Cross country’s regional meets this season are on Thursday and Friday. Below is a schedule and other information about those meets.
An asterisk indicates the school responsible for facilitating selection of regional site, time and director. Regional sites are alternated on a yearly basis.
Regional team scoring:
2A: Score a team’s top three runners.
3A, 4A, 5A: Score a team’s top five runners.
State qualifying procedure:
The top four teams will qualify out of each region.
All athletes who finish in the top 15 places qualify individually for state.
[divider]
Class 2A
Region 1
Teams: *Dawson, Byers, Clear Creek, Front Range Baptist, Front Range Christian, Heritage Christian, Highland, Lyons, Merino, Nederland, Shining Mountain, Twin Peaks Charter, Wiggins, Yuma
Date: Oct. 19
Site: Lyons HS
Region 2
Teams: CIVA Charter, Colorado Springs School, Denver Academy, Denver Christian, *Ellicott, Evangelical Christian, Fountain Valley, Kiowa, Limon, Peyton, Pikes Peak Christian, West Grand, The Vanguard School, Denver Waldorf, Golden View Classical Academy, Lotus School for Excellence
Date: Oct. 19
Site: North Monument Valley Park (Colorado Springs)
Region 3
Teams: Antonito, Buena Vista, Centennial, Center, Custer County, Del Norte, John Mall, Lake City, Lake County, Moffat, Rocky Ford, Rye, *Sargent, Springfield, Swallows Charter
Date: Oct. 19
Site: Pueblo City Park Elmwood Short Nine Golf Course
Teams: Aspen, Basalt, Bayfield, Coal Ridge, Delta, Grand Valley, Gunnison, Middle Park, Moffat County, Montezuma-Cortez, Olathe, Pagosa Springs, Rifle, *Steamboat Springs
Date: Oct. 20
Site: Confluence Park (Delta)
Region 2
Teams: Alamosa, Atlas Prep, Centauri, Colorado Springs Christian, Florence, James Irwin, La Junta, Lamar, Manitou Springs, Pueblo Central, Salida, St. Mary’s, The Classic Academy, *Woodland Park
Date: Oct. 19
Site: Woodland Park Shining Mountain Golf Course
Region 3
Teams: Arrupe Jesuit, Denver North, Denver West, DSST: Green Valley, DSST: Stapleton, DSST: College View, Faith Christian, Holy Family, Jefferson Academy, Peak to Peak, Pinnacle, Prospect Academy, Ridge View Academy, Skyview, *The Academy
Date: Oct. 19
Site: Lyons HS
Region 4
Teams: Berthoud, *Brush, Eaton, Estes Park, Fort Lupton, Frontier Academy, Liberty Common, Platte Valley, Sterling, Strasburg, University, Valley, Resurrection Christian, Weld Central, Stargate Academy
Date: Oct. 19
Site: Monfort Park (Greeley)
Region 5
Teams: Colorado Academy, *Conifer, D’Evelyn, Elizabeth, Englewood, Kent Denver, KIPP Denver Collegiate, Lutheran, Machebeuf (Bishop), Platte Canyon, Sheridan, SkyView Academy, St. Mary’s Academy, Aurora West Preparatory Academy
Date: Oct. 20
Site: Stenger Soccer Complex, Arvada
[divider]
Class 4A
Region 1
Teams: Battle Mountain, Eagle Valley, Evergreen, Glenwood Springs, Golden, Green Mountain, Littleton, Mullen, Palisade, *Summit, Wheat Ridge
Date: Oct. 19
Site: Frisco Peninsula
Region 2
Teams: *Air Academy, Discovery Canyon, Falcon, Harrison, Lewis Palmer, Mitchell, Palmer Ridge, Pine Creek, Ponderosa, Sand Creek, Sierra, Vista Ridge
Date: Oct. 19
Site: North Monument Valley Park (Colorado Springs)
Region 3
Teams: Alameda, *Arvada, Centaurus, Erie, George Washington, John F. Kennedy, Niwot, Standley Lake, Thomas Jefferson, Valor Christian, Vista Peak, Northfield
Date: Oct. 19
Site: Lyons HS
Region 4
Teams: Fort Morgan, Fredrick, Greeley Central, Longmont, Mead, Mountain View, Northridge, Roosevelt, Silver Creek, *Skyline, Thompson Valley, Windsor
Date: Oct. 19
Site: Lyons HS
Region 5
Teams: Canon City, Cheyenne Mountain, *Durango, Mesa Ridge, Montrose, Pueblo Centennial, Pueblo County, Pueblo East, Pueblo South, Pueblo West, Widefield
Teams: Bear Creek, Central (GJ), Cherokee Trail, Cherry Creek, Fruita Monument, Gateway, Grand Junction, Grandview, Heritage, Overland, Regis, *Westminster
ARVADA — Arvada West’s boys and girls cross country teams successfully protected its home turf Friday, Sept. 15.
