No. 10 Columbine girls hoops gets road win over rival Chatfield

LITTLETON — One of the biggest Jeffco rivalry games hit the hardwood Friday night at Chatfield High School.

Columbine — No. 10 in the CHSAANow.com Class 5A girls basketball rankings — squared off against Chatfield. While the game won’t count in the Class 5A Jeffco League standings, the Rebels were more than pleased to come away with a big 50-41 road victory.

“We’ll have to change our mindset coming into the next game,” Columbine coach Greg Bolding said referring to the Rebels hosting the Chargers in their conference match-up in three weeks on Jan. 28. “They have a really good coach (Kincaid Bimler). He prepares his girls and they play hard. Anytime you can beat Chatfield, league or not, we’ll take it.”

Columbine senior Jessica Bollwahn took the headlines pouring in a season-high 23 points for the Rebels (7-3 record). Both Chatfield (8-5) and Columbine came out a little sluggish on offense. The Chargers took a 8-6 lead after the first quarter thanks to a 3-pointer by senior Grace Talbot in the finals seconds of the first.

However, the Rebels got it going offensively in the second quarter outscoring the Chargers 20-10 to take a 26-18 lead at halftime.

“I think it’s really important to keep our cool against our rivals,” Bollwahn said. “Chatfield is a really good team and competed really well against us tonight. They always give us their absolute very best game.”

Bollwahn might have played her best game of the season so far. She hit a big 3-pointer midway through the second quarter during a stretch where Columbine went on a 13-1 run.

“Senior year and last time playing at Chatfield,” Bolding said of Bollwahn. “I know she has a lot of friends on that team. She has led us the last three years. It’s expected of her. We are very proud of her. She is a great teammate and player.”

Chatfield trimmed the Rebels’ lead to five points on a couple of occasions in the fourth quarter. Senior Avery Rohlman scored nine of her 13 points in the final eight minutes to give the Chargers a shot.

However, Bollwahn was money from the charity stripe in the final quarter to seal the win.

“I love when the student section is yelling at me,” said Bollwahn, who was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. “I feel better with people screaming at me. I play better when I have someone screaming in my ear constantly. I think it’s fun when the student section is against you.”

Columbine sophomore Emily Allison (11 points) drained a couple of 3-pointers to help out the Rebels’ cause. Fellow sophomore Elizabeth Gentry (8 points) was solid manning the paint on defense for Columbine.

Talbot led Chatfield in scoring with 14 points. The Chargers couldn’t get in going from 3-point range. Columbine held the Chargers to just three 3-pointers on the night. Chatfield came in averaging 7.5 made 3-pointer per game.

“We wanted to force the tempo with Grace,” Bolding said strategy against the former 5A Jeffco League MVP. “You have to limit the shots from other people and I think we did that tonight. Grace is going to get her points. We didn’t want them to get hot from 3-point range.”

Chatfield faces Boulder and another area-rival in Dakota Ridge before starting conference play against Pomona on Jan. 21.

Columbine has road games against Regis and Denver East next week. The Rebels open league play at home versus Valor on Jan. 21.

“I feel really good about where we are right now,” Bollwahn said.