Category: Previews

Monarch hockey looking to break through after back-to-back runner-up finishes

Monarch hockey has lost in hockey’s championship game — to Ralston Valley — two consecutive seasons. (Matt Matthewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]wo years, two excellent seasons, and two disappointing endings.

That’s the recent history of Monarch hockey, which has fallen just short of capturing its first ever state title in each of the past two seasons, losing in the championship game to Ralston Valley both times.

Being a perennial runner-up has proved to be a tough pill to swallow amid sky-high expectations for Monarch head coach Jimmy Dexter.

“We’ve had a couple disappointing seasons,” said Dexter on Thursday. “You know, the past three years we’ve only lost to Ralston Valley.”

The two teams know each other intimately — both compete in the Foothills Conference, and Ralston Valley defeated Monarch 5-1 in 2013’s championship game and 4-1 in 2014’s title affair.

Now, though, Monarch and Dexter have a new set of challenges to confront as they try to bust through an icy ceiling and final clinch that elusive state title.

“We’ve lost 16 kids from last year,” said Dexter. “But we do have a lot of young talent. So I’m excited and I think we’ll be right in it again this year.”

An exodus of that many players is always difficult to rebound from quickly. Fortunately for Monarch, Dexter’s new wave of talent has already spent some time together. Dexter coaches the a midget team in the offseason, and he likes what he’s seen from his young group, many of whom will appear for Monarch this season.

“We have a lot of young kids, a lot of ’98 birth years. But we’re going well in midget season, and I didn’t think we were going to compete that well,” said Dexter. “All of those kids that are playing, we just had try-outs, and all those kids are moving to the Monarch team.

“I’m pretty excited with what we have. I know we lost a lot but with the kids that are coming back and the new kids that are going to be on the team I think we’ll still be pretty strong.”

Walker Harris (9) is back for Monarch. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

Monarch returns senior Walker Harris, the lone first-team player back from CHSAANow.com’s all-state team in 2013.

Harris may just be the top player in the state this season. He scored 17 goals and had 25 assists last season to lead the Foothills Conference with 42 points during the regular season, then added another seven points in the playoffs.

Dexter also highlighted the talents of sophomore Blake Bride, who Dexter said will be one of the team’s top players, as well as defenseman Justin White.

And as for Ralston Valley, Monarch’s biggest foil and the team that’s stood between them and their first state hockey championship? Dexter says there’s a definite rivalry there, and his new-look group is looking forward to taking another crack at the two-time defending champions.

“Definitely,” said Dexter, when asked if there was a budding rivalry between the two squads. “They lost a ton of kids, too. I was thinking that they weren’t going to be as good as usual, but looking at their midget team coming into the season, they’re going to be a strong team.

“We’re looking forward to playing them again and having another shot.”

[divider]

Hockey preview

Defending Champion: Ralston Valley

Returning all-state players: Harris (1st); Joe Morgan, G, Mountain Vista (2nd); John Tower, D, Resurrection Christian (2nd).

Regular season begins: December 1

Playoffs begin: February 21

Championship: March 7 at the Budweiser Event Center (Loveland)

November 21, 2014
Girls swimming preview: Thompson Valley’s Eryn Eddy is “The Eraser”

Thompson Valley swimmer Eryn Eddy. (Courtesy of the Eddy family)

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]hompson Valley girls swim coach Dale Leonhart, in his second season at the helm, likes the nickname his star senior Eryn Eddy had when he took over the program.

“I’ve only been fortunate enough to coach her for a couple of seasons, but before I got here she already earned the nickname, ‘The Eraser,’ Leonhart said of Eddy’s ability to close gaps as the anchor leg on relays. “She is something else on the rear end of a relay. I’ve witnessed it myself. I’ve watched her literally run people down. I mean, she went 50.7 on the rear end of the 400 freestyle relay at Jeffco last year. We were in lane one and we were in second by a couple of tenths.”

Eddy has been a force in the pool from the time she was a freshman. The University of Virginia signee has claimed four Class 4A individual state crowns with golds in the 100 freestyle in 2012 as a freshman, the 500 freestyle in 2014, and the 200 freestyle in 2013 and 2014.

Thompson Valley is a school with a rich tradition in both girls and boys swimming with 11 team state championships in the sport, five in girls, including four in a row from 2010-2013. The school records read as a who’s who of state champions, All-Americans, and Division I recruits.

