Archive for December, 2013

Photo gallery: Broomfield and Holy Family square off in basketball

BROOMFIELD — In a battle of No. 1 teams, 4A Broomfield girls basketball topped 3A Holy Family 73-53 on Friday night. Callie Kaiser had 26 points and 13 rebounds for Broomfield, while and Bri Wilber added 16 points and eight assists. Stacie Hull had 17 points

The schools’ boys teams also played with No. 1 Holy Family winning 54-41. David Sommers had 15 points, Devlin Granberg had 14 and Chris Helbig chipped in with 10 for Holy Family.

Photo gallery: No. 5 Regis Jesuit tops Fort Collins in boys basketball

FORT COLLINS — No. 5 Regis Jesuit got 20 points from Zach Smith in cruising to a 66-51 win over Fort Collins in boys basketball on Friday.

Photo gallery: Standley Lake boys basketball beats Legacy

BROOMFIELD — Standley Lake had a one-point lead going into the fourth quarter but beat Legacy by a score of 50-43.

Legacy’s Trenton Johnson was the high scorer for Legacy with 14 points.

Liberty Common basketball coach wins No. 400

Liberty Common players celebrate coach Jim Altergott's 400th win last Saturday. (Courtesy photo)

Liberty Common players celebrate coach Jim Altergott’s 400th win last Saturday. (Courtesy photo)

Liberty Common boys basketball coach Jim Altergott knew he was sitting at 399 career wins last Saturday. So did athletic director Dan Knab, who had a cake and celebratory posters waiting.

“I think he kind of put the cart before the horse, because we hadn’t had the win yet,” Altergott joked on Friday. “What if we would’ve lost that and he had everything ready to go?”

Fortunately, for the celebration’s sake, the Eagles beat Conifer 61-56. It was Altergott’s 400th win.

“It’s more about the kids than it is me, winning 400,” said Altergott, who has been coaching since 1973. “We knew it was at 399, and we had a couple of other chances to get it, but it didn’t materialize.”

Liberty Common started the 2013-14 season 2-1. The second win came over Highland, one of Altergott’s prior posts, and put him at 399. But the Eagles lost their next three games.

Finally, at 2-4, Liberty Common returned to Fort Collins for its first home game of the season. The Eagles led 32-23 at halftime, and 46-36 after three quarters. Andrew Jones had 17 points, Arjun Gill had 14, and Josh VanVleet added 13. It was time for cake and posters.

“It was just another game, I guess,” Altergott said. “I just kind of approached it as the next game on the schedule, and when it was over, everyone else was probably more excited than I was about it.

“The kids also knew how close I was,” he added. “I never said anything to them about it, but I guess other people must have said something to them. They played really well in that last game.”

Altergott had been tracking his career record since he started.

“I used to have it written out from the time I started, year-by-year,” he said, “but through the different moves over the year, I lost the paper it was on. I have a cumulative total from resumes, so that’s how I knew where we were at.”

The bulk of the wins came at Roosevelt, where he spent 25 seasons as coach. He also spent seven at Highland. Now in his first year at Liberty Common, Altergott has been a head coach for 36 seasons.

Asked if he’s taken a moment to reflect on his career, Altergott said, “I haven’t yet. It’s the next practice. I haven’t thought about going backwards and looking at that. Someone did ask me about my very first win, and that was too long ago. I don’t remember that one.”

4A wrestling ranking adds Pueblo County at No. 7

Lakewood Arvada West wrestling

Arvada West continues to be the No. 1 team in On The Mat’s 5A wrestling rankings. (Mark Adams)

Pueblo County joined the 4A wrestling rankings provided by On The Mat this week. The Hornets are No. 7.

Elsewhere, Sterling joined the 3A ranking at No. 10. 2A added Dove Creek (No. 7) and Highland (No. 10).

The 5A poll went unchanged this week.

The four No. 1 teams — Arvada West (5A), Broomfield (4A), Brush (3A), Paonia (2A) — have stayed the same since the preseason.

Complete team rankings for all classes are below.

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On The Mat Wrestling Rankings

Tim Yount of On The Mat provides weekly wrestling rankings for teams and individuals in all weight classes. To see individual rankings, you can subscribe to On The Mat’s full rankings.

