DENVER — Ralston Valley’s Jordan Remley won the Jeffco League girls golf tournament at Fox Hollow on Monday.
Remley shot 1-over. Teammate Sydney Eye was second (+7), while Arvada West’s Miranda Schiffbauer (+8) finished third.
Ralston Valley also finished first as a team, shooting a combined +44. Arvada West (+68) placed second, and Evergreen (+86) was third. Golden (+88) and Columbine (+121) rounded out the top five.
Golden senior Sydney Prey eyes her tee shot on the No. 2 hole on the Links course Monday morning at Fox Hollow Golf Course in Lakewood. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
LAKEWOOD — Sydney Prey has less than two months of being the trailblazer for her younger sisters — Makena and Haley.
Golden High School’s Prey sisters — senior Sydney, junior Makena and freshman Haley — made their mark on the basketball court last winter helping to guide the Demons to their first Class 4A Jeffco League title in nearly a decade. Now, the trio is leading the way on the golf course.
Golf started as a family affair when the three sisters were young.
“It’s definitely more relaxed. It’s a whole different type of game,” Sydney said comparing golf to basketball with her two sisters. “It’s a lot more individual and you don’t have to rely on my sisters as much as I do on the court.”
Sydney capped off her final preps hoops season averaging more than 13 points per game as Golden had a 22-4 record.
She said Monday before teeing it up at Fox Hollow Golf Course in the second of six girls golf Jeffco League tournaments that she will decided in the next few weeks where she will play her college basketball. Sydney has narrowed down her landing spots to three Division II programs — Metro State University, Colorado Mesa University and University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.
Sydney Prey watches her par putt attempt Monday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Before heading back to the basketball court, Sydney is focused on finishing off her already accomplished prep golf career in style. The senior is a three-time state qualifier. Last year she placed tied for seventh at the 4A state tournament. She also finished tied for 38th (2015) and 42nd (2014) in the 5A state tournament when she was at Ralston Valley High School.
“You just have to stay focused and stay calm on the golf course because obviously on the golf course things can go south pretty fast,” Sydney said of advice she would give golfers during the quick two-month spring season. “You have to keep your composure.”
Makena, who averaged a double-double in points and rebounds during the hoops season, admits it has been good to have her older sister lead the way.
“It’s really nice to have her (Sydney). She kind of takes a lot of the pressure off. It makes it easier for us behind her,” Makena said. “We are definitely going to miss her as our No. 1. Hopefully we can fill in her spots next year.”
Makena is also a returning state qualifier. She placed tied for 32nd last year as a sophomore.
Then there is the youngest sister, Haley. The freshman shot a round of 87 at her first high school tournament at Applewood Golf Course before spring break. Haley’s round was good enough for fourth place.
Golden freshman Haley Prey grabs the flag stick during a windy Monday at Fox Hollow Golf Course. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“They have really helped me along with the process,” Haley said of leaning on her sisters. “It’s been really exciting.”
Golden is the favorite to win the 4A Jeffco League team title. Evergreen could challenge led by its three-time state qualifier in senior Natalie Holley.
After placing in the top-10 last year individually and helping Golden to a fifth-place finish in the 4A team standings, Sydney wants a little more.
“I’m definitely, obviously looking to win,” Sydney said of state. “At least place higher than I did last year.”
The state-qualifying regional tournament for most of the 4A Jeffco girls golf teams will be at West Woods Golf Course in Arvada on May 8. The 4A state tournament is at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie on May 22 and 23.
Golden’ Prey sisters — Sydney, Haley and Makena — are leading the Demons’ girls golf program this spring. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Colorado Academy’s Caroline Jordaan takes at the green. The Mustangs will compete as a 3A team in 2017. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
With great numbers comes great opportunity.
In high school athletics, that is the name of the game after all: opportunity.
That will be afforded to more girls this spring as golf will begin play with a third classification for the first time.
In 2017, the state of Colorado will feature 104 golf programs. The numbers are there, meaning that it was time to widen competition and add a third class in order to provide more chances for girls from smaller schools not just to participate, but to compete.