Eddy owns five of the records with top marks in the 100, 200, and 500 freestyles individually and as a member of the top 200 and 400 freestyle relays. She’s also the 4A record holder in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:48.34.

For all of Eddy’s success on her own, she’s most proud of her accomplishments with her teammates.

“I think the most exciting thing for me, my favorite thing to do no matter what are the relays,” Eddy said. “I beg and ask Dale if I can be the anchor, because that’s my favorite spot. It’s the most exciting.

"When everything’s down to the wire it’s because of that last place swimmer, so I love getting on the blocks, especially in a tight race when we’re behind," she added. "That’s when everyone’s the loudest and most excited, so I do everything to close the gap and sometimes I’m successful.”

It’s safe to say Eddy’s successful more often than not as the anchor leg of three state championship relay teams. She was the closer on Thompson Valley’s title winning 200 freestyle relay her sophomore and junior year. The Eagles have won five 200-free relay state titles in a row and hold the 4A record in the event with a time of 1:36.54, set in 2013.

Thompson Valley swimmer Eryn Eddy. (Courtesy of the Eddy family)

Eddy lived up to her nickname at the state swim meet last season in the 400-freestyle relay, as well. In the final event of the day, D’Evelyn held the lead through three legs with Thompson Valley in second. Eddy had a lot of ground to make up. She erased D’Evelyn’s lead with 25 meters left and gave Thompson Valley their second straight state title in the event in a time of 3:32.07, just clear of D’Evelyn’s 3:32.66.

Leonhart has been coaching at the high school level at a number of schools since 1971 and been coaching club swimming for the past 55 years. He has high praise for "The Eraser," saying she’s one of the premier swimmers he’s ever had the privilege to coach.

“She’s right up there in the top half a dozen,” Leonhart said. “I had a couple of (Olympic) Trials qualifiers back in the middle 1980s, I’ve had several high school state champions and junior national champions. She’s right there in the top handful. She’s definitely one of the very best.”

Eddy is the top individual returner in class 4A. Evergreen senior Lindsay Morrow, Windsor sophomore Morgan Friesen and Valor Christian junior Brooke Stenstrom all return to defend individual state championships of their own.

As far as 4A team pursuits go, Thompson Valley is expected to be strong with Eddy and fellow senior Mattea Wabeke, a six-time individual state placer and Saint Louis University signee, as the headliners.

But Evergreen, coming off their first state championship in the sport, returns every girl who swam in last season’s state finals. Morrow (North Carolina State), Anna McDonald (Nebraska), Alissa Harmes (UNLV), Bailey Smith (Army), and Josie Pearson (Missouri State) are all Division I recruits in the 2015 class for the Cougars. As such, Evergreen is the team to beat.

In Class 5A, ThunderRidge’s Annie Ochitwa, Loveland’s Brooke Hansen, Arapahoe’s Ella Moynihan, Fossil Ridge’s Bailey Nero and Bailey Kovac, and Rock Canyon’s Abigail Kochevar all are back to defend individual crowns.

Regis Jesuit returns as the defending 5A team champion. The Raiders, who have nine all-state swimmers coming back, have claimed the last two titles and three of the last four. Fairview came within seven points of beating Regis last season, and returns a talented core, as does Fossil Ridge and Cherry Creek.

[divider]

Girls swimming preview

Class 4A

Defending champion: Evergreen

Runner-up: Thompson Valley

Regular season begins: December 1

State championships: February 13-14, VMAC in Thornton

All-State returners: Eryn Eddy, Thompson Valley, Morgan Friesen, Windsor, Kamryn Holland, Evergreen, Lindsay Morrow, Evergreen, Josie Pearson, Evergreen, Bailey Smith, Evergreen, Brooke Stenstrom, Valor Christian, Mattea Wabeke, Thompson Valley

[divider]

Class 5A

Defending champion: Regis Jesuit

Runner-up: Fairview

Regular season begins: December 1

State finals: February 13-14, EPIC in Fort Collins

All-State returners: McKensi Austin, Regis Jesuit, Sydney Cutler, Regis Jesuit, Jennae Frederick, Regis Jesuit, Brooke Hansen, Loveland, Abigail Kochevar, Rock Canyon, Bailey Kovac, Fossil Ridge, Amy Lenderink, Regis Jesuit, Ella Moynihan, Arapahoe, Bailey Nero, Fossil Ridge, Annie Ochitwa, ThunderRidge, Lindsay Painton, Regis Jesuit, Emily Protz, Regis Jesuit, Isabella Schultze, Regis Jesuit, Samantha Smith, Regis Jesuit, Taylor Wilson, Regis Jesuit

November 19, 2014
Kyle English, Stratton/Liberty aiming to defend 6-man football title

Stratton/Liberty returns as the defending 6-man football champion. (Tom Bredehoft)

Any football coach will tell you that without season long on health or depth, a team’s fate can go downhill fast.

