Mustangs to play for another title
Mullen blows away host Holy Family 75-50, headed to its 3rd 4A championship game in a row as Pohs, Gallegos and Perez lead a parade of contributors; team is 16-2 and will cruise to Colorado Springs for Sunday's finale.
BROOMFIELD – And here they are … again.
Two years ago, Mullen easily downed Holy Family to win Colorado’s Class 4A championship.
A year ago, they were going to meet again … that is, before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic struck and the 2020 4A title game never happened.
On Thursday, the two old Parochial League rivals went at it for the right to play in a third consecutive title game and it was simply too good of an opportunity for the gifted, gritty Mustangs to pass.
They overwhelmed the host Tigers 75-50 and looked as powerful as a vintage ‘60s muscle car right off the line in roaring to a 16-2 record, their 13th consecutive playoff victory and their eighth triumph in succession this season.
And they did it thoroughly – they ran to leads of 10-0 and 14-0, were never seriously challenged and wanted to make it very clear that they are the team to beat.
They will meet Windsor in the finale on Sunday, 3 p.m., at the World Arena in Colorado Springs.
“This was a big game for us, a statement game, and we proved it,” senior Megan Pohs said of finally getting to play Holy Family again.
Mustangs head coach Frank Cawley, always quick to point out that his team is fueled by its defense, was particularly pleased with his team’s transition, which he called “amazing. It’s the way we started the game, and we talked about our defense being our best offense, and it really was tonight.”
For all practical purposes, it was over early – the Mustangs ran to a 14-0 lead and never seemed to be challenged. They also shot 17-of-24 from the floor in the first half against a good team. The Tigers, who ended 13-2, had won 13 in a row after dropping their opener in this new, condensed Season B, and had been playing well.
However, Mullen was too powerful. Even Tigers coach Ron Rossi told his school’s website: “(The Mustangs) just have so many weapons, they are very disciplined, well-coached and very patient ... they are definitely one of the best clubs I have ever played against, and I have been coaching for 50 years.”
The usual leaders were there again for Mullen. Pohs went for 23 points, including five 3-pointers. She shot 9-of-12. Gracie Gallegos, a junior, added 16 points. And so many others got into the act. Kilah Freelon had 10 points off the bench and continued to emerge as a force inside. Alexa Dominguez added six points as well as her usual smart play. Haley Van Horn had four points and defended well. Off the bench, Elaina Martinez, Jessica Oates-Stamm and Ally Webster spelled the guards and made 3-pointers as Mullen was 7-of-9 behind the arc in the first half, 10-of-15 for the game.
And junior Imani Perez was, once again, a wall underneath with five points, nine rebounds, handfuls of blocked shots and others too intimidated to try. Her inside presence, Cawley said, can’t be under-estimated as “Imani is silently becoming just a force with her rebounding and has become just so much more aggressive. Our bigs are playing really, really well.”
At the start of the school year, no one knew if there would be a season, let alone a championship game in Colorado Springs.
Mullen is grateful for both.
“It feels really great and I’m just glad we’re out here playing,” Gallegos said. “Our communication is going really well and we’re working well together.”
Said Cawley: “We’ve got one more … these seniors are awesome, this group of seniors has just great chemistry. You don’t coach them; you just let them go play.”
MULLEN 75, HOLY FAMILY 50
Mullen 18 27 17 13 – 75
Holy Family 10 7 15 18 – 50
Mullen – Pohs 9 0-0 23, Dominguez 3 0-0 6, Van Horn 2 0-0 4, Perez 1 2-2 5, Gallegos 5 5-6 16, Freelon 5 0-2 10, Oates-Stamm 1 0-0 3, Webster 1 0-0 3, Martinez 1 0-0 3, Schwertner 1 0-0 2, Gutierrez 0 0-0 0, Aragon 0 0-0 0. Totals 29 7-10 75.
Holy Family – Whitlock 3 1-2 8, Sanders 3 2-2 8, Hren 2 0-0 4, Wells 8 2-2 22, Aanerud 0 0-0 0, Bertsch 0 1-2 1, Dooley 2 1-2 5, Contreraz 0 0-0 0, Snashall 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 7-10 50.
3-pt. goals – Pos 5, Gallegos, Martinez, Oates-Stamm, Perez, Webster; Wells 4, Whitlock. Fouled out – Aanerud.
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