“It was going to be very difficult with a classification as big as 4A and 5A was for a lot of our smaller schools to be able to compete,” said golf committee chair Mike Hughes, the athletic director at Vista PEAK. “Even though it’s an individual sport, there is still a team component. To have a sport with such a big swing from the smallest schools in the state to schools with about 1,300 kids makes it fairly tough for those schools to compete.”
That’s not to say that schools that are 3A schools that were competing in Class 4A weren’t succeeding. Colorado Academy claimed the overall team title. This year, the Mustangs will compete as a 3A team.
Kent Denver’s Marin Halvorsen and Rifle’s Elly Walters both excelled individually last year and as a result, made the CHSAANow.com all-state team. Both will return to the links this spring, looking to claim individual golf championships and better placings for their teams.
“It’s exciting,” Walters said. “Obviously Colorado Academy is still in our classification and they’re going to be really good again, but I’m excited because as a team too, I really think we have a chance (to compete).”
But for smaller schools with some potential lower participation numbers, the overall addition of a 3A class can provide girls a chance to do things they maybe couldn’t do a year ago.
“I think it’ll give more girls an opportunity to say that they’ve played in a state tournament,” Manitou Springs coach Ken Vecchio said. “I know in the past, I’d bet that about 65 percent of the kids that qualified were from 4A schools and the 35 were below. Having a 3A and below, I think that’ll be good for girls.”
In each of the last two 4A tournaments, the Mustangs have only qualified one golfer for the state tournament. But now the door is open for more girls from schools like Manitou, Alamosa, Wray, Swink, and others, to step on the course at a state championship event.
It’s not just a benefit for those at smaller schools. The creation of 3A will also see positive results in the 4A and 5A classes as well. With the classes evened out through enrollment it should provide tough competition at events such as regionals or state championships.
“I think it’s the right thing to do,” Cheyenne Mountain coach John Carricato said. “What my understanding is that the top third in enrollment are in 5A, the middle third is in 4A and the bottom third is 3A. When you look at it that way, it certainly levels out the playing field. You still have to have stud players.”
And that will be the case for each class. Stud players will remain atop the leaderboards, but now girls who may have finished in the top 20 now have a chance to bring home a medal.
And with 252 total golfers set to compete at the state championship tournaments in May, more of those opportunities exist today and will continue to grow in the coming years.
“The opportunity comes from more people and more teams potentially having success because there’s three classes now,” Carricato said. “I can draw back to last year and even though we were three-time state champs, taking second was still rewarding. Now another team gets to take second.”
It’s another sign of increased interest and participation in high school athletics. And with 2017 marking the first year of additional chances for new players and teams to compete, it’s only a matter of time before more athletes begin taking advantage of them.
“Anything we can do as a state and as an association that can positively impact the development and growth of a child in a positive way is going to be a win for us,” Hughes said. “How we go about structuring that and how we go about offering opportunities for kids and schools to compete is something that’s going to adjust every couple of years.”
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Girls golf preview
Class 5A
Defending individual champion: Mary Weinstein, Regis Jesuit (graduated)
Defending state champion: Grandview
Regular season begins: Mar. 2
Regional tournaments: May 11-12
State tournament: May 22-23, The Club at Rolling Hills, Golden
Returning all-state golfers: Julia Baroth, Sr., Denver East; Amy Chitkoksoong, So., Grandview; Leigha Devine, So., Fossil Ridge; Jaclyn Murray, Sr., Regis Jesuit; Jordan Remley, Sr., Regis Jesuit.
Class 4A
Defending individual champion: Erin Sargent, Silver Creek (graduated)
Defending state champion: Colorado Academy (now 3A)
Regular season begins: Mar. 2
Regional tournaments: May 11-12
State tournament: May 22-23, Colorado National, Erie
EDITOR’S NOTE: Opinions in this Mailbag do not reflect an official viewpoint of CHSAA.
In this installment of the CHSAANow.com Mailbag, we tackle the questions about the classification system, moving softball to the spring, recruiting officials, and (of course) RPI.
The CLOC committee is involved in creating the classification system. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
I am interested in understanding how the classification process works. It does not seem to me to be strictly an enrollment issue. How can a school participate in one class for one sport and another class for a different sport?
