Soaring Eagle team captures school's first girls basketball state championship

Friday, Mar. 13, 2015

DRAPER — The Juan Diego Catholic High School team won the school’s first UHSAA 3A State Girls Basketball Championship title Feb. 28. They also are the Region 10 champions, and boasted an undefeated season.

For their final state championship game, the Soaring Eagle team rallied around first-year head coach Josh Archuleta with a 67-47 victory over Morgan High School. The team played its final nine games in honor of Archuleta’s mother, Juanita Archuleta, who passed away from breast cancer earlier in the season. 

The girls made and pink T-shirts and had “rituals they called ‘Juanita Strong’ they would do every day, even before my mom passed,” said Archuleta. “No matter what, the girls weren’t going to give up. She went to all their games, even up to the very end.” 

The team looked up to Juanita and when they were tired or down; “she would keep them going,” Archuleta said.  “The team really embraced me and my dad along the way.”  

“When Coach Arch told us what was going on with his mom, it was heartbreaking for the team,” said AnnMarie Nelson. “Our team has been through a lot with the passing of other teammates’ loved ones; with the news [of Juanita], I felt like it brought us all together. 

“Juanita would sit right behind our bench. It was really nice to see her there and support us while she was going through everything,” Nelson continued. “After her passing, we knew as a team we needed to finish the season strong. At the championship game we played for our seniors, Arch and his mom.” 

“Whether we lost or won, we knew as a team that we had to play for Arch and his mom,” said Monique Mills. “As seniors, we had a chance to leave a mark and there was no better way to end it than a 25-0 undefeated championship.”

Juan Diego went into the final game  against Morgan knowing it would be a close match. 

“We have already played them twice,” Archuleta said. “We knew it was going to be a defensive battle. It was a new experience being in a championship game and it took them the whole first quarter to stop being nervous and just play basketball.”

Juan Diego was up by 9 points at half time and had a 24-point lead going into the fourth quarter. 

“I have a lot of track kids on my team so we play a very up and down, high-pace form of basketball,” said Archuleta. “Morgan kind of got tired.” 

Monique Mills, Dominique Mills and senior Sarah Christiansen “willed us to a win slowly but surely,” said Archuleta.  

Monique Mills and Dominique Mills, who are twins, recorded double-doubles with 25 points and 12 rebounds and 16 points and 11 rebounds, respectively, said Archuleta. 

“[AnnaMarie Nelson] had her best game of the year; she had 12 points and she was five for six from the free throw line,” Archuleta said. 

 In addition to coaching, Archuleta is a part-time substitute teacher at both Juan Diego and Judge Memorial Catholic high schools. He also runs a girls travel club called The Salt Lake Lady Rebels on which most of Juan Diego’s team plays. When the coaching position opened at Juan Diego, “the girls encouraged me to interview for it,” Archuleta said. “That made the transition easier.”