Postseason basketball is in full swing as the CHSAA state tournaments for the largest classifications in Colorado played their first round games Tuesday night.

Nine girls teams in the area in Class 6A, 5A, and 4A battled it out in the opening round, looking for momentum to make a run at the state title. Seven squads came away with victories and will turn to Friday’s second round one step closer to the top.

Class 6A

Monarch 60, Mullen 42

No. 4 seed Monarch faced off against No. 29 Mullen at home and ousted the Mustangs, 60-42. Senior guard Natalie Guanella scored 16 points, while her backcourt mate and fellow senior Arezo Safi dropped in 18 and a couple of 3-pointers. It was a dominant win for the Coyotes, who are hoping for a deep postseason run and will play Ralston Valley Friday.

Pine Creek 44, Broomfield 42

The Eagles, seeded 18th, fought to the bitter end at No. 15 Pine Creek without the services of injured star Sophie Christopher, but the Colorado Springs-area Eagles defended their home court with a slight scoring edge in the final quarter. Broomfield (18-6) had led 35-34 entering the fourth.

Class 5A

Mead 50, Cheyenne Mountain 34

No. 5 Mead took care of business against No. 28 Cheyenne Mountain, breaking away from the Red-Tailed Hawks in the third quarter with a 13-2 run to make the game out of reach. The Mavericks’ leading scorers were Charlotte Brennan with 16 and Kyra Haan with 15. The pair will hope to continue their hot shooting as Mead (19-5) faces No. 12 Vista PEAK Prep Friday.

Centaurus 46, Grand Junction Central 33

The 13 seed Centaurus Warriors defeated Grand Junction Central in a solid defensive showing, using their strong zone defense to edge out the visitors. Senior guard Laura Gensert led the way for the Warriors with 16 points, including a couple of 3-pointers. Centaurus plays at No. 4 seed Windsor on Friday night.

Frederick 56, Palmer Ridge 50

In a tightly contested affair, the No. 27 seed Golden Eagles scored a huge upset against the 6 seed Bears to set them up for a game Friday at No. 11 Canon City. It was a back-and-forth contest in which neither team could gain significant momentum. At halftime, the Bears held a 22-20 lead, but it was short-lived, and with 4 minutes left in the third quarter, the game was tied at 27 apiece. A massive 3-pointer by Frederick’s Peyton Pack gave the Golden Eagles (13-11) a 34-33 lead heading into the fourth. They never relinquished their lead despite the Bears getting to within one a few times.

George Washington 63, Longmont 42

Facing a 1 seed is always an arduous task, evident in George Washington’s defeat of the 32nd seeded Trojans. The Patriots took care of business mainly in part to their 14-0 run to open the contest. Their lead was 15 at halftime and only increased throughout the second half. Ultimately, the Trojans’ scoring output was no match for the top-ranked Patriots.

Class 4A

Holy Family 76, Eagle Ridge Academy 20

Top-ranked Holy Family was no match for No. 32 Eagle Ridge Academy, who showed out on both ends of the floor. The Tigers showed no jitters despite being young, with four freshmen playing significant minutes and only two seniors. One of those freshmen, Enyiah Contreasz, is a budding star and led her team Tuesday with an efficient 17 points off 6 of 9 shooting (4-for-6 3-pointers). It was an all-round performance for the 21-3 Tigers, who host The Classical Academy on Friday night.

Jefferson Academy 31, Coal Ridge 29

The Jefferson Academy Jaguars made a long drive out west worth it, as the 19 seed stunned No. 14 seed Coal Ridge. It was a tale of two halves for the Jaguars, who fell behind early and trailed 16-4 and 24-7 at the break. The second-half comeback came together, however, from a 12-2 third-quarter run which cut the Titans’ lead to 10. Going into the fourth down 26-19, the Jaguars were reignited with confidence and finished the game on a 12-3 run to finish off the remarkable rally. Up next — a visit to No. 3 University.

Peak to Peak 60, Arrupe Jesuit 31

The 11-22 matchup brought little intrigue to the bracket as the Peak to Peak Pumas handily defeated the Arrupe Jesuit Generals. The Pumas opened the game on a 10-0 run, a lead that they would increase to 20 at the halftime intermission. Alexandra Eschmeyer’s 28 points and Megan Wagner’s 11 leading the way, the Pumas (17-7) marched into the second round where they will travel to No. 6 Eaton.