HIGHLANDS RANCH | If the Regis Jesuit and Highlands Ranch girls basketball teams play again this season, it will be for much higher stakes than their first meeting.
It would have to be somewhere in the upcoming Class 5A state playoffs — maybe even in the state final — but fortunately for the Raiders, only the Continental League title really was on the line Feb. 12.
A hyped matchup between two teams rated in the top two spots in 5A for most of the season got away from Regis Jesuit early, as Highlands Ranch built a double-digit lead in the first quarter and maintained that advantage the entire way in a 65-49 victory.
Sophomore Avery VanSickle had 12 points to lead the Raiders (19-3) — who suffered their first loss to a team in Colorado — while senior Fran Belibi added 11 and sophomore Jada Moore 10.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Sentinel Prep Sports
HIGHLANDS RANCH 65, REGIS JESUIT 49
Score by quarters:
Regis Jesuit 5 12 11 21 — 49
High. Ranch 17 11 16 21 — 65
REGIS JESUIT (49)
Fran Belibi 5 1-3 11, Sidney Weigand 1 3-4 6, Avery VanSickle 4 2-2 12, Jada Moore 5 0-0 10, Samantha Jones 0 1-2 1, Madden McHugh 1 0-0 3, Grace Weigand 3 0-1 6, Michelle East 0 0-0, Colleen Mulbarger 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 7-12 49.
HIGHLANDS RANCH (65)
Payton Muma 2 3-4 7, Jamie Bain 5 10-10 22, Autumn Watts 4 3-5 11, Kasey Neubert 7 4-5 18, Tori Beck 1 4-4 7. Totals 19 24-28 65.
3-point field goals — Regis Jesuit (4): Avery VanSickle 2, Madden McHugh, Sidney Weigand; Highlands Ranch (3): Jamie Bain 2, Tori Beck. Total fouls — Regis Jesuit 19, Highlands Ranch 16. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — None.