Category: Previews

Wheat Ridge, defending 4A softball champ, looks to power to another title

Wheat Ridge’s strong line-up this year is highlighted by (pictured left to right) Ann Marie Torres, Analece Apodaca and Christina Nelson. All three were 4A all-state selections last season for the Farmers who won their fourth 4A state softball title in 2013. (Dennis Pleuss)

Could Wheat Ridge softball’s offense be even more potent this season? If so, beware to the rest of the Class 4A squads.

The Farmers captured their fourth 4A championship trophy over six seasons in 2013 thanks to veteran pitcher Jessica Salbato and punching offensive line-up.

“Last year’s state championship meant a lot,” Wheat Ridge coach Marty Stricklett said. “It was a hard-fought battle last year. We had to really earn last year’s state title. Day-in and day-out they had to leave it all out on the field.”

Wheat Ridge junior Ann Marie Torres belted 13 home runs last season and had a batting average of .634. (Dennis Pleuss)

While Stricklett loses Salbato to graduation, he returns six returning starters. It’s the most returning starters since Stricklett took over the reigns of the Farmers’ program in 2008.

The Farmers line-up should look fairly similar to last year’s team that racked up a 24-1 record on the way to Wheat Ridge’s sixth state softball title since 2002. Senior Analece Apodaca, along with juniors Christina Nelson and Ann Marie Torres headline the Farmers’ offensive attack.

“I definitely think this team has a lot of potential,” said Nelson, one of five returners who batted above .400 last season. “We just have to work and go one day at a time. We are going to be good, but there still is a lot of good competition out there.”

The three returning all-state selections (Apodaca, Nelson and Torres) combined for 140 hits, 93 RBIs and 40 doubles in 2013. Torres belted a remarkable 13 home runs.

“She (Torres) is a great hitter, but we have a couple of other on the team that are right with her,” Stricklett said. “My top three batters in my opinion are three of the top hitters in the state. Those top three hitters we put out there put pressure on every team and every team in the state knows it.”

Torres doesn’t know if she will be able to surpass her offensive numbers from 2013, but the Division I prospect is clearly zeroed in on getting Wheat Ridge in the position to repeat as state champions.

“I’m focused on high school right now,” said Torres about going into the college recruiting process.

Wheat Ridge’s biggest question coming into the season is who will take over the pitching duties. Stricklett said there are a handful of potential options. Senior Erin Dalton went 3-0 in on the hill last season. Torres and Nelson could move from their infield positions to the mound. There are also three sophomores who could see some time at pitcher.

“We’ll have pitching tryouts and we’ll be going through pitchers for who knows how long,” Stricklett said. “It’s going to be a process, but we’ll figure it out.”

4Awrstricklett.jpg
Marty Stricklett enters his seventh season as Wheat Ridge’s softball coach. The Farmers have captured four Class 4A state titles during Stricklett’s tenure. (Dennis Pleuss)

The Farmers start the season playing four 5A squads. Wheat Ridge will have a marquee match-up against defending 5A state champion Legacy on the Lightning’s home field at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 26.

Wheat Ridge’s lone loss last season came against Standley Lake. Stricklett said the defeat “humbled” his squad at the right time, but he also admitted it’s hard to look at the Farmers’ state championship shirts and see that one loss.

Standley Lake moved down to 4A Jeffco this season. The Farmers will host the Gators in the middle of their conference schedule.

“It’s always going to eat at us, but it just pushes us to work harder,” Torres said of the lone blemish last season.

