BOULDER -- Denver East guard Samantha Sanders understood that opposing Legacy knew all about Shae Kelley, the Angels' money player. Sanders rightfully concluded the Lightning would make a concentrated effort to shut down the future Colorado Buffalo on Friday night. So, Sanders did what any trustworthy point guard would – she took over the scoring load herself.
In the Angels' emotional 50-46 win in the Class 5A state championship game at the Coors Events Center -- it provided East with its first ever title in the sport -- Sanders was the undoubted catalyst.
"She came ready to play and she led this team to a championship," said Kelley, who scored 10 points but was harassed into 2-for-13 shooting from the field. "And I love her for that."
Sanders drilled 6-of-11 shots, including two long three-pointers, and played steady down the stretch after Legacy fought back to tie it 42-42 late in the fourth.
"We'd never played against them, so they didn't know what I had," Sanders said. "I was trying to go to the basket more and get inside."
Legacy's post tandem of Sade Akindele (17 points) and Carli Moreland (15 points and 10 rebounds) dominated, but Sanders, Kelley and Raven Taylor neutralized the Lightning's guards. Senior standout Quincey Noonan was held to two points on 1-for-9 shooting as the Lightning (26-2) had a 13-game winning streak snapped.
"Our biggest thing was turnovers," Legacy coach Jamie Carey said. "And our turnovers led to their layups."
Denver East (23-5), which got a clinching steal and layup from Taylor in the final minute, finished the season on a 17-game winning streak and made the city proud by becoming only the Denver Prep League’s second champion in the sport.
"I'm honored to be a part of it and it's a wonderful feeling right now," Sanders said.
Broomfield again reigns in Class 4A
This was supposed to be the year Broomfield fell back to the pack, if even a little bit. Through the first 3 3/4 quarters of the 4A championship game Friday, that prospect was still alive.
But the Eagles, whose only deficiency might be that they aren't accustomed to playing in close games after routinely routing the competition, proved otherwise in closing out a 55-47 win that clinched title No. 4 in a row at the Coors Events Center.
Autumn Chase, the senior guard who missed half the season because of torn meniscus in her right knee, knocked down a three-pointer from the right baseline to break a 47-all tie and give the Eagles (27-1) the lead for good against their Northern League rivals. Longmont (24-4) had taken a late 47-46 lead on a jumper by Jordan Arguello moments earlier.
"We knew they were coming after us, that they wanted revenge and that they were psyched," Chase said. "We wanted to match their level."
The Eagles, 112-3 during the title run, did more than that despite a late foul out and technical foul to center Bre Burgesser. Burgesser and Renae Waters dominated the post, combining for 25 points.
Longmont received 13 points from Megan Carpenter (before fouling out), 12 from Jamie Katuna and 10 and 13 rebounds from Tambre Haddock, but those were manageable totals for Broomfield from the Trojans' big three.
"We had to prove to ourselves and our community that we could do it again, and we pulled it off," said Eagles point guard Sarah Hix, a four-time champion.
