Colorado girls basketball hits final championship weekend

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Video: Michaela Onyenwere (Grandview) highlights vs. Douglas County

Things are officially serious now.

While the Class 5A and 4A tournaments have had their moments of intrigue mixed in with predictable blowouts, the semifinals rounds are officially here, meaning the intensity will be ratcheted up significantly on the hardwood of the Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado campus.

Here is a capsulized look at the semifinal matchups for each classification, all to be played Thursday at CU with the championship games to follow on Saturday.

Class 5A



No. 1 Grandview (Aurora) (26-0) vs. No. 2 ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch) (23-3)
ThunderRidge has the more storied history as a three-time champion from 2003-05 and as a perennial final-four participant. But it's Grandview that is bent on becoming a first-time champion and doing so in undefeated fashion. The Wolves, who have ascended to No. 18 in the nation in MaxPreps' XCellent 25, have been buoyed by junior standout Michaela Onyenwere, who is averaging 24.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and four steals a contest. Junior Lenzi Hudson and freshman Alisha Davis have been outstanding auxiliary players for Grandview. ThunderRidge, runner-up last season, counters with Regis University signee Jaz'myne Snipes and Wyoming-bound Taylor Rusk. Grandview defeated Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) for the third time this season in the quarterfinals while ThunderRidge ousted top-seeded Lakewood by 19 points.

No. 1 Highlands Ranch (25-1) vs. No. 2 Ralston Valley (Arvada) (23-3)
Highlands Ranch checks in at No. 14 in the XCellent 25 and has won 17 straight. The Falcons make the case for the state's all-time premier program, having won seven championships since 2000, the latest in 2011. Sophomores Leilah Vigil (18.8 points a game) and Tommi Olson (12.5) are the top scoring threats for the Falcons, who also feature three Division-I bound seniors. The Falcons blew out a solid Horizon (Thornton) squad by 30 in the quarterfinals. Ralston Valley, meanwhile, pulled off a rather convincing 74-58 large-scale upset over defending-champion Broomfield. Point guard Ashley Van Sickle is making a case for an All-Colorado spot and helped the Mustangs rebound from a 62-55 loss to the Eagles in the regular season.

Class 4A

No. 1 Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) (25-1) vs. No. 2 Holy Family (Broomfield) (20-6)
Valor Christian nearly hit a bump in the road in quest of its second consecutive state crown, but was able to outlast No. 3 Mullen (Denver) 61-58 in the quarterfinals. The Eagles have exhibited balance this season with seniors Madison McCoy, Heidi Hammond and Kim Childress all averaging in 13 to 14 points-a-game range and junior Tess Boade chipping in 10. In its second season in 4A, Holy Family shocked top-seeded Mesa Ridge (Colorado Springs) in the quarterfinals with a 14-point road win, punctuated by 26 points by four-year starting point guard Katie Chavez. The Tigers won six of seven 3A championships before elevating to 4A last season. Chavez averages 18 points for the Tigers and junior Casey Griggs chips in 11.2.

No. 1 Sand Creek (Colorado Springs) (24-1) vs. No. 2 Evergreen (23-3)
Ever since a 26-point loss to Valor Christian in the championship game last season, Sand Creek has exuded a heated, targeted focus to get back to the title game and finish the deal this time. So far, so good. The Scorpions ousted No. 2 Pueblo East by 18 points in the quarterfinals and continue to be lifted by the talents of the Division-I bound tandem of Oliana Squires and Liah Davis. Squires, who will play at Montana State, averages 23 points a game Davis, bound for Colorado State, pours in 16.8 points and grabs 10.9 rebounds per contest. Evergreen, meanwhile, has taken gigantic steps this season after a first-round loss last season. The Cougars easily handled Jeffco League-rival D'Evelyn in the quarterfinals and continue to be led by senior center Samantha Kisiel (15.2 points).

Class 3A



Top-seeded and undefeated Pagosa Springs (23-0) is after its second consecutive unbeaten season, as the Great Eight gets underway Thursday at the Denver Coliseum. The Pirates are led by the scoring trio of Morgan Lewis (18.8 points), Taylor Lee-Hammer (13.7) and Madison Lewis. Ironically, the state path could be similar to last season for Pagosa Springs.  The Pirates again will meet Centauri (La Jara) in the quarterfinals, with a potential semifinal looming against No. 5 Lutheran (Parker) and a championship rematch against second-seeded Sterling a possibility.

Class 2A

After dropping its season opener to 3A powerhouse Sterling, top-ranked Yuma (23-1) has reeled off 23 consecutive wins heading into the Great Eight at Colorado State-Pueblo. Behind senior Logan Hixon (20.5 points, 6.0 assists), the Indians are in position to erase recent playoff disappointment in the final game, as they have finished state runners-up the past three years. Yuma opens against Custer County (Westcliffe) (10-12).

Class 1A

The small-school bracket is simply loaded. When the eight teams converge on the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland on Thursday, they do so with a combined record of 167-15.  Despite the depth, the favorites will be top-seeded Kit Carson (23-0) and defending champion Sangre de Cristo (Mosca) (23-0). Kit Carson is paced by the youthful duo of freshman Tess Hornung (16.5 points) and sophomore Micayla Isenbart (15.1), while the Thunderbirds boast a triple threat with seniors in Jenna McKinley (16.9), Brooke Slane (15.2) and Karleigh Cooley (14.6).

Gerry Valerio contributed to this report.