DENVER | For all of the success the Grandview girls basketball program has had in recent years, it seems like the Wolves must have made it to a state championship game before Thursday night.
Yet until its 60-27 victory over Regis Jesuit in an all-Aurora Class 5A semifinal at Denver Coliseum, Grandview hadn’t earned a state title shot despite a decade as one of the state’s top programs.
Coach Josh Ulitzky’s Wolves overcame another slow start with a 15-0 run to end the first quarter and were off and running on their way to their second win of the season over the Raiders, who were the last Aurora program to appear in the 5A state final when they beat Fossil Ridge for the 2014 title.
The victory was big for the large contingent of Grandview players that walked away from last season’s semifinals in utter disappointment in a two-point semifinal loss to ThunderRidge, which went on to win the state title.
“We had a terrible feeling in the pit of our stomachs last season and we didn’t want that again,” said Grandview sophomore Alisha Davis, who walked off the court last season in tears.
“We got a chance to redeem ourselves and we did it,” she added. “Now we have one more game and we’re going to make history.”
Senior Michaela Onyenwere poured in 23 points and junior Leilah Vigil added 14 as Grandview (26-1) earned a spot in the 5A state championship game against ninth-seeded Lakewood at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Denver Coliseum. Like the Wolves, the Tigers also are in search of their first state crown.
“I’ve been here three times before and we never made it past this game, so I’m glad we could pull this off,” Onyenwere said.
“We knew what was ahead of us. Regis is a good, young and athletic team and so I’m satisfied that we beat them and finally get to go to the state championship game.”
Regis Jesuit had its nine-game winning streak snapped and finished 20-7.
Coach Carl Mattei’s Raiders were limited to a season-low in points, three fewer than they scored in a 58-30 loss to Grandview on Dec. 9, 2016. Freshman Jada Moore paced Regis Jesuit with eight points, while reserve Sidney Weigand chipped in six points for the Raiders.
Regis Jesuit got up 3-1 early as Grandview started another game slowly, but the Wolves ripped off the last 15 points of the period to take a 16-3 lead.
A fired up Vigil scored seven points in the opening period and 10 in the half, the same as Onyenwere for Grandview, yet the Raiders (who didn’t make a field goal in the first quarter) managed to pull back two points on their deficit by the break as reserve Sidney Weigand contributed two buckets on a mini-run for her team.
Onyenwere outscored Regis Jesuit 10-8 in the third period, which she capped with a steal and breakaway layup for a 20-point edge going into the final period.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
(2) GRANDVIEW 60, (11) REGIS JESUIT 27
Score by quarters:
Regis Jesuit 3 11 8 5 — 27
Grandview 16 9 17 18 — 60
REGIS JESUIT (27)
Fran Belibi 2 1-2 5, Korynne Chaney 0 0-0 0, Jada Moore 1 6-8 8, Emma Wrede 2 0-0 5, Noelle Cahill 0 0-0 0, Sidney Weigand 3 0-0 6, Olivia Ayers 1 1-2 3, Chelsea Solita 0 0-0 0. Totals 9 8-14 27.
GRANDVIEW (60)
Jaiden Galloway 1 2-4 4, Alisha Davis 3 0-0 6, Michaela Onyenwere 9 5-7 23, Kennede Brown 1 2-2 4, Leilah Vigil 5 4-10 14, Allyah Marlett 2 2-2 7, Lenzi Hudson 1 0-0 2, Sariah Serrano 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 15-25 60.
3-point field goals — Regis Jesuit: Emma Wrede; Grandview: Allyah Marlett. Total fouls — Regis Jesuit 21, Grandview 12. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — Regis Jesuit: Bench, Korynne Chaney; Grandview: Leilah Vigil
