It was a little bit further than they’d gone before, but a lesson in what it will take for the Roaring Fork High School girls basketball program to compete at the state championships level.
The No. 8 Lady Rams bowed out in the quarterfinal round of the Class 3A Championships at the University of Denver’s Hamilton Gymnasium on Thursday, March 12, falling 70-31 against the mighty No. 1 Denver Christian Thunder.
Adding a big “what if?” to the experience was the fact that Denver Christian proved they are beatable, when eventual state champion Salida knocked off the Thunder in the semifinals, 50-47.
The Spartans scored one for the Colorado public school sector, defeating another public school, Yuma, 48-38, on Saturday to win the 3A Championship.
Early turnovers were a big factor in Roaring Fork’s loss to the Thunder, who opened a 24-12 first-quarter lead behind an aggressive half court pressing defense that rattled the Rams.
“They definitely capitalized on that,” head coach Mike Vidakovich said of Denver Christian, which went on to outscore the Rams 21-3 in the second quarter for a 45-15 halftime advantage.
“But the girls never threw in the towel,” he said. “They played hard, just like they always have, until the final buzzer. I’m always proud of them, whether in victory or defeat.”
Vidakovich put some of the blame on himself for not having the team prepared enough for the big stage, and the intensity level of that first game.
“I take the consequences for that; it wasn’t on the kids,” he said. “I needed to have them a bit better prepared for the speed of [Denver Christian’s] defense, and the trapping. The kids did a good job, we just needed to have them in some better spots to break that press.”
It was the final game for the team’s lone senior, Nikki Tardif, who finished the night with 15 points. Juniors Riley Bevington and Hazel Jenkins had 12 and four points, respectively.
“Nikki has really meant a lot to this team,” Vidakovich said. “She’s the anchor in the middle, and the team leader.”
But with co-captains Bevington and Jenkins back next year, and a core group of sophomores with another year of solid experience, the Rams should be well-positioned for another strong run next season.
“Filling that void in the middle will be a tall order, but Riley and Hazel are a good duo to have out there,” Vidakovich said.
And, now they know how it tastes to be in that state championship environment, and what they can improve on, he said.
“There’s no substitute for the experience of being there, and hopefully it will be a motivating factor for all of them.”
Spring sports
Meanwhile, spring sports saw their first action of the season this past week. Here are a few results.
Baseball: March 14 at home, Roaring Fork 5, Kent Denver 4. The Rams were at Colorado Academy for a game on Wednesday, March 18.
Girls soccer: March 13 at home, 2-2 against Fruita Monument. Next up, at Battle Mountain on Thursday, March 19.
Girls lacrosse: March 7, Roaring Fork 12, Steamboat Springs 10; March 10, Roaring Fork 18, Montrose 0. The Rams were at Battle Mountain for a game on March 17.
Track & Field: The Rams scored points in two girls events at the Rifle Invitational on March 13 — the 4×800 relay of Sophia Warner, Isla Friel, Kinley Richmond, and Miley Stuart, seventh (11:50.88); and Richmond in the open 3200 meters, eighth (14:34.72).