That’s why Stratton/Liberty coach Toby Kechter greets preseason practice with mounds of optimism.

Kechter, who’s in his third year as head coach for the consolidated team and defending 6-man state champions, expected 15 players for fall practice.

More importantly, “We’re really deep in the big guys,” he said.

Whether it’s 6-man, 8-man or 11-man football, it all starts up front.

Anchoring that line is 6-1, 235-pound sophomore Chase Flynn, who’s lost 40 pounds since his state-placing freshman wrestling season.

Kyle English, left, is back for Stratton/Liberty. (Tom Bredehoft)

He’ll pave the way for senior running back Kyle English, who rushed for 1,500 yards and more than 40 touchdowns in leading the Eagles to the state title, their first since winning the 8-man crown in 2003.

The 44-40 victory over Hi-Plains was even sweeter considering it was the Patriots who knocked Stratton/Liberty out of the 2012 playoffs on a Hail Mary pass.

The Eagles return three starters on both sides of the ball, including English, a solid all-around athlete who is also the defending 1A state long jump and triple jump champion.

“We were balanced (last season),” Kechter said. “We had three kids who could’ve taken over (at any time).”

That’s a good sign, considering two starters, Trent Worden and Kade Drescher, missed the playoffs with injuries. Both will be back a little hungrier.

As for the 6-man classification, “There should be a lot more parity,” Kechter said.

Arickaree/Woodlin will give the Eagles all they can handle in the East Central Conference, as will Otis and rebounding Idalia, the latter having won eight state titles in the previous 16 seasons.

Stratton/Liberty, ranked No. 1 in the preseason, has two tough nonconference opponents in Eads and Cheyenne Wells, both expected to vie for playoff berths out of the Southeast Conference.

With Walsh, Cheyenne Wells and Manzanola dropping to 6-man, Eads and Kit Carson will get plenty of challenge in the Southeast Conference. Walsh won five consecutive conference titles in its five previous seasons in 8-man.

Miami-Yoder and South Park also drop a class from 8-man, joining the Central Conference.

“The eight teams that make the playoffs should be quality teams,” Kechter said.

Hi-Plains will get a challenge from Otis and 2011 and 2012 state titlist Fleming in the East Central Conference.

Prairie and Peetz are looking to make return playoff appearances from the North Conference. The Southwest Conference will attempt to make inroads in the playoffs but faces an uphill battle.

[divider]

6-man football

Defending champion: Stratton/Liberty

Runner-up: Hi-Plains

Returning All-State players: Kyle English, Stratton/Liberty, Sr.; Alex Nelson, Hi-Plains, Sr.

Playoffs begin: Nov. 1

Championship: Nov. 15 at home site

August 21, 2014
Paonia will rely on its line in quest to defend 1A football title

Paonia won last season’s 1A football championship. (Eric Goold)

The nature of small town football is pretty simple when described by Paonia football coach Brent McRae.

As coach of the defending Class 1A state champion Eagles, McRae doesn’t have to look far to detail why his team won the state championship, reeling off 10 dominant wins in a row and eventually topping Centauri in the state championship.

“Everything we do starts up front,” McRae said.

The coach, whose team is ranked No. 1 in the preseason, can again sleep better knowing that one of the toughest front sevens returns nearly everyone.

The Eagles run a double tight set, with seven guys tasked at blocking up front. Most of those guys return this year, led by returning all-staters Josh Kimball (6-foot-2, 270 pounds) and Dylan Geisler (5-11, 205).

The team also returns Joel Simianer, Tyler Denison, Chase Park and Logan Schopp up front.

There is a competition at center, but McRae has a couple of 300-pounders battling for that spot.

“They’re country boys,” McRae said. “They work hard all summer. That’s just the way they are. Put any back behind that line and you’re going to gain some yards.”

That was the case last year as Paonia averaged more than 310 yards a game. It’s low was 149 yards in an early season loss to Centauri. When the running game is working like that, the game becomes a lot easier, McRae said.

