Falcons girls getting tougher

Highlands Ranch hoops team is young but playing hard

BY JIM BENTON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Hard work is starting to pay dividends for Highlands Ranch basketball player Ezra Simonich.

Simonich, a 5-foot-10 sophomore, scored 23 points on Feb. 7 in a Continental League showdown against Regis Jesuit which matched two top ten teams in the CHSAANow state rankings.

“I’ve been working real hard to get my shot going and I felt like the habit paid o ,” said Simonich.

She made ve 3-point baskets to lead the way for the fth-ranked Falcons, who used a strong second and third periods in which they outscored the Raiders 38-19 to pull away from the Raiders, who came into the game ranked sixth.

“We passed really well and we came out a lot faster and harder than we have this season,” added Simonich. “ at’s why we got up and then we were able to keep that throughout the game. We’ve grown a lot. We all know where each other is at and we’re really playing well as a team.”

“ e kids played great as a team,” said Falcons coach Caryn Jarocki. “ ey actually executed the game plan better than we have in the past. ey are learning to take what we learn in practice and executing that in the game.”

Highlands Ranch’s varsity roster is young with ve freshman, three sophomores and two seniors.

“We are a very young team and they are growing by leaps and bounds,” Jarocki said. “ ey are getting tougher every day. ey have been thrusted into roles that they shouldn’t have to play but they are. ey are young and they are doing it. I’m proud of them.

“Now the sky is the limit. I think they are feeling the fever of it. ey are gaining con dence every day.” e Falcons’ two seniors, Maddie Groth and Bailey Williamson, had 12 and 10 points respectively against Regis.

In the game against Legend on Feb. 7, the Falcons rolled to a 50-39 victory.

Highlands Ranch faced piggyback league rst place games against both Regis and Legend and won both contests.

With two games remaining in the regular season, the Falcons are 8-0 in the league and 18-3 overall. Legend is 7-1 and 14-7 while underRidge is 7-2 in the league and Regis 6-2.

Jarocki swelled her Colorado all-best winning mark to 716-186 in 34 years of coaching, including the rst 11 seasons at Colorado Academy. She has helped Highlands Ranch win seven state championships.