Category: Previews

Alamosa boys cross country in prime position in 3A

Alamosa’s cross country team. (Eric R. Flores)

Alamosa High School, nestled in the San Luis Valley in south-central Colorado, is in a prime distance running location.

Alamosa is home to the most successful Division II running program in the country, Adams State, and is fertile training ground at 7,500 feet. The area also has several strong running programs at the high school level. The Mean Moose are one of them.

Alamosa is led by legendary coach Larry Zaragoza, an Adams State alum who ran and learned under one of the best distance running coaches in American history, Joe Vigil.

Zaragoza, entering his 38th season at the school, also coached at Centauri in the 1970s. He is the only cross country coach in Colorado history to claim both boys and girls team state titles at two different schools. Zaragoza has won several championships over the years, but says his program’s focus isn’t solely on the end results each season.

“We don’t chase trophies,” Zaragoza said. “That’s one thing that’s convinced in my mind. I’m not going to try and inform a team to just try and go out and chase a trophy. I don’t want disappointment; I want enjoyment, no matter what happens at the end of the season.

"I want them to appreciate it and reflect on all the hard work that’s brought them to this point, no matter where it brings us. Be proud of your efforts and be proud of your achievements.”

Zaragoza’s boys team had another season to be proud of in 2013 with a third place finish at the 3A cross country state championships despite not having a single senior in the state lineup. The Alamosa boys have placed in the top four each of the past four seasons at the state championships and look to be one of the state title favorites in 2014, but Zaragoza never takes anything for granted.

“We’re in a tough region,” the long-time Alamosa coach said of 3A Region 2, arguably the most challenging boys region in the classification. “Vanguard School just moved up and Lamar’s back with a solid team.

"One of our goals is to increase the mileage in a smart way and keep people healthy, because we do have a fine group of young men and they’re going to be competing in some really good meets throughout the season. We do have quality, but we don’t have a lot of depth. We have six pretty outstanding runners and after that, it kind of drops off, not drastically, but compared to what our front-runners have, it would drop off a little bit.”

Alamosa, like most small schools, may struggle for depth, but their top-flight talent is excellent.

Alamosa’s Isaiah DeLaCerda. (Eric R. Flores)

Isaiah De La Cerda is one of the best talents in Colorado for his age. He placed seventh at state cross country as a freshman last season and ran a 10:03 3,200-meters at the 3A state track championships, good for ninth place.

De La Cerda is talented enough to challenge for an individual state title this fall. The sophomore is the son of Peter, a second place finisher at the 2000 Olympic trials in the marathon, and Ronda De La Cerda. Both of Isaiah’s parents were standouts at Adams State. Peter has been an assistant coach at Alamosa for several years.

“It’s a blessing to have Peter on the program,” Zaragoza said. “He occasionally runs with the team. He takes the A group and he’ll run with them on their long runs. He likes to get out and do the hill workouts with them. I think that’s a plus having a coach like Peter, especially for his son Isaiah, because Isaiah is quite a talented young man.

"He seems to be mature beyond his years," Zaragoza added. "He seems so composed at meets. Again, he’s one of those who has no fear. He’s not afraid of anybody. He respects, along with our team and coaching staff — we respect our opponents, but we fear no one. We want to compete and we want to compete against the best.

"Isaiah’s always visiting with top runners. Last year, he would go speak with Bailey Roth out of Coronado High School and the young man that ran for Denver East (Cerake Geberkidane). Isaiah likes to be a student of the game.”

Jericho Ulibarri, a senior, could be nipping at De La Cerda’s heels again this fall. Ulibarri finished one second behind De La Cerda at last year’s state cross country meet in a strong eighth place effort.

Miguel Baltazar was the second-fastest freshman in the classification last year, placing 22nd at the state meet, and Chance Canty, Caleb Palmer, and Austin Chavez are fine runners in their own right.

Alamosa certainly has a talented team returning. The Mean Moose are still youthful, but certainly have a fine example of running success in their own backyard.

“Our kids do get to rub elbows every now and then,” Zaragoza said of sharing the town with Adams State. “For example, there’s a meet that they host here called the Joe I. Vigil. It’s a middle school race, a high school race, and then a collegiate race. Our kids know who the Adams State athletes are, whether they are male or female. I have had over the past years, the head coach Damon Martin come and speak to our team and share some knowledge and some motivational thoughts.

“They’re aware of Adams State’s success and I think them being from Alamosa, they want to be equally representative of the running community.”

Alamosa is expected to be one of the state champion favorites along with Lamar, a region rival and second place finisher in 2013.

