On Saturday March 5, the Lewis-Palmer High School Boys Basketball team played their hearts out during the Elite Eight playoff game. All season, the Rangers dominated every team they played against, placing the Rangers in the number one seat for the 4A Colorado High School Activities Association.

Because of their nearly perfect record, the Boys Basketball team was granted the privilege of hosting all of the playoff games for this season. This gave the Rangers home court advantage, something many teams look forward to having during playoffs.

“This is the first year in a while we have been able to host the playoff games at our own school. It makes it feel a little less nerve wracking when we get to play in the gym we practice in everyday. Obviously we were still pretty nervous, but knowing we would be on familiar grounds really helped,” Joseph DeCoud, 12, said.

The Rangers basketball team won the first three playoff games, each time playing a more challenging team. The fourth playoff game, also called the Elite Eight game, was against Vista Ridge High School.

“Once we found out that we were playing Vista Ridge we weren’t super excited about it. They’re one of the best teams in 4A basketball and we knew it would be a challenge. Earlier in the season we played them and only won by like two or three points so we knew that winning wouldn’t be so easy,” Kyle Owens, 12, said.

At halftime, Lewis-Palmer was up 25 to 20 against Vista Ridge and for the remainder of the game, the two teams were neck and neck with each other. By the end of the third quarter Lewis-Palmer had fallen behind, and Vista Ridge took a four point lead.

“I’m not really sure what happened, but once they were ahead it was hard for us [Lewis-Palmer] to make a comeback in the final quarter,” DeCoud said. “I think we just psyched ourselves out and in the end we played our best.”

The final score of the game was close, but in the end, Vista Ridge won 52-47. The Rangers season came to an end in the Elite Eight game leaving fans and players devastated.

“I’m sad the season had to end so soon, especially for my Senior year, but I know next year the guys will work twice as hard and they will win the State Championship,” Owens said. “I’m extremely proud of all the work my team put in and can’t wait to see how the program grows even more. I’ve never been so lucky to be apart of such a great team.”