A-West swept the team titles at the 9th annual Wildcat Invite. A-West hosts the 22-team meet at Stenger Soccer Complex, less than 2 miles away from Arvada West High School.
In the boys varsity race, Eaglecrest senior Mason Brown won the individual title with a time of 16 minutes, 20 seconds. Jefferson Academy senior Ryan Lehmuth (16:27) took second and A-West senior Colin Berndt (16:30) placed third.
“Obviously not winning it is always going to be upsetting, but it was good and fun for sure,” Berndt said. “I like this run.”
Junior Drew Craig (6th), along with seniors Andres Perez (13th) and Jacob Valdez (23rd) and junior Nicholas Oliveira (38th) also broke into the top-40 to lead A-West to the team title over Overland. Standley Lake placed third and Ralston Valley took fourth.
Jeffco’s A-West, D’Evelyn and Green Mountain place in the top-5 of the girls race. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“We could have distanced ourselves a little more,” Berndt said of A-West winning the team title. “None of us really felt that good this week. I’ve been motivating everyone that we’ve got to pull it together next week.”
Next week is the Dave Sanders Invite on Friday, Sept. 22, held at Clement Park, the same site of the Jeffco League Championships next month. Most of the top Class 5A Jeffco teams will be there to give a preview of what the league championships could look like Oct. 12.
A-West boys are attempting to win a fourth straight 5A Jeffco team title this season.
On the girls side, A-West senior Claire Pauley placed second with a time of 18:57 at the Wildcat Invite. Legacy sophomore Brynn Siles dominated the race winning by almost a full 50 seconds.
“I’m pretty happy,” Pauley said of the race. “Place-wise was definitely good. Time-wise could have been better.”
Seniors Katie Doucette (5th), Amber Valdez (6th), Civianna Gallegos (15th) and junior Maya Fairchild (32nd) gave the Wildcats a comfortable victory over Legacy (2nd), D’Evelyn (3rd), Denver East (4th) and Green Mountain (5th).
Pauley said she is excited for the Sanders Meet this coming week.
“With most of us being seniors we’ve built up our confidence,” Pauley said. “I think we have a pretty good realistic idea on what is going to happen.”
LITTLETON — The Liberty Bell Cross Country Invitational, annually one of the top events of the season, was held on Friday.
Rock Canyon’s Chris Theodore had the fastest boys time of the day — but narrowly. He won the Division 1 race in 15:23, narrowly ahead of Eaglecrest’s Mason Brown and his teammate Easton Allred, who both finished in 15:24.
Legacy’s Brynn Siles was the fastest girls finisher, and won the Division 1 race in 17:29.
Denver South’s Yonatan Kefle raced away from the field to capture the Wash Park Invite on Friday afternoon.
The junior won in 16:29, ahead of Jefferson Academy senior Ryan Lehmuth, who was second in 16:52. SkyView Academy’s Ryan Butler was third along with Castle View sophomore Aidan Scott (both finished in 17:12).
Castle View won the Invite on the boys side, with five runners placing in the top 13. Denver South, the host school, was second, and SkyView Academy placed third.
Castle View also won the girls team race as their five scorers all placed in the top 21. The Sabercats were led by senior Erin Kraus, who won the individual event in 19:53.
Brighton junior Kiran Green was second (20:21), and Dakota Ridge senior Skylar Lodice (20:32) finished third.
Dakota Ridge was second in the girls team race, and Longmont finished third.
[divider]
Devil’s Thumb Hill Climb
Grand Junction freshman Dolcie Hanlon narrowly won the Devil’s Thumb Hill Climb on Friday, edging Rifle senior Sarah Wagler by 0.57 seconds to win.
Hanlon won the race in 27:53.30. Wagler finished second in 27:53.87.
