Category: Previews

Girls lacrosse’s coaching scene looks vastly different in 2015

With a number of coaching changes this offseason, teams like Wheat Ridge and Chatfield could emerge as contenders. (Dennis Pleuss)

It’s a whole new ballgame.

At least for the scope of the Colorado girls lacrosse scene, which underwent several changes this past offseason.

It wasn’t the rulebook or the addition of classifications that were changed since teams last took the field in May. It was the turnover of coaches in the sport that dominated headlines in the summer and through the early part of the fall season.

At least 10 programs went through coaching changes in the offseason, which accounts for nearly 20 percent of the teams that compete in the sport. The most notable of those changes include traditional powerhouses Cherry Creek and Air Academy.

In June, longtime Kadets coach Sean Harmon — the only coach in program history — resigned to spend more time with his family. Harmon brought three state championships to Air Academy in his time as coach, including the 2014 title. In December, the school announced that Chelsea Beal — a 2008 Air Academy graduate — would fill the position.

“(Beal) comes from a blueprint,” Chaparral coach Dix Baines said. “She was one of Sean’s former players who went out and got some college experience and is back with that experience. I would assume the coaching style will be different but they’re going to continue to be good.”

For Cherry Creek, the search for a new coach is nothing new as they have named three new coaches since 2009. The team named assistant Kathryn Ames as the successor to Brianne Tierney who led the Bruins to the state title game in both seasons as coach. Cherry Creek won the title in 2013.

With Harmon and Tierney gone, it now begs the question as to what the landscape of girls lacrosse will look like. One would have to look all the way back to 2005 for the last time Air Academy or Cherry Creek did not walk away with a state championship.

The departure of Harmon officially makes Wheat Ridge’s Carol Degenhart the longest tenured girls lacrosse coach in the state. The impact of changes to the coaching ranks certainly isn’t lost on her.

“This year has been unusual in that all of the top four programs from last year changed coaches,” Degenhart said. “Several of them had been around for a long time so I think it was a little bit of pure chance that it all came at once.”

With the influx of these fresh-faced coaches comes new ways to teach and play to the game. The good news for the veteran coaches like Degenhart and Baines, who is now the second-longest tenured coach, is that the change in styles force them to adjust their systems on a yearly basis.

“If you’re going to stay current with the game, I don’t think that it’s any different than football,” Baines said. “Look at the New England Patriots, who re-invent themselves every year. Whatever worked last year, you just throw it out the window, look at the pieces you have now and try to put the pieces together again.”

This year stands out more than any other in recent memory because the playing field may actually be more level than it has been in some time. There is a feeling that schools such as Arapahoe, Chatfield and Cheyenne Mountain could compete at the same high level that Cherry Creek and Air Academy have for the last 10 years.

“There is more of a changing of positions at the top,” Degenhart said. “I think there will be some people sliding in and some of those top programs may be fighting to keep the positions (at the top) that they’ve held for so long.”

When CHSAANow.com’s preseason poll was released on Monday, Air Academy was No. 1. Centaurus, another team with a coaching change, is No. 2.

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Girls lacrosse preview

Season begins: March 5

Postseason begins: May 3

State championship: May 20

Returning all-state athletes: Kendra Lanuza, senior, Chatfield, middle/attacker; Andrea Kim, junior, Centaurus, attacker; Alexis Lindhart, senior, Arapahoe, middle; Kathleen Roe, junior, Regis Jesuit, middle

March 5, 2015
Columbine girls soccer not a “championship-caliber team” — yet
Columbine’s Tatum Barton (6) is the reigning player of the year in 5A girls soccer. (Dennis Pleuss)

The Rebels of Columbine reached a milestone at the end of last season, claiming the Class 5A girls soccer championship and marking the first girls title in any sport for the Jefferson County school.

The drought-ending squad was led by CHSAANow.com’s coach of the year, Brian Todd, and player of the year, Tatum Barton.

Columbine returns all four first- and second-team all-state players, including Barton, now a junior forward. But, the squad did graduate six seniors, which means a very different team heads into the 2015 season.

“We lost six pieces that contributed to that championship team in their own way,” Todd said. “Our returning and new pieces will give us a nice makeup, but we are in no way, at this point, a championship-caliber team.”

The school, which instituted female athletics in 1973, spent over 40 years on various fields and courts until finally getting over the hump last season.

“This was a huge emotional breakthrough for the school,” Todd said. “It relieved pressure on the girls, and more importantly, inspired the other programs. There is a sense of energy and confidence in all the girls’ teams.”

Columbine girls soccer had seen five appearances in the state championship, but had walked away as runner-up at each one. Todd, who broke the hex and changed morale, knows it will be hard to repeat but is hopeful.

“We have a lot of work to get done, but we are capable of being a dangerous team,” said the eighth-year leader.

Columbine heads into the season opener on Saturday with the No. 1 spot in 5A’s preseason poll. The Rebels will take on Fruita Monument.

“We have a fun schedule this year. My girls acknowledge what eyes they have on them after last season’s victory, but know what they can do, too,” Todd said. “I think, though we have lost key elements, we have carried the mentality over from the big win.”

Cheyenne Mountain (4A), and Colorado Academy (3A) enter their seasons in the same position as the Rebels: A trophy in their pocket, a target on their back, and the hunt for a repeat.

The only classification that doesn’t have a team in a similiar position is 2A, which begins play for the first time this season with 23 teams. Twelve of those will make 2A’s postseason field with the top four seeds getting first-round byes.

