Tenacious defense drives Valor girls basketball past Ralston Valley

ARVADA — Valor Christian girls basketball took another important step Friday night on keeping its stranglehold on the Class 6A Jeffco League.

The Eagles defeated Ralston Valley for the second time in a week to edge closer to another conference title. Valor took a 54-28 victory on the Mustangs’ home court.

“We just want to play for each other and do everything we can for each other,” Valor junior Quinn VanSickle said after she scored a game-high 17 points in the Eagles’ fifth straight win. “We focus on the little things instead of the overarching goals. I think those come with time.”

Valor (12-3, 5-0 6A Jeffco) is attempting to win its sixth straight conference title in the largest classification. The Eagles — No. 5 in this week’s 6A girls basketball Colorado Preps coaches and media poll — won the 5A Jeffco League championship from 2019 to 2022 and grabbed the 6A Jeffco title last season when the additional classification was added.

Valor uncharacteristically dropped a league game last year that ended a remarkable streak.

“It is in the back of our minds, sure,” Valor coach Jessika Caldwell said of the loss to Arvada West last year that ended a 37-game winning streak in conference play since the Eagles moved up to the state’s largest classification. “But you don’t want to drop any game. It’s hard to play on the road. Teams in Jeffco are strong.”

The Eagles are now halfway through their conference schedule with five league games left over the next three weeks. The sweep against Ralston Valley (10-6, 2-2) gives Valor the inside track with really Columbine (12-6, 4-1) the only team with a legitimate chance to dethrone Valor.

Columbine suffered a 39-point loss to Valor it their first league meeting. The Rebels host Valor on Wednesday, Feb. 7.

It was Valor’s stifling defense that Ralston Valley struggled with Friday night. The Eagles held the Mustangs to a season-low 28 points. 

“We are just relentless on defense,” VanSickle said. “Our whole intention is to be dogs. Every second teams are going to get a break. We are going to be all up into them. Everyone on this team is bought in to what we do.”

Ralston Valley sophomore Sammi Madden had a team-high 13 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, but the Mustangs managed just 11 made field goals the entire game.

“(Valor) game out really well and wanted to compete,” Ralston Valley coach Amy Bahl said. “I think it kind of jolted us a little bit. We just didn’t respond like I would have liked us to.”

Ralston Valley freshman Santana Sabus came in nearly averaging 20 points per game for the Mustangs. Sabus was held to 10 points. Caldwell was quick to point out senior Emma Lytle’s defensive effort limiting Sabus. 

“She (Sabus) is a phenomenal player,” Caldwell said. “She really has a knack of getting to the rim and hitting the 3. We just charged Emma with another chance to defend her really well. I’m really proud of what she did tonight.”

Offensively, junior Rylie Beers (11 points) and sophomore Peyton Jones (15 points) joined VanSickle in double-figures. 

It was the Mustangs’ third game in four days. Ralston Valley grabbed wins over Erie and Chatfield before taking the loss to Valor. The Mustangs hit the road next week to face Columbine on Wednesday, Jan. 31, to close out the month.

“This game is now over. We have to focus on the next game and take care of business,” Bahl said.