— Tom
The classification system, to me, is one of the biggest issues CHSAA is facing right now.
First, here’s a direct answer to your question: Right now, the classes are set by-and-large by enrollment, with a very small amount of teams playing up (by choice) or down (due to lack of success) a class.
Schools can have different teams in different classes because of that reason, but also because sports have a differing number of classes. For example, football has seven classes, but boys soccer has three. The enrollment cutoffs are different for those sports. (Note that this isn’t always true, as basketball, which has five classes, has the same cutoffs as soccer.)
I hold a firm belief that enrollment alone does not give enough of a picture to determine classes. I think there should be some weight given to success, or lack thereof, which would probably do a better job at placing programs in a classification.
For example, a program that has won six-straight tennis championships in 4A probably ought to move up to 5A. A football team that has gone 0-10 for three straight years in 3A is probably better suited playing 2A.
Those are, obviously, extreme examples. I think this type of success-based addition to the classification system should be more nuanced, taking into account things like regular season wins, playoff appearances, and the levels of postseason reached.
Of course, this may have the side effect of placing more programs of the same school into different classifications. However, I really think that’s OK.
Recently, a small step was taken in this direction: The CHSAA staff visited with members of the California Interscholastic Federation, and received a briefing on their classification system. That system does take success (or lack of it) into account, tackling competitive equity.
Any discussion of moving softball to spring season like many other states and college? Does CHSAA realize the number of female athletes that compete in both softball and volleyball and are forced to choose one sport in high school?
Volleyball is clearly a fall sport and softball is clearly a spring sport in college which makes since for alignment.
— Dustin, Aurora
Yes, actually. I was surprised to learn this.
A survey was created about this topic by Kit Carson School District superintendent Robert Framel, and it went out to all schools. His survey indicated the following:
Most of the 5A, 4A and 3A schools were not in favor of a move to the spring. In 5A and 4A, just 15 percent of schools were in favor of the move, while 39.4 percent of 3A schools were in favor of a move.
Results were slightly more mixed from 1A and 2A (though there is no softball at that level; any schools parcipating here play 3A). In 2A, nine of the 23 surveyed responded that they did want a move, while nine of the 17 surveyed in 1A indicated the same.
Because of these survey results, it is my understanding that the softball committee will hear a proposal to create a 2A softball season in the spring when that committee meets on Nov. 17. That would leave 5A, 4A and 3A playing in the fall.
This is just my opinion, but I believe that would be a bad move. We should not be splitting the same sport into different seasons.
Additionally, a move to a spring season would create other concerns, such as a lack of umpires, the pool of which crosses over from both high school baseball and from college softball (both played in the spring). Also, indications are that it would be very difficult to secure Aurora Sports Park in the spring. So the state tournaments would have to find a similar facility elsewhere.
As far as athletes having to choose one sport over another, that would happen even in the spring with girls sports like track, lacrosse, and soccer.
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(Michael Hankins/TGWstudios.com)
With Paul Angelico and Tom Robinson retiring at the end of the school year, will there be an emphasis on the new regime to recruit newer and better officials for all sports?
Specifically, at the football level, there is a major shortage of officials and a big reason for that is Colorado ranks third-to-last in the country in terms of what officials are paid — and it’s likely like that across all sports.
Isn’t it time for CHSAA — and its member schools and districts — to get serious about getting better officials, and that would require a financial commitment that has been lagging for decades?
— C.J. T., Denver
There have been strides made in this area, as recently as this season, and it is now being looked at every two-year cycle. I believe many schools are starting to take action on this.
I asked Tom Robinson, our officials liaison, about this:
“We might be third in pay, but I’m certain we’re also near the bottom in terms of educational funds, as well,” he said. “So there’s a correlation.”
Still, Robinson acknowledged that this was an issue, and that he was working on it.
“I think that’s a problem,” he said, “but I also think there are other factors. Things like fan abuse and career changes are equally in the mix.
“There’s been a change in the paradigm recently, where we’re no longer strictly getting our officials from the educational world,” Robinson continued. “We’re now getting people from all walks of life.”
As you mention, he is retiring, and we are going to miss him in that office. But I think he wants to have a structure in place to recruit officials before he leaves.