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Girls soccer preview
- Complete preseason rankings in all classes
5A
- Season start date: March 5
- Postseason start date: May 5
- Championship: May 20, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
- Returning all-state players: Tatum Barton, Columbine, forward, junior (first team); Kelcey Cavarra, Columbine, midfielder, junior (first team); Alyssa Kaiser, Ralston Valley, midfielder, junior (first team); Sarah Luebking, Columbine, goalkeeper, senior (first team); Emma Musson, Ralston Valley, forward, junior (first team); Mallory Pugh, Mountain Vista, midfielder/forward, junior (first team); Kayla Hill, ThunderRidge, midfielder, senior (second team); Julie Mackin, Castle View, forward, junior (second team); Morgan McDougal, Mountain Vista, midfielder, senior (second team); Amanda Porter, Columbine, midfielder, sophomore (second team); Renee Roemer, Ralston Valley, goalkeeper, senior (second team); Reci Smith, Fairview, forward/midfielder, senior (second team).
4A
- Season start date: March 5
- Postseason start date: May 6
- Championship: May 20, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
- Returning all-state players: Bri Alger, Lewis-Palmer, forward, sophomore (first team); Emily Cope, Battle Mountain, midfielder, junior (first team); Carlee Flanagan, Wheat Ridge, midfielder, senior (first team); Hannah Gerdin, Cheyenne Mountain, forward, senior (first team); Aleesa Muir, The Classical Academy, defender, junior (first team, 3A); Mariel Gutierrez, Eagle Valley, forward/midfielder, senior (second team); Sarah Lyons, Lewis-Palmer, midfielder, junior (second team); Ashley Martin, Silver Creek, midfielder, senior (second team); Logan Nash, Battle Mountain, goalkeeper, senior (second team); Hunter Peifer, Cheyenne Mountain, goalkeeper, senior (second team); Haley Peterman, Air Academy, midfielder, senior (second team); Brier YoungFleish, Palisade, midfielder, junior (second team).
3A
- Season start date: March 5
- Postseason start date: May 8
- Championship: May 19, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
- Returning all-state players: Kenya Alvarez, Jefferson, midfielder, junior (first team); Anya Bourlakov, Denver Science & Tech, goalkeeper, senior (first team); Alexis Loera, The Academy, midfielder, sophomore (first team); Marin McCoy, Colorado Academy, midfielder, senior (first team); Lydia Anderson, Middle Park, midfielder, senior (second team); Kylie Cleary, St. Mary’s, forward, senior (second team); Allie Falagrady, The Academy, forward, senior (second team); Jade Gallegos, The Pinnacle, forward, senior (second team); McKenna Monk, Fountain Valley, midfielder, sophomore (second team); Shelby Schumacher, Kent Denver, midfielder, sophomore (second team); Alycia Wright, Jefferson Academy, forward/midfielder, senior (second team).
2A
- Season start date: March 5
- Postseason start date: May 5
- Championship: May 19, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
- Returning all-state players: None.
March 5, 2015
Ponderosa ready to embrace challenge of defending boys lacrosse title
Ponderosa won last season’s Class 4A boys lacrosse championship. (Tim Visser/TimVisserPhotography.com)

It’s been some 10 months since Ponderosa’s boys lacrosse team took the state by storm on its way to the Class 4A state championship.

The Mustangs walked out of Sports Authority Field at Mile High last May with its first title in the sport after dethroning defending state champion Wheat Ridge 13-11. So it’s understandable that the squad is eager to get the 2015 season rolling and begin the process of pursuing a second championship.

Mother Nature has had other ideas. A rash of snowstorms over the past week-plus hasn’t made life easy for the Mustangs, who have been unable to head outdoors since spring practice officially began Feb. 23.

“It’s a little frustrating, but we can’t really hang our heads on it,” Mustangs senior Derik Mango said. “We’ve got to keep moving forward. Every other team in the state is going through the same thing, which makes it a little better for us.”

When the preseason poll was released on Monday, the Mustangs opened at No. 1 in 4A.

The 2015 opener is slated for Saturday afternoon against Thompson Valley, thus beginning the team’s title defense. That can be easier said than done though – look no further than Wheat Ridge, which fell just shy of the same goal a year ago.

“It’s easier to hunt than to be hunted,” Ponderosa coach Pat Tierney said. “But that’s not a bad position to be in either. That will challenge us all season.”

Derik Mango (12) returns for Ponderosa. (Tim Visser/TimVisserPhotography.com)

While Ponderosa does return a pair of first-team all-state talents in Mango, a senior attacker, and senior midfielder Jack Griffin, the supporting cast has changed somewhat. The Mustangs graduated 13 seniors off of its title-winning team, meaning some younger players will have to make the transition quickly in order to fill those shoes.

“It’s going to be a team-chemistry thing,” said Griffin, who led the team 57 goals and 38 assists a year ago. “Last year we had a lot of guys who had playing with each other for a couple of years. Now we’re a lot younger as a team and it’s going to be tougher. I know we’ve really been pushing these younger guys to get better.”

Mango was third on the team with 43 goals, but Blake Bruner’s 56 goals and 35 assists will be missed. So too will be the presence of goalie Jacob Ochs, a second-team all-state selection.

Senior Austin Bullock leads a defense looking to take some pressure off junior Drew Martin, who picked up a pair of victories between the pipes last season.

“He’s coming along. He’s still learning the position and growing in his understanding of what his role is,” Tierney said of Martin. “It’s a tough position to play because you’ve got to be pretty tough physically and then you’ve got to be pretty tough mentally to not let yourself get taken out of the game.”

Mango said it’s up to the returning players to help the younger talent develop in the early part of the season. One thing working in the team’s favor: Having already won a state title, the returning players know the amount of work it will take to get back there.

“There’s not a feeling quite like it. I know everybody who was on that team last year wants it again,” Griffin said. “Everyone who wasn’t on that team wants to know what it’s like. I think that will keep everyone focused.”

That said, Tierney realizes that the Mustangs can’t afford to simply sit back and rest on the laurels of being a state champion.

“It’s definitely a great feeling to be able to put a trophy in the display case and hang a banner in the gym,” he said. “But like we told the kids last season and already started to tell them this season: I think we have good coaches who are helping to steer the kids, but they are the ones who ultimately decide how they play and execute and if they can do that again.”

In Class 5A, Regis Jesuit will be looking to claim a second consecutive championship after downing Cherry Creek 14-7 in the 2014 title game. The Raiders return a pair of all-state selections in Matt Soran and Ben Bechter.

Wheat Ridge makes the move to the 5A classification this spring as well.

