The GHS postseason run ended in heartbreak for the girls basketball team.
The Cowboys lost in a back-and-forth defensive stalemate against the No. 16 Platte Valley Broncos in the first round of the regional tournament on March 7. GHS finished the season with a 15-9 overall record, and a 10-4 record in the 3A Western Slope league. The game marked the end of a seven-year run for seniors Kylee McDougal, Sienna Gomez, Yaslin Hernandez, Maria Sabas, Eden Williams and Dayna Castro, who have played side-by-side since middle school.
“We all grew up playing basketball together,” Hernandez said. “I’m most proud of how much effort we put into the season this year. We were all disappointed in ourselves after the game, but we also knew we gave everything we could.”
The Cowboys entered the postseason as No. 17, and faced a first-round challenge against Platte Valley. The Broncos boasted a 15-8 overall record, and sat seventh in the dominant, 3A Patriot League. GHS came into the matchup on the heels of a narrow loss to Roaring Fork. Head Coach Chad Terry hoped the defeat would prepare the girls for Platte Valley’s speedy pace and full-court press.
The game opened up just as Terry expected. The Broncos pressed the Cowboy guards, and transitioned rapidly into offense. But GHS rallied behind its season-long defensive stability, and held Platte Valley to only 8 points in the first quarter. Williams splashed a 3-pointer from behind the arc to give the Cowboy offense a needed boost. GHS trailed by 3 points into the second quarter.
The Cowboy offense struggled to find its groove before half time. Gomez opened her account with a bucket and free throw, and Kaylee Vincent added a shot from mid-range. The girls fell behind 19-11 headed into the locker room.
“We didn’t panic at halftime, and fought super hard in the third quarter,” Terry said. “I’m always proud of these kids, and ultimately, we held a team that has scored in the 70s, to just over 40.”
The Cowboys earned a reputation as a mentally-strong and gritty team, especially in second halves this season. Armed with five starting seniors on the floor, the girls’ leadership and strong chemistry has proven to be a game changer. McDougal led from the front throughout the third quarter. The senior captain drained a 3-pointer and added 2 more points to her tally, while Gomez contributed 5 points. Hernandez splashed home another shot from behind the perimeter, sending the traveling Cowboy fans into raptures.
But on top of the offensive flurry, the girls held Platte Valley to only 2 points in the third, and poached a 24-21 lead. It all came down to a nail-biting fourth quarter.
Ashlyn Cowan started off hot, finishing three times inside the paint. McDougal kept her foot firmly on the gas, and added 4 key points as the clock wound down. But crucially, the Cowboys struggled to convert from the free-throw line, and the Bronco guards banked in two shots from behind the arc. Platte Valley stole the lead, and the contest ended, 41-34.
The defeat eliminated the Cowboys from the postseason, and proved to be the final stand for the GHS tight-knit senior core.
“I hope our class leaves a legacy that includes everyone, regardless of what grade you’re in,” Hernandez said. “We set the record pretty high this year.”
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@gunnisontimes.com.)
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