Mustangs off to Montrose ... again

 

And now for something not that completely different ...

Headed to the hills once again, Mullen (17-7) will visit Montrose (19-5) on Tuesday, March 3, in Class 4A’s Sweet 16. It’s not necessarily a recording, but the defending Colorado champion Mustangs enjoyed a roll into the Rocky Mountains about 51 weeks ago, winning 62-28 at Montrose in the Great 8.

This marriage of in-state, small-town sweetness in the hills and parochials operating out of Southwest Denver goes so much further – the game is in the John Mraule Region and will be played on the John Mraule Floor. For the record, Mraule is a mountain legend, led the Indians to two state titles, a dozen Southwestern League crowns and seven final fours, and won 450 games with a very impressive 76 percent winning percentage. Too, Mraule’s Indians lost their final game together, a 56-40 setback in the 2009 semifinals ... to, of course, Mullen. And Montrose is another 4A team playing in a predominantly 5A league (SWL). The Mustangs are the only 4A team in the 5A Centennial.

Irony and similarities aside, No. 8 Montrose opened the postseason in the second round with a 49-43 victory over visiting and No. 25 Mesa Ridge. Kennadie Minerich leads the Indians in scoring, averaging 10.1 points. She’s one of four seniors who sit atop the Indians’ leading scorers.

Montrose finished 6-2 in the SWL, a game behind winner Fruita Monument.

As for Mullen, its sixth consecutive playoff victory, an 86-42 wipeout of No. 24 Cheyenne Mountain at Hutchison Fieldhouse, came in the second round. The Mustangs led 63-17 at halftime and converted 18 of their first 21 field-goal attempts, 35-of-70 for the game and 12-of-22 on 3-pointers.

Junior point guard Megan Pohs had a season-high 24 points, her first double-figure performance in 10 games as she had been battling a hamstring problem. Sophomore Gracie Gallegos added 17 and junior guard Elaina Martinez added 13.

Pohs also took the team’s individual scoring lead at 10.2 points on a balanced effort as Gallegos (9.8), Imani Perez (9.3) and Martinez (6.9) are close. Perez is tops in rebounding (7.6).

Tuesday’s winner will meet the winner of the No. 16 Canon City-No.1 Sand Creek game in Colorado Springs. It will be played Friday.