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Boys lacrosse preview
- Full preseason rankings for both classes
Class 5A
- Defending state champion: Regis Jesuit
- Regular season begins: March 5
- Playoffs begin: May 7
- State championship: May 15, Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver
- Returning all-state players: Ben Bechter, Sr., Regis Jesuit (2nd team); Zach Hall, Soph., Wheat Ridge (2nd); Mike Morean, Sr., Cherry Creek (2nd); Tanner Pauley, Sr., Dakota Ridge (2nd); Kyle Pless, Sr., Mountain Vista (2nd); Matt Soran, Sr., Regis Jesuit (1st); Max Tuttle, Sr., Castle View (1st).
Class 4A
- Defending state champion: Ponderosa
- Regular season begins: March 5
- Playoffs begin: May 6
- State championship: May 15, Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver
- Returning all-state players: Drew Chesire, Jr., St. Mary’s (2nd team); Clayton Davis, Sr., Battle Mountain (2nd); Ryan Fitzgerald, Sr., Aspen (2nd); Jack Griffin, Sr., Ponderosa (1st); Willy Gunn, Sr., Steamboat Springs (2nd); Derik Mango, Sr., Ponderosa (1st); Mitch Reddish, Sr., Cheyenne Mountain (1st); Ryan Russell, Sr., Valor Christian (2nd); Jake Thornally, Jr., Air Academy (2nd); Tyler Tick, Sr., Aspen (1st).
March 4, 2015
Two-sport star Watt chooses to focus on track at Pine Creek this season

(Paul Jaeger/Colorado Track XC)

An athlete who can excel and dominate in a manner that earns them recognition as one of the nation’s best is a rare breed.

Pine Creek’s Ally Watt is unusually gifted on both the soccer pitch and as a sprinter in track. The fact both sports are in the same season, in the spring, makes it that much more impressive.

“I really can’t say it’s easy, but my coaches help me a lot,” Watt said of her time-management balancing act. “My club coach understands that I’m very serious about high school track, because we’ve built so much at Pine Creek.

“When I get any chance to play soccer, I practice with my team. But, during the month of May I’m not allowed to touch a soccer ball according to (track) coach Max Oliver, because he just wants me to focus completely on track, which I understand. Having two coaches who understand my love for both sports and allow me to do both is great.”

Watt has signed to play soccer at Texas A&M University. The senior, a year after leading Pine Creek to the Class 5A final four, has decided not to suit up for the Eagles in 2015 because she doesn’t want to risk injury.

Watt will be playing club, though, and was recently named to U.S. Soccer’s under-20 Women’s National Team that will play in a U19 invitational tournament in Spain from Feb 28-March 10.

When she returns home, Watt has business to take care of on the track for a program that was strong before she arrived, stronger yet with her in the lineup.

“She took the team to the next level,” Oliver said. “The very best athletes inspire and make teammates better and Ally does that.”

As a junior, all Watt accomplished were state titles in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, and was the anchor leg of the 400- and 800-meter relays.

Her 800 relay team dusted the field and easily beat the previous all-classification state record time of 1:38.09. The Eagles went 1:37.05 in the preliminary round and 1:37.57 in the finals. Her 400 relay also delighted the crowd with a 46.55, only a mere .04 seconds off the Colorado record of 46.51, set by George Washington in 2007.

(Alan Versaw/Colorado Track XC)

Watt won the 100 and 200 double as a freshman and finished second in the 200 and the 400 as a sophomore. The only one to beat the Pine Creek phenom? Ana Holland of Regis, a senior in 2013 who won the 100, 200, 400 triple crown.

Watt’s personal bests on the track of 11.41 seconds in the 100, 23.65 in the 200, and 53.78 are all considered elite on the national level.

If she is this fast of a sprinter, why doesn’t Watt pursue track in college too? Actually, she might.

“That’s my hope,” she said. “The coaches at A&M are open to me doing both. I hope I will be able to do both.”

Former Wheat Ridge star Annie Kunz also runs track and plays soccer at Texas A&M. She’s now a senior.

While Watt isn’t one hundred percent sure about sprinting at A&M, she is open to the idea.

“For track, I just want to see how develop and see if I am meant to run,” she said. “I can do well in high school, but collegiately I would have to see how I compare and if I’m able to compete at that level. If I go far in it, my dreams might alter.

“I’m just going to take it one step at a time. My goals are never set in stone.”

Watt and Pine Creek placed second, only four points behind Fort Collins, in the 5A team race last year. Both teams are expected to be excellent again. Cherry Creek may challenge.

In Class 4A, Niwot won it all in 2014, while Thompson Valley, Broomfield (moved up to 5A), Palmer Ridge, and Sand Creek were all within shouting distance. Several teams figure to be in the mix.

The Classical Academy claimed the 3A crown a season ago in dominant fashion. Eaton was the runner-up with Lamar and Coal Ridge finishing in third and fourth, respectively. TCA has been a power in the sport for years and figures to be in the thick of it. Eaton will be one of the favorites, as well.

In 2A, rivals Paonia and Hotchkiss battled for the championship in 2014. Paonia held the Bulldogs off 102-86. Both teams should be strong. Lyons is always a factor in 2A, too.

Shining Mountain Waldorf inched past Heritage Christian, Dove Creek, and Vail Christian for the 1A title last season in a wild team race. Expect another enticing battle in 2015.

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Girls track and field preview

Class 5A

Season begins: March 6

State meet: May 14-16, Jeffco Stadium

Returning all-state athletes: Jordyn Colter, senior, Cherry Creek, 800 meters, 1600 meters; Lauren Gregory, sophomore, Fort Collins, 3200 meters; Carly Lester, senior, Rocky Mountain, 300 hurdles; Ally Watt, senior, Pine Creek, 100 meters, 200 meters.

Class 4A

Season begins: March 6

State meet: May 14-16, Jeffco Stadium

Returning all-state athletes: Nicole Montgomery, senior, Lewis-Palmer, 200 meters, 400 meters; Ashlyn Nolan, junior, Discovery Canyon, 100 hurdles; Haley Showalter, senior, Valor Christian, discus.

Class 3A

Season begins: March 6

State meet: May 14-16, Jeffco Stadium

Returning all-state athletes: Kylie Chavez, sophomore, Sterling, long jump; Kayla Pinnt, junior, Moffat County, 100 meters, 200 meters; Andrea Willis, junior, The Classical Academy, pole vault; Sarah Yocum, sophomore, Faith Christian, 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles.

Class 2A

Season begins: March 6

State meet: May 14-16, Jeffco Stadium

Returning all-state athletes: Sophia Anderson, sophomore, Hoehne, triple jump; Kacey Buttrick, senior, South Park, 300 hurdles; Monica Drury, junior, Yuma, pole vault; Morgan Hartigan, senior, Paonia, shot put; Logan Hixon, junior, Yuma, long jump; Brooke Lenox, junior, Eads, discus; Miranda Mathiason, senior, Highland, 100 hurdles; Ashley Van Vleet, junior, Paonia, high jump.

