PUEBLO — With the game deadlocked after three quarters, Yuma’s Tara Traphagan seized the moment for her team.
The junior scored nine of her 13 points in the final quarter, vaulting the Indians to a 56-44 victory over previously unbeaten Peyton Friday in a Class 2A semifinal game at Colorado State University’s Massari Arena.
“We just came together as a team,” Traphagan said. “We knew we wanted this more than anything and we kept our heads and pulled out the victory.”
Yuma (21-4) moves on to its third state championship game in row. The Indians lost to Akron (2013) and Lutheran (2014) in the finals the last two years.
Yuma will get a chance to avenge its loss to Akron as it meets the Rams (24-2) at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Indians are trying to win their first girls state basketball championship since 1997. Peyton (24-1) saw its season end for the second-consecutive year with a state semifinal loss to Yuma.
“This was a great, classic semifinal game and the girls kept their composure and that’s when it is nice that we have been to the finals the previous two years,” Yuma coach Mike Neill said. “The girls stepped up and showed their maturity and did a very good job.”
This will be the fourth meeting between Akron and Yuma this season. Akron has a 2-1 record against the Indians, including winning the last two.
“We are going to finish this year, I know it,” Traphagan said. “I think it is good we are playing them again. We have confidence against them and this is our redemption game. We are coming back stronger than ever.”
Against Peyton, Yuma slowly pulled away in the fourth.
Traphagan’s jumper put her team up 41-39 with 7:20 on the clock and she hit another bucket, gave the Indians a 47-43 advantage with 3:57 left.
After Peyton came up empty on its next several possessions, she essentially put the game out of reach with two more free throws at the 1:04 mark, stretching the Indians lead to 51-43. Peyton would get no closer than eight points.
Traphagan (5-for-7) and Logan Hixon (4-for-4) were clutch at the free throw line in the final stanza for the Indians.
“You have to hit free throws at the end or they could have won and we hit the free throws when it counted the most,” Neill said.
Hixon (15 points), Peighton Roth (14) and Katrina Terrell (14) rounded out Yuma’s balanced-scoring attack. Emily Green was the only player in double-figures for Peyton, finishing with 12 points.
(3) Akron 41 (2) Hoehne 26
(Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
The Rams will have a chance to win their third state title in four years, Jordan Baer help make that a reality Friday.
Baer poured in a game-high 19 points, powering Akron to the win over the Farmers.
Akron improved to 24-2 overall and have now won 14 games in a row. The Rams won state in 2012 and 2013.
Hoehne (26-1) saw its unbeaten season and chance to win state end abruptly.
“They are probably my favorite to win the tournament,” said Cedaredge coach Ryan Hildig after his team lost to Akron 68-46 in the first round Thursday.
Baer has fueled in the Rams in the first two tourney games as she had 26 points against Cedaredge.
With the game tied at 6-6 after the first quarter, Baer went to work, scoring seven of her team’s 12 points in the second. The Rams went to locker room with an 18-12 edge and in the final 16 minutes they never took their foot off the gas pedal.
In the third quarter, A.J. Miller scored seven of her 10 points to put the Rams up 31-20 heading into the fourth.
Hoehne, which was coming off an emotional 42-34 win over Ellicott in the first round, could never mount a threat in the final quarter as the Farmers only scored six points.
Janessa Ramey added 10 points for Akron and Aspen Anderson had 12 points in the loss for Hoehne.