AIR FORCE ACADEMY ? Jordan Barnett and Talli Hansen of Eads are now a part of the Great Eight.

The Eads girls won the school's eighth state title Saturday, beating No. 1 ranked North Park 35-32 in the Class A championship played in the Air Force Academy gym. And it was the outside game of Barnett, who scored a game high 16 points, and the inside domination of Hansen, who pulled down 14 rebounds to go with her eight points, that turned out to key factors.

And certainly give some credit defensively to Allison Buck of Eads, who seemed to stick to North Park's top player, Cassie Corkle like velcro. Corkle scored 12 points and was the only Wildcat to achieve double-figures in the low scoring game.

North Park led 21-13 at the half, but the Wildcats only scored a single basket by Kaitlyn Hanson. Eads, on the other hand, could not do much better, scoring only five points. But the Eagles had the momentum switch in their favor.

"This is just awesome," said Hansen, named the Most Valuable Player in the tournament by the Rocky Mountain News. "Defensively, we just had to step up and play. We wanted to take it to them, but nerves in the first quarter gave us trouble."

In fact, neither team could find any range in the first quarter missing a combined 25 shots between them. The result, just a 5-3 North Park lead after eight minutes.

North Park was able to pick up the pace in the second quarter outscoring Eads 16-10 for its halftime edge. Renee Gonzales, coming off the bench, got the second quarter underway for North Park with a three-point basket. Corkle followed with a basket and ensuing free thrown that off set a three-point play by Eads Destiny Saffer. A six-point Wildcat run over the last 1:12 of the half appeared to have the Wildcats in command.

But the third quarter mentally spelled disaster for North Park as the Wildcats could not get in the flow of the game. Eads continued to cut away and on a three-point basket by Barnett with 6:12 left in the fourth quarter the game was tied, 24-24.

A following three-pointer by Barnett at 5:11 gave the Eagles their first lead of the game. However, North Park would recover and would regain a tie, 32-32 on a three-point basket by Hanson. But, that bucket, with 3:10 remaining would be the last points for the Wildcats.

Barnett would close out the scoring for Eads with a basket with 1:15 left and a free throw with :02 remaining.

"This is just simply amazing," said Barnett, a 5-6 sophomore. "That third quarter was a key that got us going. Defensively, we were on our game. We knew that we had to keep Cockle away from the basket. I knew if we could score and keep it close. Talli was just amazing on the boards. But a couple of my turnovers in the fourth were scary."

Eads coach Shawn Randel thought defense carried the day, too.

"That first quarter for us was just awful," said Randel, who has his second title as the head coach at Eads. "Defense kept us in the game. We've been good defensively all year and it paid off today. Jordan and Talli did the jobs they had to. They made some misakes, but it was also North Park that was taking us out of our offense. This is just a fine, fine win."

North Park, which was third in last year's state tournament and runner-up the previous two seasons under coach Randy Hodgson, can only lament what might have been. They have been in five straight state tournaments only to loss to the eventual champion in each instance.

"The progressing of points is disheartening," Hodgson said. "We've lost by seven, six, five, four and now three points. But low scoring games were the way we went in the tournament. I thought we might get this one."

Corkle is one of only three seniors so the future still bodes well for North Park. After Barnett's final free throw, she had an open three-point attempt that if made, would have sent the game into overtime.

"I just didn't know how much time was really left when I got the ball," Cockle said. "I guess I would have like to have a step closer. That third quarter was a bummer, only two points. We just couldn't get into a flow."



EADS 35, NORTH PARK 32

Eads 3 10 5 17 ? 35

North Park 5 16 2 9 ? 32

E ? Cory Adamson 0 0-0 0, Chevaun Glover 0 0-0 0, Allison Buck 1 1-2 3, Jordan Barnett 6 1-5 16, Rhaeli Sicklebower 1 0-0 3, Jamee Kliesen 0 0-0 0, Lisa Miller 0 0-0 0, Talli Hansen 3 2-4 8, Lori Weirich 0 0-0 0, Tara Spady 0 0-0 0, Destiny Saffer 2 1-1 5. Totals ? 13 5-12 35.

NP ? Kaitlyn Hanson 2 0-0 5, Kendra Rizor 0 0-0 0, Josie Goulette 0 2-2 2, Kelsey Souza 2 1-2 5, Renee Gonzales 1 0-0 3, Darlene Gonzales 1 0-0 3, Brittney McNaney 0 0-0 0, Joy Nameth 1 0-0 2, Cassie Corkle 4 4-5 12, Kendra Gollobith 0 0-0 0, Hillary Rizor 0 0-0 0, Matti Irvine 0 0-0 0. Totals ? 11 7-9 32.

Three-point goals ? E, Barnett 3, Sicklebower. NP, Hanson, R. Gonzales, D. Gonzales. Total fouls - E, 15. NP, 14.

Fouled out ? None.

AI Girls All-Tournament

Jordan Barnett, Eads, 5-6, So.

Cassie Corkle, North Park, 5-11, Sr.

Kara Dishman, Haxtun, 5-5, Jr.

Talli Hansen, Eads, 6-1, Jr.

Melissa Jolly, Kit Carson, 6-2, Sr.

MVP: Talli Hansen ? Was an offensive force in the first two games and a defensive force in the championship game.