Class 1A

Season begins: March 6

State meet: May 14-16, Jeffco Stadium

Returning all-state athletes: Taylor Alexander, junior, Vail Christian, 200 meters, pole vault; Ginger Hutton, senior, Shining Mountain, 800 meters; Audrey Rose Kachin, senior, Plateau Valley, 400 meters; Rebecca Kaiser, senior, Prairie, long jump; Rebekah Rairdon, junior, Heritage Christian, 1600 meters, 3200 meters; Kayla Zink, sophomore, Caliche, 100 meters.

March 3, 2015
Inspired by family history, Lyons’ Roberts making his own name for himself

Lyons’ Paul Roberts. (Alan Versaw/Colorado Track XC)

Paul Roberts, before he ever sported the blue and black singlet of Lyons, had ambitions for cross country and track.

“In seventh or eighth grade my dad told me that no one had ever won four state championships in cross country,” Roberts said. “That’s when I made the goal to win four. I think another goal on my mind was to try and win four team championships.”

Check and check, as Roberts has earned three titles individually and three titles with his teammates in three seasons in Class 2A cross country. He’s well on his way.

On the national level, the junior ran 14:57 for 5k at the Nike Cross Country Southwest Regional Championships last November, good for fifth place, before earning 18th at the Nike National Meet in Portland, Oregon.

On Feb. 7 in Boulder, Roberts toed the line with many of the nation’s premier prep runners, to go along with college freshman, for an under-20 Junior Men’s USA Cross Country Championship race. The top six placers in the race would earn bids to the Worlds XC Championships in China.

Four with Colorado roots, Oklahoma State’s Cerake Geberkidane (Denver East), Palmer Ridge’s Eric Hamer, Colorado’s Paul Miller (Poudre), and Roberts placed second, fourth, fifth, and sixth respectively to get the right to represent Team USA at Worlds.

For all of Roberts’ achievements in cross, he excelled on the track as a sophomore, but didn’t quite reach the lofty standards he set for himself in each event.

After a spectacular freshman debut in the 3,200 meters with a time of 9:31 at the Broomfield Shootout, a race he won over many of 5A’s best including Liberty’s Clayson Shumway, Mountain Vista’s Andrew Walton, and Pine Creek’s Zachary Alhamra, Roberts has only bested the 9:31 once with a 9:27.58 at the Longmont Invitational last spring.

“I think the 3,200, even the last two years, he’s probably had a better race in him than he had times for at the end of the year,” said Mark Roberts, Paul’s father and the Lyons’ head coach of cross country and track. “I think breaking 9:20 is obviously well within his reach this year. Can he go 9:15? Can he get down to around 9:10 this year?”

Roberts, whose personal best in the 1,600 meters is 4:20, has earned 2A gold medals in the 1,600 twice and the 3,200 once. He placed second in the 3,200 his freshman year, getting inched out by junior teammate Marcel Such.

Roberts helped Lyons claim the boys team title two years ago. They were the runner-up to Lutheran in 2014.

The results speak for themselves, but how did a small-school runner from a town nestled in the foothills outside of Boulder become so fast in the first place?

Roberts grew up in one of the more well-known running families in Colorado.

Older brother Andrew, a 2009 Lyons grad, won a cross country state title and two 3,200 state titles. His 1,600 (4:22) and 3,200 (9:27.62) school records were taken down last spring by Paul.

Sisters Melissa (2011 grad), several times all-state, and Miriam (2014 grad), a multiple state champion herself, joined Andrew in inspiring Paul to take up the sport. It started with Paul tagging along on runs in a park in Lyons with his older siblings and joining his dad on trips to meets.

“Ever since I can remember, I would go with him to the track meets and I would be the paper boy and get the paper from the finish line and run it up to the press box,” Roberts said. “I would also watch all my brothers and sisters and I probably got more nervous for the races than they did. That kind of inspired me.”

In 2A, Roberts-led Lyons expects to contend for the team title, while defending champion Lutheran has moved up to 3A. Rye, and a few others, could also contend in 2A.

Heritage Christian inched past Vail Christian by five points for the 1A crown in 2014. Both teams might be at the front of the pack.

In 3A, traditional powerhouse The Classical Academy has moved up to 4A, but last year’s runner-up in Coal Ridge should be very strong.

Palmer Ridge, after a dominant 103 points to beat second-place Valor Christian by 37 last year, returns sprint stalwart Caleb Ojennes and distance star Eric Hamer for another run at the 4A championship. They have an extremely strong program. Valor should also be very good.

Fountain-Fort Carson, which snuck past Grandview by two points and Cherokee Trail by six to claim its 16th state championship in boys track last year, is expected to contend. Grandview figures as the biggest challenger.

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Boys track and field preview

Class 5A

Season begins: March 6

State meet: May 14-16, Jeffco Stadium

Returning all-state athletes: Andrew Barlow, senior, Monarch, pole vault; Olabisi Johnson, senior, Bear Creek, 110 hurdles; Max McDonald, senior, Rocky Mountain, shot put, discus; Ben Morgan, senior, Highlands Ranch, long jump.

Class 4A

Season begins: March 6

State meet: May 14-16, Jeffco Stadium

Returning all-state athletes: Trenton Stringari, senior, Canon City, 300 hurdles.

Class 3A

Season begins: March 6

State meet: May 14-16, Jeffco Stadium

Returning all-state athletes: Robert Delfeld, senior, St. Mary’s, 800 meters; Nick Deray, senior, The Classical Academy, 200 meters, 400 meters; Jayce Hall, junior, The Classical Academy, long jump; Miguel Molas, senior, James Irwin, 100 meters; Austin Williams, senior, Cedaredge, shot put; Ryan Younggreen, senior, Holy Family, 110 hurdles, Chris Youngs, junior, Lutheran, 100 meters, 200 meters.

Class 2A

Season begins: March 6

State meet: May 14-16, Jeffco Stadium

Returning all-state athletes: Nico Forcatto, senior, Liberty Common, 400 meters; Brandon Hinkle, junior, Yuma, pole vault; Garrett Quintana, junior, John Mall, discus; Paul Roberts, junior, Lyons, 1600 meters, 3200 meters.

