The coronation of the small school Copper queens happened on March 1, 2025.

The Phoenix Country Day Eagles will remember the date also because they three-peated. The achievements were earned as soon as the final buzzer at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum sounded and the Eagles defeated Page 62-35.

“I knew we could come in here and really change and build a dynasty and legacy for ourselves,” said Phoenix Country Day's Olivia Owens, who scored 24 points in the inaugural Copper final for small schools. “I’m just happy that we were able to do it.”

July 29, 2021 also is etched in Owens’ memory.

That’s when one of the state’s top duos, Owens and senior Lila Kaibara met, and it almost didn’t happen. Owens had just moved from Ohio and wasn’t interested in going to a club practice while it felt like a furnace outside that summer in the Valley.

But her dad nudged her to go, and she said Saturday that she was glad her dad did. Since then, Owens, Kaibara and their teammates have been running and winning.

On Saturday, Owens was a warrior, according to her coach. The senior was battling a stomach bug and was on the floor during halftime of the championship game with an ice pack on her head.

Despite feeling unwell, Owens and her teammates helped confirm that they were the best small school (1-3A) program this season and arguably one of the top-10 teams in the state this season. The Eagles went 81-10 during the last three seasons and defeated Open big school defending champ Xavier this season.

On Saturday, the three level scorers Owens and Kaibara were aided by a player they call Big Shot Erin. Junior Erin Patterson hit back-to-back-to-back threes to help Phoenix Country Day extend its lead in the third quarter.

Defensively, junior Madison Gordon and Rylie Lloyds stood out, and the Eagles’ bench was probably the loudest it’s been all season long, coach Sean Newland said.

“I remember telling Rylie and Zoe (Oland) and the girls when they were younger that if they stuck together, they had a chance to be special,” said Newland, now in his 10th season at the helm.

Despite the loss, Page also had a special season.

Only two of Arizona’s 133 small schools can reach the Copper Open, and runner-up Page (19-10) was one of them. Post player Leikara Yazzie went 7-11 from the field and scored 20 points for Page, which tied a state record.

Page made some history Saturday at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. (Jose Garcia photo/AZPreps365)

Page tied Winslow for the most Arizona girls basketball state championship appearances (18). Another player who scored 20 points was Kaibara.

The guard did a little shimmy after converting a three to start the third quarter. It was a prelude to her team’s postgame celebration.

Right before the third quarter of the game started, there was a scoreboard malfunction.

The scoreboard had the Eagles leading 136-26 and also 147-26.

For opponents, it just felt that way the last three years.