Gunnison won the girls team race by having runners finish third through sixth, led by sophomore Bria Rickert (29:06.85). Rifle was second as a team.
On the boys side, Gunnison senior Colton Stice led the field and won in 22:36.77. Rangely senior Patrick Scoggins was second in 23:01.11 — narrowly edging Montrose senior Evan Graff, who finished in 23:01.76.
Gunnison also won the boys race. Paonia was second.
COLORADO SPRINGS — Runners from all four classifications got a chance to test their race at the course the state cross country championships will be held in October.
The annual Cheyenne Mountain Stampede was all day Friday at the Norris-Penrose Event Center.
Running at the state meet venue “really helps us with our times, because you can set a mark for that state meet when you’re here,” said Rocky Ford’s Cody Danley, who finished second at state a year ago to Custer County’s Jerald Taylor. (Taylor has since graduated.)
Danley won the Class 2A boys race with a time of 17:22.6, 30 seconds faster than Telluride’s Jaden Evans, who was second. Danley’s effort also helped pace his team to a win in the 2A boys division with 12 points.
“We’ll know what to go for and try and beat and do our best to beat out there,” Danley added.
While every team didn’t attend, the Cheyenne Mountain Stampede drew a large number of teams. Still, Danley said he knows more competition is out there.
“I know there’s going to be a lot more competition at the state meet, and that’s what I’m looking for,” he said. “I like it. It helps me push.”
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Colorado Academy senior Anna Ponzio won the 3A girls race in 19:59.6. Alamosa’s Lilly Lavier was second in 20:40.8.
The Holy Family girls won the 3A race, led by Alyssa Wells, a freshman, who finished third in 20:52.2.
“I’ve been training really hard this summer, and I knew I wanted to get out fast,” Ponzio said. “My coaches told me to stay with the top group. I got out, and I was in the lead, and I just felt really good.
“It helped me so much mentally, because I’ve been really struggling,” she continued. “After last year’s state (meet), I really want to come out and run a great race.”
Ponzio was 15th at last year’s state meet.
St. Mary’s won the 2A girls team race, led by seniors Hannah McReavy (20:08.5) and Ana Muehlbauer (21:35.1), who placed first and second, respectively.
Lamar’s Blake Davis won the 3A boys race in 17:09.5, and Gunnison’s Colton Stice (17:20.3) took second place. Faith Christian won the team race, led by junior Macklin Brockmeyer, who was fifth with a time of 17:44.7.
In 5A girls, Legacy sophomore Brynn Siles topped the field in 18:21.9. Thornton senior Stephanie Carrasco was second in 19:29.9. Rocky Mountain won the team race, with junior Julia Schlepp placing third.
Battle Mountain was the top team in the 4A girls field, finishing with 49 points. The Huskies had five runners in the top 14, led by junior Lizzy Harding in seventh place.
Air Academy swept the top two places in that race, with sophomore Tatum Miller (19:30.1) winning and junior Paige Embaugh (19:34.9) taking second.
In 5A boys, Legend senior Landon Rast led his Titans to the team title by winning the individual race in 16:46.5. Douglas County’s Michael Long was second in 16:53.9.
In the final race of the day, Cheyenne Mountain held serve at its own invite. The school won the team race, and senior Thomas Chaston captured the individual event in 16:27.4. Air Academy junior Cal Banta (16:27.8) was second.
Arvada West’s cross country team returning nine all-conference selections from last season. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
ARVADA — Without question it’s a pack running mentality for Arvada West’s boys and girls cross country teams.
“I teach the kids not to get really nervous or put a lot into any one meet. The focus is to get the job done,” A-West coach Todd Moore said. “If you are having a bad day hopefully someone will step up and take your place. I try to take all the pressure off the individuals. It’s a group mentality.”
Moore’s group on the boys and girls side this fall has a ton of returning faces — including nine Class 5A Jeffco League all-conference selections from last year.
Seniors Colin Berndt, Andres Perez, Jacob Valdez and junior Drew Craig are all back on the boys’ side. There is even more returning depth on the girls’ side. Seniors Civianna Gallegos, Katie Doucette, Claire Pauley, Amber Valdez, junior Sadie Haymond and sophomore Emily Burg were all 5A Jeffco all-conference selections last year.
