5A girls notebook: Continental League a force

The Rocky

Published November 30, 2008 at 9:37 p.m.

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* Good things definitely have come in threes for Continental League teams. In fact, the league is proving a threepeat isn't as rare an occurrence as many believe.

In the past nine years, teams from the league have had three three-year dynasties. Highlands Ranch has won the past three state championships and also won three straight from 2000-02. Sandwiched in between was a three-year gold-ball reign by ThunderRidge (2003-05).

The last time a non-Continental League squad took state was 1999, when Nikki Weddle-led Montbello beat Horizon and guard Jamie Carey.

It seems foolhardy to guess against a Continental League squad to win it again. The league, if anything, is getting more powerful, illustrated by the semifinals last season, when all four teams were from the league (Highlands Ranch, Regis Jesuit, ThunderRidge and Chaparral). All once again return talent-laden squads.

"Regis is the cream of the league, and everybody else is chasing them," Chaparral coach Tony Speights said.

* Generally, when there is a big-time transfer in the classification, the player ends up with one of the Continental League powerhouses.

Two to speak of this season are Shae Kelley, a sophomore rebounding machine at Denver East last season who transferred to Regis Jesuit, and former Grand Junction center Emily Stark, who will play at Highlands Ranch.

Last season, Kelley (12.2 scoring average) helped the Angels advance to the quarterfinals for the first time in school history. Stark, a 6-foot-5 senior, averaged 12.5 points for the Tigers last season but her family moved from the Western Slope to the metro area.

* Palmer will be without projected starter Mary Miller this season. Miller tore an anterior cruciate ligament last month. But the Terrors, 20-4 last season and second in the Colorado Springs Metro League, with a 15-3 mark, will have a few new faces.

Junior Kim Beard, who averaged 12.5 points for Coronado last season, has transferred to Palmer after enduring a 3-20 season with the Cougars. Another newcomer expected to see immediate time for Palmer is 5-5 freshman guard Taylor Torres.

* ThunderRidge is known for having prolific outside shooters through the years. Emily and Abby Waner, Emily Fox and Megan McCahill are some of the first who come to mind.

But it is Rachel Messer who holds the record for three-point shooting percentage in a season. Messer, a senior who recently committed to Utah, drilled 44 percent of her shots from long distance last season. Messer converted 75 threes in 27 games, slightly less than three per game.

* Loveland has found itself on the periphery of the Front Range League race, a team generally overshadowed by Horizon, Monarch and Legacy. Could this be the year the Indians become a factor?

Back is senior guard Quincey King, who averaged 13 points a game season and made 87 percent of her free throws. She also made 52 three-point shots. Post player Lindy McDaniel (11 points a game) also returns, along with incumbent point guard Karlie Ramsay.

The Indians finished 11-13 last season, but they appear to be on the rise. Also appearing improved in the league is Rocky Mountain (10-15), which returns eight letter winners, including senior guard Jordan Connolly.

* With Dakota Ridge having graduated four of its five starters from last season, the Jefferson County League has become a bit more wide open.

Lakewood, 9-1 in league play last season, returns All-Colorado guard Erica Hicks and 6-2 forward Katie Rosa, but the Tigers, too, must make up for a few key graduation losses. Hicks averaged a classification-best 21.2 points a game last season. Former Standley Lake coach Chris Poisson takes over for the retired Jerry Fitzgerald.

Among the other candidates for the league crown are Green Mountain, Columbine, Arvada West and possibly even Ralston Valley. Green Mountain returns Adaugo Osuala, the state leader in steals. Columbine's front line, led by Randee Hayes, has been together for several seasons. And Arvada West returns many key contributors from a 16-9 team.

Ralston Valley has moved up from Class 4A, where the Mustangs went 20-5 last season.

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