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Category: Previews

  • Girls soccer continues to churn out Division I players, most of any sport in Colorado

    Grandview Chaparral girls soccer
    Grandview’s Mandi Duggan (right) is one of 67 Division I girls soccer recruits playing for their high school teams this spring. (Kevin Keyser/KeyserImages.com)

    [dropcap]O[/dropcap]n the way to its first state championship since 2008, Grandview’s girls soccer team enjoyed one of those rare runs a year ago where everything aligns just right.

    The Wolves dropped only one game in 2015 and allowed only five goals in 20 contests. In the postseason, Grandview shut out all five opponents and capped things off with a 2-0 victory over Broomfield in the Class 5A state title game.

    What may be even scarier for the rest of the 5A field this spring: The Wolves lost only two starters from that squad.

    “I think they’re way excited, but I know they’re nervous,” Grandview coach Tari Wood said of her team. “They’ve got a lot to prove again to defend the state championship.”

    Grandview enters the upcoming season having to replace starting goalkeeper Maddie Lesjak, who posted 13 shutouts a year ago, and the team’s second-leading goal scorer in Bailey Cook. Lesjak is now at Northern Iowa, and Cook graduated at semester to join her San Diego State teammates early.

    Cook was one of three Grandview players to sign with an NCAA Division I program for next season, along with Mandi Duggan (Kansas) and Maddy Germann (Murray State). In all, 67 players from Colorado will play D-I girls soccer in the fall, and 133 overall will play college soccer at some level, according to CHSAANow.com’s recruiting database.

    That figure means that once again, girls soccer has produced the most Division I recruits of any sport in Colorado in 2016.

    “It’s always exciting when athletes have the opportunity to move on and play at higher levels,” said Mountain Vista coach Theresa Echtermeyer, who has six players who signed to play college soccer. Four of those are going to D-I programs.

    “I think women’s soccer in general is flourishing and growing and it’s fantastic.”

    It isn’t just the 2016 class that has decided on its immediate future. Recruiting is competitive in any sport, and college programs are getting a jump on verbal commitments from underclassmen as well. Grandview’s Nicole Lyubenko (Alabama), Taylor Parker (Denver) and Jessica Hixson (New Mexico or Utah) are among 12 juniors who have already given verbal commitments or will soon. Six members of the 2018 class, including Wolves sophomore Natalie Beckman (Denver), have done the same.

    “That’s been the whole purpose of (Elite Clubs National League) program. They get those kids out and get them seen,” Wood said. “I think for a long time Colorado was not recognized as a soccer hotbed at all – it was just a place where it happened.

    “I think now colleges are really starting to recognize there is really good soccer in Colorado. A lot of college coaches are saying if we don’t sign kids early, we lose them.”

    But that’s the future – the present is the spring season, which gets underway March 10. Grandview (5A), Cheyenne Mountain (4A), Colorado Academy (3A) and Vail Mountain (2A) are the defending champions.

    “Last year we were so young, it wasn’t very hard to convince them to work hard,” Wood said. “Now that they’re a little bit older and little bit more experienced, we’ve got to keep convincing them to work harder because we’ve got to work harder this time. We’re not going to surprise any teams. We’re going to have a giant target on our back from the get-go.”

    Lyubenko and Parker were first-team all-state selections last spring, and Duggan made the second team. Losing Lesjak is obviously big, especially in the leadership department, but Grandview’s defense was brilliant in front of her as well. Two of the starting four were freshmen a year ago.

    Mountain Vista, which has won a pair of titles over the previous five seasons, was the No. 1 seed a year ago before falling to Broomfield in the state semifinals. Echtermeyer returns plenty of experience on the backline that includes three seniors in Peyton Joseph, Megan Rumbold and Giselle Sawaged – all of whom have signed to play in college. The team also returns its two keepers from a year ago.

    The Golden Eagles will have to replace leading scorer Megan Massey, who graduated.

    Reigning 5A player of the year (and national player of the year) Mallory Pugh, a senior who is signed with UCLA, has been playing for the U.S. Women’s National Team during Olympic qualifying.

    Golden High School graduate Lindsey Horan has also been playing for the USWNT.

    Broomfield returns three first-team all-state players from its runner-up squad in Makena Bambei, Michaela Stark and Zoe Zinis.

    [divider]

    Girls soccer preview

    Defending State Champions:

    Important dates:

    • Regular season begins: March 10
    • Postseason begins: May 10
    • State championship games: May 24 (3A and 2A), May 25 (5A and 4A) at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park

    Returning All-State players:

    • 5A: Makena Bambei, Sr., Broomfield (1st team); Kristin Barbour, Sr., Monarch (2nd team); Tatum Barton, Sr., Columbine (1st team);  Kelcey Cavarra, Sr., Columbine (2nd team);  Mandi Duggan, Sr., Grandview (2nd team);  Reece Hummel, Sr., Pine Creek (2nd team);  Alyssa Kaiser, Sr., Ralston Valley (2nd team);  Caeley Lordemann, Sr., Greeley West (2nd team); Jayne Lydiatt, Jr., Pine Creek (2nd team);  Nicole Lyubenko, Jr., Grandview (1st team);  Julie Mackin, Sr., Castle View (2nd team);  Jade Odom, Jr., Pine Creek (2nd team);  Taylor Parker, Jr., Grandview (1st team);  Alley Schlegel, Soph., Chaparral (2nd team); Michaela Stark, Sr., Broomfield (1st team); Zoe Zinis, Sr., Broomfield (1st team).
    • 4A: Brianna Alger, Jr., Lewis-Palmer (1st team); Emily Cope, Sr., Battle Mountain (2nd team); Katie Davis, Sr., Pueblo Centennial (2nd team); Lauren Jones, Jr., Cheyenne Mountain (1st team); Sarah Lyons, Sr., Lewis-Palmer (1st team); Aleesa Muir, Sr., The Classical Academy (1st team); Alexandra Nillen, Jr., Wheat Ridge (1st team); Zoe Peterson, Sr., Evergreen (1st team); Sophia Weiner, Jr., Evergreen (1st team); Margaret Zimmerman, Soph., Windsor (2nd team).
    • 3A: Annalys Hanna, Jr., Middle Park (2nd team); Logan Hays, Sr., Estes Park (2nd team); Alexis Loera, Jr., The Academy (1st team); McKenna Monk, Jr., Fountain Valley; Audrey Payne, Sr., Kent Denver (1st team); Scooter Ross, Soph., St. Mary’s (2nd team).
    • 2A: Alyssa Clayton, Jr., Rye (HM); Liv Cramer, Soph., Dawson School (1st team); Emma Hall, Soph., Vail Mountain (HM); Tess Johnson, Soph., Vail Mountain (1st team); Addison Kanon, Sr., Cornerstone Christian (HM); Brie Karlstrum, Jr., Evangelical Christian (HM); Maggie Kirkpatrick, Jr., Evangelical Christian (1st team); Miranda Kortenhoeven, Soph., Denver Christian (1st team); April Mann, Jr., Evangelical Christian (HM); Olivia Manula, Soph., Vail Mountain (HM); Samantha O’Brien, Soph., Clear Creek (1st team).

  • Boys swimming preview: Hicks, Air Academy set sights on third state title in four years

    (Courtesy of Caleb Hicks)
    Air Academy’s Caleb Hicks. (Courtesy of Caleb Hicks)

    [dropcap]L[/dropcap]ooking at Air Academy senior Caleb Hicks’ stats, he’s an intimidating presence. He was an all-American as a sophomore and again as a junior.

    In last year’s Class 4A state meet, Hicks won the 100 butterfly with a time of 49.65, and was on two state championship relays – the 200 free and the 200 medley. He has two team state titles, and added his second all-state honor to his resume last year.

    “Deep down inside it’s nice to be recognized, but you’ve got to stay humble through it all and just know you’re still not the best in the world,” Hicks said. “There’s still Michael Phelps out there. I’m just a state winner, that’s it. There’s fifty other states, so there’s fifty other winners.”

    Air Academy took second place in 4A behind Cheyenne Mountain despite a dominant performance in the eyes of head coach Scott Newell.

    “You can’t control your competition and last year I think you could argue that we kind of stole the show at the 4A meet without winning that trophy, which was totally bittersweet,” Newell said. “We had four individual all-Americans – including two by Caleb. For him to be able to put that out there and swim that well and fight that hard for the team, it’s pretty inspiring.”

    Coming in second has only fueled Hicks more in preparation for this season.

    “I would say coming in second is a shocker, it’s a reality check too,” Hicks said. “Just to let you know you’re not the best in the world. You have to do work in order to be the best.”

    Hicks has been able to make such large impacts on the Air Academy swim program without attending a single class at the school. Hicks is homeschooled, and attributes the flexible schedule allowed by homeschooling as a huge reason for his success.

    Hicks can go to morning practice without worrying about being late to school, he can balance swimming and schoolwork in time schedules that work for him as a student athlete.

    At those morning practices, you won’t hear Hicks barking out orders or yelling at a teammate.

    “I’m more of somebody you can look to follow,” Hicks said. “I haven’t been outright a leader like telling everybody what to do and where to be, I’ve been going by the motto of lead by example.”

    His head coach agrees.

    “He’s not up in your face, getting intense. It’s a lot more of the actions speak louder than words in how he sets an example as opposed to being that vocal leader,” Newell said. “Sometimes that’s kind of a refreshing thing because vocal leaders aren’t always the leaders that you want. You want that strong silent guy making some quiet noise. Caleb makes a lot of quiet noise. People definitely pay attention, and we’re seeing more kids emulate that.”

    One teammate, Tommy Baker gives Hicks a run for his money in accomplishments. Baker is a two year All-American and two year all-state swimmer. He was on the 200 free relay team with Hicks that took the state championship in the event during last year’s 4A meet.

    “He’s fast,” Baker said. “He always pushes me, and I push him so that’s just a good thing to have going because you both get faster.”

    On Hicks’ leadership, Baker said, “The guy who steps in and draws the line between play and work is really a leader on the team, and Caleb does that.”

    Newell elaborated on the effect on his teammates that Hicks has.

    “They’ve really risen up. They’ve really stepped up their game because Caleb is there,” Newell said. “I think that’s the bigger part of it, is, everybody is influencing everybody else to just bring it better, bring it harder.”

    What’s interesting is that Hicks almost wasn’t a Kadet. He contemplated staying on his club team instead of swimming for high school, but ultimately decided it was the right choice.

    “He bought into the program right away. The culture of the team was perfect for his personality,” Newell said. “(Caleb) building a relationship and working within a team had a totally different dynamic than a kid that goes to school and has classes with kids.”

    You would think that being homeschooled would be difficult to develop relationships with other teammates, but it was never a problem for Hicks.

    “We’re good friends in and out of the pool,” Baker said.

    Hicks started swimming about 10 years ago and has found the sport to be incredibly influential in day to day life.

    “It’s affected my life in pretty big ways,” Hicks said. “I think swimming as a sport develops patience, endurance, as well as perseverance.”

    He said he tries to stay humble and keep his wits about him, and never forgets to have fun.

    “Have fun with what you’re doing,” said Hicks. “Even if it’s hard or you don’t want to do it that day, try to have fun while you’re doing it.”

    It’s pretty easy to have fun with all the accolades Hicks has accumulated throughout his illustrious career.

    “Caleb really rocks. He’s a great, solid kid. That’s a kid you’d want your children to be around and influenced by,” Newell said. “In the summertime when Caleb is lifeguarding, Caleb is the guy we want our kids swimming around in the pool.”

    Hicks committed to the University of Missouri in early December of 2015 and is currently declared as a biology major.

    “Swimming has taught me to be grateful for what God has given me as an athlete, student and a person,” Hicks said.

    Hicks and Air Academy begin their journey to redemption – and a team overall four state titles in five years – with their first meet vs. Rampart on March 11 at 4 p.m.

    [divider]

    Boys swimming preview

    Defending state champions:

    Important dates:

    • Regular season begins: March 10
    • State meets: May 20-21

    State championships:

    • 5A: Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs)
    • 4A: VMAC (Thornton)

    Returning All-State athletes:

    • 5A: Mick Bartholomew, Boulder, Sr.; Devin Bellamy, Smoky Hill, Sr.; John Cremer, Cherry Creek, Sr.; Mason Fine, Fossil Ridge, Sr.; Keegan Foulke, Pomona, Sr.; Hunter Fuqua, Cherry Creek, Sr.; Danny Kovac, Fossil Ridge, So.; Brody Lewis, Greeley West, Sr.; Chris Nicholson, Boulder, Sr.; Gabriele Sasia, Highlands Ranch, Sr.; PJ Stapleton, Boulder, Sr.; JJ Strain, Cherry Creek, Jr.; Matt Willis, Fossil Ridge, Sr.; Michael Zarian, Fairview, Jr.
    • 4A: Tommy Baker, Air Academy, Sr.; Jerry Bimbaum, Cheyenne Mountain, Jr.; Liam Gately, Thompson Valley, Jr.; Caleb Hicks, Air Academy, Sr.; Kyle Leach, Cheyenne Mountain, So.; Westin Stieglitz, Cheyenne Mountain, Jr.