“I have never had these many kids coming back at one time, especially four senior girls that are all about the same,” Moore said. “Those top four girls can probably run with anyone in the state.”
Berndt won the 5A Jeffco League boys individual title as a sophomore and finished second to Dakota Ridge’s Austin Vancil last season. Losing to Vancil at the conference championships at Clement Park is something that still sticks with Berndt.
A-West senior Colin Berndt is focused on retaining the 5A Jeffco individual title. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“That is actually my main goal,” Berndt said of retaining the 5A Jeffco individual league title.
Berndt bounced back at state with a 10th place finish and is looking forward to making a move up the leaderboard at state coming up Oct. 28 at Norris Penrose Events Center in Colorado Springs.
“I’m going to try as hard as I can. I want to be up really high at state. I want to be among the top-5 if possible,” Berndt said. “I’ll keep training as hard as I can and see what happens.”
A medical diagnosis should help Perez lower his times dramatically this season. Perez as had problems breathing and was coughing after races during last spring’s track season. He was diagnosis with asthma and after using an inhaler he dropped his mile time to 4 minutes, 32 seconds and broke 2 minutes in the 800.
“My junior year in cross country wasn’t exactly what I wanted,” Perez said. “This year I know this whole team will be underdogs and we’ll have fun with it.”
Despite A-West’s boys team being three-time defending 5A Jeffco League champions and finishing 4th as a team at state, Dakota Ridge might have the inside track on dethroning the Wildcats.
The A-West girls are two-time defending conference champs. The Wildcats placed 5th at state last year.
“We are definitely aiming to win league and regionals again,” Doucette said. “Hopefully we’ll place higher in state then we did last year.”
Gallegos, Doucette, Pauley and Valdez all finished in the top-8 at the Jeffco League championships and in the top-50 at state.
“It’s really nice and our times are always really close together so we can push each other a lot,” Doucette said. “That really helps with training.”
It’s not all business for A-West. The Wildcats make sure that the summer training sessions were productive and enjoyable.
“It’s really fun because we all get along and know each other really well,” Valdez said. “Practices are really fun. We just always have fun.”
Pauley said the team would train six or seven days a week all summer. Individuals came to the school by 7 a.m. as a team almost every morning.
That dedication has built A-West into a cross country powerhouse.
“They train all year-round. It has been one of those things were success breeds success,” Moore said. “Nobody wants be the one who lets the team down. Nobody wants to be the class that doesn’t get it done.”
A-West will host its annual Wildcat Invite on Sept. 15 at Stenger Soccer Complex in Arvada this season. Moore designed the course with a snaking style where it’s easier to coach the runners during the race by seeing them multiple times.
“It gives more opportunities for kids to compete in meets,” Moore said of his reasoning for A-West to host a meet. “Nowadays there is a problem because there aren’t that many meets because it’s hard to get a facility.”
Clement Park will be the site of the Jeffco League championships Oct. 12. A-West heads to the Northwest Open Spaces Park for its regional meet Oct. 19.
The last of Telluride’s historic mines closed in 1978, but the Miners have struck gold again.
With a cross country program founded in 2008, Telluride High has already won three state championships as a team in Class 2A. After just two seasons in the books, a contingent of Ty Williams (first), Colten Rogers (sixth) and Nathan Loomis (eighth) sealed Telluride’s initial title. The girls have taken home the ultimate prize the past two seasons.
Keith Hampton and his wife, Alicia, started the program with humble beginnings. Erin Thompson joined the first team as a senior, not entirely sure what she was getting herself into.
“It was silly, because when I started I was really not much of a runner,” said Thompson, now in her first season as the cross country coach. “I had done track a little bit, but cross country was something new and very intimidating to me. I just fell in love with it.”
Keith Hampton retired from coaching this summer after putting the finishing touches on an exceptional career—the Lady Miners took home the 2A state runner-up trophy in track and field despite not even having a home track. When he took the reins in 2006, Telluride was coming off a conference meet the previous season in which they failed to score a single point.
My, how times have changed.
“They’ve been wonderful,” senior Soleil Gaylord said of Keith and Alicia Hampton. “We were really lucky to have them as coaches. They’ve led us to success. We also have a really cohesive, high morale team. Every day we come to practice ready to do our best and we push each other and are all positive with each other.”
Thompson, who will be joined by Lauren Ross and Lesley Terry on the staff, was the middle school track coach last season. She is thrilled at how far Telluride running has come.
