Dakota Ridge Girls Basketball Tips Off State Tourney With Win

LITTLETON, CO — By Dennis Pleuss for CHSAANow.com/Jeffco. Dakota Ridge’s girls basketball team won’t mind packing its bags for a long postseason road trip.

The No. 17-seeded Eagles took a 47-30 victory over No. 48 seed Rock Canyon in the opening round of the Class 5A state tournament Tuesday night. Next up for Dakota Ridge … a 242-mile trip to Grand Junction High School for a second-round game against the No. 16 Grand Junction Tigers, who had a bye in the first round.

“I think No. 15 through No. 20 seeds are tough. I would rather play on a Tuesday to get some momentum,” Dakota Ridge coach Diane Thompson said after a fourth straight season with a first-round playoff victory since Thompson took over the program in the 2015-16 season. “It’s tough to go to Grand Junction, but it is what it is. You just hope you keep winning and keep advancing.”

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Images: 1) Dakota Ridge sophomore Alexis Thornton (22) looks for an open teammate as the Eagles' student section looks on Tuesday night. The Eagles' 17-point win over Rock Canyon advanced Dakota Ridge to face Grand Junction on the Western Slope on Friday night in the second round of the state playoffs. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics). 2) Dakota Ridge junior Emily Doolittle (11) plays tight defense on Rock Canyon senior Emily Cottrell on Tuesday night in the first-round playoff game. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics). 3) Dakota Ridge senior Sydney Daniels, right, led the way with 14 points in the Eagles' win Tuesday night over Rock Canyon. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics).