When something happens once or twice it could be a coincidence. When it occurs three times, it is a bona fide trend. 

The Summit High School girls basketball team has solidified itself within the state of Colorado as a program that routinely makes the playoffs since it sealed a spot in the Class 4A playoff bracket for the last three years.

With head coach Kayle Burns entering her eighth year at the helm of the program, the Tigers will attempt to make the playoffs for the fourth-straight year this winter. This season, however, will look a little different for the Tigers on several fronts.

For starters, Summit will make the jump up to the 5A classification, exposing the team to larger schools and teams.

“It was a challenge because we had to find, I believe, 17 non-league games,” Burns said. “Which is a feat, but we were able to pull it off. We are playing a lot of Denver schools. Some are still in that 4A category like a D’Evelyn, but then we are playing bigger schools like Dakota Ridge and Standley Lake. We have to look at it like a challenge, and hopefully it will help our (rating percentage index) playing these bigger schools.”

Although the Tigers may have to rise up to a new level of play in order to stay competitive, Summit’s league schedule features several opponents who are familiar to the program. Now a part of the 5A Western Slope league, Summit will take on teams like Battle Mountain, Eagle Valley and Glenwood Springs throughout the duration of the regular season. 

Summit regularly played the trio of regional teams on an annual basis for many years before the 4A Western Slope league got shaken up prior to the 2022-23 season. Last season, Summit competed highly against several of their new 5A Western Slope league opponents, defeating Battle Mountain by nine points and rolling over Glenwood Springs by 11 points.

“We are definitely familiar with our conference,” Burns said. “We had a two-year hiatus from those teams, and now we are kind of back. I feel confident in our league. I think we should be one of the top teams if not the top team.”

After graduating three seniors at the conclusion of last season, Summit will lean on just one senior this winter in Avery Eytel.

“Obviously we haven’t started yet, but I have a really great varsity roster,” Burns said. “Lots of young players, players that didn’t necessarily play a whole lot of varsity last year. We are rolling with one senior, a handful of juniors and a handful of sophomores.”

Eytel truly emerged as a leader during her junior season, where she not only led the team with her voice and hustle on defense, but also on the stat sheet. The point guard tallied up 3.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2 steals per game last season.

“I think that our team is definitely quiet, so we will need to communicate,” Eytel said. “As the only senior, I think I can be that voice on the court for them. They can look up to me. I also think we have a great group of talented shooters, so everyone learning to pass around and find everyone because it’s just not going to be one person who will be leading — but all of us together.”

Eytel will be aided on the court by junior Kenya Rodriguez, junior Katelynn Smith and junior Phoenix Meyer.

Rodriguez — who regularly holds down the shooting guard and shooting forward positions — is expected to be one of the Tigers’ main playmakers throughout the 2024-25 season. With varsity experience since she was a freshman, Rodriguez will use her height and basketball IQ to score points for the Tigers.

During her sophomore campaign, Rodriguez scored 272 points in 24 games played while also contributing 130 rebounds, 45 assists and 92 steals.

Summit will see where it stands as a team on Saturday, Nov. 23, when it travels to Kremmling to take on West Grand High School in a scrimmage.

“I am really looking forward to just playing,” Eytel said, “seeing how we play well together. I think the scrimmage will be a great way for us to try out our new plays and see who is going to be playing where. We have a lot of younger girls who are looking to be on varsity.”

Following the scrimmage, Summit will have nearly two weeks to address any shortcomings or issues before regular season play begins. Summit will take on Prairie View High School on Dec. 5 in a tournament to kick off the regular season.

Summit will play in early-season tournaments from Dec. 5 through Jan. 11 before hosting its first home game of the season against Golden High School on Jan. 16.

“I think we have nine games before Christmas break, which is a lot,” Burns said. “I think that is the most we have had leading into the Christmas break. … I do think it is great to start the season. It is hard to pick up some early losses, but it is great to prepare. It just makes us better when we go into league play.”