ASPEN – After an outstanding regular season, the Panther boys entered the postseason brimming with confidence for a run deep into the postseason.
Meanwhile, the M-CHS girls basketball team looked to spring an upset after qualifying for their second straight season at the end of a year filled with adversity.
Neither run was in the cards, however, as both Panthers squads faced Timnath in their opening round draw, with the No. 14 boys (17-7) falling to the Cubs 65-53 in Aspen on Friday night. A couple hundred miles away in north central Colorado, the No. 31 M-CHS girls (7-17) suffered a similar fate, dropping their round of 32 matchup by a 58-24 margin to No. 2 Timnath.
Right from the opening tip of their contest in Aspen against the No. 19 Cubs, M-CHS head coach Mike Hall knew his team would be in for a tough battle.
The Cubs scored the game’s first six points, and the Panthers found themselves playing catch-up for the rest of the night.
Down 21-14 early in the second quarter, Panthers senior Caidin Leonard caught fire, starting a string of buckets, including a three-pointer that put M-CHS in front, 22-21.
It would be the only Panthers advantage of the night, as Timnath responded behind a series of baskets by junior Jack Hemme to give the Cubs a 31-26 halftime lead.
The lead ballooned to double figures, but M-CHS rallied in the third quarter behind senior Tay Wheat and sophomore Trey Hall, with the latter burying a three to tie the game at 41.
Just as quickly as the Panthers seized momentum, though, they found themselves in another hole, as 6’7“ junior Max Roselle controlled life in the paint and scored big buckets to open the final frame to give Timnath the lead for good.
Timnath free throws, combined with a cold fourth quarter for M-CHS, spelled defeat. The loss capped the career for three impactful Panthers seniors – Wheat, Leonard, and Ridge Hathale.
Leonard led the Panthers in his final game with 14 points, while Hall added 13 and Wheat scored 10. Hathale added a pair of baskets in the losing effort.
Roselle led all scorers with 20 points, while Hemme provided 15 tallies as Timnath moves on to face either No. 3 Aspen or No. 30 Pagosa Springs in the Sweet 16.
Head coach Brad Wright’s hoped to send off his sizable senior class with closure after the Panthers battled through injuries.
The Panthers knew they’d have their hands full against the No. 2 Cubs, and M-CHS hung tough for a quarter before the hosts constructed a 32-11 halftime lead.
M-CHS wrapped up the season with their first second straight playoff appearance and the first appearance as a 4A squad since 2010.
Seniors Taylor Whited, Kalea Ogo, Kayden Lee, Shaylynn Bia, Reyaunna Jones, Jori Polich, and Savannah Billings capped their careers for the orange-and-black.