  • Girls tennis preview: Cheyenne Mountain dealing with turnover to its lineup

    (Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com)
    (Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com)

    [dropcap]S[/dropcap]uccess breeds success. That’s definitely the case for Cheyenne Mountain’s girls tennis team.

    The Indians won their seventh-consecutive Class 4A state championship last May, and they are going to be make a run at No. 8 in a row this spring.

    That, however, is the main thing, on veteran Cheyenne Mountain coach Dave Adams’ mind.

    “We’re not even going down that road at this point,” said Adams about winning another state crown. “We have a lot of changes. Last year we were so spoiled because we had all four doubles teams intact from the year before.”

    Cheyenne Mountain lost No. 1 singles player Peyton Fielding (to graduation), and as of press time, Jessica Metz, who lost in the state finals at No. 3 singles a year ago, was not on the team.

    The Indians do return juniors Casey Ahrendsen and Ally Arenson, who won state at No. 1 doubles last year, and junior Claire Dibble also returns. She and Tory Louis were state champs at No. 2 doubles in 2015. Senior Chelsey Geisz, who teamed with Megan Dibble to win No. 3 doubles, also is back.

    Tatum Mika also returns. She and Rachel Perry (No. 4 doubles) took third last season.

    “I know the girls who have been there before, they don’t want to give up the state championship,” Adams said.

    Adams added he also has freshman Morgan Hall in Cheyenne’s fold, and she will be playing singles. Hall is the younger sister of Kalyssa Hall, a former No. 1 singles state champion as a freshman and sophomore for Cheyenne Mountain. Kalyssa, a senior at Cherry Creek, lost in the 5A No. 1 singles state finals to Fairview freshman Amber Shen last year.

    “Morgan is a strong player,” Adams said.

    The Indians have captured 20 state girls tennis crowns in school history. Their school record for consecutive state titles in a row is eight from 1991-98. The Cheyenne Mountain boys tennis program has won 17 state titles.

    “I try to telescope our focus a little bit,” Adams said. “We need to focus on the next match and get as good as we can be by the time the state tournament rolls around and we will let the chips fall where they may. I do think it is exciting to try and repeat. I’m intrigued to see how things work out.

    “We have different girls this year at different combinations and people playing at different places. To me as a coach, to be the architect of getting everybody where they need to be mentally and getting a sense of playing for the team, that’s where a lot of the fun comes into it for me because you feel like you can have some impact there.”

    Last year, Cheyenne Mountain won state with 73 points followed by Kent Denver with 46 points. Kent is expected to return No. 2 singles player Caroline Kawula and No. 3 singles player Maeve Kearny, both who were state champions. Kawula is a senior and Kearny is a junior.

    “Kent Denver is going to be tough and so should Steamboat Springs, they won at No. 1 singles last year with (freshman Tatum Burger),” Adams said. “Colorado Academy also is going to be good and Niwot is always good.”

    Kent Denver’s Kawula defeated the Indians’ Adamczyk 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 in a near-three-hour match for the No. 2 singles championship.

    Kent Denver has won five girls state tennis crowns, the last coming in 2005.

    In 5A, powerhouse Cherry Creek is the team favorite again. The Bruins have win 33 girls state tennis titles.

    [divider]

    Girls Tennis preview

    • Regular season began: March 3
    • Regular season ends: 5A regionals are April 28-May 1; 4A regionals April 29-May 2
    • Championships: 5AMay 12-14, Gates Tennis Center, Pueblo; 4A, Pueblo City Park

    Defending champions:

    Returning all-state athletes:

    • 5A: Kalyssa Hall, Cherry Creek, Sr.; Mariela Hollines, Cherry Creek, So.; Allison Murphy, Cherry Creek, Jr.; Amber Shen, Fairview, So.; Anshika Singh, Cherry Creek, So.; Gloria Son, Cherry Creek, Sr.
    • 4A: Casey Ahrendsen, Cheyenne Mountain, Jr.; Ally Arenson, Cheyenne Mountain, Jr.; Tatum Burger, Steamboat Springs, So.; Claire Dibble, Cheyenne Mountain, Jr.; Chelsey Geisz, Cheyenne Mountain, Sr.; Caroline Kawula, Kent Denver, Sr.; Maeve Kearney, Kent Denver, Jr.; Cammy Lee, D’Evelyn, So.; Trinity Payne, D’Evelyn, Sr.

  • Hockey preview: Castle View’s addition is the latest sign of the sport’s growth

    Castle View has a new hockey program this winter. (Courtesy of @cvhockeyteam on Twitter)
    Castle View has a new hockey program this winter. (Courtesy of @cvhockeyteam on Twitter)

    [dropcap]H[/dropcap]ockey’s growing in this state, and Castle View is leading the charge. The Sabercats, a district program in Douglas County, will begin varsity play on Saturday.

    Their addition brings the total number of high school hockey programs in this state to 30 teams, an all-time high for the sport, which gained sanctioning in 1976.

    “High school hockey has always been here; I mean I was in the league when there was only 11 teams,” said Castle View coach Al Quintana, a longtime figure in the sport who has also coached at Bishop Machebeuf (2003-12) and St. Mary’s (1987-93). “But youth hockey just exploded when the Avs got here. Now, the opportunity is there, like most major sports, to play year-round. … So there’s always something going on. And hockey has become that elite sport where it is year-round. I do believe the Avalanche coming to Colorado in the 90s was a big part of it.

    “Now it’s the opportunity for kids to play for their high schools,” Quintana added. “Everybody wants to play for their high schools. With club hockey, your family is there, maybe a couple of friends. But you play for your high school, and you get 150, 200 kids at a game.”

    Denver East joined the CHSAA league last season. Castle View is the only new varsity program this season, but at least three more are set to join in 2016-17. Fort Collins will host a Poudre School District team, while Crested Butte and Yampa Mountain (in Glenwood Springs) will also field varsity programs.

    Both Crested Butte and Yampa Mountain are playing JV schedules this season — thanks to the addition of JV for the first time this season.

    Other areas of the state have expressed interest in adding a varsity program, so that number of new teams may still grow prior to 2016-17.

    But starting a new program isn’t easy. Just ask Castle View.

    The team becomes the second program in the Douglas County School District, following the lead of highly-successful Mountain Vista. The new program will be fed by Castle View, Douglas County, Chaparral, Legend and Ponderosa. Mountain Vista’s players will come from Mountain Vista, ThunderRidge, Rock Canyon and Highlands Ranch.

    “The key here was trying to get ahold of a database for the players that go to our feeder schools,” Quintana said. “When I finally got that, I started sending out emails and getting people who were interested.”

    Next step? Finding ice. Sparse ice time has actually been a limiting factor to the growth of the sport at the high school level. Rinks are already overcrowded as they are.

    So Castle View will play out of the Colorado Sports Center in Monument.