To subscribe via PayPal, choose your subscription option on this page click on the corresponding PayPal button. To subscribe by mail or fax and pay by personal check, click here for a printable subscription form. Email Tim Yount at tim@onthematrankings.com with questions.

To purchase individual weeks of the rankings (as opposed to the entire season), you will need to use the printable subscription form and pay by check. The season ranking subscriptions are offered at a discounted rate.

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Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A

Class 5A
RK TEAM PVS
1 Arvada West 1
2 Rocky Mountain 2
3 Ponderosa 3
4 Pomona 4
5 Cherry Creek 5
6 Pine Creek 6
7 Chaparral 7
8 Fruita Monument 8
9 Coronado 9
10 Greeley West 10
Dropped out
None.

Class 4A
RK TEAM PVS
1 Broomfield 1
2 Thompson Valley 2
3 Discovery Canyon 3
4 Pueblo South 4
5 Windsor 5
6 Palisade 7
7 Pueblo County
8 Montrose 8
9 Pueblo Central 6
10 Weld Central 9
Dropped out
Mead (10).

Class 3A
RK TEAM PVS
1 Brush 1
2 Valley 2
3 Dolores Huerta 3
4 Centauri 4
5 Lamar 5
6 Monte Vista 7
7 La Junta 8
8 Alamosa 6
9 Fort Lupton 10
10 Sterling
Dropped out
Bennett (9).

Class 2A
RK TEAM PVS
1 Paonia 1
2 Meeker 2
3 Baca County 3
4 Swink 4
5 Rocky Ford 5
6 Sedgwick County/Fleming 6
7 Dove Creek
8 Center 10
9 Merino 8
10 Highland
Dropped out
Akron (7), Wray (9).

Reiter leads Chatfield boys hoops to win over Lakewood

Chatfield senior Darius Reiter glides to the basketball for a layup during the second half Thursday night. Reiter scored a team-high 28 points for the Chargers in their second league victory of the season. (Dennis Pleuss)

Chatfield senior Darius Reiter glides to the basketball for a layup during the second half Thursday night. Reiter scored a team-high 28 points for the Chargers in their second league victory of the season. (Dennis Pleuss)

LITTLETON — It was a mixed bag for Chatfield senior Darius Reiter in the opening minutes Thursday night.

Reiter scored the Chargers’ first seven points of the Class 5A Jeffco League game against Lakewood in the first few minutes, but with 4:38 left in the first quarter he picked up his second foul. Even with Reiter being a spectator for the remainder of the first quarter, Chatfield (6-2, 2-0 in league) kept things on track. And the Chargers scored a 77-67 home victory heading into the holiday break.

“It wasn’t necessarily the flow I wanted, but it came out well,” said Reiter, who finished with a team-high 28 points. “I was able to get some stuff going.”

Chatfield coach Stephen Schimpeler was encouraged with how his team responded with some adversity in the opening half.

“That whole first half we were in foul trouble. I really liked how we handled the situation,” Schimpeler said. “It’s important that your bench performs because there are times you are going to need them.”

Sophomore Riley Welch led Chatfield’s bench players with 14 points. Starters Alec Wray (14 points) and Andrew St. Germain (11 points) also had strong games in the Chargers’ fourth straight win.

Reiter did plenty of damage at the free-throw line, making 12-of-13 shots from the charity stripe. The second conference game for both teams turned into a physical affair with a total of 56 fouls being called.

Lakewood (4-4, 0-2) only led once in the game at 2-0. Chatfield extended its lead to as much as 21 points late in the third quarter, but the Tigers turned it on offensively in the fourth quarter, scoring 31 points to make a game of it.

Chatfield sophomore Riley Welch, left, and Lakewood freshman Kolton Peterson scramble after a loose ball Thursday night at Chatfield High School. Welch and Peterson both had strong games coming off the bench for their teams. Welch had 14 points, while Peterson threw in 16 points. (Dennis Pleuss)

Chatfield sophomore Riley Welch, left, and Lakewood freshman Kolton Peterson scramble after a loose ball Thursday night at Chatfield High School. Welch and Peterson both had strong games coming off the bench for their teams. Welch had 14 points, while Peterson threw in 16 points. (Dennis Pleuss)

“We had the opportunity to shoot instead of handing it to Chatfield,” Lakewood coach Daryl Johnson said of the fourth quarter. “We actually got shots up instead of turning it over.”