The Eagles never threw more than 13 attempts in any game and finished with 4,071 yards rushing and 44 touchdowns.

“They enjoy the time they have up front,” McRae said.

The Eagles, though, will be challenged again. Centauri, Buena Vista, Resurrection Christian, Meeker and Burlington should all be in the conversation as teams to watch.

But don’t count out Paonia, especially with the group it has up front. McRae said they’re in the conversation as a favorite because of what happens with that talented group that opens up holes.

“It’s a good group of kids that want to play football, win football games and just want to enjoy football,” he said.

[divider]

Class 1A football

Defending champion: Paonia

Runner-up: Centauri

Returning All-State players: Jareb Aziz, Centauri, Senior; Trevor Close, Buena Vista, Senior; Jacob Crist, Ellicott, Senior; Jonas Cure, Wray, Senior; Dylan Geisler, Paonia, Senior; Adison Jones, Ignacio, Senior; Josh Kimball, Paonia, Senior; Clay McCarroll, Centauri, Senior; Corey Reynolds, Cedaredge, Senior; Eloy Sandavol, Burlington, Senior; Michael Stevensen, Resurrection Christian, Sophomore.

Playoffs begin: Nov. 1

Championship: Nov. 22 at home site

August 21, 2014
Manitou Springs football looking for continued success with new coach

Manitou Springs is ranked No. 4 in the preseason. (Courtesy of Larry Ferguson/Pikes Peak Bulletin)

The first loss for the Manitou Springs Mustangs couldn’t have come at a worse time last season.

In 2013, the Mustangs ran the table through their regular season schedule and earned the No. 2 seed heading into the 2A playoffs.

They cruised by Jefferson in the first round, then emerged from a tough battle with Kent Denver in the quarterfinals. A week later, it was on their home field that the Mustangs fell for the first time in 2013, losing 13-7 to eventual Class 2A champion Platte Valley.

While the Mustangs have a solid group of returning players in 2014, they’ll enter the season looking nothing like the semifinal team they were last year.

In January, coach Danny Gieck stepped down from the position in order to focus more on his family and overall duties to the district. After an extensive search, the Mustangs — for the first time since the retirement of longtime coach George Rykovich — hired an outsider. Former Palmer Ridge coach Monte Gutowski took the position and looks maintain the level of success the Mustangs found in 2013, but will do so with a different approach.

“I don’t think (anyone else’s expectations) matter, I think that within our team — what our team goals are and us as a coaching staff — are the things that we need to focus on,” Gutowski said. “Everybody external is going to have their own opinion and that’s rightfully theirs but that’s none of my business. I don’t care what their expectations are, I care about what my expectations are for my club.”

New Manitou Springs coach Monte Gutowski. (Courtesy of Larry Ferguson/Pikes Peak Bulletin)

The most notable difference for Gutowski’s Mustangs from those of the past will be the absence of the single-wing offense. The “wildcat” style offense was first utilized by Rykovich and carried on through the short coaching careers of CHSAA hall of famer Justin Armour and Gieck.

Gutowski is a fan of varying formations and uses a lot of pistol in his offense, which he will bring to Manitou.

“Everybody gets all wigged out with the pistol, but it’s still just a short shotgun,” he said. “We’ll have a power running game with zone read-type concepts and things like that involved.”

The new offensive style won’t be hard for the Mustangs to grasp, Gutowski insists. He was able to work with the team during a summer camp and started to implement the necessary components of the offense, which the team responded well to.

He’ll use the time between the start of official practices and the Mustangs’ first game (Aug. 29 against state runner-up Faith Christian) to fine-tune his offense and hopefully work out any kinks the Mustangs may have. Gutowski remains confident that the Mustangs will have few issues transitioning into a new system, mostly because of the athleticism he has found in his team.

“Skill-wise, a lot of the skill guys that are back have really good overall team speed,” he said. “I think it fits them, being able to do some of the things I’m asking them to do and letting them be the athletes they are not over-coaching them.”

The Mustangs, ranked No. 4 in the preseason, hope to repeat as Tri-Peaks league champions, but face a tough non-league schedule in Faith Christian, Woodland Park, Buena Vista and Eaton. Their first league game will be played on Sept. 26 when they host La Junta.