Frontier Academy, the defending state champions, graduated its top three boys, but have a strong enough program to put them in the team race again.

Salida’s Taylor Stock, the top 3A returner after a second-place finish as a sophomore, is expected to battle Basalt’s Zach Walsh, Alamosa’s De La Cerda and Ulibarri, and Lamar’s Jake Rogers for the individual crown.

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Class 3A boys cross country

Defending individual champion: Jacob Benson, Platte Canyon (graduated)

Defending team champion: Frontier Academy

Returning All-State athletes: Taylor Stack, Salida; Zack Walsh, Basalt; Isaiah De La Cerda, Alamosa

Regular season begins: Aug. 21

Regionals: Oct. 16 and 17

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

August 19, 2014
The Classical Academy aiming to fill void in 4A boys cross country

The Classical Academy’s Everett Johnson. (Courtesy of Alan Versaw)

There is one guarantee about the upcoming boys cross country season: there will be a new Class 4A state team champion.

That’s became a reality when last year’s state champ Broomfield moved up to 5A this season.

Although the Eagles are gone, there’s no shortage of talented 4A teams in 2014 — led by The Classical Academy.

The Colorado Springs-based school was the state runner-up last year, but veteran coach Alan Versaw knows nothing will come easy for his squad.

“We have our work cut out for us,” Versaw said. “There are plenty of good teams. Palmer Ridge, at least on paper, is probably the best team. They lost very little to graduation and they had a pretty strong team last year and all indicators are that they are going to be really good. I also think Thompson Valley, Air Academy, Cheyenne Mountain and Durango are going to be very good.”

The Titans won five Class 3A boys cross country titles, but have yet to win any in 4A since moving up to that class in 2012.

Versaw expects his team to be led by senior Everett Johnson, junior Michael Oldach and sophomore Tanner Norman.

“We are very established and very experienced three-deep, but in cross country you have to go to five,” Versaw said. “We will see what happens with (No.) 4 and 5 and that will probably tell a big deal of the story of our season right there.

Michael Oldach. (Courtesy of Alan Versaw)

"We have one freshman coming in who could be an impact freshman and we will wait because I’m not sure on that," he added. "Then, we have probably five or six guys who ran mostly JV last year and were freshmen and sophomores and they will have a shot at filling those positions. We have lots of possibilities.”

That’s why Versaw uses the regular season to mold his team.

“I don’t load up with big meets,” Versaw said. “There are a couple of times during the season we will try and go pretty hard, but the invitational season is more about learning than winning meets.”

The state meet returns to the Norris-Penrose Event Center which Versaw knows is a challenge.

“It’s kind of a roll the dice kind of course where there is very little margin for error on that course the way it is setup,” Versaw said.

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Class 4A boys cross country

Defending individual champion: Broomfield (moved up to 5A)

Returning All-State athletes: Michael Duran, Pueblo Centennial, Jr. (1st); William Mayhew, Cheyenne Mountain, Sr. (1st); Eric Hamer, Palmer Ridge, Sr. (1st)

Regular season begins: Aug. 21

Regionals: Oct. 16 and 17

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

August 19, 2014
Pine Creek’s Zachary Alhamra has high hopes in 5A boys cross country

Pine Creek senior Zachary Alharma. (Courtesy photo)

Pine Creek’s Zachary Alhamra, a talent since he entered high school, feels he hadn’t discovered his potential yet.

“I came into high school as the dominant Colorado runner for the freshman class and no other freshman could touch me,” Alhamra said. “Towards the end of my freshman year, I kind of had a plateau and that plateau continued into my sophomore year and the entire year I only improved a few seconds in each of my events.”

“I went into last season a little apprehensive,” Alhamra admitted of his mindset entering his junior cross country season, a year after placing 12th at the Class 5A state meet as a sophomore.

After surprising himself a little with a third-place finish at a loaded Arapahoe Warrior Invite to kick off his junior campaign, Alhamra could see the opportunity for a breakout season.

Alharma says he is drawing inspiration from Cerake Geberkidane, last year’s 5A champion from Denver East. (Courtesy photo)

“I told myself, why not take first and do some incredible things this season,” Alhamra said. “Next race I took second to Cerake (Geberkidane) in my division and just kept the ball rolling from there.

"At Liberty Bell, I took first with a significant PR of 15 seconds. Rim Rock, which is in Kansas, I had a very good race and took third. From then on I just decided I’m going to take second place to Cerake at the 5A state meet.”

Alhamra was enjoying his best season yet, but had a mental barrier to overcome the week before the state championships.

