3A Girls Basketball: Colorado Springs Christian Wins Second-Straight State Championship

DENVER – Just when the game got interesting – Colorado Springs Christian’s girls basketball team sped away to a Class 3A state championship.

Leading by five points late in the third quarter, the Lions closed out the game on a 28-6 run to capture a 59-32 victory over Peyton at Denver University’s Hamilton Gym.

“This feels great,” CSC coach Mark Engesser, whose team won its second straight 3A state crown. “The girls worked really hard and I’m very proud of them. Their defense all year was the difference. Our defense was just amazing.”

The Lions capped their memorable season with a 27-0 record. Peyton saw its previously unblemished season finish at 24-1.

“This is unreal, unfathomable,” said CSC’s Jordyn Rollins, who finished with 11 points, including a trio of treys. “It’s an overflow of emotion. I’m speechless. To go back-to-back, that’s insane. All the credit goes to my teammates and my coaches. We worked so hard for this and to get here and do this, I’m just so proud of my team. It is just unreal.”

CSC set the pace in the first half, thanks to Grace Minihane. The 5-foot-11 senior poured in 16 of her game-high 22 points in the opening 16 minutes.

“You don’t have time to waste on the basketball court,” Minihane said. “With this being my last game as a senior and my last game with my teammates, I think we really wanted to come out together and make a statement.”

After two quarters, the Lions led 28-13, but Peyton did show some grit to battle back.

The Panthers got the Lions’ attention when AJ Mannering dialed long distance for a 3-pointer to get Peyton within 30-21 with 4:22 left in the third.
When Masyn Gregg made a bucket, Peyton trailed by just 31-26 with 2:04 left in the third.

That was the cue for the Lions to finish the game with a defensive clinic. At one point late in the fourth quarter, CSC outscored Peyton 27-0.
Minihane, who was chosen the game’s Most Outstanding Player, was quick to credit her supporting cast.

“This game was nothing new, we know we have a great team,” Minihane said. “We have a great group of girls, that’s what makes us hard to stop.”
Asp and Jordyn Rollins had 12 and 11 points, respectively, in the Lions’ victory. Peyton’s Mannering had 21 points in defeat.

“With this being my last game as a senior and my last game with my teammates, I think we really wanted to come out together and make a statement. It is crazy and amazing (to be back-to-back state champions). I will wake up (Sunday) and hopefully it will feel real because right now it doesn’t.”