Class 1A

Season begins: March 6

State meet: May 14-16, Jeffco Stadium

Returning all-state athletes: Nick Boyne, junior, Vail Christian, pole vault; Kyle English, senior, Stratton, long jump, triple jump; Bryce Grahn, sophomore, South Baca, 3200 meters; Koy Palmer, senior, Granada, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles.

March 3, 2015
Regis Jesuit’s Kyle Goodwin seeks first ever four-peat in boys diving

Kyle Goodwin is seeking to become the first four-time boys diving champion. (Courtesy of Cliff Lawson)

Kyle Goodwin has always known how to keep his eye on the prize. After all, the three-time defending champion in boys diving from Regis Jesuit has known that high school state championships were just his starting act for a long time now.

“The point of Mile High Diving club,” which he’s been a member of since he was nine or ten, Goodwin said, “has always been about getting kids college scholarships. So I kind of knew early on that that goal was out there.”

That ambition was finally realized in October, when Goodwin selected Missouri to continue his diving career over four other power programs at California, Auburn, Texas, and Ohio State. The latter school was the eventual landing spot of Sean Moore, the last Regis diver to win the state championship (2007) until the start of Goodwin’s run of dominance as a freshman. Moore has since gone on to capture a national title with the Buckeyes.

Goodwin remembers that freshman season as the beginning of an amazing quest.

“I remember my first meet (freshman year), my coach asked me what I wanted to do while I was here,” Kyle said. “I remember telling him that a four-peat would just be so cool.

“After we won the first one, I think that was when I realized that there was a possibility.”

But now, with the boys swimming season set to start up March 5, Goodwin makes sure his sights aren’t too far ahead.

Anyone trying to get in touch with Goodwin will get the picture of an athlete making the most of his senior year. He practices with coaches and teammates, attends banquets for school, and makes sure he makes time for friends without having to worry about the extra attention that comes from chasing the first ever four-peat in Colorado boys diving history.

Goodwin insists he can make it all work though, even with a grueling training schedule that started way back when he was just 12 years old. At that time, a growth spurt of five inches forced an already nationally ranked Kyle to go back to fundamentals and completely re-learn how to dive.

Kyle Goodwin. (Ray Chen/MaxPreps.com)

His struggles were profiled by our own Ryan Casey back in 2011, but Goodwin believes that age has given him a better perspective on those frustrating times.

“Now that I’m older I’ve seen some other kids go through the same thing, and it’s honestly cool to see them do it,” Goodwin said. “But for me it helped me to go back and re-learn the basics, which helped me long term. So even though it was not a pleasant experience at the time, it was a good experience.”

Kyle returns to a Regis team that brings back four of the seven returning all state swimmers at the Class 5A level; the others being Christopher Morales (senior, relays), William Pieseski (senior, relays), and Quinlan Stuart (senior, relays/100 breast). The other three are Kyle Colley (senior, relays), Eric Fuqua (senior, relays), and Hunter Fuqua (sophomore, relays), all of Cherry Creek.

Whether it’s talking about the state championships on May 15 and 16 or the direction his diving career could take at Mizzou though, Goodwin prefers to take it one day at a time.

“I have great coaches here that I can always still learn from,” Goodwin said. “And when I get to Missouri I’m sure I’ll sit down with (head diving coach Jamie Sweeney) and see what kind of direction he has for me.”

Big things are in store for Kyle Goodwin. And we’ll certainly see him at the state championships too.

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Boys swimming preview

Class 5A

Season begins: March 5

State meet: May 15-16, Air Force Academy

Returning all-state athletes: Kyle Colley, senior, Cherry Creek, relays; Eric Fuqua, senior, Cherry Creek, relays; Hunter Fuqua, sophomore, Cherry Creek, relays; Kyle Goodwin, senior, Regis Jesuit, diving; Christopher Morales, senior, Regis Jesuit, relays; William Pieseski, senior, Regis Jesuit, relays; Quinlan Stuart, senior, Regis Jesuit, relays, 100 breast.

Class 4A

Season begins: March 5

State meet: May 15-16, VMAC (Thornton)

Returning all-state athletes: Tommy Baker, junior, Air Academy, relays; Jack Dangremond, senior, Air Academy, relays; Hunter Doerr, senior, Air Academy, relays; Daniel Graber, senior, D’Evelyn, relays/200 IM/100 breast; Caleb Hicks, junior, Air Academy, relays; Tyler Lis, senior, Silver Creek, 200 free; Michael Loyd, senior, Air Academy, relays; Alexander Moreland, senior, D’Evelyn, relays; Jack Thome, senior, Thompson Valley, 100 butterfly/100 back.

February 27, 2015
Jefferson Academy’s Kupcho out to help girls golf team reach state tourney
Jennifer Kupcho was last season’s 4A girls golf individual championship, but is after a team title this season. (Courtesy of Mike Kupcho)

This season isn’t about chasing a state girls golf title for Jennifer Kupcho.

The senior from Jefferson Academy won top Class 4A honors last year.

Kupcho isn’t pursing a college scholarship, either. She signed a letter-of-intent with Wake Forest in November.

Instead with her future set, Kupcho is focusing on the present – her final high school season which began Thursday.

“I know I won (state), but I want to get our team to state for the first time in my four years, and hopefully we can give that a run,” Kupcho, 17, said. “That’s my overall goal right now and for sure I want to win state again.”

Kupcho’s best round came at the Colorado Open in August when she fired a 66 at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club.

“I would say her strongest part is her driving and her irons,” said Mike Kupcho, Jennifer’s father, and coach. “Her short game has really improved, but she loves to hit driver and she loves to hit greens.”

Jennifer Kupcho coasted to her first state crown a year ago at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs. Kupcho shot a 2-over-par 146. Valor Christian’s Andrea Ballou was second with a 160 total.

“During my freshman and sophomore years, I was kind of emotional out there (on the course),” said the 5-foot-8 Kupcho, who plans on majoring in business at Wake Forest. “I’ve grown up and figured out how to calm myself down if I make a bad shot, and just do what I need to do to get the job done. I just look at the rating of the course and the difficulty, and I decide what I’m going to shoot that day, and I try and do my best with that goal.”

In 2013, at the Class 4A state tourney Kupcho was runner-up to Montrose’s Kala Keltz by two strokes.

According to the elder Kupcho, his daughter began playing golf at age 5.