For example, he mentioned an “Each One, Teach One” program where every current official becomes a mentor and helps recruit another official.
Here’s another idea: We’ve got thousands of great “refs” in the stands at games. Why not recruit them?
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I enjoyed reading your proposed changes to the RPI article. I myself have struggled with your own winning percentage holding as much weight as your OOWP and both far behind OWP.
Will basketball consider switching the formula in time for this season?
— Zach, Swink
Thank you, I appreciate that, and thank you for reading.
I honestly do not know if basketball can switch before the winter season, but I will say this: it’s probably best to not get your hopes up.
But also remember that basketball has 19-23 games, so that will help. Again, the problem in football is by-and-large being caused by the relatively small amount of games.
The spring season may be more realistic.
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(Morgan Dzak/CHSAANow.com)
When Silver Creek and Longmont played last week in football, Silver Creek won and stayed fourth in RPI yet Longmont lost and moved up to fifth in RPI.
How is this possible, and why does it seem that RPI rewards teams for losing to great teams? Doesn’t that seem a bit counter-intuitive?
— Jamal, Longmont
This is one of the biggest misconceptions about RPI: It is not a game-to-game rating system, like a coaches poll. It rates teams based on their entire season.
So what likely happened in this instance is that Silver Creek already had a solid strength-of-schedule rating, and it was relatively unchanged by the fact that the Raptors played Longmont. In Longmont’s case, it appears to have helped the Trojans’ SOS, and they moved up as a result.
Now to your second point, we’ve gotten some feedback from our schools (and I agree) that the OWP column is weighted too much, especially for a sport like football, with only 10 games. I believe that will be addressed prior to next season.
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(Kevin Keyser/KeyserImages.com)
Will the RPI be used in women’s hoops and will it be used to seed the teams for the state playoffs? If not, is only being used to select the overall field of playoff teams?
— Kevin, Greenwood Village
Hot off the digital press! It’s our basketball bulletin. See pages 24-30 for qualifying formats.
This answer applies to both girls and boys basketball: Each class has a slightly different way of approaching this, but the RPI will be the primary factor in seeding in all classes, adjusting to accommodate geography and avoid first-round matchups where possible.
There are exceptions, like 3A, where seeds 1-7 will be district champions.
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(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Is there a reason why CHSAA does not announce where the girls golf regional and state tournaments will be played at the beginning of the school year?
— Hank P., Golden
They typically are announced at that time, but not always.
I think, more than any other sport, golf’s state tournament sites are unique because it is so difficult to find a host course, as well as a school willing to serve as a host.
There are other factors to consider, like how the sites rotate on a geographic basis most of the time, so that can make it even more difficult to secure a course.
As a result, the announcement of sites can at times take longer than other sports.
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So rugby is getting bigger and better in Colorado, has there been any mention to add boys and girls rugby league and rugby union to high school programs?
The game is becoming much popular and athletes from other sports are participating making the game much more competitive.
Griffin Barlea competes at the 5A boys golf championship last fall. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
A trio of Colorado golfers wrapped up play at the U.S. Junior Amateur championship this week, but not with the results they were after.
Soon to be seniors Griffin Barlea (Lakewood) and Trevor Olkowski (Grand Junction) both missed the cut on the boys side. Barlea finished at 12-over while Olkowski finished 16-over.
At the Class 5A state tournament last fall, Olkowski finished at 1-over, good enough to finish third at the event. Barlea was only off Olkowski by one stroke, finishing at 2-over which put him in a tie for fifth place.
On the girls side, 2016 Dolores graduate Kiselya Plewe shot 13-over in two days, missing the cut by four strokes.
Plewe also shot 13-over at the 4A girls state tournament in May, which put her in a tie at fourth place.
A graduate of Montezuma-Cortez, Plewe competed for the Dolores golf team through high school. She will attend Weber State this fall and compete on the golf team there.
Through all the moments that we saw, we complied a list of some of our favorites moments from the past year.
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Cherokee Trail overcomes tragedy to take Class 5A volleyball title
The Cherokee Trail volleyball team began the season dealing with something no high school kids should have to deal with. Before the season, a friend and teammate, Celeste James, passed away.