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Class 4A softball

Defending champion: Wheat Ridge

Runner-up: Erie

Returning All-State players: Analece Apodaca, Sr., UT, Wheat Ridge (1st); Alex Dufour, Sr., SS, Frederick (1st); Gabriela Garcia, Sr., C, Mullen (1st); Alexandra Jaros, Sr., CF, Holy Family (1st, 3A); Tiffany Maul, Sr., C, Erie (1st); Ally Power, Sr., P, Ponderosa (1st); Rio Sanchez, Soph., P/3B, Erie (1st); McKenzie Surface, Sr., P/1B, Discovery Canyon (1st); Ann Marie Torres, Jr., SS, Wheat Ridge (1st); Kendall Baker, Sr., IF, Berthoud (2nd); Sissy Hall, Sr., CF, Pueblo South (2nd); Christina Nelson, Sr., 2B, Wheat Ridge (2nd); Cheyenne Talmadge, Sr., 2B, Pueblo East (2nd)

Regular season begins: August 15

Playoffs begin: October 11

Championship: October 17-18, at Aurora Sports Park

August 8, 2014
Culture is the key to Legacy’s softball success

Legacy coach Dawn Gaffin celebrates with players after last year’s championship. (Pam Wagner)

The success Legacy’s softball program has enjoyed over the past seven seasons playing in the largest classification has been remarkable.

Coach Dawn Gaffin has coached the Lightning to six Class 5A state championships since 2007. After winning five straight titles from 2007 to 2011 the championship streak ended in 2012 when Loveland defeating Dakota Ridge in the 5A title game. However, Legacy climbed back to the apex last season with a 6-4 win over Legend to claim a sixth championship.

While Legacy is tied with Wheat Ridge and Arvada West for second with the number of state softball titles in Colorado prep history — Erie leads with 11 state trophies — the hardware isn’t the most valuable part of the winning culture for Gaffin.

“What really means a lot are the relationships you are going to have with those kids. That is what is important,” said Gaffin, who has coached prep softball in Colorado since 1987. “The relationships are real and that is what’s going to last.”

Focusing on strong leadership, mental toughness and visualization skills have been a trademark of Gaffin’s teams through the years. Bouncing back from adversity was the key last season for pitcher Haley Smith.

Smith took the loss on the mound as a sophomore during a 9-2 state semifinal defeat to Loveland in 2012. She had battled through pain with loose cartilage under right kneecap during the season. Smith had surgery in November after the season with the hope to be at 100 percent for her junior campaign.

Legacy has a long history of softball success. (Dennis Pleuss)

“I felt really confident going into my junior year because I worked so hard rehabbing it, getting in shape and getting ready for the season,” said Smith, who pitched in all 25 games last season and was named the 5A Player of the Year. “The (semifinal) loss my sophomore year really lite a fire under me.”

While Smith enters her third season as the Lightning ace, she was also impressive at the plate. Smith led Legacy last year in home runs (six) and RBIs (36). She is one of seven returning players who batted over .400 last year for Legacy.

“We have really great hitters on that team that produce,” Smith said.

Seniors Alyssa Geist, Celyn Whitt and Smith, along with sophomores Emily Taggart and Katelyn Kubitschek will provide plenty of pop at the plate for Legacy. The Lightning averaged more than six runs a game in its four state tournament games in 2013.

“I would definitely have to give credit to my two assistant coach in John Waller and Lauren Green,” Gaffin said of Legacy’s offensive achievements last year. “We’ve got some great hitters still on the team. In fact I’ve got four of my one through five hitters back. That’s a good thing.”

It’s also helpful for Legacy’s winning tradition that complacency isn’t in the Lightning’s vocabulary.

“I’m more focused than ever,” Smith said. “It’s my last year and the last time I’ll be playing with my Legacy jersey on. All of us seniors want to go out with a bang.”

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Class 5A Softball

Defending champion: Legacy

Runner-up: Legend

Returning All-State players: Tes Hass, Sr., OF, Loveland (1st); Tayler Mashburn, Jr., UT, Eaglecrest (1st); Carly Perry, Sr., SS, Columbine (1st); Haley Smith, Sr., P, Legacy (1st); Emily Supercynski, Sr., SS, Grandview (1st); Autumn Anderson, Jr., P, Fort Collins (2nd); Lauren Buckley, Sr., OF, Eaglecrest (2nd); Alyssa Geist, Sr., OF, Legacy (2nd); Kenya Lindstrom, Sr., P, Denver East (2nd); Kayla Michel, Sr., C/1B, Brighton (2nd); Sloane Stewartson, Soph., C, Rock Canyon (2nd); Dani Valerio, Sr., CF, Dakota Ridge (2nd); Jasmime Wessel, Sr., C/SS, Horizon (2nd)