Lakewood senior Evan O’Dorisio led all scorers with 32 points. Senior Irhad Kozic found his shooting touch with a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and freshman Kolton Peterson came off the bench to score 16 points for the Tigers.

“It’s a matter of execution and trust,” Johnson said after the Tigers’ second straight league defeat. “We’ve got to weave our strengths together. We’ll get it together.”

Lakewood will get back into action after winter break with a 2 p.m. game Saturday, Jan. 4, when it hosts Ralston Valley.

Chatfield has a long road ahead to defend its conference championship it grabbed with an undefeated 16-0 mark last season. Each of the nine 5A Jeffco teams faces their league foes twice (home and away) during the conference schedule.

“We aren’t necessarily aiming for that, but we know it’s there and we want to repeat it,” Reiter said of Chatfield attempting to match last year’s undefeated run in the conference.

Schimpeler stated that he believes the 5A Jeffco league is “getting better” and it will be no easy task in repeating as league champs.

“It’s going to be really hard this year when everyone is gunning for you being league champs and you are Chatfield,” Schimpeler said. “We told these guys it’s going to be tougher this year than last year. I think that was evident tonight.”

After playing eight games in 17 days since the start of the basketball season, Chatfield will get back to action after the holidays by hosting Pomona at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4.

Chatfield sophomore Riley Welch, right, drives toward the basketball against Lakewood senior James Hofmann on Thursday night at Chatfield High School. Welch threw in 14 points off the bench for the Chargers in a 77-67 victory. (Dennis Pleuss)

Chatfield sophomore Riley Welch, right, drives toward the basketball against Lakewood senior James Hofmann on Thursday night at Chatfield High School. Welch threw in 14 points off the bench for the Chargers in a 77-67 victory. (Dennis Pleuss)

Lakewood senior Guy Young, left, is able to get a hand in the face of Chatfield senior Grant Haines during the first half Thursday at Chatfield High School. The Chargers won the Class 5A Jeffco League game 77-67 to head into winter break with a 6-2 record. (Dennis Pleuss)

Lakewood senior Guy Young, left, is able to get a hand in the face of Chatfield senior Grant Haines during the first half Thursday at Chatfield High School. The Chargers won the Class 5A Jeffco League game 77-67 to head into winter break with a 6-2 record. (Dennis Pleuss)

Photo gallery: No. 1 Arvada West tops Lakewood in wrestling

ARVADA — Top-ranked Arvada West narrowly beat Lakewood in a wrestling dual on Wednesday.

10 girls basketball teams set for annual Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona

Regis Jesuit continues to be atop the 5A girls basketball ranking. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

Regis Jesuit is among 10 Colorado schools playing in the Nike Tournament of Champions. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

Ten Colorado schools will play in the 17th-annual Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona this weekend. The girls basketball tournament, which features 83 total schools competing in 11 separate divisions, begins on Thursday.

Games are played at five local high schools in Chandler, Ariz. Colorado schools competing in the tournament include Castle View, Cherry Creek, Grandview, Highlands Ranch, Horizon, Pueblo County, Pueblo West, Regis Jesuit, Rock Canyon and ThunderRidge.

Seven of the schools are ranked in this week’s CHSAANow.com 5A poll. Regis Jesuit, Highlands Ranch, ThunderRidge and Grandview go Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4. Rock Canyon is No. 6, Castle View is No. 8 and Cherry Creek is No. 9. Pueblo West is ranked No. 4 in the 4A poll.

Each division has its own bracket and championship games. Horizon and Cherry Creek are the only Colorado schools that will play in the same division.

Regis Jesuit, ranked No. 6 in the most recent MaxPreps’ Xcellent 25 national rankings, has perhaps the most challenging division of all local schools. The Raiders will play in the Joe Smith Division, which features six other schools ranked in the top 15 nationally. Those teams are No. 2 Mater Dei (Calif.), No. 7 Riverdale Baptist (Md.), No. 8 Long Beach Poly (Calif.), No. 11 Homewood-Flossmoor (Ill.), No. 12 Christ the King (N.Y.) and No. 15 Stockton St. Mary’s (Calif.).

A complete breakdown of local team’s divisions are below. Included are their first-round games. Find the complete brackets here (.pdf), as well as general information on the tournament here.

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Colorado teams in the Nike Tournament of Champions

John Anderson Division
Rock Canyon – St. Anthony (Calif.)

