There was nothing at stake except for maybe pride, but the Valor Christian girls basketball team played really well.
Valor and Grandview, last season’s two teams in the state championship game, met in a non-league contest on Jan. 11 and the Golden Eagles, No. 1 in the CHSAANow.com Class 6A state rankings, romped to a 78-41 victory over the defending state champs.
Grandview captured the 2022 state title with a 52-40 victory over Valor but the rematch was a different story.
Valor shot 58% from the field, had 26 rebounds, 22 steals and 20 assists in the runaway win.
Grandview’s leading scorer, 6-foot-3 sophomore Sienna Betts. who was averaging 22.4 points a game, did not play. She was on the bench with a boot on her ankle.
Three players paced the way for Valor.
Senior Macey Huard, a 6-2 senior who will be joining her sister Haley on the University of Montana basketball team next season, scored 19 points with five rebounds.
Emma Lytle, a 5-7 junior had 14 points, seven steals and five assists. Rylie Beers, a 5-11 sophomore, also had 14 points and made six steals.
Grandview saw its season record slip to 7-5.
Valor improved its record to 11-1 with a 67-29 romp over Chatfield on Jan. 14.
Huard scored 30 points and had seven steals in the win as the Eagles shot 57% from the field and forced Chatfield into 36 turnovers.
Creek vs. Rangeview, Doherty
In other top girls games coming off the first full week of action after the holiday break, fourth-ranked Cherry Creek (10-3) beat Rangeview 53-31 on Jan. 9 and downed Doherty 53-41 on Jan. 12.
In the win over Rangeview, sophomore sisters Tiana and A’Neya Chambers led the way for the Bruins. Tiana had 16 points, six rebounds and six assists while A’Neya had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists
Highlands Ranch vs. Denver East
No. 5 Highlands Ranch (9-3) dropped a 66-56 decision to Denver East on Jan. 10. However, the Falcons used a big third-quarter scoring surge to down Rock Canyon 53-47 in the Continental League opener on Jan. 13.
Lutheran takes two wins
Lutheran, ranked fourth in the Class 4A poll, raced to a 50-23 lead and whipped Cheyenne Mountain, 64-40, on Jan. 12 in a Pikes Peak League contest. The Lions (11-1) downed Resurrection Christian, 58-39, on Jan. 14.
