John Scarffe, Gilpin County. The Gilpin County High School Eagles Girls’ Basketball team beat the Clear Creek High School Goldiggers by a score of 43 to 15 on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at the Gilpin Schools. The boys lost both the junior varsity and varsity games.

The Eagle girls, coached by Athletic Director Jeff Schuessler, Brook Jordan and Alan Smith, stormed in front to begin the game as Samantha Smith scored five points. With voracious defense, the Goldiggers couldn’t score until Campbell Hargritt hit a basket at the end of the first quarter for a score of 15 to 2. 

The Eagles continued to pour it on in the second quarter and did not allow Clear Creek to score behind shooting by Lena Warren and Skyley Ramsey. The Eagles ended the first half leading 26-2.

In the second half, the Goldiggers managed to score15 points, but the Eagles cruised for the win. Skyley Ramsey led the scoring for the Eagles with 12 points and a 44 percent field goal percentage, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 foul.

Cameron Ganz, 8 points, 35 percent field goal percentage, 1 three-pointer, 4 rebounds, 4 steals, 4 fouls.

Lena Warren, 7 points, 70 percent field goal percentage, 1 three-pointer, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 foul.

Abigail Smith, 5 points, 29 percent field goal percentage, 5 rebounds, 1 steal.

Samantha Smith, 5 points, 50 percent field goal percentage, 1 three-pointer, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, 1 foul.

Noemi Correa, 2 points, 50 percent field goal percentage, 1 rebound.

Alicia Johnson, 2 points, 17 percent field goal percentage, 1 rebound, 1 foul.

Jessica Wilhelm, 2 points, 33 percent field goal percentage, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal.

The Eagle boys’ varsity, coached by Paul Hanson and Lisa Boulter, lost to the Clear Creek High School Goldiggers by a score of 38 to 31. Clear Creek started out strong and won the first quarter 10 to 6.  The Eagles came back in the second quarter 11 to 10 but were still behind at half time, 21 to 16. 

The Goldiggers continued their dominance in the second half, winning the third quarter 11 to 6. The Eagles made a comeback, outscoring the Golddiggers 8 to 7 in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough, and Clear Creek won the game.

For Gilpin High School, Stephen King led scoring with 11 points and a 33 percent field goal percentage, 1 three-pointer, 1 rebound, 3 steals, 1 foul.

Trey Lindberg, 8 points, 25 percent field goal percentage, two three-pointers, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 foul.

Nolan Lindberg, 7 points, 9 percent field goal percentage, 1 three-pointer, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 4 fouls.

Blake Boulter, 5 points, 22 percent field goal percentage, 1 three-pointer, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 2 fouls.

Tristan Di Pasquale, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 fouls.

The junior varsity Eagles started out strong but gave way to a bigger Goldigger team 34 to 16. The Eagles stormed out to a first quarter lead of 11 to 7 behind shooting by Julian Cortez and steals with baskets from Lucian Amaya.

Clear Creek took the lead late in the second quarter after Goldigger Kiefer Zabel nailed a three-pointer and then ended the half with an 18-13 lead. After a three-pointer by Cortez to begin the second half, Goldigger Jett Baker took control of the game and scored the next 11 points to win the game.

The Gilpin County Schools Eagles played the Nederland Panthers on February 20, 2020.

(Originally published in the February 27, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)