Panther girls clip Eagles’ wings

and a cancelled game. The Gilpin County High School Eagles were tired after a long-distance game on the Western slope and a game the night before.

  But adrenaline soared through their veins on Saturday as the Eagles and Panthers played a game that seemed to be part of their own mountain league.

  In regular league play the Eagles fought to climb out of the last position. Nederland fought to gain a home berth in playoffs.

  The Panthers came out on top with a 41-31 victory reflecting a rough and tumble game that found the girls often scrambling on the floor, after the ball. At the end of the first period, Nederland was up 9-8 as the Eagles answered first a field goal and then a three-pointer thrown by Leigh Ann Slinger.

  It was anybody’s game.

  As the two teams fought the momentum before halftime, Eagle’s Nichole Cocharo sunk a three-pointer that gave Gilpin the lead 22-18. Hitting the locker rooms on the downside has been a challenge for the Panthers.

  If the Eagles pushed hard at the beginning of the third period, psychology would be on their side. But the Panthers were prepared.

  Chloe Weaver moved in under the basket to tie game at 22 and then Chelsea Chandler eyed the target from a corner three-point pocket and the Panthers leaped ahead by three.

  Gilpin fought back to tie the game at 27, but a Slinger three-pointer and scores by Shaylee Sigg-Brown and Chandler put the Panthers ahead by seven at the end of the third period.

  The Eagles gave it all they had in the fourth period, but fatigue set in as the Panthers saw the light at the end of the court.

Chandler: 11 points, including one three-pointer, five rebounds

Slinger: six pts, including two three-pointers and three rebounds

Weaver: 10 pts, seven rebounds and five blocked shots

Shawneese Baratta: 10 pts and five rebounds

Emma Stadele: two pts and eight rebounds

Sigg –Brown: four points

  The Panthers played Maranatha on Monday and seemed to be in slow motion, falling behind by 10 points in the first period. Shawneese Baratta and Chloe Weaver put up points for Ned but not enough to make headway. The Crusaders forged ahead to a 52-38 win over the Panthers.

  Nederland shot often but made few points and maintained their 10-point deficit to halftime and falling behind by 17 in the third period.

  Nederland’s loss to Maranatha sends the Panthers to Alexander Dawson for the first playoff game and puts the Gilpin girls at Maranatha.