Dakota Ridge men’s basketball faced off against Columbine High School in a rival game on December 12, 2023 in which Dakota came out victorious. This added another win to their record, now making them 4-3. This allows the Eagles’ confidence to grow as they have now beaten both of their rivals, Columbine and Chatfield.
During the first quarter of the game, Columbine gave Dakota a run for their money because Dakota just couldn’t find a way to get the ball in the net. The game remained close throughout the first and second quarters with just two or three points separating the score in either direction.
“We had a rough first half versus Columbine, but we picked it up in the second half and started to hit shots and play a lot better,” junior Ethan Berninger said.
At the start of the second half, the game became more intense, and the energy throughout the stands continued to grow. Dakota Ridge and Columbine’s student sections chanted back and forth demonstrating the extensive history behind this rivalry.
“In the game against Columbine, I feel like we did pretty well, especially since it was a rivalry game, and we came out with a win. So I think the game was good,” senior Alex Arnold said.
Dakota Ridge won the game 76-65 which moved them to 14 in the Colorado Division 5A rankings. This year’s team includes many new varsity players, so they’re learning how to play together at this level.
“We have to work on not having as many turnovers in our games and playing the whole game all the way through instead of only having good halves,” Berninger said. “The rest of the season should go pretty well now that we are settling in and getting used to playing with each other, and we have developed a lot more chemistry on the court”
Dakota’s next game will be against Vista PEAK Prep on January 15, 2024, at Dakota, where they will work to continue their three game winning streak as well as play their first home game of the season.
