Lady Eagles continue winning ways

By Scott Fuller

1/20/05 - A week ago, the Gilpin County Eagles girl’s basketball team was at a crossroads in its season. After winning five of its first six games to start the year, with the only loss therein coming against perennial state powerhouse Merino in the season opener, Gilpin dropped two consecutive games to North Park and Longmont Christian by a combined margin of 51 points in the first two games of the team’s longest road trip of the season. In the trip’s conclusion, the Lady Eagles were able to right the ship, perhaps avoiding what might prove to be the team’s most detrimental season flaw come District playoffs in March, defeating Community Christian 29-18 on January 10.

  Head Coach Jeff Schuessler was able to harness the positive energy gained from his team’s most recent win, while at the same time distancing his squad from back-to-back 20+ point losses two weeks before. The Lady Eagles rallied to defeat Brighton Charter 39-12 Tuesday night at Gilpin County High School.

  Senior center Andrea Galanski scored 12 of her season-high 21 points in the first quarter. This helped to solidify a Gilpin defense which allowed no more than eight points in any one quarter, as the Eagles improved to 6-3 overall on the year.

  The performance lifted Galanski to 23^rd in the state in scoring, boasting an average of 13.0 points per game and having shot 39-104 (.375) from the field thus far in her final season.

  Throughout its 2004-05 season, the Lady Eagles have won every game in which they have scored 23 points, a mark the team surpassed with 5:35 remaining in the second quarter of Tuesday night’s game.

  The Eagle defense allowed just four points in the game’s opening 13 minutes, a streak which carried over well into the second quarter. The visiting Hawks rallied late in the second, scoring eight points in the quarter, but the 31-10 halftime margin was the closest the Hawks would come. The Gilpin defense stood strong again in the second half, holding the Hawks to just two points and shutting out the Brighton offense in the fourth.

  Following the usual extraordinary offensive output from Galanski, the remainder of the Gilpin offensive attack was relatively diluted. The remaining four senior starters combined for 11 points, with four coming from senior and fellow starter Erin Murray, and another four banked by sister Tara Galanski, who tied for the team’s second-largest scoring output.

  The win represented the final non-conference matchup the Lady Eagles will play this season, with league play having begun in the road matchup against Jefferson Academy on Friday. Following the victory, Gilpin found itself in a slim sole-possession lead of fourth place in the 2A-District 7 standings, just a half game above rival Nederland (6-4; 0-0). Longmont Christian (7-0; 0-0), Heritage Christian (6-1; 0-0), and Maranatha Christian (5-2; 0-0) round out the league’s top three spots.

  Following the January 14 match-up against league rival Jefferson Academy, the Lady Eagles play two at home and three on the road in the next 10 days, hosting Arrupe Jesuit and Denver Academy on January 18 and 21, and then travel to face off with arch rival Nederland on January 28.