AURORA | After two close victories to open the season, the Cherokee Trail girls basketball team was on the wrong side of a lopsided contest Thursday.
The Cougars suffered their first defeat of the season in the championship semifinals of the Grandview Invitational, as Class 4A power Sand Creek routed them 61-16 at Grandview High School.
Cherokee Trail was held to single digits in points in three of the four quarters — and zero in the fourth — by the Scorpions (4-2), who showed the ability to score inside and outside as they advanced to the tournament championship game against host Grandview (3-0) at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Coach Todd Dixon’s Cougars (2-1), who edged Dakota Ridge in the tournament opener, were led by four points each from Hannah Sparks and Shenayah Castillo. They dropped into the third-place game, where they will face D’Evelyn — a six-point loser to Grandview in the other championship semifinal — at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Rangeview also went down to defeat Thursday, as Legend posted a 43-16 victory in a consolation semifinal.
The Raiders (3-5) face Dakota Ridge — which fell 41-38 to Pueblo Central in the other consolation semi — for 7th place at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
SAND CREEK 61, CHEROKEE TRAIL 16
Score by quarters:
Cherokee Trail 8 2 6 0 — 16
Sand Creek 16 15 17 13 — 61
CHEROKEE TRAIL (16)
Hannah Sparks 2 0-3 4, Elena Sharp 0 1-4 1, Nikki Duresky 0 1-2 1, Lexy Horton 1 0-0 2, Lily Hartley 1 0-0 2, Sara Runia 0 2-2 2, Shenayah Castillo 2 0-0 4, Symone Holland 0 0-0 0, Avery Carter 0 0-0 0, Kenzi Mclelland 0 0-2 0, Megan Workman 0 0-0 0, Sarah LaBonde 0 0-0 0, Anastacia Johnson 0 0-0 0. Totals 6 4-13 16.
SAND CREEK (61)
Mikayla Reese 1 1-1 3, Bri Pratt 1 0-0 2, J’Nae Squires 6 1-3 16, Oliana Squires 5 0-0 13, Raven Daniels 0 0-0 0, Ashley Ramsey 2 2-4 6, Liah Davis 4 3-3 11, Terra Murray 2 3-4 7, Tarah Patterson 1 0-0 2, Shayla Armstrong 0 0-0 0, Jasmine English 0 0-0 0, Taylore Thomas 0 0-0 0, Darielle Evans 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 10-15 61.
3-point field goals — Sand Creek (7): J’Nae Squires 4, Oliana Squires 3. Total fouls — Cherokee Trail 13, Sand Creek 15. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — None.