Old foe still unfriendly to Doherty girls/ Highlands Ranch beats

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Mar 13, 2003 by TIM BERGSTEN

DENVER - Doherty's Alisha Godette twisted in the air and kissed a layup off the glass Wednesday in the Class 5A state basketball tournament quarterfinals at the Denver Coliseum.

But more important than the basket was the foul she drew on Liz Sherwood, Highlands Ranch's dominating 6-foot-4 forward. Godette hit her ensuing free throw and Sherwood made tracks for the bench with four fouls.

Trailing by three points in the third quarter, it was Doherty's chance to make a run. But it didn't happen. Doherty's shooting touch left the building and Highlands Ranch held on to win 47-43.

"I'm going to love these girls until the day I die, but you can't miss like that," Doherty coach Stephanie Frisch said. It is the eighth consecutive time Highlands Ranch has beaten Doherty, including four in the state tournament.

Godette drove the ball with authority against Sherwood and finished with a game-high 24 points. Four times she scored, forced Sherwood to foul and then converted the free throw. But she missed two close shots in the fourth quarter with Sherwood on the bench.

It was a theme that haunted the Spartans. Doherty's Jenny Custer stole the ball but missed an easy layup as the third quarter ended. Tara Hittle, Laura Snider and Kristina Hull missed from close range, as well.

"It wasn't just one of us, it was all of us," Godett said.

For the game, Doherty hit only 15 of 56 shots.

Highlands Ranch (17-5) will meet No. 1 seed ThunderRidge, which defeated Palmer. Doherty ends the season 17-5.

"We missed key shots, a lot of layups," Hittle said. "We had our chance and we didn't take advantage of it."

It was a game Doherty could have won. The Spartans doubleteamed Sherwood, bound for the University of Connecticut, for much of the game, holding her to 16 points and six rebounds.

And Highlands Ranch had more to give. Sophomore guard Traci Springston nailed four 3-point baskets in the first half as Highlands Ranch raced to a 19-5 lead.

"I thought we played awesome defense against Liz (Sherwood), but Traci (Springston) couldn't miss," Frisch said.

Doherty struggled against Highlands Ranch's press early in the game, turning the ball over seven times in the first quarter. "I was pretty surprised by that," Highlands Ranch coach Caryn Jarocki said. "I don't think they expected us to press as much as we did."

For the game, Highlands Ranch scored nine points off of Doherty turnovers.

The Spartans crawled to within four points (38-34) of Highlands Ranch on a short jumper by Custer in the fourth quarter, but could get no closer as Sherwood came back and scored six points in the final minutes.

Hittle had 10 points for Doherty and grabbed 12 rebounds.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0250 or sports@gazette.com

PAIRINGS

Class 5A

(Pepsi Center)

QUARTERFINALS

Wednesday

Boys

Doherty 53, Columbine 45

Girls

ThunderRidge 88, Palmer 54

Highlands Ranch 47, Doherty 43

SEMIFINALS

Friday

Boys

No. 3 Doherty (21-2) vs. No. 2 Denver East (21-1), 6:50 p.m.

Class 4A

(Pepsi Center)

QUARTERFINALS

Today

Boys

1. Lewis-Palmer (24-0) vs. 8. Golden (17-7), 5:10 p.m.

Girls

(Denver Coliseum)

13. Widefield (19-6) vs. 5. Mullen

(18-6), 6:50 p.m.

Class 3A

(Widefield High School)

QUARTERFINALS

Today

Boys

1. Colorado Springs Christian (24-0)

vs. 8. Pagosa Springs (19-3), 11:45 a.m.

Girls

2. St. Mary' s (23-2) vs. 7. Roosevelt

(21-4), 1:15 p.m.

Class 2A

(Pueblo Events Center)

QUARTERFINALS

Today

Boys

3. Holyoke (18-5) vs. 6. Peyton

(19-4), 11:45 a.m.

Girls

1. Limon (22-1) vs. 8. Wiggins

(12-1 1), 8:30 p.m.