Kupcho has signed with Wake Forest. (Courtesy of Mike Kupcho)

“She is just very mentally tough,” coach Kupcho said. “She tunes stuff out and goes after her goals. She isn’t scoreboard watching.”

Kupcho is joined in the Jefferson Academy lineup with fellow all-state selection Mariah Ehrman, who signed with Colorado Mesa University. Ehrman finished ninth in state last season.

“They just want to finish their high school careers really strong and they want our team to get to state,” coach Kupcho said.

Team-wise, Cheyenne Mountain will take aim at winning its third consecutive state championship. In 5A, Regis also will look to win another state title.

Kupcho has ambitions one day of competing on the LPGA Tour.

“I want to play four years in college and then go pro,” Kupcho said. “If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out, but I want to try and be a pro.”

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Girls golf preview

Class 5A
- Defending individual champion: Michelle Romano, Rock Canyon (graduated)
- Defending state champion: Regis Jesuit
- Regular season begins: Feb. 26
- Regional tournaments: May 4-8
- State tournament: May 18-19, The Olde Course, Loveland
- Returning all-state golfers: Sydney Gillespie, Sr., Regis Jesuit (1st); Sarah Hunt, Sr., Denver East (1st); Anna Kennedy, Sr., Legend (1st); Ashlyn Kirschner, Sr., Ralston Valley (1st); Sydney Merchant, Jr., Dakota Ridge (1st); Morgan Sahm, Jr., Grandview (1st); Erin Sargent, Jr., Skyline (1st); Mary Weinstein, Jr., Regis Jesuit (1st).
Class 4A
- Defending individual champion: Jennifer Kupcho, Sr., Jefferson Academy
- Defending state champion: Cheyenne Mountain
- Regular season begins: Feb. 26
- Regional tournaments: May 4-8
- State tournament: May 18-19, River Valley Ranch, Carbondale
- Returning all-state players: Leah Donnelly, Jr., Wheat Ridge (1st); Mariah Ehrman, Sr., Jefferson Academy (1st); Courtney Ewing, Sr., Pueblo West (1st); Tori Goodman, Sr., Falcon; (1st); Jennifer Kupcho, Sr., Jefferson Academy (1st); Kiselya Plewe, Jr., Dolores (1st); Emilee Strausburg, Sr., D’Evelyn (1st).
February 26, 2015
After move to 5A, Broomfield wrestling works to rebuild foundation
(Kevin Keyser/KeyserImages.com)

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen Pat DeCamillis took over the powerhouse Broomfield High School wrestling program it didn’t take him long to find success.

In year one with DeCamillis, the Eagles won the Class 4A state championship last February at the Pepsi Center in Denver.

Broomfield defeated Thompson Valley 127.50 points to 120 points, thanks to senior state champions Phil Downing (160 pounds) and Zach Stodden (182). Fellow Eagle seniors Jarod Albo (152) and heavyweight Austyn Harris also took second for the Eagles.

Downing actually became only the 17th wrestler in Colorado prep history to capture four state wrestling titles.

This season, everything has changed for the Eagles. Not only did they move up to the Class 5A ranks, but they did so after losing six total wrestlers to graduation.

“With the number of kids we lost to graduation it wouldn’t matter if we were 4A or 5A this year as far as working toward a championship,” DeCamillis said. “We are just trying to rebuild the foundation we have.”

DeCamillis was a three-time state champ at Arvada from 1988-90. And he is no stranger to 5A. Prior to taking over Broomfield, he spent eight seasons as the head coach at 5A Pomona.

Fueling the Broomfield charge this season will be senior Darek Huff.

Huff was a state-runner at 126 pounds last season and is expected to remain at that weight class this year. Huff will be joined by three state qualifiers Brandon Tyson (113), Randall Baker (145) and Connor Ventura (160).

“It’s not going to be an overnight fix,” DeCamillis said about getting his program back in contention to compete for a state title. “We have about 50 kids out for the program, so we have a lot of young kids, a lot of first timers. It has been a change of philosophy from teaching the elite to kind of having everybody come out and see what we have.”

This is unfamiliar territory for Broomfield’s wrestling program. Broomfield has won four state wrestling team crowns in the last six years. The Eagles won state titles in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2014.

Since 2005, Broomfield finished no worse than fourth in the Class 4A state team standings.

“I’m going to build from within, and coach the kids who I have in the room,” DeCamillis said. “I wouldn’t expect us to be battling Arvada West and Pomona this year or even next year, but we will be back battling once we kind of get our foundation. With that said, I don’t expect these kids (this season) to be out of the top 10. If we are not in the top 10, I will not consider it a failure, but certainly that we didn’t do our job as coaches.”

Arvada West is the preseason choice to win the state 5A team title again. A year ago, Arvada West ran away from the competition with 179 points, followed by Pomona with 92 points.

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Wrestling preview
- Regular season begins: Dec. 1, 2014
- Regular season ends: Feb. 7, 2015
- Championships: Feb. 19-21, Pepsi Center (Denver)
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Defending champions
- 5A: Arvada West
- 4A: Broomfield
- 3A: Valley
- 2A: Paonia
November 28, 2014
After a pair of runner-up finishes in 2A, Yuma girls basketball hungry for top billing
Logan Hixon (3) is a returning all-state player for Yuma this season. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]laying for a state championship is a desire that burns deep for every high school program.

So in that instance, the Yuma Indians consider themselves extremely fortunate. In each of the previous two seasons, Yuma has found itself playing for the Class 2A state title in girls basketball. Just a few weeks ago the Indians also competed for the 2A volleyball crown, with a handful of basketball players on the roster.

Those are experiences no one would consider trading. The only negative? The Indians were the runner-up each time.

“Going in and just getting second kind of ticks you off,” said Yuma senior Katrina Terrell, who played in all three of the title games. “It shows you can get that close, and if you’d just done a little more you might’ve won it. Going into the next season it just gives you that drive and hunger to win it.”

That drive and hunger are ever present for the Indians’ girls basketball team headed into the 2014-15 season. Yuma hasn’t won a state title in the sport since 1997, and second will no longer cut it for a team eager to take its turn atop the 2A mountain.

“We have one goal right now, and it’s obviously a very lofty goal because there are several good teams,” Yuma coach Mike Neill said. “But we have one goal and that’s to win a state championship.

“What these girls have done the last three to four years is just amazing for Yuma girls basketball.”