    “There was nothing available in the city,” Quintana said. “We had to go down to Monument, and they were gracious enough to give us the ice time we needed. With that said, we didn’t have our ice time scheduled until the middle of September, which was pretty scary.

    “It was going to be one of those things where it was looking like we were going to have to have one practice at The Edge, one practice at the Ice Ranch, one practice at Family Sports,” he continued. “And I felt that was too much jumping around, and I really wanted to have a home base that we could skate out of.”

    The schools “have been absolutely supportive,” Quintana added, and the response from parents has been overwhelmingly positive, he said.

    “They’re thankful there’s a second school,” Quintana said. “It gives their kids a chance to play high school hockey, whereas with one team, you have so many kids trying out for one team and there has to be cuts for the team. Now it gives people who may not have been able to play a chance to play.”

    Quintana’s group will be young. He said the majority of his roster is freshman and sophomores. But the veteran coach said his upperclassmen will be the backbone of the team. Namely: John Conger, Hayden Wuthrich, Spenser Carothers, Adam Zimmerer, Colin Girard, and Damon Maruska.

    “They’re going to be supported very much by the underclassmen,” Quintana said. “Those kids are pretty talented. They’re all playing fairly competitive hockey. But they’re going to have their eyes opened on Saturday,” when Castle View opens the season at home against Pueblo County.

    Conger played last season at Mountain Vista — he had three goals and four assists in 17 games — but opted to play his senior season at Castle View. Under state bylaws, Conger could have played for Mountain Vista against as he was a senior.

    Conger will be Castle View’s captain.

    “He chose to help his home school,” Quintana said. “I was just excited that John wanted to stay. … And when we got a chance to see him skate, I was even more excited he was around.”

    Seven Klinkner, a sophomore, will be the team’s goalie.

    “He doesn’t have any high school experience, but he’s pretty skilled,” Quintana said. “We’re looking for him to take the reins.”

    [divider]

    Hockey preview

    • Regular season begins: Dec. 1
    • Regular season ends: Feb. 20
    • Championship game: March 5, Budweiser Events Center (Loveland)
    • Preseason rankings
    • Defending champion: Cherry Creek
    • Preseason No. 1: Monarch
    • Returning all-state players: Blake Bride, senior, Monarch (1st team); Tony Salazar, senior, Ralston Valley (1st team); Zach Ross, senior, Dakota Ridge (2nd team); Garrett Devine, senior, Resurrection Christian (honorable mention); Sam Gartner, senior, Regis Jesuit (honorable mention).

  • Girls basketball preview: Taylor Rusk, ThunderRidge aim to continue tradition under new coach

    ThunderRidge Grandview girls basketball
    ThunderRidge is No. 1 in the 5A girls basketball preseason poll. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    [dropcap]B[/dropcap]ill Bradley is a legendary girls basketball coach. Now in his first season at Monarch, Bradley guided ThunderRidge to two state championships in 2004 and 2005.

    During his ten seasons with the program, the Grizzlies reached the Great 8 eight times. One of his players, Abby Waner, who played at Duke, is considered one of the elite players in Colorado history. Another, Emily Fox, was drafted into the WNBA. By all measures, ThunderRidge was one of the best programs in the Centennial State under Bradley from 2003-13.

    So when a coach of that caliber departs, how does a program respond?

    “I think the image of the program kind of changed and the girls had to prove that this program is still very strong and I think we really showed that last year,” Taylor Rusk, a returning first-team all-state pick in 5A, said.

    Paula Krueger took the reins and led ThunderRidge to a 42-10 record over two seasons and a state runner-up finish to Broomfield last season. And now, after Krueger accepted an assistant coaching position at Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D., the Grizzlies have their third head coach in four years as Matt Asik takes over.

    As they proved under Krueger, ThunderRidge girls hoops lives on and thrives.

    “I was honored to get this job,” Asik said. “We always have a tradition and end goal of winning a state championship. That’s our tradition and that’s our culture. That’s what we teach from our feeder kids up. These younger kids want to be Grizzlies.

    “It’s a family that’s been building for years and years and years. Credit to all these different coaches that have been here that have maintained this tradition.”

    Asik, an assistant under both Bradley and Krueger, has the pleasure of inheriting a very talented group during his first go-round as the head man.

    “We have eight seniors, which is unique,” Asik said. “We have a lot of experience. We’re really deep at all the positions, especially with that senior leadership. We have talent at every position.”

    At the forefront of that senior class is Rusk, a 5-foot-11 Wyoming signee who plays guard, wing, and forward. She averaged 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.5 steals per game as a junior. Rusk will be a four-year starter this winter.

    ThunderRidge Grandview girls basketball
    (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    “Taylor can do everything,” Asik said. “She’s on par with some of the great kids that have come through ThunderRidge. She really shoots the three well, she can finish and she can rebound. If we need her to play point guard, she can play point guard. She can play all five positions. She’s really a versatile player.”

    Rusk isn’t the only returning starter. Alyssia Martinez, Madison Ward and Jaz’myne Snipes, all seniors, are all back. Rusk, Martinez, a Black Hills State signee, and Ward are the stalwarts in the backcourt, while Snipes is an imposing forward and Regis University signee.

    “We have a lot of the same team,” Rusk said. “We’re obviously a little ticked off with how last season ended, but I think it’ll make us play harder. Obviously our goal at the end is to win the state championship. We know what it takes to get there. Now we just have to know what it takes to pull through.”

    For ThunderRidge, the preseason No. 1-ranked team, to accomplish their ultimate goal this season, they’ll have to navigate a talented 5A field that includes Michaela Onyenwere, another first-team all-state pick, and Grandview, three Division I signees (Blaire Braxton, Symone Starks, Bri Stiers) from Highlands Ranch, defending champion Broomfield and Lakewood.

    Asik is confident in his Grizzlies, but he knows the talent around the state, as well.

    “There’s probably seven, eight, or nine teams that could win it,” Asik said. “It’s going to be a good tournament.”

    In 4A, Sand Creek is the preseason No. 1 team. The Scorpions finished as the runner-up to Valor Christian, the No. 2 team going in, last year, but they return their top five scorers. Oliana Squires (Montana State) and Liah Davis (New Mexico) are Division I signees.

    Pagosa Springs, the No. 3 team in the opening 3A poll, claimed the state title over Sterling, the No. 2 ranked team, last year. Manitou Springs is No. 1 going in after a Final Four run.

    As for 2A, the Yuma Indians, the state runner-up the past three seasons, is the No. 1 team in the initial rankings. Yuma returns nearly their entire team. Akron, winners of three of the past four titles, is No. 3 after graduating 2A player of the year Jordan Baer.