“Where it really got interesting was the week before at the regional meet,” Alhamra said. “The weekend before the meet, I got sick, and it almost seemed like déjà vu. My freshman year, I got sick the same exact weekend and I ended up collapsing a hundred meters from the finish line at the regional meet and didn’t qualify for state.

"This was my first time ever returning to the course since that event occurred. I was sick and wasn’t feeling the greatest about it and even during the race, I remember I wasn’t feeling too good physically, but I just stayed behind Connor Weaver (of Mountain Vista).

“Last half mile, I decided to sprint him out there instead of waiting until it got too close to the finish,” Alhamra noted. “I basically just ended the race by taking a big surge and creating a gap between us. I ended up winning the race and then going into state, I recovered from my cold.”

Alhamra put the icing on the cake of a wildly successful fall by accomplishing his goal of placing second at the 5A state meet behind one of the best runners in state history, Denver East’s Geberkidane, an Oklahoma State signee. Alhamra went on to qualify for the Nike National Championships and placed 20th, second out of Colorado runners behind fourth-place Geberkidane.

The Pine Creek senior, the leading returner in 5A boys cross country, has high hopes for his last high school season. He is drawing inspiration from last year’s state champion.

Alhamra, a young man who comes across as confident but not arrogant, said, “Cerake was kind of like that beacon out in the distance that I would like to be chasing after. Even though he’s graduated, my main competitor, as far as what I’m focusing on this year, is his times from last year. I want to see if I can match or break his times.

“The state meet, obviously I want to be dominant and take first,” Alhamra added of his goals. “I would like to go undefeated in Colorado and I would like to return to Nike Nationals and qualify for Foot Locker Nationals, as well.”

Alhamra, boasting a 4.76 GPA, has been hearing from several Ivy League schools, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of Texas at Austin. He’s also received some interest from his dream school, Stanford.

Alhamra said he’s looking for the best combination of academics and running at the next level but for now he’s focused on continuing to tap into his potential at Pine Creek.

“I just had an every race was better than the last type of season,” Alhamra said of his junior cross country campaign.

Alhamra appears to be the state title favorite, but will have competition from a deep group of talent including the likes of Thornton’s Joshua Joseph, Smoky Hill’s Blake Yount, Rampart’s Ben Dingman and Chaparral’s Dom Compoz, all top-10 finishers at the 2013 state meet.

Mountain Vista has claimed the team crown the last two years, but lost a great senior class with front-runners Connor Weaver and Andrew Walton departed.

The strength of the Golden Eagles’ young talent should put them right in the thick of it again. Chaparral, Fort Collins, Arapahoe and Monarch look poised to contend.

Zachary Alhamra (center). (Courtesy photo)

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Class 5A boys cross country

Defending individual champion: Cerake Geberkidane, Denver East (graduated)

Defending team champion: Mountain Vista

Returning All-State athletes: Alhamra; Joshua Joseph, Thornton; Blake Yount, Smoky Hill; Ben Dingman, Rampart.

Regular season begins: Aug. 21

Regionals: Oct. 16 and 17

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

August 19, 2014
Shining Mountain’s Ginger Hutton goes all in for cross country

Ginger Hutton of Shining Mountain Waldorf can’t stop running.

After nabbing all-state cross country honors as a junior and placing sixth at the 2013 Class 2A state championship, she spent part of her summer competing at the track and field Junior Olympics in Texas, where she placed sixth in the 800-meter run and seventh in the 1500-meter run.

If Hutton seems born to run, perhaps it’s because it’s in her genes. While initially hesitant to go out for cross country, Hutton credits her sister Birdie, who holds a number of Shining Mountain Waldorf records in track and field, for guiding her into the sport as an uncertain freshman.

“My sister Birdie is an awesome runner and a great role model. When I was going into high school, she was always trying to get me out to run, and finally at the start of track season my freshman year I agreed,” said Hutton. “Thus I will never forget that season of falling in love with running, and running one and two at state (track and field meet) in the mile with her.”

Despite being an excellent overall athlete who competes in the high jump and has played other varsity sports, this fall Hutton is cutting down her schedule to focus strictly on cross country. And after training most of the summer for track and field, she might be in an even better position to compete — which doesn’t bode well for other runners looking to catch her.

“I’ve only run one cross country season during which I also played varsity volleyball, so up until now I concentrated more on the track season,” said Hutton. “This fall I will be focused solely on cross country and we will see how my late track season (training and racing) rolls over.”