West Grand gives football coach Chris Brown 306th win
Chris Brown. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
Playing with heavy hearts following the death of a teammate earlier in the week, West Grand football gave coach Chris Brown career win No. 306 last fall to tie a state record.
The 8-man team played just three days after quarterback JD Guess was killed in a car accident while driving home from practice.
“The win tonight had little to do with me,” Brown wrote in an email afterward. “First, credit goes to Eric Guess [JD’s father] and Will [his brother, and a former player at West Grand], our amazing assistant coaches, an unbelievable crowd, and a tremendous effort from our kids.”
Christian McCaffrey finishes second in Heisman voting
Christian McCaffrey. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
A whirlwind of a regular season put Valor Christian alum Christian McCaffrey in the national spotlight. The Stanford star was named a finalist for the 2015 Heisman Trophy and finished as the runner-up to Alabama running back Derrick Henry.
McCaffrey was in the national spotlight again less than three weeks later as he helped the Cardinal roll to a 45-16 win in the Rose Bowl. The former Eagle record 368 all-purpose yards in the game and scored two touchdowns.
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Holy Family, Chris Helbig has record-setting start to football season
Chris Helbig. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
The start of the 2015 football season was a sprint, not a marathon for Holy Family quarterback Chris Helbig. The senior set a state record by throwing for 607 yards in the Tigers first game of the year in a win against Mountain View.
Helbig’s season came to a disappointing end as he tore his ACL and was unable to finish the football season or compete during the basketball season. Despite the injury, Helbig aims to continue his football career at the University of Colorado.
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Meeker’s T.J. Shelton win fourth wrestling title
Despite trailing early in his match, Meeker’s T.J. Shelton became the 19th wrestler in state history to win his fourth wrestling title.
Shelton accomplished the feat with a 16-7 major decision over Centauri’s Chris Martin.
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Houtsma recovers from crash to win nordic skate
Graham Houtsma. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Graham Houtsma took a nasty spill and lost one of his poles when he was leading the nordic skate at the 2016 state skiing championships.
He recovered, was a given a new pole by a teammate, and went on to win the race by one-tenth of a second.
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Kent Denver coach Scott Yates wins 300th game
Kent Denver’s Scott Yates. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Longtime Kent Denver football coach and athletic director Scott Yates won his 300th career game in October.
“It’s not a one-guy deal. That’s all there is to it,” Yates said after the game. “The school’s been great. The program has been a lot of fun. And the coaches and the kids that we’ve had the pleasure to work with is really what makes it.”
Yates was the fourth coach to reach the mark.
But like Brown’s 306th win, this milestone came in a wake of school tragedy. Kent Denver teacher Kristin Brown had passed away a week earlier, and the loss weighed heavy on the school.
“I don’t know if you heard him after the game, but after winning 300 games, he didn’t even talk about that,” said Kent Denver running back Will McKissick. “He talked about Ms. Brown, who we lost this week, and he talked about how there are more important things than football. I think that’s not your average guy.”
Kent Denver advanced to the 2A semfinals in the fall, which puts Yates’ career mark at 304-74. The state record, held by Brown and Pat Panek, is 306 wins.
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Regis Jesuit boys basketball coach Ken Shaw wins No. 700
Regis Jesuit players pose with coach Ken Shaw after he won his 700th game. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
The greens at the Pueblo Country Club are no joke. But with a championship on the line, Silver Creek senior Erin Sargent refused to let them stop her from claiming the 4A girls golf championship in May.
She sank a birdie putt on 18 to top Caroline Jordaan and end her high school career as the best 4A golfer in the state.
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Mountain Range wins 5A softball title
Mountain Range won the 5A softball championship. (Tim Visser/TimVisserPhotography.com)
The 5A softball title went to a team that had never even reached the state tournament before. Mountain Range started play in 2009 and made the state tournament for the first time in 2015.
The Mustangs made the most out of the opportunity, coming away with the 5A championship with a 12-2 win over Pomona. It was only the second overall state championship in school history.