“When we started we barely had enough girls and boys to even create a team and we were by no means fast,” she said with a laugh. “It was really a beginner group. The athletes we have running now are amazing.
“I’m just blown away by the heights they’ve reached. I never could’ve imagined our little cross country team in Telluride reaching the status they have.”
In a town well over 8,000 feet of elevation, the Miners have soared with a few individual state champions over the years as well. On the boys side, Ty Williams (2009-2011) was one of five males in state history to win at least three cross country titles. Keith Hampton’s daughter, Rachel, corralled a championship of her own in 2012 as a senior.
(Courtesy of Telluride HS)
Gaylord could follow in their footsteps. The senior has earned seventh, third and fifth place showings at the state meet. A fall crown has proved elusive for her as an individual thus far, which is just about the only item missing in her trophy case.
The long-striding senior has competed at the World Mountain Running Championships for the U.S. Junior team twice, and even claimed the junior event at the 2017 Snowshoe National Championships (Bend, Ore.) and World Championships (Saranac Lake, N.Y.). She’s also a two-time defending state champion in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs.
“My heart is — more so than track and cross country even — in mountain running,” she said. “I’ve done it my whole life.”
All the training Gaylord does in the off-seasons should put her on the right foot in 2017. She is planning to continue her career with a collegiate program, but before she moves on the hope is that the Telluride girls can make it three in a row.
It won’t be easy, not when sidekick Maya Ordonez is missing from the lineup this fall. The junior placed seventh at the state cross country meet the past two seasons, but will be off to Spain in an exchange program for a year.
Nonetheless, Telluride has established a culture that brews success.
Only three runners, rather than five like the other classifications, count towards the point tally at the 2A state meet and Gaylord is confident returning state qualifier Isabelle Bennett and others can step up to replace Ordonez and Alyssa Pack, who graduated. St. Mary’s, Paonia and Lyons look to be serious classification contenders.
As for the highest division, two running legends in Brie Oakley of Grandview and Lauren Gregory of Fort Collins have graduated. Nonetheless, 5A remains a gauntlet with Broomfield (7th) and Mountain Vista (13th) returning lineups that are nearly intact from teams that placed well at the Nike National Championships last December in Portland, Oregon.
Broomfield, the two-time defending champions, nipped the Golden Eagles by seven points at state in 2016. They will be laden with seniors, while Mountain Vista has a youthful group bursting with talent. The Front Range League has conquered nine 5A championships in a row (Broomfield, Fort Collins, Monarch).
In 4A, Battle Mountain has everyone back and is favored to win their second straight team title. The Huskies’ Elizabeth Constien (runner-up) and Naomi Harding (third) are among a handful of harriers with individual championship hopes. Durango, Air Academy and Palmer Ridge are among the challengers.
Peak to Peak has perhaps one of the best one-two punches of any small school in America in juniors Quinn McConnell (one track title, one cross title) and Anna Shults (three track titles). It would be quite a feat to stop the Pumas from defending their 3A crown, but The Classical Academy and Steamboat Springs should feature excellent lineups as well.
[divider]
Girls Cross Country preview
Important dates
Regular season begins: Aug. 24
Regional meets: Oct. 19-20
State championships:
5A/4A/3A/2A: Oct. 28, Norris Penrose Event Center, Colorado Springs, CO
Honorable Mention: Anna Busath, Palmer Ridge, So.; Katie Cole, Palmer Ridge, Jr.; Avery Doan, Eagle Valley, Jr.; Morgan Hykes, Windsor, Jr.; Madi Kenyon, Roosevelt, Jr.; Alex Raichart, Battle Mountain, Sr.; Lauren Zoe Baker, Silver Creek, Sr.
3A:
First Team: Winter Boese, Steamboat Springs, Jr.; Hannah Ellis, Frontier Academy, Sr.; Quinn McConnell, Peak to Peak, Jr.; Hannah McReavy, St. Mary’s, Sr.; Anna Shults, Peak to Peak, Jr.
Second Team: Tiana Bradfield, Peak to Peak, Jr.; Ruby Brown, Salida, So.; McKenzie Elliott, The Classical Academy, Sr.; Katie Flaherty, The Classical Academy, Jr.; Tara Sowards, Alamosa, Sr.; Chantae Steele, The Classical Academy, Jr.