Regular season begins: August 15

Playoffs begin: October 11

Championship: October 17-18, Aurora Sports Park

August 8, 2014
Sterling aiming for first softball title in 3A

Sterling pitcher Dallas Magnusson. (CHSAANow.com file photo)

Sterling softball coach Bob Knudson admits he is glad Strasburg has graduated several key cogs from the Indians’ back-to-back Class 3A state championship squads.

“They (Strasburg) have had our number the last couple of years,” Knudson said. “They had a dominating pitcher in Logan Losh. We never were able to get anything going offensively.”

The Sterling Tigers reached a softball championship game for the first time in the program’s history last October at Aurora Sports Park, only to have their district rival score a 3-0 shutout victory. The win gave Strasburg a perfect 24-0 record as the Indians claimed back-to-back state titles.

Sterling gave Strasburg one of its toughest tests of the season with the Indians taking a 7-4 victory in 12 innings.

“We battled really hard during that game,” said Sterling senior pitcher Dallas Magnusson, who pitched 11 innings in the epic game. “Coach (Knudson) kept us all relaxed. We all stayed positive. Even when it came to the end and we lost. We stayed positive.”

The two-time defending 3A state champs graduated a trio of all-state players in Losh, Danni Klein and Vic Wilson. Despite those losses, Knudson still has high regards for the Strasburg club that has a 6-0 record against Sterling during the past two seasons.

“They are very well-coached and will put out a really good team again,” Knudson said.

Sterling has plenty of returning pieces from its squad that finished with a 19-5 record and was the 3A state runner-up. Magnusson, an all-state selection last season, is back for the Tigers. Magnusson will lead Sterling’s pitching contingent that includes juniors Kylie Ross and Alexis Rutz.

“We have three really good pitchers,” Knudson said. “I’m not afraid to use any of them in a game.”

Magnuson had a 10-2 record last season with a solid 1.38 ERA. The Tigers’ offense wasn’t shabby either. Sterling scored double-digit runs in 13 games last year. Juniors Jenna Knudson and Rutz combined for 77 hits, 69 runs and 47 RBIs last season.

“I think our team is going to be amazing this year,” Magnusson said. “We are a really good group of girls. We all click together as a team.”

Before advancing to the title game last year the Tigers made it to the 3A state quarterfinals in 2012. Valley — eventual state runner-up — ended Sterling’s postseason run with a narrow 1-0 victory.

Sterling poses with last season’s runner-up trophy. (Jack Eberhard)

Magnusson points to Valley and Eaton as a pair of conference rivals that will be tough again this season. Sterling split a doubleheader against Valley and came away with a couple of one-run victories versus Eaton last season.

“We are just really excited,” Magnusson said. “We can’t wait for that first practice and first game to begin.”

While on paper the Tigers look like a logical favorite to take the next step and win its first state softball title, Sterling’s coach knows it’s a long road to the championship game.

“We hope it’s our year,” Knudson said. “Softball is a funny sport. One bad game or a great game by the other team can change everything.”

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Class 3A softball

Defending champion: Strasburg

Runner-up: Sterling

Returning All-State players: Bridgette Hutton, Sr., P/SS, Valley (1st); Dallas Magnusson, Sr., P, Sterling (1st); Jenna Knudson, Jr., INF, Sterling (1st)

Regular season begins: August 15

Playoffs begin: October 11

Championship: October 17-18 at Aurora Sports Park

August 7, 2014
The Dawson School enters 2014 stacked, ready to defend 3A boys golf title

Dawson School poses for a picture after winning the 3A boys golf championship last season. (Bert Borgmann/CHSAANow.com)

The conclusion of the 2013 Class 3A boys state championship saw The Dawson School Mustangs hoisting the team state championship. Led by Cole Folwell and Cameron Conner, the Mustangs finished with a total score of 445 over the two-day tournament, 26 strokes ahead Peak to Peak and Lutheran who tied for second place.