As one of just two returning members of the 2A all-state squad from a year ago, Hutton has high expectations for the upcoming season.

Shining Mountain Waldorf returns a number of excellent runners from last year’s group that placed sixth at the 2A state championship, names Hutton is quick to bring up when discussing her team’s expectations for 2014.

“I’m hoping that our team wins state,” said Hutton. “I feel that we have a very strong girl’s team (with) Paisley Sheehan, Ella Baca (and) Inaya Shore for cross country and I am excited to see how the season plays out.”

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Class 2A girls cross country

Defending individual champion: Miriam Roberts, Lyons (graduated)

Returning All-State athletes: Hutton; Rachel Rairdon, Heritage Christian Academy, Jr.

Defending team champion: Hotchkiss

Team runner-up: Lyons

Regular season begins: August 21

Postseason: Regionals Completed by October 18

Championships: October 25 at Norris-Penrose Event Center, Colorado Springs

August 18, 2014
Salida hoping depth an advantage in 3A girls cross country

Salida won last season’s Class 3A championship. (Courtesy photo)

The girls cross country program at Salida placed in the top five at the Class 3A state meet five consecutive seasons from 2008-2012, but had yet to achieve every team’s ultimate goal.

During last year’s state championships at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs, the Spartans overcame an ultra-challenging course and a strong 3A field to claim the state crown in dominant fashion with a mere 35 points. Estes Park was the runner-up with 94 as Holy Family and Frontier Academy tallied 106 and 110 points, respectively.

“It was definitely a dream season and we happened to run our best when it counted the most, which is always the goal of any coach,” Salida coach Ken Wilcox said of his first girls state championship at the school. “That’s how you draw it up and sometimes it works for you in your favor and sometimes it doesn’t. The girls just kept feeding off each other all year and pushing each other to new heights.”

Wilcox, entering his ninth season as the coach of both Salida’s boys and girls programs, coached his boys to a team title in 2009. He had a good feeling about his girls’ chances at the crown in 2013.

“We were cautiously optimistic throughout the season,” Wilcox said. “Kind of where we are geographically, we don’t always see all the teams. There’s certainly good teams here in the mountains, but you also just don’t see many of them until regionals or state. I think at regionals, when we just had a really solid race, I think we had four of the top five that day. At that point, I think that gave us a little more confidence and that carried over to the state meet the following week.”

Sydney Fesenmeyer, a junior, handled the field at the 3A Region 2 meet in impressive fashion with a 20-second victory over St. Mary’s Elena Slavoski and three of Fesenmeyer’s teammates. The effort helped the Spartans capture the Regional crown with thirteen points, 35 points clear of Saint Mary’s.

“Sydney, she certainly had a breakout season for us and it really came together for her at the regional meet,” Wilcox said. “That was the first time she had led our team all year. She’s always had the physical capabilities but then the mental side came, too.”

Salida’s Sydney Fesenmeyer. (Courtesy photo)

Fesenmeyer, who placed 17th at the State Championships as a freshman, had a splendid third-place finish in leading her talented teammates, Phoebe Powell (sixth), Taryn Ceglowski (tenth) and Bari Beasley (16th), to the sought-after crown.

3A has allowed six competitors to race varsity, the top four of which score for the team. 4A and 5A, due to obvious size advantages, allows seven competitors from each team to race varsity, five of which score.

Starting in 2014, 3A is implementing the same race seven, score five system as the bigger schools, a benefit to a Salida team with worthy depth. Salida returns all six varsity racers and a few others who battled for the final spots at the state championships.

Ceglowski is expected to be towards the front of the pack once again, especially after a breakout track season with a personal best of 5:16 in the 1,600 and a third place finish at 3A state track in the event. Ceglowski, a sophomore, also ran 11:54 in the 3,200.

Wilcox attributes the success of the girls program to work ethic and competitive fire.

“It’s a lot of hard work,” Wilcox said. “The kids, they put in the time in the summer. They really feed off of each other and they’re a real competitive bunch, which is really good, as a coach, to have a competitive team. Every now and then it can get a little chippy, but, as a coach, I don’t mind seeing that a little bit. At the end of the day, they’re all still friends and they’re pulling for each other.

“I think one thing that’s really helped us is that our kids have really bought in to the team concept of the sport of cross country,” Wilcox added. “That’s allowed them to keep pushing hard when you hit that point in the race when it’s really difficult.”

The team also likes to challenge themselves against the best Colorado has to offer. They’ll be competing against many of the 4A and 5A powerhouses at the Arapahoe Warrior Invitational and the Brooks/TCA Titan Thunder Invitational.