Mike Desper Division
Grandview – Centennial (Nev.)

Gray Division
Highlands Ranch – Bishop O’Dowd (Calif.)

Green Division
Horizon – Valley Vista (Ariz.)
Cherry Creek – Tolleson (Ariz.)

Purple Division
Pueblo West – Corona del Sol (Ariz.)

Red Division
Castle View – Bishop Gorman (Nev.)

Silver Division
Pueblo County – St. Mary’s (Ariz.)

Joe Smith Division
Regis Jesuit – Long Beach Poly (Calif.)

White Division
ThunderRidge – Lynwood (Calif.)

Photo gallery: No. 6 Cherry Creek hockey beats Kent Denver

LAKEWOOD — No. 6 Cherry Creek broke a 3-3 tie in the second period when Nick Mcwharter scored 8:51 into the frame, then went on to score the game’s final five goals in an 8-3 win.

Mcwharter finished the game with two goals. Teammate Cody Oakes also had two goals and added an assist.

Cherry Creek outshot Kent Denver 68-11 in the game. Kent goalie Jack Friedman made 60 saves.

2013-14 football coaching changes

A list of coaching changes around the state during football’s 2013-14 offseason. Send updates to rcasey@chsaa.org.

This post was last updated at 10:08 a.m. on August 11.

Coaching changes
School Class Out In
Adams City 4A Andy Payne Dan Jajczyk
Aguilar 6-man (New team) Frank Coppa
Alameda 2A Keith Gille
Arvada West 5A Greg Whisler Brad Pyatt
Aspen 2A Mike Sirko Ryan Triece
Battle Mountain 2A Steven Greve Kevin Meyer
Berthoud 3A Dan McGinn Troy Diffendaffer
Byers 1A David Dodge Andrew Grigsby
Chaparral 5A John Vogt Rod Dobbs
Denver Christian 1A Troy Vanden Broeke Kirt Woodman
Doherty 5A David Joyce Jeff Krumlauf
Douglas County 5A Jeff Ketron Gene Hill
Eaton 2A Bill Mondt Zac Lemon
Erie 3A Larry Gatrell Chris Summers
Faith Christian 2A Blair Hubbard Ralph Nance
Flagler 6-man Jason Saffer John Hickey
Fort Lupton 3A Jeff Priestley Joseph Herrera
Fossil Ridge 5A Steve Vecchio Brian Tinker
Gateway 5A Ashour Peera Shane Ward
George Washington 4A Fred Harris Jr. James Everett
Gilpin County 8-man Eric Goodlett Craig Ball
Grand Valley 2A Mike Johnson Danny Manzanares 
Heritage 5A Mike Griebel Tyler Knoblock
Highlands Ranch 5A Darrel Gorham Mark Robinson
Hinkley 5A Jaron Cohen Robert O’Brien
Hotchkiss 1A Zach Lemon Mike Sirko
John Mall 1A Davey Crockett Mike Vigil
Lakewood 5A Mark Robinson Jeff Braun
Las Animas 8-man Cody Hines
Lewis-Palmer 3A Tony Ramunno Dustin Tupper
Liberty 4A Clarence Vaughn Marc Sites
Lutheran 3A Daryl Moe Blair Hubbard
Manual 2A Doug Clinkscales Dean Huffman
Manitou Springs 2A Danny Gieck Monte Gutowski
Moffat County 2A Kip Hafey Keith Gille
North Park 6-man Sam Campfield Chad Carlstrom
Palmer 5A Justin Rich Jeff Priestley
Peyton 1A Kenneth Delahoy Richard Deems
Poudre 5A Dan Reardon Marty McVicker
Ponderosa 4A Jamie Woodruff Jaron Cohen
Prairie 6-man Glenn Carlson
Pueblo Central 3A Zach Odell Jeremy Mercer
Rampart 4A JJ Owens Rob Royer
Sheridan 2A Zeric Martinez
Sierra 3A Dean Huffman Phil Jackson
Soroco 8-man David Bruner Josef Keller
Smoky Hill 5A Justin Hoffman Preston Davis
The Academy 2A Park Vogel Mike Ray
Valley 2A Ryan Wehrman
Vista Ridge 4A Les Johnson Jeremi Calip
Wheat Ridge 4A Reid Kahl Dan Reardon
Yuma 1A Jeremy Slack