    In 1A, the defending champion Idalia Wolves are the preseason No. 1 team. Reagan Shaffer (first-team) and Susana Herarra (second-team) return for Idalia with all-state credentials.

    [divider]

    Girls Basketball preview

    • Regular season begins: December 1, 2015
    • Regular season ends: March 20, 2016
    • Championships: March 10-12, various locations
    • Preseason rankings

    Class 5A

    • Preseason No. 1: ThunderRidge
    • Defending Champion: Broomfield
    • Returning All-State Players: Brenna Chase, Sr., Broomfield (1st team); Michaela Onyenwere, Jr., Grandview (1st); Taylor Rusk, Sr., ThunderRidge (1st); Symone Starks, Sr., Highlands Ranch (2nd); Kennede Brown, Jr., Grandview (3rd); Nicea Eliely, Sr., Rampart (3rd); Tatum Rembao, Jr., Loveland (3rd)

    Class 4A

    • Preseason No. 1: Sand Creek
    • Defending Champion: Valor Christian
    • Returning All-State Players: Kylee Shook, Sr., Mesa Ridge (1st team); Oliana Squires, Sr., Sand Creek (1st); Katie Chavez, Sr., Holy Family (2nd); Liah Davis, Sr., Sand Creek (2nd); Madison McCoy, Sr., Valor Christian (2nd); Sydney Wetterstrom, Sr., Longmont (2nd); Christa Brown, Jr., Palisade (3rd); Jailen Minich, Sr., Pueblo East (3rd)

    Class 3A

    • Preseason No. 1: Manitou Springs
    • Defending Champion: Pagosa Springs
    • Returning All-State Players: Jenna Knudson, Sr., Sterling (1st team); Shelby Megyeri, Jr., Manitou Springs (1st); Kylie Chavez, Jr., Sterling (2nd team); Taylor Hammer-Lee, Sr., Pagosa Springs (2nd); Jonni Smith, Sr., Bishop Machebeuf (2nd); Maya Love, Sr., Kent Denver (3rd); Hailey Miklos, Jr., Liberty Common (3rd); McKenzi Petricko, Sr., Manitou Springs (3rd); Bailey Schumacher, Sr., Eaton (3rd)

    Class 2A

    • Preseason No. 1: Yuma
    • Defending Champion: Akron
    • Returning All-State Players: Logan Hixon, Sr., Yuma (1st team); AJ Miller, Sr., Akron (1st); Peighton Roth, Sr., Yuma (3rd)

    Class 1A

    • Preseason No. 1: Idalia
    • Defending Champion: Idalia
    • Returning All-State Players: Karleigh Cooley, Sr., Sangre de Cristo (1st team); Micayla Isenbart, Soph., Kit Carson (1st); Reagan Shaffer, Sr., Idalia (1st); Darian Hale, Sr., Briggsdale (2nd); Susana Herarra, Sr., Idalia (2nd); Shaelynn Wood, Sr., South Baca (2nd)

  • Colorado Springs Christian boys basketball takes aim at a repeat for Class 3A title

    CSCS boys basketball
    CSCS players get instructions from coach Mark Engesser (right) during practice. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado Springs Christian School basketball coach Mark Engesser hates losing. Can’t stand it. His desire to win coupled with his players’ hard work and motivation helped the Lions come away with the Class 3A state championship last March.

    And oh boy, do they want to get back to the top of that mountain.

    It helps that the Lions are returning two all-state players in forward Sam Howard and guard Justin Engesser. It also helps that those two guys were also two of the primary catalysts of last year’s title team. This year, they take the court with not only the hope of winning another championship, but with the pressure of trying to repeat.

    “I wouldn’t necessarily say pressure,” Howard said. “We always want to do our best and no matter what people expect of us, we want to do what we think we can do. We’re just going to focus on playing our best and staying humble and whatever happens, we’re okay with.”

    Staying humble may be the key. In the first month and a half of last season, the Lions were barely tested. It looked like they were going to cruise through their regular season schedule without a blemish.

    But then something unexpected happened. On Jan. 23, the Lions hosted Tri-Peaks rival St. Mary’s and things did not go as planned. The Pirates kept the game close and were able to come away with a 51-49 win, ending CSCS’s chance at a perfect season.

    “Nobody wants to lose,” Justin Engesser said. “If we learn from that, I guess, mistake; it’s better that we learn it early in the season rather than in the state tournament.”

    That loss to St. Mary’s set the tone for the remainder of the season. It was a great reminder that nothing is given and for the Lions to reach the level that they wanted, they would have to continue to get better through the course of the season.

    CSCS boys basketball
    Sam Howard (33) and Justin Engesser watch as Howard’s shot falls during practice. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    “When you’re winning all of your games, (Coach Engesser) has no reason to yell at us,” Howard said. “When you lose, it really gets your attention. There’s a lot of stuff you can work on. We looked at the film of that game and that’s what really carried us. We saw where we were weak.”

    And they improved those weaknesses.

    Like in any classification, there’s no ease to getting through a state tournament. Schools such as Jefferson Academy, Colorado Academy and Kent Denver routinely play for state titles. There are also programs like Faith Christian that have the ability to rattle off multiple state championships in a row.

    “I thought we played harder than some of those teams,” Coach Engesser said. “We were diving on the floor, taking charges, playing harder. If you play hard on every single possession, good things will happen.”

    And they did happen. When it was all said and done, the Lions came away as champions. Now as CSCS comes into the 2015-16 season with the expectations of winning another title, it’s also feeling a little bit of that pressure to defend that title.

    But which comes more into play, the pressure or the expectation?

    “I think the expectation,” Coach Engesser said. “It was a great moment for those guys and they want to experience that again. Expecting that moment… I guess it puts pressure on you too. I’ll say both. Pressure and expectation.”

    [divider]

    Boys basketball preview

    [divider]

    Class 5A

    • Defending champion: Overland
    • Runner-up: ThunderRidge
    • Preseason No. 1: Overland
    • Returning All-State Players: De’Ron Davis, Sr., Overland (1st team); Nathan Davis, Sr., Mullen (3rd); Monroe Porter, Sr., Legend (3rd); Colbey Ross, Jr., Eaglecrest (2nd).
    • Championship: March 10-12, Coors Event Center, Boulder

    [divider]

    Class 4A

    • Defending champion: Air Academy
    • Runner-up: Longmont
    • Preseason No. 1: Longmont
    • Returning All-State Players: Khameron Davis, Sr., Valor Christian (2nd team); Chris Helbig, Sr., Holy Family (2nd); Cameron Horning, Sr., Glenwood Springs (3rd); Justinian Jessup, Sr., Longmont (1st); Michael Ranson, Sr., Pueblo Central (1st); D’Shawn Schwartz, Jr., Sand Creek (3rd); Jonathan Scott, Sr., Lewis-Palmer (1st); De’Aundre Twilley, Sr., Mitchell (3rd).
    • Championship: March 10-12, Coors Event Center, Boulder