“We really enjoy running up against some of the bigger schools,” Wilcox said of the competitive invites.

“In the early years of coaching, we definitely got our butts kicked at those,” he added with a laugh. “But, I think it’s helped elevate our program as the kids we’re seeing what it looked like to be at the top. We see it, then we can dream it, then we can go out and figure out how to make that a reality.”

Wilcox noted his team has a healthy respect for their competitors and know nothing is a given in cross country, but they hope to make a state crown a reality once again.

Estes Park, Colorado Academy, Moffat County, and Kent Denver are among the teams looking to unseat the champs. Fesenmeyer, Powell, and Ceglowski could all be in the thick of the race for the individual crown.

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Class 3A girls cross country

Defending individual champion: Eva Lou Edwards, Bayfield (graduated)

Defending team champion: Salida

Team runner-up: Estes Park

Returning All-State athletes: Fesenmeyer, Powell

Regular season begins: August 21

Postseason: Regionals Completed by October 18

Championships: October 25 at Norris-Penrose Event Center, Colorado Springs

August 18, 2014
Thompson Valley, defending 4A girls cross country champ, returns four seniors

Thompson Valley won last year’s 4A championship. (Courtesy photo)

Using a pack mentality paid sweet dividends for the Thompson Valley girls cross country team in 2013.

Thanks to bunching up their runners, the Eagles captured the Class 4A state championship with 135 points just edging Niwot (145).

“Our strategy was to pack up tight and pull our five, six and seven runners up closer to the front,” Thompson Valley coach Matt Norton said. “Our scoring five were all in the top 35.”

The Eagles have won four girls cross country state crowns in their school history — 2006, 2008, 2011 and last year. They also were runner-up in 2007 and 2009.

Norton also has high hopes for this fall.

“We are fortunate this year that we have four seniors coming back who have won two state titles,” said Norton, who has been the head coach for all of Thompson Valley’s state titles.

The Eagles return seniors Kendra Larson, Ellie Colpitts, Megan Irvine and Kacie Kaufman.

“We have really stiff competition in our town, and in own conference between Mountain View and Niwot,” said Norton, whose school is based in Loveland. “Mountain was fourth last year, but they return their whole squad and they are going to be outstanding.

"Niwot was second last year and they lost arguably one of the best runners in Colorado history (Elise Cranny), but they are still going to be very good this year.”

Norton also is unsure what his team’s plan of action will be this season.

“It just kind of depends on how everybody else is doing and where we are at,” Norton said. “We were kind of struggling in the middle part of the year last year and I felt like that (running in a pack) was the plan that gave the girls the most confidence and it worked out.

"It will be similar this season, but a little different. We will probably string out a little more this year. We are hoping our three through seven runners can all run together.”

Beyond Mountain View and Niwot, Norton believes The Classical Academy and Battle Mountain could be state title contenders.

“We’re going to try and win the state championship every year,” Norton said. “As I have got a little bit of experience as a coach what I emphasize more than the result is the process. If we enjoy the process and enjoy running together every day and we do the work then we are probably going to have a decent shot (at state).

"This group of seniors has really embraced that and they are really goal-oriented and really process oriented. That’s what makes it fun. We try and enjoy the process and have fun and hope it all pays off in the end.”

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Class 4A girls cross country

Defending champion: Thompson Valley

Runner-up: Niwot

Returning All-State athletes: Katie Rainsberger, Jr., Air Academy (1st); Greta VanCalcar, Jr., Palisade (1st); Lexi Reed, Jr., D’Evelyn (1st); Riley Cooney, Sr., Mountain View (1st)

Regular season begins: August 21

Postseason: Regionals Completed by October 18

Championships: October 25 at Norris-Penrose Event Center, Colorado Springs

August 18, 2014
Just a sophomore, Fort Collins’ Lauren Gregory back to defend XC crown

Fort Collins’ Lauren Gregory. (Courtesy photo)

Fort Collins High School has a cross country program as rich in tradition as any in Colorado.

The Lambkins have claimed numerous team titles in cross country and have had a seemingly endless stream of distance runners win state crowns in cross country and track. Many athletes have gone on to compete collegiately, several at the Division I level.

Lauren Gregory, the defending Class 5A state champion in cross country entering her sophomore year, doesn’t take running at one of the better high school girls cross country programs in America for granted.

“You just feel blessed that you have those opportunities in your hometown,” said Gregory, also the 3,200-meter state champion in track. “I live ten minutes away from the best high school program I can possibly put myself into in Colorado. It was just a great experience in continuing the legacy and tradition that Fort Collins High School has held throughout the past."

