Ralston Valley girls hoops ready for another run
ARVADA — Ralston Valley’s girls basketball team wants to take that next step.
Last season the Mustangs racked up a 23-4 record and advanced to the Final 4 in the Class 5A state tournament for the first time in the program’s history. While topping last year’s success might be a tall order, Ralston Valley is up to the challenge.
“It was another step for us,” Ralston Valley coach Jeff Gomer said of the Mustangs’ furthest advancement in the postseason. “Our goal is another jump.”
Ralston Valley, ranked No. 2 in the CHSAANow.com 5A girls hoops preseason poll, might very well have the horses to challenge for a state title. The Mustangs graduated only one senior in Hannah Weber.
Highlands Ranch ended the season last year for Ralston Valley, taking a 20-point victory from the Mustangs in the semifinals last March at the Coors Event Center in Boulder.
“Hopefully we’ll go a little further this year,” Ralston Valley senior Sarah Bevington said. “Last year we ended not the way we wanted to. We want to build off of that this year.”
Bevington is one of four seniors that will lead Ralston Valley. Ashley Van Sickle, Makela Shaklee and Chloe Gillach are the other seniors Gomer will lean on. Gomer — 324 career wins during his prep coaching career — is just two victories away from passing former Pomona coach Bob Hicks (325) with most career victories by a Jeffco girls basketball coach.
Van Sickle has been around for a lot of those victories. The point guard who signed to continue her hoops career at Montana State University has averaged double-digit points her first three seasons at Ralston Valley.
“It makes my job a lot easier,” Gomer said of having so much experience with Van Sickle. “Ashley can darn near coach the team now, she has been playing for so long. When you get in those big games it helps. You’ve been through the ups and downs.”
With her recruiting process over, Van Sickle said she is more relaxed heading into her final prep season.
“I’m super excited that I signed. It’s a huge relief off my shoulders,” said Van Sickle, who averaged 15.6 points, 5 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 4.2 steals per game as a junior. “I can just look forward to senior year and help take our team as far as possible.”
An unknown for the Mustangs will be if transfer Delaynie Byrne will be ruled eligible to play this season for Ralston Valley. The 6-foot-3 junior averaged 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds for Broomfield as a sophomore.
Gomer said the best case scenario for the Mustangs is that Byrne would be eligible to play half the season, but there is a chance she could be rule ineligible to play for her entire junior season. Gomer believes the final decision by the Colorado High School Activities Association won’t be made before Christmas.
“I definitely think she (Byrne) would help us,” Gillach said. “Our team is strong right now with or without her. It would definitely be a nice addition. If we don’t have her it would be a bummer.”
With or without Byrne, the Mustangs having plenty of proven scorers returning this season. Van Sickle, Bevington, Shaklee and Gillach all averaged more than 7.5 points per game last season.
“It’s super important,” Shaklee said of the Mustangs’ scoring balance. “We have the team chemistry where we are all interchangeable to an extent. We’ve played together for so many years. We know we have players who will step up in big situations.”
The 5A Jeffco League title will likely come down to Ralston Valley and Lakewood, again. The Mustangs and Tigers have won the conference title the past five years.
“You would expect it to come down to us two,” Gomer said of Lakewood and Ralston Valley battling it out for the league crown.
The showdowns against Lakewood are scheduled for Jan. 5 at Lakewood and Jan. 27 at Ralston Valley.
Before those key conference games, Ralston Valley opens its season 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, at preseason No. 1 Grandview. The Wolves are led the UCLA-bound Michaela Onyenwere, who spearheaded Grandview to the state semifinals last season.
“It’s a good way to start,” Gomer said of facing Grandview in the season opener. “Win or lose, you always focus on getting better. Regardless of what happens, it’s a process. You try to keep focused on the process.”
