifer, Evergreen, Jefferson, Littleton, Pomona and Standley Lake — competed with a total of 74 wrestlers filling the 14 different weight classes.

WESTMINSTER — Dakota Ridge’s boys basketball team showed Wednesday night why the Eagles are the favorite to win the Class 5A/4A Jeffco League title for a third straight season.

DENVER — If the non-league record for D’Evelyn’s girls basketball team is any indication, the Jaguars are ready for Class 5A/4A/3A Jeffco League play to begin.

D’Evelyn improved its record to 12-0 Tuesday night with a 58-32 home victory against Northglenn (4-5 record).

LAKEWOOD — It’s coming up on nine years since Mackenzie Forrest finished up her prep basketball career at Lakewood High School.

Forrest was a standout guard for the Tigers’ girls basketball team from 2012 to 2016. She still remains the all-time leading scorer with 1,420 points. Forrest tragically died after a car accident in March 2016, a few months before she would have graduated from Lakewood High School.