The core of the current squad, ranked No. 1 in the preseason, consists mainly of juniors. All-state point guard Logan Hixon, Peighton Roth and Tara Traphagan, along with Terrell, saw playing time in the 2012 championship game, which ended with a 53-36 loss to Akron.

A year ago the squad had only one loss entering the state tournament. Yuma easily won its first two games before falling to Lutheran 47-35 in the finale.

(Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

Even after losing Marina Hansen and Caitlyn Murphy to graduation, Yuma returns four starters from that team. Hixon averaged 15.1 points per game and Roth averaged 11.1. Terrell was third on the team in rebounding.

Four juniors will start this winter, with Taryn Baucke and Mariya Mekelburg added to the team’s strong junior class.

“As juniors we’ve been playing together for quite a while,” Hixon said. “The team chemistry is great.”

Hixon and Roth were lights out from 3-point range a year ago, with the two guards combining for 126 treys between them. Baucke figures into the mix as another guard; Terrell will likely assume her role at forward, though Neill said she could handle any of the five positions on the floor.

Traphagan is a 6-foot-1 post who has already verbally committed to the University of Wyoming for volleyball.

“We’re definitely going to have to step up a little bit with some of our rebounding,” Terrell said. “Getting big girls down low will be a little bit of a challenge, but we have some girls who I think will be just as good as Caitlyn and Marina were.”

The state field underwent a bit of shuffling this season. Lutheran, the defending 2A champion, returns the bulk of its championship team but moved up to 3A this season. Holy Family, the defending 3A champion, is now in 4A, and 4A runner-up Broomfield made the move to the 5A ranks. Caliche, the 1A runner-up, joins the 2A classification.

That doesn’t mean that 2A is Yuma’s for the taking. Akron, which placed fifth a year ago after winning it all in 2012, returns standouts Jordan Baer (17.7 ppg) and A.J. Miller (14.6). Hoehne didn’t graduate anyone and brings back all-state guard Cydney Kreutzer and forward Aspen Anderson. Neill also mentioned Caliche, Meeker and Peyton as all being strong contenders.

Akron, the preseason No. 5 team, and Caliche (No. 3) are in the Lower Platte League along with Yuma.

Having come so close in the past though, the Indians are out to prove no one wants it more than they do.

“Especially being there for two years, I think we’re just hungry,” Roth said. “We’re ready to win it this year and bring the gold ball back to Yuma. We have a great coaching staff that is going to help us get there.”

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Girls Basketball
- Regular Season begins: Dec. 1
- Regular Season ends: Feb. 21
- Preseason rankings
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Class 5A
- Defending champion: Regis Jesuit
- Runner-up: Fossil Ridge
- Preseason No. 1: Regis Jesuit
- Returning All-State Players: Cassidy Budge, Sr., Rampart (2nd team); Mackenzie Forest, Jr., Lakewood (2nd); Callie Kaiser, Sr., Broomfield (1st, 4A); Michaela Onyenwere, Soph., Grandview (1st); Jon’nae Richardson, Sr., Denver East (3rd).
- Championship: March 12-14, Coors Event Center, Boulder
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Class 4A
- Defending champion: Mesa Ridge
- Runner-up: Broomfield (moved to 5A)
- Preseason No. 1: Valor Christian
- Returning All-State Players: Kendall Bradbury, Sr., Valor Christian (3rd team); Caroline Bryan, Sr., Valor Christian (3rd); Katie Chavez, Jr., Holy Family (1st, 3A); Alex Dufour, Sr., Frederick (2nd); Kylee Shook, Jr., Mesa Ridge (2nd); Haley Simental, Sr., Pueblo West (3rd).
- Championship: March 12-14, Coors Event Center, Boulder
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Class 3A
- Defending champion: Holy Family (moved to 4A)
- Runner-up: Pagosa Springs
- Preseason No. 1: Sterling
- Returning All-State Players: Caylin Arnold, Jr., Strasburg (3rd team); Xiana Fernandez-Sanchez, Sr., Strasburg (2nd); Katherine Kia, Sr., Peak to Peak (2nd); Jenna Knudson, Jr., Sterling (3rd); Maya Love, Jr., Kent Denver (2nd); Lauren McDonald, Sr., Salida (2nd); Shelby Megyeri, Soph., Manitou Springs (3rd); Kaleigh Paplow, Sr., Lutheran (2nd, 2A); Adriana Rios, Jr., Platte Valley (2nd); Payton Shahan, Sr., Pagosa Springs (2nd); Chandler Sturms, Sr., Lutheran (1st, 2A); Kristen Vigil, Jr., Lutheran (3rd, 2A).
- Championship: March 13-14, Lockridge Arena, Colorado School of Mines, Golden
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Class 2A
- Defending champion: Lutheran (moved to 3A)
- Runner-up: Yuma
- Preseason No. 1: Yuma
- Returning All-State Players: Aspen Anderson, Sr., Hoehne (1st team); Jordan Baer, Sr., Akron (1st); Logan Hixon, Jr., Yuma (1st); Shayln Johnson, Jr., Caliche (1st, 1A); Cydney Kreutzer, Sr., Hoehne (1st); AJ Miller, Sr., Akron (3rd); Abbey Stagner, Sr., Sangre de Cristo (3rd).
- Championship: March 13-14, Massari Arena, CSU-Pueblo
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Class 1A
- Defending champion: Norwood
- Runner-up: Caliche (moved to 2A)
- Preseason No. 1: Briggsdale
- Returning All-State Players: Allyson Grahn, Sr., South Baca (1st team); Darian Hale, Jr., Briggsdale (2nd); Tanaia Hansen, Sr., Eads (2nd); Aurelia Isenbart, Sr., Kit Carson (2nd); Alyssa Lavato, Jr., Cheraw (2nd); Brittanie Newman, Jr., Eads (3rd); Reagan Schaffer, Jr., Idalia (3rd); Lucia Vikova, Sr., Norwood (1st); Jordan Williams, Sr., Norwood (1st).
- Championship: March 13-14, Budweiser Events Center, Loveland
November 26, 2014
Bassey, Colorado Academy boys basketball eager for another run at 3A title game
Colorado Academy lost last season’s 3A championship game by one point to Holy Family. (Pam Wagner)

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t’s good to be wanted, a fact to which Justin Bassey can certainly attest.

