Sterling Girls Basketball Falls to Holy Family 32-42 in State Quarterfinals

The No. 5 Sterling Tigers' girls basketball season came to a close at the Denver Coliseum on March 11, when Holy Family pulled away for a 42-32 victory in the CHSAA Great 8 quarterfinals, ending what had been a strong postseason run for Sterling.

The Tigers arrived at the Great 8 having won the regional they hosted, knocking out No. 28 Rifle and No. 12 Pagosa Springs in back-to-back games. The Rifle game was never truly in doubt after the first quarter, when the Bears briefly held a 9-8 lead before Sterling took control. The Tigers outscored Rifle 16-11 in the second quarter, then capped the win with a dominant 26-10 fourth frame to close out a 63-39 final. The regional championship against Pagosa Springs was a sharper test: four tight quarters separated by just two points at the final whistle, with Sterling escaping 37-35.

Holy Family entered the quarterfinal as a formidable No. 4 seed carrying a 17-8 record and a four-game winning streak. That streak included a 75-22 blowout of No. 29 DSST: Conservatory Green and a 52-46 win over No. 13 Eaton, as well as a 90-83 overtime victory against top-seeded University. Against that momentum, Sterling's offense managed 32 points but could not keep pace with Holy Family's 42, ending the Tigers' 2026 campaign.

Elsewhere in Logan County, both Caliche and Peetz saw their seasons conclude in the regional round. No. 8 Caliche's Buffaloes defeated No. 25 Peetz 64-37, only to fall to No. 9 Cheraw 42-31 the same weekend. Cheraw advanced to the Great 8 to face No. 1 McClave.