Lauren Gregory. (Brock Laue)

Gregory burst onto the scene as a freshman, placing second at the Arapahoe Warrior Invitational and second at the Cherry Creek Invitational behind two of the best in the country, Air Academy’s Katie Rainsberger and Cherry Creek’s Jordyn Colter.

After finishing 54 seconds behind Colter at the Cherry Creek Invite, Gregory had a breakout performance at her home course two weeks later, the John Martin Invite, as the precocious freshman put a scare into Colter only three seconds back as Colter nipped her 17:56 to 17:59 for 5k.

Gregory never looked back, soundly beating Rainsberger by 34 seconds to win the Brooks/TCA Titan Thunder Invitational, handling a strong Front Range Championship field in a personal best of 17:35, and winning her regional championship in a smooth effort.

Then Gregory took advantage of an off-day at the state championships by Colter and crushed an exceptional 5A girls field by 22 seconds over Boulder’s Erin McLaughlin, 18:36 to 18:58.

“Winning state as a freshman, I forgot I was even a freshman,” Gregory said. “You just don’t even think about that. You’re just another racer I guess, but everyone else saw it as something else. I just saw it as I was the same as the other runners.”

Gregory added icing to the cake as she helped lead the Lambkins to a team title at the Nike Southwest Regionals with a sixth-place finish.

Then, at the Nike National Championships, Gregory finished seventh in arguably the most touted high school girls cross country race in American history with the likes of Niwot’s Elise Cranny, Alexa Efraimson, and Sarah Baxter. Fort Collins finished in sixth place, one spot behind rival and three-time defending 5A state champion Monarch.

Despite a remarkable freshman season, Gregory, who comes across as a humble, team-first competitor, feels she has unfinished business.

Lauren Gregory. (Courtesy photo)

“I want our team to get to Nike again,” Gregory said, “because that was an incredible experience and I definitely want to win state this year, because getting second last year was kind of heartbreaking. We happily got second because that’s still amazing, but winning would be incredible for sure."

The Fort Collins girls have finished second behind Monarch three consecutive years at the state championships. They hope to claim their first team crown since 2010.

The 5A girls cross country season promises to be another spectacular one with the likes of Gregory and senior Colter, the state champion her freshman year, battling for individual supremacy, and Monarch, Fort Collins, and Cherry Creek expected to fight for the team crown.

[divider]

Class 5A girls cross country

Defending individual champion: Lauren Gregory, Fort Collins

Defending team champion: Monarch

Returning All-State athletes: Gregory; Maya Browning, Fairview

Regular season begins: August 21

Postseason: Regionals Completed by October 18

Championships: October 25 at Norris-Penrose Event Center, Colorado Springs

August 18, 2014
Kortney Lockey leads Eaton volleyball on quest for repeat

Last fall Eaton’s volleyball team entered the Class 3A state tournament with only one loss under its belt, and the Reds promptly dominated their first two opponents in pool play.

But it was a five-set marathon with Holy Family in the state semis that really set the tone for what was to come. Eaton saw the Tigers drop the first two games, only to rally and take the next two before narrowly pulling out the fifth and deciding game.

That evening Eaton took the lesson to heart and swept Manitou Springs to claim the state title, avenging the team’s only defeat of the 2013 season.

Kortney Lockey. (Nina Lewis/Nina’s Art)

“It was pretty emotional. I think we worked extremely hard and peaked at the right time,” Reds coach Gwen Forster said. “Holy Family is a great program, and by no means can you ever count a team out. When we went five with them, the girls realized it was not going to be an easy road to a state championship.”

Reigning 3A player of the year Kortney Lockey recorded 17 kills in the final against Manitou Springs. The University of Northern Colorado-bound senior is eager to get back into the gym and start working toward a third title in four years.

“It’s like being on cloud nine having a state championship. It’s definitely one of the best memories I’ve ever had,” she said. “It makes you want to have a recurrence.”

Though the Reds are ranked No. 2 in the preseason poll, Eaton won’t exactly have it easy trying to defend that title this fall. The Reds graduated three all-state performers, including a pair of setters in Ryleigh Haynes and Karen Sigg and libero Britt Pierce.

Lockey and junior Caiden Rexius return, along with Tarynn Sieg and Lindy Dixon in the middle.

“I have a great group of juniors who are extremely hungry and have grown tremendously,” Forster said. “It’s tough for us to lose our two setters — it’s kind of like the quarterback of the football team — but this team is not going to settle for anything less than the best.

