Season Preview: Front Range League
With the 2019-20 girls basketball season closer than you might think, let’s take a look back/forward at how things shook out and what to look forward to in each of Colorado’s conferences. Here’s a snapshot of the Front Range League.…
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Continue ReadingWith the 2019-20 girls basketball season closer than you might think, let’s take a look back/forward at how things shook out and what to look forward to in each of Colorado’s conferences. Here’s a snapshot of the Front Range League.
How it all shook out in ’18-19
This was one of the tightest leagues in the entire state all of last season, with Horizon (21-5, 11-1), Broomfield (22-4, 11-1) and Fossil Ridge all tying at the top in the end. An incredible seven of the 13 team in this Class 5A conference won more games than they lost in ’18-19.
Which playoff team advanced the farthest?
Another testament to the depth of talent in last season’s Front Range League, Horizon, Broomfield and Fossil Ridge each reached the Great 8 before being eliminated by a top-four seed. All three teams lost top-tier talent in players like Steph Peterson, Ashley Steffeck and Alyssa Jimenez, so this season will be interesting.
A few returning players to watch
Halle Mackiewicz, 2020, 5-10, SF/PF, Legacy
Going to Clemson to play soccer, Mackiewicz or “Mack” is a talented multi-sport athlete. On the basketball court, she dominates in the post and led the Front Range League with 19.1 points a game last winter. A smart player with great instincts, she also averaged 6.8 rebounds.
Isabelle Munson, 2020, 5-9, PG/SG, Fairview
The next in a long line of talented guards to come out of Fairview in the past few years, Munson looks like a prime candidate to be a big-time stock riser in ’19-20. Strong and reliable with the ball, Munson is aggressive attacking the basket and averaged 14.6 points a game last season. Likely to get more opportunities as a senior, expect her assist numbers to go up this winter.
Juanita Aragon, 2021, 5-6, G, Greeley West
Aragon broke out as a sophomore in ’18-19 and put up 14.3 points a game. The guard has quick feet and active hands at the defensive end, and averaged nearly two steals a game last season.
Lillian West, 2020, 5-9, G, Mountain Range
West is the engine that makes the Mustangs go. As a junior last season, she averaged 13.4 points, 2.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 steals a game. Currently at No. 65 in the Prep Hoops Colorado 2020 rankings, West has the potential to be one of the biggest upward movers on that list this winter.
Brooke Bohlender, 2021, 5-11, SG, Poudre
At 5-foot-11, Bohlender has great length for a guard and that makes her one of the top returning rebounders in the league. On top of averaging 7.0 boards a night, Bohlender scored 12.7 points and shot 34 percent from behind the arc.
Courtney Wristen, 2021, 6-2, F/C, Broomfield
No surprises here, as Wristen is a beast in the post and a well-known commodity after an excellent sophomore season in 2018-19. Her combination of skill and athleticism is rare at her height and Wristen averaged 12.4 points and 6.8 rebounds as sophomore. If her long-range jump shot continues to develop the way it has, she’ll be pretty darn difficult to stop.
Kajsa Borrman, 2022, 6-1, PF/C, Loveland
Honorable mention all-conference as a freshman, she averaged 10.9 points and 7.0 rebounds a game as the FRL’s top-producing ninth-grader. Borrman also played on the Swedish 15U national team this past summer, so it’s reasonable to expect some significant improvement from her as a sophomore.
A quick, early look to ’19-20
Honestly, your guess is as good as ours. We’re expecting this to be yet another tight league race, with Broomfield, Horizon and Fossil Ridge right back in the mix. There is, however, a chance several other teams like Fairview, Legacy and Mountain Range might jump into the mix as well.