(Bethany Brookens/CHSAANow.com)
AIR FORCE ACADEMY — This particular Lamar girls basketball team had never qualified for the Class 3A state tournament.
The seniors, in particular, knew what to expect, however. They had attended the state tournament as spectators in previous years. And they knew the history of Lamar girls basketball.
The team came in to Thursday’s state quarterfinals with a mission, which began with an easy 48-27 victory over Peak to Peak to advance to Friday’s state semifinals.
The five seniors, two of whom come off the bench and many of whom have started since they were freshmen, spent their youth playing whatever sport was in season.
“These seniors have grown up together,” Savages coach Erik Melgoza said. “They’re like sisters.”
“I think it really helps us that we’ve played so long together,” senior point guard Chelsea Vallejos said.
Vallejos was a big factor in Lamar’s ability to set the tone early and establish control. She hit a 3-pointer to give the Savages an 8-6 lead. More importantly, she was effective as Lamar’s floor general.
The Savages’ defense frustrated the Pumas in the second quarter as Peak to Peak got off only four field goal attempts in falling behind 23-12. The Savages pushed the pace in extending their lead throughout the second half.
“The kids followed the game plan,” Melgoza said, allowing him to go four deep to his bench and give his starters a bit of rest.
Vallejos, who tied for team-high scoring honors with Taylor Wertz as each scored 13, was just as effective driving to the basket as she was from the outside.
“We want to be able to drive, usually down the middle,” she said of challenging the Pumas’ taller front court.
Lamar won four consecutive state titles in the mid- to late-1990s.
“A lot of these girls were little girls when they won those,” Melgoza said.
But they look on the gym walls and take in that history.
Lamar’s likely semifinal opponent is Holy Family, which has won five of the last six 3A state titles. Vallejos said her team will take in the Tigers’ quarterfinal game with great interest.
“We’ll watch their game (at 4 p.m. against Eaton),” Vallejos said. “We’re not going to mess around.”
“I feel like these girls are prepared,” Melgoza said.
Sterling 57, Bishop Machebeuf 44
In the day’s first game, the Tigers built a 31-20 halftime lead and made it stand up, matching the Buffaloes basket for basket in the second half.
Taylor Knudson and Kylie Chavez paced the Tigers with 16 and 15 points, respectively. Maggie Smith’s 13 points were tops for Machebeuf.
Holy Family 52, Eaton 30
The Tigers opened up a close game by going on an run 8-1 in the first four minutes of the second quarter to take a 26-19 halftime lead, then outscored Eaton 17-6 in the third to pull away.
The Chavez sisters keyed the attack, with sophomore Katie scoring 18 points while Lindsey, a senior, added 15. Between them they hit six 3-pointers. Maggie Spitzer added to a balanced attack with 13 points.
The Reds had five players score between four and seven points, led by Bailey Schumacher.
Holy Family plays Lamar at 7 p.m. Friday In the semifinals. Eaton and Peak to Peak play an 8:45 a.m. consolation game.
Pagosa Springs 48, Manitou Springs 34
The Pirates took advantage of cold shooting by the Mustangs early, holding them to seven first-half points in building a 12-point advantage.
Manitou Springs briefly cut its deficit to single digits in the second half but baskets by Taylor Strobehecker and Payton Shahan helped the second-seeded Pirates begin a run down the stretch. Shelby Megyeri’s 10 points were tops for the Mustangs.
Shahan led a balanced attack with 13 points as eight Pirates got into the scoring column.
Pagosa Springs meets Sterling in Friday’s first semifinal at 4 p.m. Manitou Springs and Bishop Machebeuf meet in the consolation round at 11:45 a.m.