Lutheran Wins Defensive Battle for Class 5A Girls Basketball Title

Top-seeded Lions defeat No. 2 Green Mountain 33-27 for first state championship in a decade.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 2:23am

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In a defensive struggle, the Lutheran High School girls basketball team defeated Green Mountain High School 33-27 to win the Class 5A state championship on Saturday night at the Denver Coliseum. Lutheran senior Makenna Mudd hit a crucial 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter to put the Lions ahead for good, and they held on for the victory, not allowing Green Mountain to score in the final 3 minutes. Lutheran junior Isla Koffman led all scorers with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Green Mountain junior Ella Cockrum had a team-high 12 points in the losing effort.

Why it matters

This was Lutheran's first girls basketball state title in 10 years, and it came in a defensive battle against a Green Mountain team that had won 24 straight games. The loss ended Green Mountain's quest for a third straight league championship, as they were playing without their leading scorer Kantyn Pearson, who suffered a season-ending injury. The game highlighted Lutheran's stifling defense and ability to make key plays down the stretch to claim the championship.

The details

Lutheran senior Makenna Mudd hit a 3-pointer with 2:10 left in the fourth quarter to put the Lions up 29-27, and they held on from there, not allowing Green Mountain to score in the final 3 minutes. Lutheran junior Isla Koffman led all scorers with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Lutheran senior Berkley Schneider made 4-of-6 free throws in the final minute to seal the victory. Green Mountain junior Ella Cockrum had a team-high 12 points in the loss.

  • The Class 5A girls basketball state championship game was played on Saturday, March 15, 2026 at the Denver Coliseum.
  • Lutheran and Green Mountain had previously met on December 18, with Green Mountain winning 48-41 in overtime.

The players

Makenna Mudd

A senior on the Lutheran High School girls basketball team who hit a crucial 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter to put the Lions ahead for good.

Isla Koffman

A junior on the Lutheran High School girls basketball team who led all scorers with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Berkley Schneider

A senior on the Lutheran High School girls basketball team who made 4-of-6 free throws in the final minute to help seal the victory.

Ella Cockrum

A junior on the Green Mountain High School girls basketball team who led her team with 12 points in the losing effort.

Kantyn Pearson

The 5A/4A/3A Jeffco League Player of the Year a season ago for Green Mountain High School, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Rams' regular-season finale on February 16.

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What they’re saying

“Taking that 3-pointer I knew I had the whole team behind me and all our students behind me. I put in the work and my teammates have put in so many hour of work to get us here.”

— Makenna Mudd, Lutheran Senior

“We just needed to know who their shooters were and went to close out. We have faith in one another. Even when we went down we had faith that we would still win this game.”

— Isla Koffman, Lutheran Junior

“I'm in shock.”

— Isla Koffman, Lutheran Junior

What’s next

The Lutheran High School girls basketball team will look to defend their Class 5A state championship next season, while Green Mountain High School will aim to return to the title game after falling short this year.

The takeaway

Lutheran's stifling defense and ability to make clutch plays in the final minutes proved to be the difference, as they captured their first girls basketball state championship in a decade. The loss was a tough end to a remarkable season for Green Mountain, who were playing without their leading scorer but still made it to their first-ever state title game.