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Steamboat Springs — The Hayden girls basketball team faces a strong field in the Class 2A Girls State Basketball Tournament, known as the "Great 8," in Pueblo. The sixth-seeded Tigers must contend with two teams they have lost to already this season, two teams that made last year's state tournament and the defending state champions.

Here's a rundown of the field.

No. 1 Wray

Record: 23-1

- Best players: Senior Stacy Post, forward, 14 points per game; senior Christa Loyd, guard, 12 points; junior Brianna Bard, guard, 11 points.

- The season: Wray was an unexpected Class 2A state finalist two years ago. That playoff drive was a sign of things to come. The Eagles lost that game to Limon but won the state championship last year and are the favorites to repeat in 2009. They've lost only one game, falling in a pre-season tournament to a squad from Kansas. Wray went undefeated in the Lower Platte League, with only three games within 15 points. The team has 10 seniors and is led by almost all the same players that started in that 2007 championship game and won the 2008 title. The team's fast-paced tempo has helped it average more than 65 points a game.

- Coach-speak: "We're used to being there, but at the same time we're still very excited. We're still nervous, and we understand we have to play really well to have a chance to win it."

- Coach David Reed

No. 2 Paonia

Record: 23-1

- Best players: Senior Jamie Reed, guard; junior Johanna Reed, guard; junior Jordyn Rienks, forward.

- The season: Paonia earned its third consecutive trip to state, but will be looking for a win at the tournament after going winless the past two years. The Eagles met with little disappointment this season and were tripped up only once, losing by one point to Class 3A Olathe. Paonia enters the state tournament on a 19-game winning streak, a stretch that included a perfect run through the Western Slope League and a 54-49 victory at Hayden. Defense and depth have been the key. The team has had 10 different leading scorers and didn't give up more than 30 points to either of its regional tournament opponents.

- Coach-speak: "We are excited, but this was our goal the whole year, so when we won regionals we were happy but not over exuberant."

- Coach Scott Rienks

No. 3 Sanford

Record: 19-5

- Best players: Senior Whitney Canty, forward; senior Brooke Faucette, forward.

- The season: A challenging non-league schedule helped prepare the Indians for a strong run in the Southern Peaks League. The squad, under first-year coach Blake Canty, lost twice to La Veta in the league, but rallied to win the District 1 tournament. The team overcame Las Animas' talented low-post players with a steady stream of effective defenders to win, 41-29, in the regional championship.

- Coach-speak: "I knew they had talent in years past, and when we started we were pretty direct with what our expectations were. Everyone shoots for state, but we knew we had the talent."

- Coach Blake Canty

No. 4 Meeker

Record: 18-6

- Best players: Senior Marki Cook, guard, 18 points per game; senior Janea Kindall, forward, 14 points per game.

- The season: Meeker caught fire late to vault into the state tournament. The Cowboys lost twice to Hayden in the regular season, but routed the Tigers in the district semifinals. A week later they crushed Dolores, 48-29, to become one of three Western Slope League teams to advance to the eight-team state bracket. The squad is led by senior guard Marki Cook's 18 points per game but proved late that it has other weapons. Senior Janea Kindall averages 14 points and senior Sydney Cook poured in 23 in the playoff game against Hayden. All three leading scorers were on the varsity team as freshmen, when Meeker last made state.

- Coach-speak: "Three years ago our goal was just to get to state, and we played that way. This year our goal wasn't just to get there but to get over the mountain."

- Coach Hallie Blunt

No. 5 Burlington

Record: 17-6

- Best players: Senior Jerae David, guard, 18 points per game; senior Meagan Sullivan, point guard, 11 points per game.

- The season: A mid-season personality shift helped lift Burlington to the state tournament. The Cougars were 5-6 after a Jan. 24 loss but haven't dropped a game since, winning their past 12. The team makes up for its size with quickness. Burlington's two leading scorers are senior guards, but after that, the team relies on a junior and three sophomores. The trip will mark the Cougars' first trip to state in 30 years, but many of the athletes have state experience. The softball and volleyball teams have qualified for state three years in a row.

- Coach-speak: "It's my first year as coach, so it took a little time for me to learn about the girls and the girls to learn about me."

- Coach Don Anderson

No. 7 Merino

Record: 14-9

- Best players: Senior Simone Shinpaugh, guard; 14 points per game; freshman Danielle Rinaldo, point guard, 10 points per game.

- The season: The Rams field one of the youngest teams in this year's Great 8 and won one of the most exciting games to advance that far. The team, made up mostly of freshmen and sophomores, beat Kiowa, 55-53, in the regional championship. Merino will push the pace when it can and draws leadership and points from seniors Simone Shinpaugh and Sabrina Becker, who are two of the team's top three scorers. The team finished fourth in the Lower Platte League and lost both of its district games before rebounding to charge through the regional tournament.

- Coach-speak: "It will be interesting to see how they react to the state tournament. Regionals didn't seem to bother them. They steeled down and played ball."

- Coach Bryan Dermer

No. 8 Akron

Record: 14-10

- Best players: Sophomore Sydney Clarkson, guard, 13 points per game; senior Brittany Ashley, center, 13 points per game; junior Laura Measles, forward, 10 points per game.

- The season: Coach Dave Clarkson has logged 40 years coaching high school and is at state again in his first year at the helm in Akron. His team emerged to play strong down the stretch after a rocky regular season. The Rams started 8-1 but lost six straight before recovering and surging to win their regional tournament, defeating Hoehne, 59-47. They lost three times to first-round opponent Wray by an average of 30 points but led early in one of those games, 17-4.

- Coach-speak: "They haven't been a running team in the past. They had the capabilities to do it, but just never did. : I've had a lot of fun with these girls, and they've responded quite well."

- Coach Dave Clarkson