Fort Thomas finally made it over the hump to cut down the nets after 15 years of heartbreaking state playoff losses. 

The second-seed Apaches (20-2) beat fifth-seed Heber Mogollon Mustangs, 56-29, in the 1A girls high school basketball championship at Mesa Dobson High School on Tuesday. 

It’s the Apaches first state title since 2006 and third overall since 1986. The last time Fort Thomas made it to the 1A championship round was 2011 when it lost to Gilbert Christian.

Fort Thomas freshman guard Jasmine Olivar led all scorers with 19 points.

Mogollon (11-6) senior forward Isabella Horn had a team-high 13 points in the Mustang’s second 1A conference title game appearance, having won their school’s only girls hoops state title in 2019.

The Mustangs made a remarkable playoff run, despite entering the tournament losing its last two regular season games and going 6-4 since Jan. 30.

Mogollon knocked off top seed Gilbert Leading Edge in the state semifinals, 52-49, in breaking the Lady Spartans’ nine-game win streak at Scottsdale Coronado on Saturday. 

Fort Thomas was the opposite of Mogollon, the hottest team entering the 1A playoffs on a conference-best 12-game win streak since Jan. 30.

The Apaches’ 14-year head coach Lee Haws said he turned down the school’s girls basketball head coach role when he was initially offered it in 2005 during his first year as an assistant coach for the Fort Thomas boys basketball team.

“They asked me if I wanted to be a head coach and I told them no because I didn’t think I was ready to be a head coach at that time,” Haws said. “It feels great. Fourteen years ago I didn’t want to be a head coach and at this time, it feels good to get over the hump. We’ve been to the quarterfinals and semifinals a few times and we couldn’t quite do it. This group of girls did a great job of perservering, handling COVID and all the other adversities.”

Have tips for us? Reach the reporter at [email protected] or at 480-486-4721. Follow his Twitter @iam_DanaScott.

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