Arvada West girls hoops wrangles up rival Ralston Valley

ARVADA — In front of a packed Ralston Valley High School gym, cross-town rival Arvada West had its way Saturday afternoon.

A-West (14-2, 5-1 in Class 6A Jeffco League) never trailed in the girls basketball conference game. The Wildcats took sole possession of second place in 6A Jeffco with a 56-35 road victory against Ralston Valley (10-7, 3-3).

“I think I used to say it was bigger than the others,” A-West coach Brady Meeks said of the victory over Ralston Valley. “But we’ve learned if we put an emphasis on one game over another that can really bit you. League games are obviously a little more important. League games you just need to take it up a notch. This year we have done that.”

A-West is 12-1 in its last 13 games. The Wildcats’ lone loss during the current stretch was a 73-44 loss to defending 6A state champion Valor Christian (14-2, 6-0). 

“Our game plan was to be tough. That was our word of the day,” A-West senior Saylor Swanson said of being tough and physical against Ralston Valley. “Valor taught us if we want to hang with really good teams we have to be physical because we are little undersized at the guard position.”

The 5-1 conference record at this point is something that A-West can build on to finish out the final three weeks of the regular season.

“We told the kids before the first Columbine game that the next five games would be the toughest stretch this program has seen in seven years that I’ve been here,” Meeks said. 

A-West starts its second wave through league play at home against Columbine on Tuesday, Feb. 4, before getting another shot against Valor in Highlands Ranch on Thursday, Feb. 6, next week.

The road win over Ralston Valley sets A-West up with the chance to for a 20-win regular season. The Wildcats wrap up league play when they host Ralston Valley on Feb. 21.

“It feels really good. The atmosphere was awesome,” Swanson said. “I really want to thank our student section for coming. They helped us out a lot.”

By the end of the girls game, it was nearly a standing-room only crowd with the A-West versus Ralston Valley boys game to follow the girls game.

A-West’s defense and shooting struggles by the Mustangs allowed the Wildcats to take a double-digit lead in the first quarter. Ralston Valley didn’t make a field goal in the first eight minutes, falling behind 13-3.

“We are a defensive-based program,” Meeks said after A-West held Ralston Valley to its second lowest scoring output of the season. “It hasn’t been perfect at all times, but when our kids lock in and understand their responsibilities I think we can be tough to score on.”

Sophomore Santana Sabus was the lone Mustang in double-digit with 16 points. While A-West had a trio of players in double figures. Swanson and sophomore Macie Ferguson both finished with 13 points. Senior Sara Walker had 10 points for the Wildcats.

“Everyone contributed in a big way,” Swanson said of the balanced scoring for the Wildcats.

Senior Avery Harrison had a couple of big 3-pointers in the first half, finishing with 8 points. Freshman Emerson Drake came off the bench to pour in 8 points also.

Swanson helped keep Ralston Valley from making any kind of run to threaten A-West’s lead in the second half. The senior dropped in four floaters in the lane during the third quarter.

“Last game a missed a bunch of floaters,” Swanson admitted. “It was a law of averages. They are going to start falling. I’m glad they did.”