[divider]

Class 2A football

Defending champion: Faith Christian

Runner-up: Platte Valley

Returning All-State players: Caleb Creech, Sr., Platte Valley; Jonathan Cretti, Sr., Bennett; Ryan Fitzgerald, Sr. Aspen; Jaden Franklin, Sr., Kent Denver; John Jordan, Jr., Bennett; Connor McCain, Sr., Faith Christian; Ethan Rose, Sr., Sterling; Kyle Rosenbrock, Sr., Brush; Jacob Smith, Sr., Strasburg

Playoffs begin: Nov. 1

Championship: Nov. 22 at home site

August 21, 2014
Kyler Mai back, but not at QB, for Dayspring Christian football

Dayspring Christian’s Kylar Mai is back, but he’s moving to halfback this season. (Dennis Pleuss)

Considering the consistency Dayspring Christian Academy has exhibited in the past decade, it’s safe to say the Greeley school has some things figured out.

Mainly complacency breeds down seasons, and if nothing else the defending 8-man football championship team is anything but gratified.

“You’re asking 8,555 questions about (the state championship) and we don’t talk about it,” Eagles coach Mick Holmes said.

OK coach.

But how are things changing after an undefeated season last year?

Pretty strikingly, actually.

All do everything quarterback Kylar Mai — he of 1,458 yards passing and 22 touchdowns and 2,308 yards rushing and another 37 touchdowns — returns but won’t be under center.

He’s making a full time switch to halfback.

“He’s our best ball carrier, but he struggled at times to throw the ball,” Holmes said. “He did adequate throwing the ball.”

In his place the Eagles are trying out a trio of different quarterbacks to fill in. The move, Holmes said, started being discussed this summer among the staff.

As the chats continued, it continued to make more sense.

It’s also partly because Mai hopes to play beyond high school and Holmes said his future isn’t as a quarterback but as a running back.

The move though is risky.

Mai was a one-man, 8-man wrecking machine last year, saving possibly his best game for the state championship game against Caliche.

There Mai threw for 147 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 28 carries for 295 yards and another two touchdowns.

“I can’t answer if it will work out,” Holmes said. “The jury is still out. We have two kids that throw the ball better than him.”

If nothing else, Dayspring knows what it takes to have playoff success. Coming out the Plains League — the toughest in 8-man — Dayspring consistently is a contender for a state title.

Having won two of the past three, though, Holmes said 8-man can be fickle. He points to a 2012 first round exit in the playoffs where the Eagles had eight turnovers and to last year’s 35-28 win against Caliche in the state championship.

There, Caliche had the ball in the red zone three times and came away with three turnovers.

“My philosophy is this: We don’t talk about the state championship ever,” Holmes said. “We talk about working hard and taking care of things we control.”

[divider]

8-man football

Defending champion: Dayspring Christian

Runner-up: Caliche

Returning All-State players: Brody Donoho, Dayspring Christian, senior; Kylar Mai, Dayspring Christian, senior; Jon Wiseman, Dayspring Christian, senior

Regular season begins: Aug. 21

Playoffs begin: Nov. 1

Championship: Nov. 22 at home site

August 21, 2014
Montrose football trying to one-up last season’s title-game appearance

Montrose football is seeking a return trip to Sports Authority Field at Mile High. (Kevin Keyser/KeyserImages.com)

Mike Rocha is redefining the role of a fullback.

At 6 feet, 212 pounds, the senior-to-be at Montrose presents a plethora of problems for opposing defenses. Rocha does enough damage helping pave the way for the team’s other backs, but he’s most dangerous when he has the ball in his hands.

“He’s got enough speed where he really can hurt you,” Montrose coach Todd Casebier said. “It’s pretty unique to have a fullback have 1,600 yards rushing.”

That’s putting it lightly. Rocha was one of the driving forces behind Montrose’s punishing rushing attack last fall, piling up 1,572 yards on the ground to go along with 27 touchdowns. As a team the Indians accrued more than 4,600 rushing yards on their way to the Class 4A state championship game before falling to Pine Creek 49-14 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver last November.

Montrose’s Mike Rocha, left, rushed for 1,600 yards last season. (Kevin Keyser/KeyserImages.com)

“It was a whirlwind tour,” said Casebier, whose squad traveled over the mountains on five occasions last fall and made two more hour-long trips to Grand Junction. “Having the opportunity to play where the Broncos do and for a state championship, those are special things that don’t happen very often.

