Dakota Ridge girls basketball seeking Cinderella sequel
LITTLETON — Normally the original movie is better than the sequel, but there can be exceptions.
After a 66-51 home victory over Douglas County on Tuesday night in the opening round of the Class 5A girls basketball state tournament, the No. 5-seeded Dakota Ridge Eagles (13-11 record) are eyeing a follow-up to last year’s improbable postseason run.
“I think if we play our game and play together we definitely could make a run again,” Dakota Ridge junior Caitlin Navratil said when asked if the Eagles had another deep playoff run in them. “I believe we can do it.”
Dakota Ridge was a No. 6 seed entering the 5A state tournament last season. The Eagles pulled off three straight playoff victories to become the Cinderella story of last year’s state tournament. The squad overcame first-year head coach Doug Maier resigning in late January.
Former junior varsity coach Rich Gavelda took over the reigns and guided the Eagles’ during their postseason success. The Eagles eventually lost to state runner-up Fossil Ridge in the Great 8.
“We’ve worked hard to get there,” Gavelda said after the playoff-opening win Tuesday. “We got the taste last year. Sydney Buchli wasn’t healthy last year. She wants to get there more than any of us and we want to get her there.”
While Buchli wasn’t on the court during Dakota Ridge’s playoff run last year, the senior played a solid supporting role Tuesday night. Buchli poured in 18 points.
The lead and staring role went to Navratil. The Eagles’ 5-foot-3 guard scored a season-high 31 points.
“I felt pretty confident coming in,” said Navratil, who combined with Buchli to score 39 straight points for the Eagles in the middle of the game. “I just knew I had to play my game and shoot my shots. Help my team out. That was my main focus.”
Despite the efforts of Navratil and Buchli, Douglas County closed two within 31-29 two minutes into the second half. The Huskies went on an 8-0 run led by freshman Skylar Backstrom, who finished with a team-high 15 points for Douglas County (7-17).
“(Douglas County) had a little run and we expected them to. Skylar (Backstrom) is a very good shooter for them,” Gavelda said. “They strung together a few, but we overcame them.”
A pair of 3-pointers by Buchli and nine points by Navratil in the third quarter pushed the Eagles’ lead back to double-digits.
“We’ve relied on her (Navratil),” Gavelda said. “She was injured a little in the beginning of January and we kind of had to adjust to life without her. As she has gotten strong and strong, she has been our go-to person offensively and defensively. She is our leader.”
Senior Jessica Lebaron pitched in 10 points for Dakota Ridge. The young Huskies had sophomore Jordan Acosta (12 points) and junior Clara Larson (11 points) reach double-figures along with Backstrom in the season finale for Douglas County.
Next up for Dakota Ridge is a little shot at revenge. The Eagles travel to Fort Collins on Friday, Feb. 27 to face the team that ended their Cinderella run in 2014 — the Fossil Ridge Sabercats.
“We are very excited to get to play Fossil Ridge on Friday,” Gavelda said. “CHSAA did us a favor I think to give us a very good team. We’ll see what it’s like at their house.”
Navratil is also ready to get another shot at Fossil Ridge. She had 15 points in last year’s 60-50 loss at the Denver Coliseum.
“I want to go get them. I know we all want to go get them because we lost to them last year,” Navratil said. “It’s going to be exciting.”