Entering this season, the Mustangs have every intention of defending their state championship. Despite losing Conner, The Dawson School returns Folwell and sophomore Yale Kim, who shot 10-over at state and finishing 10th in the individual field.

“We are going to be defending our state championship based on how Cole and Yale play,” coach Arnold Lewis. “It’s absolutely up to them.”

Lewis considers Folwell to be a favorite for the individual title as well as the foundation for a back-to-back team championship for the Mustangs.

After round one of the state championship, Folwell was tied with Conner for first. He sat two strokes ahead of eventual individual champion Tristan Rohrbaugh. Rohrbaugh shot a 71 on the second day and Folwell finished his second round with a 77.

“I had somewhat been in contention my sophomore year, but the biggest thing I learned last year is that I was way too intense, way too caught up in results,” Folwell said. “I just forgot to go out and play. I think just have to have fun this year.”

Folwell won’t be the only one hoping to learn from last year’s state meet. Kim returns as a sophomore to build off an impressive freshman campaign. Kim — who resides in South Korea with his family in the summer — lives with his uncle and honed his skills at the driving range as getting access to quality courses wasn’t easy for him growing up.

“I think access to public golf courses in South Korea is cost prohibitive. He told me that to get on a decent course, it costs four or five hundred dollars,” Lewis said. “He puts the time in at the driving range, he goes to one of those double-decker, triple-decker places and just works and works.”

Lewis is impressed at Kim’s ability to compete at this level despite not always having resources that have become available to him in the United States and is excited about what the youngster will provide to the team this season.

He’s also excited about what another senior is going to bring to the roster. Peter Teegardin joins Folwell as the other senior captain of the squad and will prove to be an integral part of a team looking to defend its title.

Teegardin should have no problem phasing into the four-man squad as he and Folwell play together often.

“I play with Peter a lot because we’re members at the same golf course,” Folwell said. “I’ve been giving him some mental tips because he’s a good player. He’s got a good swing, he has a good short game, he has everything he needs, he just needs to put it all together.”

Practice begins this week for the Mustangs as they tee off Aug. 14 at the Eaton Invitational to begin their 2014 season.

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Class 3A boys golf

2013 individual champion: Tristan Rohrbaugh, Basalt

Defending team champion: Dawson School

Returning All-State athletes: Behrod Keshtavar (Sr.) Peak to Peak, Cole Flowell (Sr.) Alexander Dawson, Yale Kim (So.) Alexander Dawson, Gary Schlatter (Sr.) Kent Denver

Regular season begins: Aug. 7

Regionals: Completed by Sept. 19

State meet: Sept. 29-30

August 6, 2014
Coronado’s Isaac Petersilie “taking out the guesswork” to his golf game

The medalists from the 2013 4A boys golf tournament. (Jenn Roberts-Uhlig/CHSAANow.com)

Coronado junior Isaac Petersilie has started to hear from colleges. It started with Colorado colleges and he’s got feelers out to some out-of-state ones as well.

But don’t get ahead of the present, Petersilie insists.

It’s not how the reigning Class 4A boys golf champion got here. It’s what he’s focused his game on since he won the state tournament at Hiwan Golf Club with a 4-over, two-day total of 144.

“Last year I was trying to play best I could,” Petersilie said. “This year, mainly I’ve been focusing on each shot at a time.”

That’s included revamping his pre-shot routine and a renewed focus on his wedge play.

As he’s started to fill into his body, Petersilie has seen his approach shots become shorter.

The emphasis on the short game has made him better, but he again points to the mental aspect as his strongest part.

Coronado’s Isaac Petersilie. (Jenn Roberts-Uhlig/CHSAANow.com)

“I’m trying to take all the variables taken out of it. Then just hit the shot,” he said. “I’m taking out the guesswork — the distance, the slope, what I want to do with the shot, how it will come out of a lie. Everything that can change the shot.”

