2A State Championship Games Decided

2A Boys State Championship – (1) Ignacio Bobcats vs. (2) Holyoke Dragons

The Holyoke Dragons didn’t want to repeat their trip from last year’s state tournament, where they fell short of a championship in the final game.  This year, they were crowned as the best 2A team in the State of Colorado.  

Holyoke (24-2) convincingly defeated the Ignacio Bobcats (20-3) in the Championship game on Saturday at Massari Arena.

The Dragons were firing from on all cylinders in the first half. Led by senior captain Kyle Carper and senior Evan Swanson, Holyoke was hitting what seemed like every shot they took. That’s not an easy thing when playing against the likes of Bobcat senior Alex Herrera and the rest of the well-coached Ignacio squad.

Herrera has been a terror to teams on defense for the entire year, not to mention this tournament. Holyoke took advantage of open shots wherever they could be found, and converted many of them.

Carper led the Dragons to an 18-10 lead after the first quarter. He and the Dragons weren’t done yet, and they opened up the second quarter on an 8-0 run, with Carper adding six.

“We took what they gave us, and our shots seemed to be falling. That’s what happens when you play tough and work as a team,” said Carper. “That’s all you can do.”

It seemed like every time the Bobcats clawed their way back into the game, someone like Swanson or junior Brian DeBoer added a long three or a big play to keep the lead spread out.  Swanson finished the game with 14 points, nine of which came from the long ball.

Holyoke continued to shoot at a high-percentage, and went into the locker rooms with a 34-19 halftime lead. The Bobcats had a difficult time finding Herrera in the paint, and at halftime he had four points, four rebounds and an assist. Dragon seniors Carper and Swanson combined for 26 points in the first half.

Ignacio came out of the half fired up, going on a 7-3 run and pulling the lead to within 13 points, but that’s the closest they would come for the remainder of the game.

The Dragons continued to shoot well, and Ignacio was unable to dig themselves out of their first half struggles. After three quarters, the Dragons led 43-26.

In the final quarter of play, Holyoke worked for long possessions and smart passing. The clock became a major enemy for Ignacio, and after the final quarter of play Holyoke held on to a comfortable 55-38 victory.

Holyoke head coach John Baumgartner added “With a guy like (Herrera) on the court, we knew we had to spread the ball and take the open looks that we had. He is an amazing shot blocker and all-around player, and Ignacio is a very well-coached team.” 

Kyle Carper, a multi-sport athlete, truly looked like a pure basketball player out on the court, finishing with 19 points and three rebounds. The leadership of Carper and senior captain Ryan Baumgartner clearly motivated the Dragons. For Ignacio, Herrera finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots. It was a sour end to a great year for the standout player.

 “We know how it feels to come in and take second (in the state tournament), and we were willing to do anything to avoid it for two years in a row,” added Carper.

Ignacio head coach Chris Valdez was disappointed, but couldn’t be discouraged from his team’s season. “They played great all year, and I am so proud of each and every one of these guys.”

2A Girls State Championship – (1) Paonia Eagles vs. (3) Akron Rams

The Paonia Eagles (24-1) and Akron Rams (20-5) closed out the Girls 2A State Championship on Saturday night at Massari Arena in what turned out to be an amazing season finale. The top seeded Eagles overcame an eight point Akron run in the fourth quarter and finished on top 43-29.

Both teams started out the game slowly in an emotional game. There were plenty of turnovers and missed layups for both sides.

Paonia again came out in a full-court press, taking full advantage of the teams’ skill set of speed, agility and toughness.

At first the Rams seemed prepared for the extra pressure put on by the Eagles, setting picks and using each other as options up and down the court. However, the defensive talent of Paonia eventually began to wear down the Rams. After one quarter of play, the Akron Rams found themselves with a 7-4 lead.

The second quarter was fast-paced and full of action. Paonia seniors Jodyn Rienks and Johanna Reed added some much needed spark for the Eagles, each converting three point plays in the traditional and new sense of the term. The two combined for 14 first half points and four rebounds.

On the other side of the court stood Akron, who played a great team-oriented game in the first half. Senior Ella Saunders had some difficulty getting settled on offense, but still finished with seven points and two rebounds in the half. Senior Rochelle Boyce helped out as well, adding six points and four boards, and after the half the teams were tied 18-18.

Following the break, each team had settled in and started playing their game. Paonia’s press agitated the Rams and created offense for the Eagles, who forced four turnovers in the third quarter alone. After matching each other on the offensive side, the teams were still tied heading into the final quarter of the season at 28-28.

The final quarter was decided mainly at the free throw line. Akron came out on fire, led by the defense and rebounding of freshman Sidney Merrill, and after an 8-0 run the Rams led 36-28.

Following a Paonia timeout, the Eagles started playing the way they had all year. Combining in a great team effort, they forced turnovers and drove to the basket hard and often. Paonia scored fifteen points in the final three and a half minutes of play, squeaking away with a 43-39 victory.

Paonia head coach Scott Rienks knew they were in for a battle. When asked about the Rams’ eight point run in the fourth, he replied “We had honestly never been down like that throughout the season. We had lost in week three because we couldn’t come back from a deficit, and I was nervous to see how we would respond. We had a ton of steals that led to points, and our seniors really stepped up for us.”

Jodyn Rienks finished the game with 15 points and four rebounds, and Johanna Reed tallied 15 points, two rebounds, three assists, and a steal. For the Rams, Saunders finished with ten points and two boards, while Boyce contributed 19 points, four rebounds and two steals.

Check out the final brackets.

Contact the writer at jdonnelly@milehighhoops.com.