    [divider]

    Class 3A

    • Defending champion: CSCS
    • Runner-up: Colorado Academy
    • Preseason No. 1: CSCS
    • Returning All-State Players: Justin Bassey, Sr., Colorado Academy (1st team); Justin Engesser, Jr., CSCS (2nd); Sam Howard, Sr., CSCS (1st); Christian Hyatt, Sr., Colorado Academy (3rd); Jaydn Michael, Sr., DSST-Green Valley Ranch (3rd).
    • Championship: March 11-12, Denver Coliseum, Denver

    [divider]

    Class 2A

    • Defending champion: Sanford
    • Runner-up: Resurrection Christian
    • Preseason No. 1: Sanford
    • Returning All-State Players: Miles Caldon, Sr., Sanford (1st team); Chance Canty, Sr., Sanford (2nd); Luke Fick, Sr., Resurrection Christian (1st); Wyatt Hayes, Sr., Ignacio (1st); Michael Stevenson, Jr., Resurrection Christian (2nd).
    • Championship: March 11-12, Massari Arena, CSU-Pueblo

    [divider]

    Class 1A

    • Defending champion: Holly
    • Runner-up: Fleming
    • Preseason No. 1: Fleming
    • Returning All-State Players: Jaxon King, Jr., Feliming (2nd team); Trent Leoffler, Sr., Arickaree/Woodlin (3rd); Blake Meredith, Sr., Fleming (2nd); Joey Stahley, Sr., Fleming (3rd).
    • Championship: March 11-12, Budweiser Events Center, Loveland

  • Girls swimming preview: Windsor’s Morgan Friesen, a true talent, is dedicated to the pool

    [dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Windsor Wizards have a record holder, a young lady who has won state titles and set new standards for the school and even for the state.

    Morgan Friesen, the two-time defending Class 4A champion in the 100-yard breaststroke, not to mention the all-classification record holder in the event and the first in state history to swim sub-1:02 with a 1:01.90, is a big-time talent. She also tied the previous record of 1:02.47, set by Cherry Creek’s Kelly Naze in 2010, in prelims at state.

    Windsor swimmer Morgan Friesen. (Nina Lewis/ninasart.smugmug.com)
    Windsor swimmer Morgan Friesen. (Nina Lewis/ninasart.smugmug.com)

    An outstanding all-around talent in the pool, the junior also notched a third-place finish in the 200 IM at last year’s state meet, breaking the Windsor record with a time of 2:06.32. She’s swam on multiple state-placing relays, as well.

    Talent is a given but, while Friesen scores points in bunches for the Wizards, her impact on the program goes far beyond the times and places she posts. She has a ripple effect in the pool.

    “We have a very strong team this year,” Windsor coach Mandy Schneider said. “Morgan leads that. She leads it in the water and out of the water. I think other girls see that and they see how fast she swims and how well she does and they want to be like that. They want to do those same things that she does.”

    Windsor won the Tri-Valley League title last winter and qualified nine girls to the state meet, one season after qualifying four. They return eight of them. Schneider says the work her ladies have put in during the off-season in recent years is helping to elevate the program. Friesen has been at the forefront of that.

    “She is very dedicated not only to her high school team, but also her club team, which is very important to her,” Schneider said. “I think that also has been one of the reasons a lot of the girls have swam in the summer. They see what she is capable of doing.”

    A stellar sophomore year didn’t come as a surprise to those who follow swimming state-wide after seeing Friesen’s ability as a freshman, when she already won the 100 breaststroke in dominant fashion and broke and rebroke her own record. For Friesen, more than anything, she was just excited for the opportunity to compete for her high school. Winning has been some icing on the cake.

    “I had no idea truly,” Friesen said of being able to win a state title as a first-year. “I was super excited for high school. It was just a different experience than anything I had ever done before. Being a representative of your high school, I was super excited, but I had no idea I would have that outcome come out of it. I really didn’t see it coming.”

    The amazing things she does no longer surprise, but continue to impress. She’s two-for-two in her best event. Asked if she’s thought about the possibility of going four-for-four in the 100 breaststroke, Friesen had a humble and mature response.

    “That would be awesome,” she said. “You never know. There’s always people that come in. What I can control is my work in the pool and just being a part of a team. I am just looking for personal improvements. If I could, it would be awesome. I would be so honored to be able to do that, but right now I’m just working on what I can control.”

    Like anyone the caliber of Friesen, she has natural physical gifts. Schneider says her dedication is what’s allowed her to take full advantage of those gifts.

    “You can look at times and see that she’s talented, but she is dedicated to swimming in every way,” Schneider said. “She always makes sure that everything she does, she does 100 percent. She is very focused. She swims with her full heart every time she gets in the water.”

    So, what’s ahead for the Windsor star? Two more years of high school and then she wants to continue her career in college. With her talent, she might be doing this for a long time. Before that, Friesen wants to see what’s possible with the Loveland Swim Club and Windsor, a program that placed ninth in 4A last season and might be top five this year.

    “It takes a team to win a swim meet, it doesn’t take just one swimmer, but her points are definitely one of the things that help boost us at every single meet,” Schneider said. “She is very good at helping everyone else improve too.”

    Friesen won’t be the only stellar returner in 4A as 12 all-state performers are back, including two from Evergreen, the two-time defending champions, and four from Valor Christian, the third place team last year.

    As for Class 5A, Fossil Ridge, after winning their second state title in the sport, has four all-state returners, three of which were only freshmen or sophomores last season. The Sabercats should be powerful again. Regis Jesuit also returns four all-state honorees.

    [divider]

    Girls swimming preview

    Class 4A

    Defending champion: Evergreen

    Runner-up: Cheyenne Mountain

    Regular season begins: December 1

    State championships: February 12-13, VMAC (Thornton)

    All-State returners: Morgan Friesen, Jr., Windsor; Madison Hoehn, Jr., Valor Christian; Kethrys Buffa, Jr., Manitou Springs; Raili Carter, Sr., Valor Christian; Emily Dolloff-Holt, Jr., Manitou Springs; Katelyn Kenchel, Jr., Evergreen; Brook Landt, Sr., Valor Christian; Kate McDonald, Jr., Evergreen; Veronica Morin, Sr., Manitou Springs; Brooke Stenstrom, Sr., Valor Christian; Samantha White, Sr., Manitou Springs; Cat Wright, Soph., Cheyenne Mountain

    Class 5A

    Defending champion: Fossil Ridge

    Runner-up: Regis Jesuit

    Regular season begins: December 1

    State finals: February 12-13, EPIC (Fort Collins)

    All-State returners: McKensi Austin, Sr., Regis Jesuit; Zoe Bartel, Soph., Fossil Ridge; Jennae Frederick, Jr., Regis Jesuit; Lesley Ann-Knee, Jr., Fossil Ridge; Abigail Kochevar, Sr., Rock Canyon; Bailey Kovac, Jr., Fossil Ridge; Amy Lenderink, Sr., Regis Jesuit; Lindsay Painton, Sr., Regis Jesuit; Bayley Stewert, Soph., Fossil Ridge

  • Wrestling preview: After missing weight at state, Grant Willits out for redemption

    [dropcap]M[/dropcap]ore than nine months have passed since it happened, but the pain was still apparent in Pueblo County High School wrestler Grant Willits’ voice.