“At the same time we’re disappointed with how we played against Pine Creek, but they had a lot to do with that.”

Headed into the 2014 season, which Montrose kicks off Aug. 22 at home against Grand Junction, the mission is to find a way back to Sports Authority once again. The Indians are ranked No. 2 to begin the year.

They have Rocha and quarterback Kameron Devincentis back, along with experience up front in all-state lineman Matt Maestas, tackle Andrew Doney, guard Kaden James and tight end Kolby Martinez.

“I call them the dogs up front,” Rocha said. “Without them I wouldn’t be at 1,600 yards. They’re the base of our offense and without them we’d be nothing.”

Montrose did graduate a key offensive weapon in Angelo Youngren, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 13 TDs, but the team has Nick Foster and Dalton Wright ready to fill his shoes.

Devincentis threw for 1,054 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 374 more yards.

“He’s kind of the catalyst that makes things go,” Casebier said of his quarterback. “He had a really good season as a junior and we’ll ask him to do more as a senior. He’s a savvy kid who makes plays.”

Maestas and Donny Adams return on the defensive line, where they will be joined by Kadin McPherson and Cayden James. Foster and Mitch Freismuth anchor the secondary.

Montrose’s Kameron DeVincentis during practice this fall. (Tom Hoganson)

Lucas Ruiz-Diaz returns at kicker, where he was 6-for-6 on field goals as a sophomore.

The Indians make the move from the Southwestern League to a Foothills League that includes five schools from the Colorado Springs area. The travel won’t change, but the competition will be just as fierce.

“We’re happy the Foothills League allowed us to be in with them,” Casebier said. “We know it’s going to be a good challenge.”

That league slate and a tough non-league schedule should help prepare Montrose as it attempts to make a return to the title game.

“I think it was a big move for Montrose and just the whole program. Last year was just a Cinderella story,” Rocha said. “I think everybody thought it can’t happen, but now it shows it can — a small team from the Western Slope can go all the way and make it.

“Last year was crazy but now it’s just an inspiration to get back and actually pull through.”

[divider]

Class 4A football

Defending champion: Pine Creek

Runner-up: Montrose

Returning All-State players: Avery Anderson, Sr., Pine Creek (1st); Connor Durant, Sr., Standley Lake (1st); Tommy Lazzaro, Sr., Pine Creek (1st); Matt Maestas, Sr., Montrose (1st); Mike Rocha, Sr., Montrose (1st); Kidd Soole, Sr., Monarch (1st); Nathan Spinuzzi, Sr., Pueblo South (1st); Braxton Thais, Sr., Dakota Ridge (1st).

Regular Season begins: Aug. 21

Playoffs begin: Nov. 8

Championship: Nov. 29 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver

August 20, 2014
Chatfield charged up heading into 5A football season

Chatfield coach Bret McGatlin, far left, will guide the Chargers high-powered offense led by returning starting quarterback Kyle Winkler, middle, and running back Michael Callahan-Harris, far right. The Chargers averaged nearly 40 points per game last year as Winkler threw for 2,176 yards and 25 touchdowns. Callahan-Harris rushed for 1,296 yards and 15 touchdowns during their junior seasons. (Dennis Pleuss)

LITTLETON — Chatfield appears primed to join the group of Class 5A football state title contenders this season.

The Chargers come into the fall with one of the most explosive offenses in the state headed by three-year starting quarterback Kyle Winkler and returning running back Michael Callahan-Harris. Chatfield’s quick-paced offense averaged nearly 40 points per game last season.

“We found something that both coaches and players enjoyed,” Chatfield coach Bret McGatlin said. “When you play fast you are able to utilize all the athletes you have. Our goal is the find the little things we didn’t do well and improve on those. The sky is the limit I think.”

Winkler threw for 2,176 yards and 25 touchdowns during last year’s 8-3 campaign that ended with a second-round playoff loss to Pomona. While statistics are nice, Winkler is focused on the big prize his senior season.

Chatfield senior quarterback Kyle Winkler put up some impressive passing numbers last season. Winkler was 188-of-276 for 2,176 yards and 25 touchdowns during his junior campaign. (Dennis Pleuss)

“Obviously I just want to win a state championship,” said Winkler, who is looking at possibly continuing his football career at an Ivy League school after graduation. “The individual stuff really doesn’t matter to me as long as we win.”

Callahan-Harris became the Chargers’ workhorse at running back by midseason when starting back Brendan Murphy was limited because of injury.