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Valor Christian avenges early-season loss to claim 5A football title
Pomona was good enough to beat Valor Christian in the regular season. But the Eagles proved to be tougher to handle with gold on the line.
Valor forced a turnover with less than three minutes left and was able to capitalize on it to come away with its sixth championship in seven seasons.
“In our program, we don’t want to focus too much on peaks and valleys,” Valor coach Rod Sherman said. “We lost a close game like this last year and tried not to be too devastated about it, and this year we’ll try not to be too over the moon.”
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Castle View’s co-ed spirit title felt like a win for all
In perhaps the year’s best example of all for one and one for all, the Denver Coliseum exploded with cheers for Castle View when it was announced the Sabercats had won the 4A/5A co-ed title.
The reason was easy, coach Heather Acampora has become known for actively rooting on all teams at the event, competition or not. With Acampora’s desire to see all teams succeed at the highest level, it was easy to be happy for her own team’s victory.
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Rainsberger caps incredible career
Katie Rainsberger. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
The 2016 state track meet proved to be the perfect sendoff for Air Academy senior Katie Rainsberger. After bringing home the cross country title in the fall, the Oregon commit swept the 800, 1,600, 3,200 and 3,200 relay to end her high school career as one of the top runners the state has ever seen.
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Sanford ties record for winning streak
Sanford won the 2A boys basketball title. (Jeff Tucker/jefferywtucker.zenfolio.com)
Sanford boys basketball won its third-consecutive 2A championship in March, and in the process extended its winning streak to 73 games. That ties the state record held by Ridway in 1993-96.
The winning streak dates to the middle of the 2013-14 season.
Sanford beat Resurrection Christian 63-58 in dramatic fashion to win the 2A title.
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Oliana Squires ties state tournament scoring record
Sand Creek’s Oliana Squires. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Oliana Squires put on an historic performance during the 4A girls basketball Final 4. The Sand Creek senior tied a state tournament record by scoring 43 points in the Scorpions loss to Evergreen.
Valor Christian went on to win the girls 4A title, but the scoring effort by Squires in the semifinals was the standout performance of the tournament.
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Gifs used to help pass time for 5A basketball bracket release
I might be tough to recall games off the tops of our heads, but the fun we all had while waiting for the basketball selection committee to release the 5A boys basketball was definitely one of the top moments of the year.
Vista Ridge, Sand Creek produce wild ending in boys hoops
In one of the craziest endings all year, in any sport, Sand Creek battled back from a 20-point deficit in the second half to take its first lead of the game on a Jordan Phillips 3-pointer (video above).
The Scorpions forced a turnover and possessed the ball with 10 seconds remaining, but a steal led to an open shot for Raymon Harper who would knock it down, giving the Wolves a huge win over their district rivals.
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Juarez throws a gem to give Holly first baseball title
Seven innings of dominance on the mound gave Holly its first baseball championship in school history, as the Wildcats came away with the 1A crown.
Ricardo Juarez threw seven innings, allowing only four hits while striking out six Fleming hitters in the win.
“Ricardo’s been our guys since he was a freshman,” Holly coach Dayne Eaton said. “We’ve been so close. Two years ago we knocked off a great Stratton team and then last year we tried to save Ricardo and got beat by Dove Creek and they went on to win it.”
Holly had fallen to Fleming in the 2013 1A title game.
The Lewis-Palmer girls soccer team finally got the state championship that barely eluded them a year ago. After falling to Cheyenne Mountain in penalty kicks in 2015, the Rangers needed to find the back of the net only once in 2016.
Annica Fletemeyer scored the only of goal of the game as the Rangers topped Valor Christian 1-0.
“I didn’t want to miss it, that’s what was going through my mind,” Fletemeyer said. “It was a great ball by Brianna (Alger). I didn’t want to miss it because I didn’t want to let my team down. It was just such a rushing feeling of emotion, so I’m just really glad I could put it away.”
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Colorado Academy wins fourth-consecutive field hockey title
Colorado Academy field hockey has won 70-straight games. (Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)
For the seniors on Colorado Academy’s field hockey team, the feeling of not winning a state championship will never be felt.
The Mustangs increased their winning streak to 70 games and captured their fourth state field hockey title in as many years.