    Willits, who was competing at 113 pounds, was on the cusp of making Pueblo prep history. Grant and his fraternal twin Hunter (138) were trying to become the first wrestlers in Pueblo prep history to win back-to-back state championships in their freshman and sophomore seasons.

    That plan, however, was derailed in unexpected fashion.

    The morning of Feb. 20 at the Class 4A state tournament in Denver Grant failed to make weight and was disqualified for the final two days of the tourney.

    Grant, with a 3-pound weight allowance, could weigh up to 116 pounds and he weighed in at 116.1 pounds on four different scales at the Pepsi Center.

    “I was one ounce under on the scales at our hotel before we went to the Pepsi Center, and it was heartbreaking when I failed to make weight,” Grant said. “When it happened, I didn’t know what to think. It was shocking.”

    As freshmen, Grant won 4A state at 106 pounds and Hunter was tops at 132 pounds, and they also became the only twins from Pueblo to win state.

    “I didn’t believe anybody that Grant didn’t make weight,” Hunter said. “Then, I saw Grant in (our team van) and he was devastated. I was heartbroken and angry, and I threw my drink I had in my hand to the ground. I wasn’t angry at him. I just couldn’t believe it happened.”

    Hunter did regroup and accomplish his goal of repeating — winning at 138 pounds — but it was tough for Grant to watch.

    “I felt like I let him down because I was picked to win state like he was,” said Grant, 17, who is 27 minutes older than Hunter.

    CHSAA state wrestling
    Hunter Willits of Pueblo County. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    Hunter acknowledged his second state crown didn’t mean quite as much.

    “It was a big relief to win state and I was on top of the world, but I still felt really bad for Grant,” said Hunter, who will compete at either 145 or 152 pounds this season.

    Now, Grant is more determined more than ever to erase last year’s memory and capture a gold medal.

    “What last year taught me was always make sure I’m on weight and it has made me work even harder to get my second state title,” said the 5-foot-7 Grant, whose planning on competing at 126 pounds this season. “I’m so excited to get back on the mat.”

    Hunter, meanwhile, is aiming to rewrite the Pueblo high school wrestling history book by becoming the city’s inaugural three-time champ and also the first to win three in a row.

    “I’m ready to go,” he said.

    Wrestling glory is nothing new for the Willits family.

    Rick Willits, the twins’ father and assistant coach for the Hornets, won a Class AAA state championship at 132 pounds in 1980 while competing for Pueblo East. The elder Willits then went on to win an NAIA national championship at 150 pounds at Adams State College in 1985.

    That is a source of pride for the family, but Grant and Hunter’s main focus is helping PCHS win state this season, something no Hornets boys team has done – ever.

    Pueblo County finished second last season to Thompson Valley in the 4A team chase.

    “That would be the best thing in the world if my brother and I could win state and also the team,” Grant said. “If we could be the first (boys) team to win state at Pueblo County that would be just amazing.”

    Hunter concurred with his brother.

    “If all those things happened, I won state for the third time, Grant won, and the team won, it would be electrifying and crazy,” Hunter said. “I would be so happy.”

    In Class 5A, Arvada West is going for its third title in a row. Pomona has been the state runner-up the past two years.

    [divider]

    Wrestling preview

    • Regular season begins: Dec. 1, 2015
    • Regular season ends: Feb. 6, 2016
    • Championships: Feb. 18-20, Pepsi Center (Denver)

    Defending champions

    • 5A: Arvada West
    • 4A: Thompson Valley
    • 3A: Valley
    • 2A: Rocky Ford

  • Skiing preview: Evergreen, in the metro area, has a unique experience in the sport

    [dropcap]E[/dropcap]vergreen High School is 50 miles from Winter Park. It’s an hour and fifteen minute drive to the mountain and the same back “down the hill,” the term the kids and coaches of the ski team use.

    The commute is nothing like those of other Colorado high school ski teams, teams like Aspen and Vail, whose schools reside a stone’s throw away from their respective resorts.

    There is no bus for practices, just willing parents and dedicated student athletes. Parents travel an average of 2,500 miles a season for four months to make ski dreams possible.

    The Evergreen High School ski team is comprised of kids from twelve different schools across the Denver Metro area, with kids traveling from as far south as Colorado Springs. Half are from Evergreen and the other half are split among the eleven other schools. They stack a 72-person team, an even split of girls and boys, and a very uneven split of alpine and cross country. Nearly 60 are alpine athletes. A few are skimeisters.

    Powerhouses like Summit, Aspen, and Battle Mountain continue to take the state title year after year. The Summit boys and girls team have 29 championships together. Evergreen has none.

    The obstacles they face seem instrumental in this lack of state titles. With no bus and a far commute, on-snow practice time is severely limited. The alpine team sees 12-14 days of practice on the actual slopes, whereas mountain located teams have half days at school and ski almost every afternoon of the season.

    But the Cougars don’t let the disadvantaged circumstances affect their effort. Dry land practices at Red Rocks and fitness centers are held four times a week, and with that, what they lack in ski practice they make up for in conditioning and teamwork.

    “Our emphasis is on the team first, individual second, which isn’t always the case with skiing since it’s an individual sport. But it’s important for us,” said alpine coach Kirk Petrik. “Because we have kids from many high schools and each racer is new to each other, we don’t have any cliques.”

    The Nordic team waits until the evening to ski the beginner slopes of Loveland, or head to Addenbrooke Park in Lakewood when there is snow in town. But the biggest setbacks for the cross country athletes aren’t the location or limited practice spaces.

    “People just don’t know we exist. Getting the word out is so tough,” says seventh-year Nordic co-coach Holly Boggs. “But the ones who do know about it embrace it. The families are amazing and so willing to make practices and races happen.”

    And despite all the difficulties, hiccups, and inconveniences, the team still churns out top athletes. Senior Owen Tallmadge came in third place in Slalom at the 2015 state championships, behind two Battle Mountain stars Sands Simonton and Quintin Cook.

