AURORA | It was supposed to happen last season, but a goal has finally been realized for coach Tammi Traylor-Statewright and the Cherokee Trail girls basketball team.
The Cougars’ plan to make it to the Denver Coliseum for the Great 8 round of the Class 6A playoffs got derailed with a home loss in the Sweet 16 a year ago, but a year later — and seeded No. 1 this time — they left no doubt about their destination.
Traylor-Statewright’s team started fast and rolled past No. 16 Highlands Ranch 54-30 Friday evening to earn a spot in the quarterfinals for the first time in program history and further stoke the dreams of a run at its first state championship.
Juniors Madeline Gibbs tallied 12 points, while senior Damara Allen and Delainey Miller had 11 apiece and sophomore Aaliyah Broadus nine in another balanced victory for Cherokee Trail, which improved to 23-2 on the season.
Up next for the Cougars is a Centennial League rematch with Mullen, as the ninth-seeded Mustangs brought an end to the three-peat hopes for eighth-seeded Grandview with a 49-45 Great 8 defeat.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
(1) CHEROKEE TRAIL 54, (16) HIGHLANDS RANCH 30
Score by quarters:
High. Ranch 4 8 11 7 — 30
Cherokee Trail 13 9 16 15 — 54
HIGHLANDS RANCH (30)
Tori Baker 5 2-3 13, Kniyah Dumas 0 0-0 0, Addie Moon 0 0-0 0, Ezra Simonich 4 0-0 11, Sydney Davis 1 0-0 3, Ashlyn Bish 1 0-0 3, Katie Moon 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 2-3 30.
CHEROKEE TRAIL (54)
Karson Chaney 3 0-0 7, Madeline Gibbs 3 3-4 12, Talia Strode 0 0-0 0, Damara Allen 4 2-2 11, Delainey Miller 5 0-0 11, Aaliyah Broadus 4 0-0 9, Ryen Galloway 0 1-2 1, Kynli Hart 1 0-0 3, Hannah Conger 0 0-0 0, Selah Davis 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 6-11 54.
3-point field goals — Highlands Ranch (6): Ezra Simonich 3, Tori Baker, Ashlyn Bish, Sydney Davis. Cherokee Trail (8): Madeline Gibbs 3, Damara Allen, Aaliyah Broadus, Karson Chaney, Kynli Hart, Delainey Miller. Total fouls — Highlands Ranch 12, Cherokee Trail 11. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — None.