“I knew once Murphy got hurt I was going to have to step it up and play at the level that he did for the past two seasons,” Callahan-Harris said. “I knew I could do it.”

Callahan-Harris did do it, carrying the ball 157 for 1,110 yards and 14 touchdowns in Chatfield final six games in 2013.

“To be honest, I wasn’t surprise at all,” McGatlin said. “We knew when Michael came in as a freshman he was extremely talented. He has the greatest vision I’ve ever seen. He has a burst of speed you don’t see from many backs.”

Chatfield returns seniors Sean O’Dell and Brayden Gilbert to lead the receiver core. McGatlin believes O’Dell is one of the top all-around athletes in the state and Gilbert has been playing football with Winkler since the fifth grade.

While the offense has the potential to be even better than last season, McGatlin knows it takes more than just a high-powered offense to make a run at a state title. The Chargers are ranked No. 6 in the preseason poll.

Chatfield senior Michael Callahan-Harris had a remarkable final six games last season carrying the ball 157 times for 1,110 yards and 14 touchdowns. (Dennis Pleuss)

“More than anything else we want to step up our defense and special teams. I think our expectations are to make sure we aren’t just a one-dimensional team,” McGatlin said. “We realize to compete in our league having a great offense is wonderful, but looking at last year it didn’t win us a state championship or even a league championship.”

Three-year starter Matt Gaiter and junior Maurice Barley will anchor the defensive line for the Chargers.

“Both kids (Gaiter and Barley) had a great off-season in the weight room,” McGatlin said. “You realize that if you don’t have a defensive line you are going to struggle on defense.”

McGatlin expects Jake Carstensen to be the leader of the defense that will focus getting the ball back to the offense more often this season.

“We are going to play a lot more aggressive on defense,” McGatlin said. “We are going to run more three-men fronts and bring more pressure to force more turnovers.”

Chatfield will play in the newly formed 5A Jeffco League that features seven Jeffco squads and Mullen.

“We know that we have a long ways to go. This is a good core group of guys, but you have to beat those guys. Those teams have all made deep runs into the playoffs,” McGatlin said of Chatfield’s conference foes. “We’ve had some big wins and had some wins in the playoffs, but we haven’t made that deep run into the playoffs yet. That’s the next step.”

The Chargers’ first step this regular season will be a trip to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida during Zero Week to face Everglades High School on Thursday.

Football fans attending Chatfield’s home football games at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood should get their money’s worth this upcoming season. Running back Michael Callahan-Harris (far left), quarterback Kyle Winkler (middle) and coach Bret McGatlin is hoping to get the Chargers in contention for a 5A state football championship run. Chatfield’s lone state football title came back in 2001 when the Chargers were coached by Dave Logan. (Dennis Pleuss)

[divider]

Class 5A Football

Defending champion: Valor Christian

Runner-up: Fairview

Returning All-State players: Carlo Kemp, Jr., DL, Fairview (1st); Eric Lee, Sr., DB, Valor Christian; Alec Ruth, Sr., OL, Valor Christian (1st); Marcus Wilson, Sr., DB, Valor Christian (1st); Alex Kinney, Sr., K, Rocky Mountain (2nd); Cameron Knight, Sr., DB, Grandview (2nd); Chukwuma Obinnah, Sr., RB, Grandview (2nd); RJ Ramirez, Sr., RB, Prairie View (2nd); Matt Rindal, Sr., LB, Cherry Creek (2nd).

Regular season begins: August 21

Playoffs begin: November 1

Championship: Saturday, November 29, Sports Authority Field at Mile High

August 20, 2014
Delta football looks to carry over last season’s high-powered attack

Delta football spent most of 2013 lighting up the scoreboard on their way to a 9-4 record and the Class 3A state semifinals, where they fell to eventual runner-up Silver Creek 28-17.

Though they came oh-so-close last season, the good news for the Panthers, and head coach Ben Johnson, is that the team has plenty of talent returning from an offense that averaged over 35 points per-game during the regular season.

That doesn’t mean, according to coach Johnson, the road can’t and won’t get bumpy — especially in the early going.

“We’ve got a lot of good kids returning, but I think our schedule’s very tough. We open up with (The Classical Academy) and then we have Montrose,” said Johnson, who’s in his sixth season at Delta. “The most important thing is to just get through our schedule and get into the playoffs, and then anything can happen there.”