“That role is going to be tough for anyone that takes it on, but we’ve got kids who have the capability of doing it.”

Lockey finished with 380 kills, 335 digs and 53 aces as a junior. She put together 24 kills and 17 digs in the marathon with Holy Family.

“She’s a great kid. She’s coming off an injury, but she’s got the mind-set that regardless of what happens she wants to play,” Forster said. “She definitely wants to win another state ball. It gives me chills to see the amount of passion that comes out of that kid.”

Choosing UNC was an easy choice for Lockey, who will get to stay in Greeley.

“I really wanted to play at the Division I level and I wanted to stay close to home,” she said. “Lyndsey (Oates) is a great coach. Their coaching staff is awesome and their program feels like a family almost.”

Manitou Springs will be a tough out once more after graduating only three seniors from a one-loss team. The Mustangs return a trio of all-state talent in juniors Nicole Mack, Katie McKiel and Angala Jensen.

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Class 3A volleyball

Defending champion: Eaton

Runner-up: Manitou Springs

Returning All-State players: Cori Aafedt, Sr., Valley (1st team); Kinzie Chrisman, Sr., Sterling (2nd); Emily Dellenbach, Sr., Valley (1st); Kirstie Hillyer, Sr., Bayfield (2nd); Blayke Hranika, Sr., Holy Family (2nd); Angala Jensen, Jr., Manitou Springs (2nd); Kortney Lockey, Sr., Eaton (1st); Nicole Mack, Jr., Manitou Springs (1st); Katie McKiel, Jr., Manitou Springs (1st); Caiden Rexius, Jr., Eaton (2nd); Abby Skrastins, Jr., Colorado Springs Christian (2nd).

Regular Season begins: Aug. 21

Playoffs: Regionals completed by Nov. 1

Championship: Nov. 7-8 at Denver Coliseum

August 15, 2014
Lewis-Palmer volleyball hoping talent, depth can lead to defense of title

Lewis-Palmer’s Alexa Smith, left. (Pam Wagner)

While some teenagers spend their summer relaxing and trying to get away from it all, Alexa Smith was bringing home a gold medal.

The Lewis-Palmer senior competed for the United States Junior National volleyball team in the NORCECA Women’s U20 Continental Championship in July in Guatemala. The U.S. spent a few days training in Minnesota before heading to Guatemala City, where the team played four matches and claimed the gold.

“It was a really awesome opportunity. It was just really cool representing the USA,” Smith said. “I learned a ton. Just to play in that environment, it does make you a better player.”

That could be a scary sentiment for the rest of the Class 4A state ranks headed into the 2014 season. Lewis-Palmer is the defending state champion, and Smith is the reigning 4A player of the year after tallying 461 kills, 236 digs and 50 aces as a junior.

The Rangers swept Air Academy in three games to wrap up their first state title since 2002.

“It does really fire us up. Having that state championship kind of puts some pressure on your back,” Smith said. “But I think our team performs really well under pressure.”

Lewis-Palmer graduated four seniors off a team that won 27 games. Nicole Montgomery returns on the right side, and Elizabeth Reich and Lydia Bartolo were key contributors as freshmen. Mariah Evans will take over at setter.

“One thing that we haven’t had in a long time is depth,” Rangers coach Susan Odenbaugh said. “We go pretty deep into the roster.”

It’s one reason why Odenbaugh’s squad opened as the No. 1 team in the preseason.

(Kevin Keyser/KeyserImages.com)

Smith has been sensational since coming into Lewis-Palmer as a freshman, when she notched 545 kills. That number has decreased over the past three years, but Odenbaugh said what makes Smith so dangerous is that the other parts of her game keep improving. She noted that Smith had the second-highest passing percentage of anyone in the international tournament.

Smith has already committed to play at Purdue University next fall.

“It was just the atmosphere,” she said. “I really enjoyed the coaches and players. It just felt right — I could see myself playing on that court.”

First there is the matter of this season though. Cheyenne Mountain and Air Academy each won 23 games a year ago and are in the Pikes Peak League with Lewis-Palmer.

Pueblo West, Ponderosa and Elizabeth are among the other 4A contenders.

“I think you’re only going to improve by playing really challenging teams,” Odenbaugh said. “When we play in our league, that league championship means a lot to everybody. I think that prepares you for that level of competition you’re going to see at state.”