The Colorado Academy junior is on the radar of a number of Division I colleges these days. Programs ranging from Harvard and Cornell to Gonzaga, Creighton and Vanderbilt, not to mention Colorado and Denver, are all interested in the 6-foot-4 standout.

But when the 2014-15 prep basketball season tips off in early December, Bassey has only one focus: Bringing the Class 3A state championship trophy back home with the Mustangs.

“It’s another thing to consider and contemplate,” Bassey said of the attention. “But during the season I don’t think my main focus will be college. It’s an exciting experience to have, but I also don’t want to allow that to sidetrack me from the current season.”

Colorado Academy comes into this winter with big ambitions after a one-point loss to Holy Family in the 3A state title game last March. The Mustangs had a final chance to take it all, but a last-second shot went off the back of the rim.

“Holy Family was kind of destiny. It was kind of their year. They were very good, very talented, very well-coached and had some really good senior leadership,” CA coach Steve Hyatt said. “We learned what it takes to get there. We know you’ve got to prepare every day and get better very day and focus on the process, not the product.”

“We don’t really care about win-loss records or rankings – all we want to do is try to hold that ball up at the end of the year.”

Holy Family moved up to the 4A classification this year, and Colorado Academy is among the early favorites to replace the Tigers as champions. In fact, on Monday, the Mustangs were ranked No. 1 in CHSAANow.com’s preseason poll.

Colorado Academy’s Justin Bassey. (Mark Adams)

Bassey, fellow junior Christian Hyatt and senior Chris Kuelling lead the way, with Bassey coming off a season in which he averaged 20.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

“Justin is definitely a special, special player,” Coach Hyatt said. “He’s an unbelievable athlete – he can play point guard, post up, shoot 3s and handle the ball.”

Christian Hyatt started as a freshman and averaged 14.5 points as a sophomore. Kuelling was right behind him with 14 points a game, shooting 51 percent from 3-point range and knocking down 90 3s on the season.

The team is still young with a lot of junior talent, including Peter Vukovich-Simonson, a transfer from Valor Christian; and Will Creedon, a 6-8 post who played junior varsity as a sophomore.

“We’re constantly hungry. We had 11 guys on varsity last year and only four of those guys left,” Bassey said. “So really we have seven guys returning to the team who still have that bitter taste in their mouth. We came so close to winning a state championship, but coming up short, that will be a major motivation for us coming this year.”

Colorado Academy lost its second-leading scorer in Jack Buckmelter, who transferred to Denver East. Bassey said it’s a big loss, but it will force the Mustangs to play a different style and create a different dynamic.

“We have a really strong group of guys. Pretty much the whole lineup, I’ve known them all since fourth or fifth grade,” he said. “Our relationship off the court really blossomed on the court. You can see that chemistry we have and the feeling we have for each other’s game.”

Hyatt said scoring won’t be an issue for the Mustangs, but depth and getting the younger talent ready to play will be an early focus. With teams like Colorado Springs Christian (preseason No. 2), Faith Christian (No. 3), Moffat County (No. 4), Jefferson Academy (No. 5) and 3A newcomer Lutheran (No. 6) in the mix, getting back to the 3A state title game will be a challenge.

To help it better prepare for that competition, Colorado Academy is taking part in early tournaments at Fossil Ridge and Mullen, playing a handful of 5A and 4A teams.

“We want to go play good competition,” Hyatt said. “I tell the kids we can go 0-9 and I don’t care; we can go 9-0 and I don’t care. The purpose is to get better and we need to play tough competition.”

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Boys basketball preview
- Regular Season begins: Dec. 1
- Regular Season ends: Feb. 21
- Preseason rankings
[divider]

Class 5A
- Defending champion: Denver East
- Runner-up: Fossil Ridge
- Preseason No. 1: Overland
- Returning All-State Players: Blend Avdili, Sr., Eaglecrest (3rd team); Jack Buckmelter, Jr., Denver East (1st, 3A with Colorado Academy); Austin Conway, Sr., Overland (2nd); De’Ron Davis, Jr., Overland (2nd); Jake Holtzmann, Sr., Chaparral (2nd); Thomas Neff, Sr., Arvada West (3rd); Michael Sparks, Sr., Abraham Lincoln (3rd).
- Championship: March 12-14, Coors Event Center, Boulder
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Class 4A
- Defending champion: Pueblo East
- Runner-up: Denver South
- Preseason No. 1: Longmont
- Returning All-State Players: Dylan Brink, Sr., Erie (3rd team); Jake Gavitt, Sr., Elizabeth (3rd); Luke Golter, Sr., Holy Family (2nd, 3A); Chris Helbig, Jr., Holy Family (3rd, 3A).
- Championship: March 12-14, Coors Event Center, Boulder
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Class 3A
- Defending champion: Holy Family (moved up to 4A)
- Runner-up: Colorado Academy
- Preseason No. 1: Colorado Academy
- Returning All-State Players: Justin Bassey, Jr., Colorado Academy (1st team); Alex Greenly, Sr., St. Mary’s (3rd); Grant Harkness, Sr., Faith Christian (2nd); Deron Harrel, Jr., Denver Science & Tech (3rd); Kort Hawthorn, Jr., Moffat County (3rd); Samuel Howard, Jr., Colorado Springs Christian (2nd); Sam Parker, Sr., Grand Valley (3rd); James Willis, Sr., Lutheran (1st, 2A).
- Championship: March 13-14, Lockridge Arena, Colorado School of Mines, Golden
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Class 2A
- Defending champion: Sanford
- Runner-up: Akron
- Preseason No. 1: Sanford
- Returning All-State Players: Chance Canty, Jr., Sanford (1st team); Jared Clarkson, Sr., Akron (3rd); Connor Fiscus, Sr., Merino (3rd); Wyatt Hayes, Jr., Ignacio (3rd); Adison Jones, Sr., Ignacio (2nd); Christian Ortiz, Sr., Center (2nd).
- Championship: March 13-14, Massari Arena, CSU-Pueblo
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Class 1A
- Defending champion: Hi-Plains
- Runner-up: Caliche
- Preseason No. 1: McClave
- Returning All-State Players: Michael Durrill, Sr., Cornerstone Christian (3rd); Austin Littlefield, Sr., Prairie (3rd).
- Championship: March 13-14, Budweiser Events Center, Loveland
November 25, 2014