Last year Petersilie showed that mental game.

Petersilie said he thought around even par would win the thing. Where others in contention blew up, Petersilie never had worse than a bogey in the 36-hole championship.

He finished one shot ahead of Cheyenne Mountain’s Wilson Belk. The two each went into No. 18 tied. Petersilie admits he thought he had to make a par to send it to a playoff. He didn’t realize Belk’s bogey on 18 had given him the win.

Thinking he needed a par to send it to a playoffs helped “focusing a little bit and helped me not get ahead of myself,” Petersilie said.

The junior, however, will have a loaded 4A field to compete with.

Belk returns as do Valor Christian all-staters Jake Staiano and Valor Christian’s Ross Macdonald; Montezuma-Cortez’s Jakob Rudosky; and Silver Creek’s Jackson Solem.

“There are a lot of great kids returning,” Petersilie said. “That’s definitely a good thing.”

Although Petersilie wants to be in the now, and said he’s focusing on consistently doing well each tournament, he does think about that state championship in September.

“I mean, I would say (winning state) would be one of my goals,” he said.

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Class 4A boys golf

Defending individual champion: Isaac Petersilie, Coronado

Defending team champion: Valor Christian

Returning all-state athletes: Petersilie (junior), Cheyenne Mountain’s Wilson Belk (senior), Valor Christian’s Jake Staiano (senior), Valor Christian’s Ross Macdonald (senior), Montezuma-Cortez’s Jakob Rudosky (senior), Silver Creek’s Jackson Solem (sophomore).

Regular season begins: Aug. 7

Regionals: Date: Sept. 16 and 18.

State meet: Sept. 29-30, Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo.

August 5, 2014
For Regis Jesuit boys golf, character builds champions

Regis Jesuit’s entire team celebrates winning the 2013 5A boys golf championship, the Raiders’ fourth in a row. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

Regis Jesuit’s boys golf team comes into the 2014 season in a familiar and comfortable position — as defending state champions, a title they’ve captured for four consecutive seasons.

That type of consistency is considered rare in high school sports, where student-athletes come and go so quickly.

The turnover presents a unique challenge this year for head coach Craig Rogers, who had an excellent returning squad in 2013 to lean on. Now, four golfers from last year’s state championship squad are playing golf at Division I colleges, which means the Raiders will be forced to reload if they want to repeat.

“It’ll be fun, because it’s very wide open. Going into last year, we really had three guys who were exceptional golfers. There wasn’t a lot of mystery who our best players would be,” Rogers said. “This year there’s a lot of good young players who have the opportunity to step up.”

If past accomplishments are any indication, the Raiders possess the perfect road map for remaining on top. According to Rogers, the key to sustaining success is developing his players as young men first, and as golfers second.

“The mission of our team is the same as in school — to become better people and develop character. I’ve already been in conversation with (our captains) about how they really want to focus on making sure we have a bond as a team,” Rogers said. “The older guys look after the younger guys and they take care of each other and develop as gentlemen.”

Despite graduating a number of excellent players, including last year’s individual champion Spencer Painton, Regis Jesuit will hardly be devoid of experience going into the season.

Senior Jack Lazzeri, one of the team’s three captains, returns after placing in a tie for 26th in last fall’s state meet. And Rogers, who has a long history of defending championships to point to as proof, knows where character and consistency comes from — it’s passed down from one class to the next.

“What we’ve done really, really, well is just get kids who are enthusiastic, good character kids, who kind of fall in love with the game,” Rogers said. “They see the older kids that are having a lot of success, how they carry themselves, and how they work at it. And they kind of see themselves being that guy someday.

“If we do a really good job with character first, golf will follow.”

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Class 5A bolf golf

Defending individual champion: Spencer Painton, Regis Jesuit (graduated)

Defending team champion: Regis Jesuit

Regular season begins: August 7

Regional meets: September 15-19

State meets: September 29-30 at Colorado Springs Country Club

August 4, 2014