CLASS 1A GIRLS BASKETBALL – TEAM CAPSULES
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
Briggsdale is back in the field, looking to repeat as champions, but the path will not be easy for the Lady Falcons. They are one of five teams in the bracket with 20 or more wins, and two others have at least 17. The top seed belongs to McClave, who lost to Briggsdale in the title game last year. The tournament, which will have every game played at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, starts off at 8:45am on Thursday.
Individual statistics quoted below are courtesy of MaxPreps. Teams are listed in bracket order.
#1 MCCLAVE LADY CARDINALS (22-1)
COACH: Brianne Howe
STATE TITLES: 2009, 2006, 2005, 2004
LEAGUE: Won High Plains title (5-0), won District 2
REGIONALS: Beat La Veta (83-21), Hi-Plains (66-25)
STREAK: Won 13 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 6-1
Wins: Kit Carson (3), Eads (2), Simla
Losses: Peyton
TEAM NOTES: Third straight appearance – runner-up in 2023 – third consecutive year with at least 20 wins – won championship in Lamar Holiday Basketball Tournament – 1-1 in games decided by single digits – did not play an OT game – outscored opponents 1339-674 – lone loss to 3A #1 Peyton (48-45)
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Abrielle Gomez | 17.5 | 5.6 | 3.2 | 5.4 | 41 |
| Zoe Martinez | 10.1 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 65 |
| McKayla Kiniston | 8.6 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 6.0 | 21 |
| Ashlynn Steinbrunn | 8.2 | 6.8 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 9 |
| Emily Melgoza | 5.2 | 3.9 | 1.0 | 1.1 | |
| Addison Vallejos | 4.5 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 7 |
#8 KIT CARSON LADY WILDCATS (15-9)
COACH: Sara Crawford
STATE TITLES: 2019, 2018, 2017
LEAGUE: Fourth in Mile High (2-3), third in District 2
REGIONALS: Beat Mile High Academy (56-25), Flagler (48-28)
STREAK: Won 3 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 1-7
Wins: Eads
Losses: McClave (3), Eads, Stratton, Idalia, Simla
TEAM NOTES: Second straight appearance, ninth in last 11 years – did not place last year – 1-2 in games decided by single digits – no OT games – outscored opponents 1092-858
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Avery Johnson | 10.1 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 45 |
| Payge Booker-Rady | 10.1 | 6.3 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 5 |
| Lindsey Mayhan | 8.7 | 8.1 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1 |
| Nadaya Buttry | 8.0 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 28 |
| Shay Rady | 7.8 | 5.1 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 16 |
#4 BRIGGSDALE LADY FALCONS (21-2)
COACH: Colin Nicklas
STATE TITLES: 2023
LEAGUE: Won North Central (4-0), won District 4 title
REGIONALS: Beat Hanover (68-17), Prairie (71-36)
STREAK: Won 8 straight, 16 of last 17
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 2-2
Wins: Idalia, Wiggins
Losses: Stratton, Flatirons Academy
TEAM NOTES: Making ninth straight appearance – won first-ever title last year – 2-1 in games decided by single digits – no OT games – Jenna Krise only needs 24 points to reach 1900 for her career – has scored 30 or more in seven of last eight – team has outscored opponents 1306-819
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Jenna Krise | 28.0 | 7.2 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 54 |
| Claire Brown | 10.4 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 3 |
| Kayl Klem | 10.2 | 7.0 | 3.3 | 5.0 | |
| Bailey Loyd | 3.8 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 11 |
| Kaycee Krise | 1.6 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 1.6 | |
| Libby Slinger | 1.5 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 1.3 |
#5 IDALIA LADY WOLVES (18-6)
COACH: Myles Johnson
STATE TITLES: 2016, 2015
LEAGUE: Won YWKC (5-0), second in District 5
REGIONALS: Beat Kim/Branson (51-31), Fleming (44-30)
STREAK: Won 2 straight, 10 of last 13
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 1-6
Wins: Kit Carson
Losses: Stratton (3), Briggsdale, Eads, Wiggins
TEAM NOTES: First appearance since winning title in 2016 – beat Briggsdale for championship that year – only one losing season since 2012 – 4-2 in games decided by single digits – no OT games – outscored opponents 964-756
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Jaylyn Kechter | 13.2 | 9.6 | 2 | 2.3 | 7 |
| Krista Wieser | 9.7 | 7.3 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 14 |
| Ailyn Monarrez (IR) | 9.3 | 5.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 6 |
| Brigette Kite | 5.3 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 5 |
| Addison Richards | 2.8 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 2 |
