BOULDER - For one quarter, it looked like two No. 1 seeds were ready to stage an epic battle.

For the next three quarters Wednesday, it looked like a highlight reel of the Highlands Ranch girls basketball team.

After an even first quarter, the Falcons shot precisely, played defense deftly and ran away to an 82-55 win against Horizon in a Class 5A state semifinal game.

"We worked hard on the defensive end, and that's where all our points come from, I feel," said Falcons guard Jade Davis, who scored 15 points. "We played hard throughout the game and put them away."

The Falcons (24-3), who will aim for their second consecutive state championship Friday, received a standout performance from point guard Jaclyn Thoman and more- than-expected production from the bench.

Thoman shot 8-for-12 en route to a team-best 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Reserves Hannah Breidel and Jenessa Burke each provided a huge spark off the bench, Breidel with 14 points and Burke with seven points and seven rebounds.

"I knew from the start I was going to play hard, after the Arapahoe game (in the quarterfinals) where I didn't come out too hard," Burke said. "I wanted to come back and make it good."

Burke helped the Falcons' quest to shut down Horizon forward Hannah Tuomi, but most of that responsibility fell on Melisa Ryba, who matched up well physically and held Tuomi to two first- half points.

Tuomi finished with 16 points and nine rebounds before ending her standout career by fouling out midway through the fourth quarter.

"We put our strongest player on her because we knew she was really strong in the post," Davis said. "Then we doubled on her every time we rotated."

Tuomi admittedly was frustrated by Ryba's defense.

"I heard her complaining a lot about me, and I think that's why she got a lot of the calls," Tuomi said.

"I confronted the ref about it, and she said, 'Well, you're so aggressive down there.' I asked if she was holding it against me."

The official said she wasn't holding it against her, but it was of no consolation to Tuomi in the rematch of the championship game last year, won 62-50 by Highlands Ranch.

Nikki Trujillo led Horizon (22-5) with 21 points, 11 in the first quarter, including a four-point play, and Lacey Herz had 10 points and 12 rebounds.

The Hawks escaped the first quarter tied 18-18 but lost ground from there.

Highlands Ranch......18	20	23	21	-	82
Horizon......18	10	15	12	-	55

HR - Alyssa Fressle 4 6-8 14, Brady Tsukamaki 0 0-0 0, Jaclyn Thoman 8 3-4 21, Melisa Ryba 3 3-7 9, Jade Davis 5 3-4 15, Meagan Fulps 0 2-2 2, Hannah Breidel 5 2-4 14, Caitlin Hawkins 0 0-0 0, Kelsie Mallon 0 0-0 0, Jenna Seifert 0 0-0 0, Jordan Floyd 0 0-0 0, Jenessa Burke 3 1-2 7. 28 20-31 82.

H - Cherae Medina 1 3-3 6, Nikki Trujillo 7 2-2 21, Hannah Tuomi 6 4-5 16, Cara Lambert 0 0-0 0, Lacey Herz 4 2-4 10, Courtney Neises 0 0-0 0, Jessica Chacon 0 0-0 0, Katie Clements 0 0-0 0, Briana Barringer 0 0-0 0, Tara Benegas 0 0-0 0, Kelsey Foster 0 0-0 0, Hannah Dillon 0 2-2 2. Totals 18 14-17 55.

Three-point goals - HR, Thoman 2, Davis 2, Breidel 2; H, Trujillo 5, Medina. Fouled out - Tuomi.

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