    The boys alpine team came in fourth overall last year, and second in 2014, while the girls alpine team finished in 5th in 2015. The Nordic team, with its size, sees less success than the Alpine Squad, though 2015 graduate Luk Platill placed second in Nordic last season.

    The Nordic team competes in their first race in mid-December, while the Alpine team will start in the New Year on Jan. 8.

    “The kids just love it,” said both Boggs and Petrik.

    For Evergreen, and its metro makeup of skiers, one thing remains the same as its competitors: it’s all for the love of the sport.

    [divider]

    Ski preview

    Defending champions:

    Returning All-State athletes:

    • Boys: Owen Talmadge
    • Girls: Brianna Bond

    State championship: Feb. 26-27

  • Past postseason misses have Pomona football motivated to push further in 2015

    Pomona Columbine football
    Pomona football is looking to “bust down that door” in the postseason. (Pam Wagner/CHSAANow.com)

    [dropcap]J[/dropcap]ake Moretti and his Pomona football teammates have had just about enough of the recurring theme that is the Class 5A state playoffs.

    Since advancing to the state semifinals back in 2011, the Panthers have been on the cusp of returning over the past three seasons. But each time Pomona was turned away in the quarterfinal round, a trend that the squad is eager to end in 2015.

    “It’s frustrating. The entire team feels that way,” said Jake Moretti, an all-state offensive tackle as a sophomore who committed to Ohio State over the summer. “We’ve been in that same spot quite a few years now, and we need to get to the point that we bust down that door and get to our final destination.”

    Last fall Pomona upended its first two playoff opponents before running into a buzzsaw in Valor Christian. The Eagles scored a pair of touchdowns in all four quarters on their way to a 56-34 victory. Valor eventually lost in the title game to Cherry Creek.

    The Panthers opened last fall by playing the two eventual state finalists, splitting the set on their way to a 9-3 season. Never one to take the easy road, coach Jay Madden has the same two teams on the schedule to kick off the 2015 campaign.

    Pomona visits Valor Christian on Sept. 4 before hosting Cherry Creek on Sept. 11.

    “I just think you only get nine games, you might as well make them all fun. Why not challenge yourself right away and find out what you’re made of?” Madden asked. “Our kids can’t wait — we’re excited about it. Those are two real tough teams. Our defense is going to have to carry us.”

    Speaking of the defense, Pomona is expecting big things on that side of the ball this season. The Panthers started eight sophomores in the quarterfinal round, meaning that the experience factor is now working in the team’s favor instead of against it.

    “You can’t be expecting to beat Valor with eight sophomore starters on defense,” Madden said. “Now those kids are all juniors and those kids are ready to go. The growing pains of last year should pay dividends this year.”

    Elijah Leyva led Pomona with 8.5 sacks a year ago as a junior, and the defensive end/linebacker hybrid is excited to see what the squad can do. Leyva said the postseason loss to Valor Christian has stayed with the team, especially since the Panthers played the Eagles so tough in the season opener.

    “We had a good regular season, but I think honestly we just kind of lost track a bit of our edge last year,” he said. “This year is totally different. It’s good motivation to stay strong the whole season.”

    Offensively Pomona graduated quarterback Justin Roberts and touchdown-machine Isaac Marquez, who led the team in receiving and was second in rushing yards. Sophomore Ryan Marquez will step in at quarterback, while a potent 1-2 punch of sophomore Max Borghi and junior Cameron Gonzales will pace the ground game.

    Pomona Columbine football
    Jake Moretti will be an anchor on Pomona’s line. (Pam Wagner/CHSAANow.com)

    “Cameron is more of a downhill runner and Max is one of the fastest guys in the state,” Moretti said. “It’s just a great combo to have.”

    The offensive line graduated four starters, including a pair of all-state players in Dillon Middlemiss and Connor Pierson. Moretti is the veteran of the group as a junior, though Madden said the rest of the line isn’t lacking for depth or competition.

    With the season ready to kick off this week for a handful of teams around the state, the Panthers are optimistic about what the future will hold. So is the rest of the state. Pomona opened at No. 3 in the preseason poll, just behind Valor Christian and Cherry Creek.

    Moretti said the team has rediscovered its edge, and another tough schedule will only help to better prepare Pomona for what lies ahead.

    “I think to get over the hump we’ve just go to do all the little things right that we didn’t do last year,” Leyva said. “We can’t make the mistakes and we’ve got to play our best ball at the end of the year.”

    [divider]

    Big-school football preview

    • Preseason rankings
    • Season Start Date: Aug. 27
    • Postseason begins: Nov. 7
    • State Championship: Dec. 5, 5A and 4A at Sports Authority Field at Mile High; 3A at home site

    Defending Champions:

    Returning All-State Athletes:

    • Class 5A: TeQuan Baker, Sr., Doherty (2nd team); Alec Barnes, Sr., Regis Jesuit (2nd); David Imola, Sr., Cherry Creek (2nd); Todd Jones, Sr., Boulder (1st); Carlo Kemp, Sr., Fairview (1st); Patrick Moody, Jr., Chaparral (2nd); Jake Moretti, Jr., Pomona (1st); Jonathan Van Diest, Jr., Cherry Creek (2nd).
    • Class 4A: Conlan Berger, Sr., Longmont (2nd team); Zach Castellucci, Sr., Pueblo South (2nd); JoJo Domann, Sr., Pine Creek (1st); Isaiah Fields, Sr., Falcon (1st); Ben Freeman, Sr., Fort Collins (2nd); Adrian King, Sr., George Washington (2nd); Nathan Leithead, Sr., Pine Creek (2nd); Jeremy Lujan, Sr., Dakota Ridge (1st); Isiah Pannuzio, Sr., Pueblo South (1st); Corte Tapia, Jr., Windsor; Jack Wibbels, Sr., Pine Creek (1st).
    • Class 3A: Alonso Archuleta, Sr., Roosevelt (2nd team); Beau Beattie, Sr., Discovery Canyon (2nd); Cameron Brown, Sr., D’Evelyn (2nd); Bruno Derose, Sr., Pueblo East (1st); Lalo Diaz-Alvarez, Sr., Pueblo East; Franny Gonzales, Sr., Fort Morgan (1st); Chris Helbig, Sr., Holy Family (1st); Tate Kembel, Jr., Fort Morgan (2nd); Isaac Maestas, Jr., Palisade (2nd); Alex Mai, Sr., Fort Morgan (2nd); Zach Manchester, Sr., Canon City (2nd); Daniel Martin, Sr., Pueblo East (1st); Toby McBride, Sr., Fort Morgan (1st); Jonny Ponce, Sr., Delta (2nd); Davis Price, Sr., Evergreen (1st); Bryson Torres, Jr., Pueblo East.