Delta will be led by returning senior quarterback Cade Gafford, a three-sport athlete who tossed 25 touchdowns versus just five interceptions last season. Gafford will be without all-state wide out Ryan Whiteside, who pulled down 76 catches for 1213 yards as a senior last season — but Johnson already believes he has a good candidate in mind to replace Whiteside’s production.

“Gafford threw for like 2,300 yards last year and had a really good year,” Johnson said. “We do have some good receivers. We have a six-foot-five receiver, senior Eian Baier, who I think is very good.”

Baier caught 10 passes for 147 yards as a junior last year.

Johnson doesn’t see the Panthers as a one-dimensional offense either — running back Johnathan Ponce, who rushed for 1,702 yards and led the team in all-purpose yards, returns for his junior season. Paving the way for Ponce will be big senior left tackle Marcus Garcia.

Together with Gafford, Ponce and Garcia make up what Johnson calls, “our big three," and compromise the backbone of what looks to be another potent Panthers’ attack.

In all, Johnson envisions a versatile game-plan capable of putting up points anyway possible — just like last season.

“We really try and be very balanced. We want to throw the ball, we want to run the ball, and keep teams’ off-balance,” said Johnson. “If they load the box we’ll throw it, if they play off we’ll run it.”

That kind of diversity pays off come playoff time.

The 3A state football playoffs are wild — six out of eight playoff teams were upset by a lower seed in the first round alone last year — so it pays to be able to put points on the board in every possible way. After two straight seasons with a winning record, and after coming within inches of playing for a championship in 2013, Johnson just hopes his team gets another chance to reach the summit in 2014.

“We have a pretty experienced group, so we just want to make sure we get our chance to get in (to the playoffs) and try to do some good things," he said.

[divider]

Class 3A football

Defending Champion: Coronado (moved up to 4A)

Runner-up: Silver Creek

Returning All-State players: Ouray Ocanas, Fort Morgan, Sr. (1st); Isaiah Young, Vista PEAK, Sr. (1st)

Regular season begins: August 21

Playoffs begin: November 8

Championship: November 29 at home site

August 20, 2014
Running runs in the family for Lyons’ Paul Roberts

Lyons junior Paul Roberts performance last year at the Class 2A cross country meet should have come to the surprise of no one.

Running to the Roberts family is first nature.

“I’ve ran since I was 2,” Paul said. “I remember running a Turkey Trot. Then a mile in or 20 minutes. The thing in the family is to go out and run. We were home schooled so it was our PE. I was always interested in it a little. Then I can remember being 7 or 8 and liking it a lot. I started racing my older sister in lots of races. Then all I wanted to do was beat her.”

Paul, and the rest of the Roberts clan, have certainly shown that they are a running family.

Paul won the boys Class 2A meet last year, setting a course record last at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, finishing in 16 minutes, 19 seconds.

Paul’s sister, Miriam, won the girls meet.

“We’ve been blessed with great kids,” said Mark, the Roberts’ father and Lyons head cross country coach. “I feel like it’s a culture of kids that want to get better, and just enjoy hanging out with each other. It’s helped out with my own children getting involved with that.”

Paul’s 2014 season is setting up to be even better. The Class 2A field returns a stable of top runners, including Roberts’ teammate Joel Such and Telluride’s Jack Plantz. Returning all-stater Ben Butler from SkyView Academy will move up to Class 3A.

With Paul competing with Such on a nightly basis in practice, though, Lyons looks poised to again be the team to beat.

For Paul, a return to the state championships and a sub 16-minute time are definitely goals, but the junior’s eyes are on the Nike Cross Regional. After struggling and failing to qualify for the national Nike meet, Paul said his focus is on that.

But the state championships are a big part of that training.

With the state championships taking part on the same course, and with Mark’s knowledge of racing, Paul understands he’s got a big bull’s-eye on his back.

“I remember what it’s like,” Paul said. “I know how to run it. We know it’s going to work out and set up well for us this year.”

[divider]

Class 2A boys cross country

Defending individual champion: Paul Roberts, Lyons

Defending team champion: Lyons

Returning All-State athletes: Roberts (junior), Lyons’ Joel Such (junior), Telluride’s Jack Plantz (junior).

Regular season begins: Aug. 21

Regionals: Oct. 16 and 17

State meet: Oct. 25, Norris-Penrose Event Center, Colorado Springs

August 19, 2014