Honorable Mention: Maggi Congdon, Steamboat Springs, So.; Sadie Cotton, Steamboat Springs, Sr.; Lilly Lavier, Alamosa, So.; Ashten Loeks, Elizabeth, Jr.; Kika Napierkowski, Holy Family, Sr.; Anna Ponzio, Colorado Academy, Sr.; Elle Triem, Peak to Peak, Jr.
2A:
First Team: Soleil Gaylord, Telluride, Sr.; Sydney Petersen, Crested Butte, Sr.; Chloe Veilleux, Soroco, Jr.
Second Team: Kayla Carter, Custer County, Jr.; Helen Cross, Nederland, So. Sarah Davidson, Nederland, Sr.; Courtney Jenson, Wiggins, Sr.; Emma Schaefer, Shining Mountain Waldorf, Jr.
Honorable Mention: Caroline Benney, Lake County, Sr.; Bria Johnson, The Vanguard School, So.; Kaylee Kearse, Peyton, Sr.; Samantha O’Brien, Clear Creek, Sr.; Maria O’Neal, Crested Butte, Sr.; CeAnn Udovich, Lyons, Sr.
LONE TREE — Over the course of two days at CHSAA’s annual All-School Summit, the state’s athletic directors hear about the impact high school activities have on student-athletes.
On Tuesday morning, they saw it first-hand.
Poudre senior Ky Ecton addressed the ADs to talk about how important high school activities have been in her life. She participates in tennis, cross country, swimming and unified sports at Poudre after growing up also playing volleyball, basketball, track, and skiing.
“When I play high school sports, I am never on my own,’ she said. “High school sports are about more than a score. It is about the fight and the support of a team.”
Ecton comes from a family of athletes. Her older sisters, Kwynn, Kayl and Koy, all played sports growing up. Her mother and father both played sports in college.
The reigning champion at Class 5A No. 1 singles, Ecton said she is “more than by 5k person record, 50-freestyle pace, and first-serve percentages.”
“I am proud to be a passionate nerd who loves school and values her education,” said Ecton, who is in the IB program at Poudre and carries a 4.14 GPA. She also participates in FBLA and DECA, and volunteers at Poudre Valley Hospital and her school.
“I believe that with all my activities and extracurriculars, high school sports keep me balanced,” Ecton said. “I play a sport each season: cross country in the fall, swimming and unified basketball in the winter, and tennis in the spring.
“Tennis is my main sport but I strongly believe that these other sports do help me from getting burnt out and help keep me mentally tough, as a well-rounded individual,” Ecton continued. “Sports keep me motivated in school because I don’t have the time to go home and watch be a couch potato watching Netflix.”
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Ecton said that high school activities have taught her to “never taken anything for granted.”
“I have many opportunities to travel for tournaments, but I have realized that I enjoy high school tennis more than traveling to tournaments,” she said. “I have my smurf crew sporting blue and silver cheering me on, always there for me after I get off the court — win or lose.
“My tennis team is my second family — literally and figuratively,” Ecton continued. “My mother is my head coach and every year I have been on the team, not only has my cousin or sister has played with me, but one of my older sister has been an assistant coach.
“Along with that, I meet new girls every year who may well be my sisters. We care about eachother more than any win-loss record or state title and everyone’s battle on and off the court is experienced by every player. The teamwork is incredible. From rain delays to dance parties, I always know I have my girls with me.”
Ecton said high school activities have allowed her to meet people she never would have otherwise, given her the chance to represent her town and community, and taught her the value of teamwork.
“Most importantly,” she said, “I play to have fun. I love going out there and competing on the court, course, and field, wearing my Poudre Blue and representing the Impalas.”
Ecton concluded by saying that, “High school sports have taught me lessons I never would have learned anywhere else.”
“I have learned to respect all the coaches, parents, athletes, and spectators that make it fun and appealing to play,” Ecton said. “I have learned more from my losses than my wins and experienced how vital teamwork is so nobody gets left behind. Above all sportsmanship is critical, and it’s not worth it if it isn’t fun.
Pomona High School graduate Brandon Micale, fourth from the right, after receiving the 48th annual Freddie Steinmark Award on June 9. Micale was also named the Class 5A Male Jeffco Athlete of the Year. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
ARVADA — Pomona High School graduate Brandon Micale has collected multiple awards after the end of the 2016-17 school year.