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Class 4A volleyball

Defending champion: Lewis-Palmer

Runner-up: Air Academy

Returning All-State players: Matti Dabovich, Sr., Pueblo West (2nd team); Mika Dickson, Jr., Cheyenne Mountain (1st); Jessica Jackson, Sr., Thomas Jefferson (1st); Celeste James, Jr., Thomas Jefferson (1st); Ashley Pagan, Jr., Air Academy (2nd); Becca Page, Sr., Ponderosa (1st); Jordan Pingel, Sr., Air Academy (1st); Jenna Price, Sr., Cheyenne Mountain (2nd); Allegra Shippy, Sr., Pueblo West (2nd); Alexa Smith, Sr., Lewis-Palmer (1st); Allison Smith, Jr., Ponderosa (2nd).

Regular Season begins: Aug. 21

Playoffs begin: Regionals completed by Nov. 1

Championship: Nov. 7-8 at Denver Coliseum

August 15, 2014
Nikki Kinzer, a familiar face, returns to Rampart volleyball

Rampart volleyball is ranked No. 1 in Class 5A’s preseason poll. (Courtesy of Kathy Gorab-Ohl)

COLORADO SPRINGS — When former Rampart standout Nikki Kinzer walked off the court for the final time in the fall of 2008, she had no idea which direction her life was headed. She was about to attend the University of Colorado at Boulder to play volleyball, but that was the extent of her plan. When she started school, she realized she had a passion for English and decided that teaching would be in her future.

After one season with the Buffs, she transferred to CU’s Colorado Springs campus, continued her volleyball career and worked toward her goal of educating teenagers. After graduation, Kinzer entered in District 11’s student teaching program and joined the Doherty volleyball staff. In the winter of 2013, a conversation with her dad cemented her path and led to her toward her “dream job.”

Kinzer was attending a Rampart hockey game, cheering on her younger brother Mitch when her dad passed on news he had heard while sitting in the stands. The Rams were without a volleyball coach.

Nikki Kinzer, right, first got a look at her squad at the University of Northern Colorado Classic. (Courtesy of Kathy Gorab-Ohl)

“My dad found out about it and thought it would be a good in for teaching if anything,” Kinzer said. “When I applied, that’s what I was going for. It would be sweet to go back and teach at my old high school.”

Kinzer was hired as the coach before the school formally hired her as a teacher. Her focus remained on teaching and working with high school students, but with the coaching job in hand, she would have gladly worked as a middle school teacher in the district until another position opened up at the high school.

But it turned out, it was an unnecessary concern. Two months later, she was hired as an English teacher at Rampart, allowing her to fully dive into the volleyball season.

Over the summer, through open camps and the University of Northern Colorado Classic, she was able to get a feel for her team and the potential they have going into this season. The Rams only lost three players to graduation last year. This year they have six returning seniors in August Raskie (setter), Amanda Cushen (outside hitter), Janice Jin (middle), Holly Brennan (outside hitter), Ashlyn Hare (outside hitter) and Christina Mandico (defensive specialist).

“Getting on the court with them, I could tell they would do whatever it took to win,” Kinzer said. “I knew they would take whatever extra time they needed to, obviously we have some big hitters returning.”

Kinzer took her team to the UNC Classic where they were pooled with 82 other teams from around the state. Her Rams played 16 games in the “steal the seed” formatted tournament, going 15-1 to win the tournament. It was this first true glimpse of her team that indicated how special this first year can be for her and her squad.

(Courtesy of Kathy Gorab-Ohl)

“The offensive threat that we posed was pretty impressive,” Kinzer said. “We have so many all-around players there too. Amanda Cushen plays all the way around and does an excellent job on defense. It’s going to make it tough on me to try and figure out positions, but it’s nice to have that many options.”

The rest of the state thinks so, too: Rampart opened at No. 1 in 5A’s preseason ranking.

The regular season scheduled to start Aug. 22.

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Class 5A volleyball

Defending champion: Grandview

Runner-up: Arapahoe

Returning All-State Players: Haley McLaren, Sr., Grandview (1st); Jordyn Poulter, Sr., Eaglecrest (1st); Ally Clancy, Sr., Douglas County (2nd), Shannon Lanza, Sr., Fossil Ridge (2nd); Madison Laufenberg, Sr., Castle View (2nd); Bridgette Lococo, Sr., Fossil Ridge (2nd); Kaitlyn Schwatrz, Sr., Fossil Ridge (2nd); Santaisha Sturges, Sr., Regis Jesuit (2nd); Chelsie Thompson, Sr., Rangeview (2nd)

Regular season begins: Aug. 21

Playoffs begin: Oct. 25

State championship: Nov. 7-8 (Denver Coliseum)

August 15, 2014