“It’s definitely not routine,” Colorado Academy coach Veronica Scott said. “It’s beautiful for the seniors because there’s eight girls here who have not lost a game in four years. It’s their fourth championship. For them, that’s extra special.”
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Pueblo West finishes quest for first boys basketball title
Pueblo West was not among the early favorites to come away with the 4A boys basketball title. But that didn’t stop the Cyclones from storming through the bracket.
The win gave the Cyclones their first boys basketball championship in school history.
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Fairview girls tennis ends Cherry Creek’s 19-year state title run
Fairview girls tennis won this year’s 5A championship. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
For 19 straight years, Cherry Creek was the talk of 5A girls tennis. That run ended in may as Fairview became the first team since the Bill Clinton administration to best the Bruins for the team title.
Thanks to Sophie Pearson’s win in No. 3 singles, the Knights edged Cherry Creek by three points. But it took some time for the feat to sink in for Fairview coach Susan Stensrud.
“I’m not one hundred percent,” she said. “I don’t believe it one hundred percent. It hasn’t sunk in, but I’m so glad it’s this team of girls.”
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Valor Christian wins twice on a Sunday to capture 4A baseball
Valor Christian baseball won 4A. (Tom Robinson/CHSAANow.com)
Weather (shockingly) pushed the completion of the 2016 baseball championships back one day. So it was on a Sunday that Valor Christian was able to beat Pueblo West twice to come away with its first baseball championship.
It was the seventh team championship on the year for the Eagles which led all schools.
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Limon’s sportsmanship helps Rocky Ford en route to softball tourney
The Rocky Ford softball team returned to Limon in May to thank the community for its sportsmanship. (Tom Robinson/CHSAANow.com)
Rocky Ford softball was on the way to the 3A state tournament last fall, and when it passed through Limon, the team was met with a road block — and a banner directing the team to a parking lot.
The Rocky Ford team had two players who recently lost their parents, and the tragedies were “widely and deeply felt,” according to coach JC Carrica.
Limon’s community rose up. They prepared goody bags for each player, took the time to talk with the players who recently lost their parents, and then sent Rocky Ford off with honking horns and more banners.
“The girls were hanging their heads out of the bus window, yelling, smiling, of course taking pictures and selfies,” Carrica said. “It was just the encouragement and lift we needed. As we left Limon and entered the interstate, there was not a dry eye on the bus.”
Loveland ends Pine Creek football’s 37-game winning streak
(Josh Watt/CHSAANow.com)
Pine Creek football was a juggernaut this season, storming it was through the 4A ranks.
But then the Eagles ran into Loveland, a No. 13 seed which stunned Pine Creek with a 26-14 win in the semifinals. The loss ended a 37-game winning streak for Pine Creek, which spanned two championships.
Loveland advanced to the 4A title game, where it lost to Windsor.
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Regis Jesuit stuns Monarch to win hockey’s championship
Regis Jesuit won hockey’s championship in the winter. (Ray Chen/ArrayPhoto.com)
Monarch was the team in Colorado hockey this season, entering with a 21-0 record, and beating teams by a combined score of 20-4 on its way to the championship game.
The Coyotes even took a 1-0 lead 13 seconds into that championship game, against Regis Jesuit in March.
Oh, but. The Raiders stormed back with six unanswered goals to stun Monarch and win the title, 6-1.
Regis Jesuit’s Mary Weinstein won the 5A girls golf individual title. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
AURORA — At Regis Jesuit High School, there’s a wall of fame. Mary Weinstein was hoping she could earn her place on it Tuesday.
“You have to place top-5 at state in your sport,” she said. “I hadn’t done it in the past, but I finally got my picture today.”
During the final round of her career on the second day of the Class 5A girls golf state tournament at CommonGround Golf Course, Weinstein was not only a top-5 finisher in 5A, she was the class of the state tournament, becoming the first individual in school history to win a girls golf state championship. The senior finished her 36 holes at a four-under total of 140 (71, 69), beating Grandview freshman Amy Chitkoksoong by four shots.