The three-sport (football, wrestling and track) not only picked up the Class 5A Jeffco Male Athlete of the Year award June 9 during the 32nd annual Jeffco Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet, Micale was also presented the coveted Freddie Steinmark Award by the Colorado High School Coaches Association.
“It definitely means a lot to me to be recognized for all the accomplishments,” Micale said. “It seems like its just for this year, but it’s really for four years of hard work in the weight room and on the field.”
Micale, who will play football at the University of San Diego next fall, was also recognized at a Colorado Rockies game this month after being named the Colorado High School Activities Association Active Scholar Scholarship.
Pomona’s three-sport athlete Brandon Micale, left, stands with Mike Santarelli, Pomona Athletic Director. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The Pomona graduate spent a lot of time last winter visiting multiple schools before deciding to head to the West Coast for college. Some of his visits included John Hopkins University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Micale helped lead Pomona to back-to-back 5A state football championship games. Was on back-to-back 5A state wrestling championship teams and helped the Panthers’ boys track team to a state title in 2016. All while tackling differential equations and linear algebra.
He finished off his outstanding prep athlete career winning the Class 5A boys discus event last month at the state track and field championships at Jeffco Stadium.
“That was huge for me,” Micale said of concluding his prep career by winning his lone individual state title. “I’ve won team titles with wrestling and track, but I always left at the end of the season with a fourth or third place individual title. It was the only season where I wasn’t like ‘darn’ at the end of the season. It was the first time I’ve ever rode home from a state championship happy. I left at the top.”
Ralston Valley’s four-sport (cross country, basketball, girls soccer and track) Sarah Bevington was named the 5A Jeffco Female Athlete of the Year.
Jeffco 5A Female Athlete of the Year Sarah Bevington, left, and Ralston Valley’s Athletic Director Jim Hynes. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Jim Hynes, Ralston Valley’s Athletic Director, described Bevington as “Wonder Woman” during his introduction of the Ralston Valley graduate who finished with 16 varsity letters during her four years as a Mustang.
Bevington will play soccer at Baylor University next fall.
Another four-sport athlete was named the Jeffco 4A Male Athlete of the Year. Dylan Jacob, who heads to Western State Colorado University to play football, left Green Mountain High School with a total of 14 varsity letters in football, basketball, boys swimming and baseball.
Green Mountain’s Dylan Jacob, middle, was named the 4A Jeffco Male Athlete of the Year. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“He is an athlete who has meant the world to me over the last few years,” Green Mountain football coach Matt Pees said. “He is a young man who exceeded expectations every step of the way during his career.”
Golden graduate Sydney Prey was named the Jeffco 4A Female Athlete of the Year. The basketball and golf standout wasn’t able to attend the ceremony, but she has a good reason. Prey was in Alamosa playing in the CHSCA All-State Games.
Prey, who will play hoops and golf at Colorado Mesa College, led the Demons to their first 4A Jeffco League girls basketball title in nearly a decade. She also became a four-time state golf qualifier, placing fifth in the 4A state tournament last month.
[divider]
Jeffco Athletics 2016-17 Awards
Athletes of the Year
Jeffco 5A Male: Brandon Micale, Pomona
Jeffco 5A Female: Sarah Bevington, Ralston Valley
Jeffco 4A Male: Dylan Jacob, Green Mountain
Jeffco 4A Female: Sydney Prey, Golden
Coaches of the Year
Jeffco 5A Coach of Male Sports: Sam Federico, Pomona
Jeffco 5A Coach of Female Sports: Stephanie Schick, Chatfield
Jeffco 4A Coach of Male Sports: Bret McGatlin, Chatfield
Jeffco 4A Coach of Female Sports: Sandi Patterson, Green Mountain
Assistant Coaches of the Year
Jeffco 5A Asst. of Male Sports: Todd Moore, Arvada West
Jeffco 5A Asst. of Female Sports: Gary Lash, Lakewood
Jeffco 4A Asst. of Female Sports: Dan Patterson, Green Mountain
Fred Steinmark Team Award
Jeffco 5A: Ralston Valley
Jeffco 4A: D’Evelyn
Paul Davis Sportsmanship Award
Jeffco 5A: Columbine & Chatfield
Jeffco 4A: D’Evelyn