| Kiersten Wingfield | 2.6 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 9 |
| Tatum Soehner | 2.0 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 6 |
#2 STRATTON LADY EAGLES (21-3)
COACH: Trey Thompson
STATE TITLES: 1995, 1992, 1990 (A-II), 1988 (A-II)
LEAGUE: Second in Union Pacific (5-1), won District 5 title
REGIONALS: Beat Front Range Baptist (61-13), Otis (40-33)
STREAK: Won 8 straight, 13 of last 14
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 7-2
Wins: Idalia (3), Briggsdale, Eads, Kit Carson, Simla
Losses: Merino, Burlington
TEAM NOTES: Back-to-back appearances – won consolation championship last year – 4-2 in games decided by single digits – 1-0 in OT – Sedonia Isenbart topped 1000 career points this season – outscored opponents 1313-820
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Sedonia Isenbart | 17.9 | 7.2 | 4.5 | 5.9 | 65 |
| Sophia Isenbart | 10.3 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 3 |
| Clare Miltenberger | 7.6 | 6.6 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 7 |
| Camory Wedel | 4.4 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 16 |
| Peyton Ruhs | 3.5 | 4.3 | 0.6 | 1.2 | |
| Elle Bohnen | 3.4 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 9 |
| Jessica Brandon | 2.3 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 7 |
#7 EADS LADY EAGLES (17-7)
COACH: Trey Eder
STATE TITLES: 2008, 2007, 2003, 1994, 1993, 1991, 1990 (A-I), 1987 (A-II), 1984 (A-II)
LEAGUE: Second in High Plains (4-1), fourth in District 2
REGIONALS: Beat Genoa-Hugo/Karval (46-20), Kiowa (55-35)
STREAK: Won 2 straight, 8 of last 10
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 2-4
Wins: Kit Carson, Idalia
Losses: McClave (2), Stratton, Kit Carson
TEAM NOTES: Making first appearance since 2017 – did not place that year – state record holder for girls basketball championships – celebrated 40th anniversary of first title this season – 2-3 in games decided by single digits – no OT games – two losses to Kansas opponents – outscored opponents 1122-805
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Anna Wollert | 14.2 | 10.7 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 11 |
| Tailee Weeks-Johnson | 10.0 | 4.8 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 18 |
| Lexi Shotton | 7.3 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1 |
| Bailey Sierra | 5.5 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 1 |
| Alessandra Paez | 5.2 | 4.1 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 1 |
| Madison McDowell | 2.8 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 8 |
#3 FLATIRONS ACADEMY LADY BISON (22-1)
COACH: Eric Rakers
STATE TITLES: 2022, 2021
LEAGUE: Won 5280 title (5-0), won District 8 title
REGIONALS: Beat Sierra Grande (67-10), De Beque (60-22)
STREAK: Won 19 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 4-1
Wins: Denver Christian (2), Briggsdale, Strasburg
Losses: Merino
TEAM NOTES: Making fourth straight appearance – did not place last year after winning consecutive titles – Emma Cox surpassed 1000 and 1500 career points this season – Emily Dehaan over 1000 career points this season – 4-0 in games decided by single digits – no OT games – outscored opponents 1395-568
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Emma Cox | 27.0 | 7.8 | 2.6 | 4.6 | 41 |
| Emily Dehaan | 16.0 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 1 |
| Annabelle Rakers | 11.5 | 2.9 | 4.9 | 3.3 | |
| Brylin Gomer | 4.2 | 6.8 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 25 |
| Kaylie Moore | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 7 |
| Jenna Nehrbass | 2.2 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1 |
| Haylie Hubbart | 1.3 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 6 |
#6 DOVE CREEK LADY BULLDOGS (20-2)
COACH: Julie Kibel
STATE TITLES: None
LEAGUE: Won San Juan Basin title (6-0), won district 1 title
REGIONALS: Beat Lone Star (55-39), Cheyenne Wells (41-31)
STREAK: Won 17 straight
RECORD VS STATE TEAMS: 2-1
Wins: Mancos (2)
Losses: Centauri
TEAM NOTES: Making fourth straight appearance – third consecutive season with at least 20 wins – beat Flatirons Academy for consolation championship last year – 3-1 in games decided by single digits – no OT games – outscored opponents 1100-683
| NAME | PTS | REBS | ASSTS | STEALS | 3-POINT |
| Kylie Gatlin | 15.9 | 7.8 | 2.1 | 3.9 | 15 |
| Ralynn Hickman | 12.1 | 7.3 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 24 |
| Kalie Gatlin | 10.1 | 6.5 | 4.9 | 2.6 | 21 |
| Taylor Hampton | 8.7 | 8.4 | 0.3 | 1.6 | |
| Hadley Hatfield | 4.1 | 3.2 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 3 |
| Halee Beanland | 2.8 | 3.6 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 2 |
MileHigh Prep Report 