“Regis is an amazing school where we excel in a lot of sports,” said Weinstein, a Regis University recruit. “To be the first one to win a golf tournament for the girls, it’s a great feeling. I’m just really glad I get to represent Regis in the way that I can through golf.”
The only one to shoot in the red on Monday in less than optimal conditions with a one-under 71, Weinstein carried a four-shot lead over Monarch’s Delaney Elliott, Ralston Valley’s Jordan Remley and Grandview’s Morgan Sahm after day one.
Her and Sahm, paired in the final round together with Remley, have trained with one another since the start of their teenage years. Having a friend to compete side-by-side with seemed to help Weinstein relax — as did an early birdie and eagle.
“I think I just stayed calm all day and mentally positive,” she said. “I knew that I had to keep it low to stay where I was. I needed a couple birdies under my belt and once I got that going I felt pretty relaxed.”
Back-to-back pars then led to a birdie on hole No. 3. Then, on No. 5, she had an eagle on a par 5. With two more birdies on the back nine, with only two bogeys overall on the day, Weinstein was in control throughout the two-day state tournament as a senior after finishing in a tie for seventh as a junior, a tie for 10th as a sophomore and a tie for 16th as a freshman.
Despite Weinstein’s individual prowess, the Raiders saw an eight-stroke lead after day one evaporate as a changing of the guard occurred — two-time defending champion Regis was overtaken by Grandview, a school about three miles from Regis in Aurora.
Grandview won the 5A girls golf championship. (Jenn Roberts-Uhlig/CHSAANow.com)
The Raiders shot 230 Monday, while the Wolves were in second at 238. But superb play by the tandem of Chitkoksoong and Sahm, a senior who finished third at 148 (75, 73), allowed Grandview to chip into the lead and eventually overtake Regis on the way to their first-ever state championship in girls golf.
Chitkoksoong, Sahm and sophomore Caitlin O’Donnell (83) had a combined total of 224 on Tuesday, 10 lower than Regis, as they secured a two-stroke victory. Arvada West was third with 479 points at 47-over.
“I’m just so proud of the girls to come back from eight strokes this morning,” veteran Grandview coach Mary Danielson said. “We knew it was going to be hard, but they just played lights out. From day one we knew we wanted to win a state championship. I think we believed in ourselves enough to do that.”
Chitkoksoong, one of only two players along with Weinstein to shoot under 70 on Tuesday, had the best score of the day at 68. A back nine of 33 during her opening round pulled the first-year into a tie for fifth with Regis Jesuit’s Jaclyn Murray. And the way she closed Monday in style — an eagle on No. 18 — helped carry her into a confident Tuesday and runner-up finish.
“I didn’t think that was going to go in, to be honest,” she said of the eagle on a par 5. “My second shot I was just trying to get it somewhere on the green. When I walked up and saw it pretty close to the pin I had to make sure I putted it like any other and it dropped. After finishing that nine two-under, that really was a confidence booster right there.”
Chitkoksoong had four birdies in a row on holes 3 through 6 in round two. She also shot 34 on both the front and the back nine.
“I’m really glad she’s on Grandview,” Danielson said. “Freshman, we knew she was coming and we knew she was going to be strong. She just works her tail off to get better every day. She was matched up with Morgan Sahm, whose been our leader for four years. It was a great combination.”
Regis countered with Jaclyn Murray, who finished seventh at 11-over. The third golfers for each team, O’Donnell (26-over, 30th) and Ali Timlin (27-over, 32nd), were also near one another on the leaderboard, but O’Donnell did her part in the top-30.
“Caitlin O’Donnell really came through today,” Danielson said. “That’s really where it lands. It’s a team effort completely.”
“I’m so happy and so proud of my team,” Sahm added. “It just couldn’t have been a better way to end my golf career at Grandview.”
Grandview has now won 10 state championships in school history, nine in girls sports and one in boys. Chitkoksoong thinks they are just getting started. Chitkoksoong, O’Donnell and freshman Morgan Ryan (35-over, 51st) all return. Sahm will take her talents to the University of Northern Colorado next year and will leave a hole near the top of the lineup. But Grandview seems poised to contend in 2017.
“We just got the trophy,” Chitkoksoong said. “I don’t think we’re going to hand it back any time soon.”
