CHSAANow

Month: May 2014

  • Cherry Creek girls lacrosse advances to state title game

    (Dan Mohrmann)
    (Dan Mohrmann)

    DENVER — There has never been a girls lacrosse state championship game without the Cherry Creek Bruins. And that trend will continue in 2014.

    The Bruins overcame a slow start and scored eight second half goals as they beat the Centaurus Warriors 12-11 Saturday afternoon.

    The Bruins were also hoping avenge an early-season loss to the Warriors back on March 20. The Warriors were able to contain the Cherry Creek offense and hold them to just six goals that day. The start of the game looked to play out the same way as the defense limited the chances for the Bruins while the Warriors’ offense was clicking on all cylinders.

    Their first possession of the game lasted over two minutes, and although they couldn’t find the net, they had several opportunities to get on the scoreboard. After nearly eight minutes of scoreless play, Andrea Kim finally got the Warriors on the board as she took advantage of a clear shooting lane.

    Just over two minutes later, Katherine Burns once again found the net for Centaurus, putting the Warriors up 2-0. They continued to build on the lead with a breakaway goal almost three minutes later by Hayley Drapkin. In the blink of an eye, Centaurus had a three-goal lead and Cherry Creek found themselves shell-shocked.

    “We came out a little flat and we knew it,” Bruins coach Brianne Tierney said. “They have a very poised and controlled attack and we sort of knew that what happen; that they would try to wear us down.”

    Senior Colby Goettelman would be the first Bruin to find the net on the day, breaking the string of Centaurus goals. The Warriors would strike back with two goals in 26 seconds to increase their lead to 5-1. Centaurus had a chance to once again build on their lead, but a shot on their next possession went off the post and into the hands of the Bruins. On the breakaway, Caroline Perry converted on her shot, to cut the Warriors lead to three.

    It was that goal that gave the Bruins some momentum as they would score two more goals and only allow one going into halftime. After leading 5-1 at one point, the Warriors went into the break grasping to a 6-4 lead.

    “We needed that one push to get us some momentum to let hold on knowing we could come back,” Perry said. “We knew after that we could come back and win this game.”

    The momentum that the Bruins built to end the first half continued at the start of the second. A yellow card at the end of the first half gave the Bruins a one-man advantage that they took advantage of very early. They scored 26 seconds into the half to cut the lead to one. The Warriors would briefly regain a two-goal lead, but the Bruins would continue to fight back.

    At 8:47 into the second half, Cherry Creek gained their first lead of the game on a Livvy List goal. For the next 15 minutes the two teams would battle back and forth with the Bruins taking the lead two more times, only to have the Warriors tie it up. Centaurus would take an 11-10 lead with 7:25 left, but Chole DeGrasse would erase their lead just over a minute later.

    “We didn’t want this to be our last game,” Perry said. “We knew we had to do it as a team we had to play up to our potential and we had to do whatever we could do.”

    A defensive battle would keep each team scoreless until a minute left in regulation when Blair Sisk slammed home a shot, giving the Bruins the lead and putting them only seconds away from yet another appearance in the state championship game.

    Centaurs was able to muster up one more surge, and Olivia Holmes found herself with a look at the net, but her shot would ring off the post and the ball would squirt out to mid-field as time expired giving Cherry Creek the 12-11 win.

    “(I thought) it was going to overtime,” Tiereny said. “We’ve practiced a ton of overtime so if that was the case I think we were ready to go.”

    The Bruins will take on Air Academy in the state championship game Wednesday.

  • Columbine blanks defending champs to reach 5A girls soccer title game

    Columbine was all smiles as it walked off the field at Englewood High School on Saturday after taking a 2-0 victory over Mountain Vista in the Class 5A girls soccer state semifinal. (Dennis Pleuss)
    Columbine was all smiles as it walked off the field at Englewood High School on Saturday after taking a 2-0 victory over Mountain Vista in the Class 5A girls soccer state semifinal. (Dennis Pleuss)

    ENGLEWOOD — Columbine didn’t waste time in scoring first Saturday at Englewood High School in the Class 5A girls soccer state semifinal.

    Rebels’ leading goal scorer Tatum Barton drew a foul outside Mountain Vista’s goalie box a minute into the first half. Sophomore Kelcey Cavarra wrapped the direct free kick around the Golden Eagles’ wall and into the far corner of the net for an early 1-0 lead.

    “It was prefect opportunity. I thought it was five minutes into the game, but it was only a minute in,” Cavarra said. “It gave us great intensity and the lead.”

    No. 8-seeded Columbine (16-3) never gave up its early lead. The Rebels went on to a 2-0 victory, earning their seventh trip to a girls’ soccer championship game, and first since 1999.

    Columbine sophomore Kelcey Cavarra, left, attempt to block a kick from Mountain Vista sophomore Peyton Joseph on Saturday. The Rebels won 2-0 to advance to the Class 5A girls soccer championship game Wednesday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. (Dennis Pleuss)
    Columbine sophomore Kelcey Cavarra, left, attempt to block a kick from Mountain Vista sophomore Peyton Joseph on Saturday. The Rebels won 2-0 to advance to the Class 5A girls soccer championship game Wednesday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. (Dennis Pleuss)

    “You always want to come in and set the tone, especially against the defending state champions (Mountain Vista),” Columbine coach Brian Todd said. “They have a ton of confidence and they’ve earned it. We talked about coming out fast, energetic and organized. We did all of that.”

    No. 4-seeded Mountain Vista (15-2-2) had outscored its opponents 14-0 in three postseason games, but couldn’t get one past Columbine junior goalie Sarah Luebking.

    “We were a little flat in the first half,” said Mountain Vista coach Theresa Echtermeyer, who guided the Golden Eagles to state titles in 2013, 2011 and 2005. “They (Columbine) had a couple good opportunities, one with that free kick right at the beginning. We got maybe a little bit flustered.”

    The Rebels added a second goal against the 5A defending state champions midway through the first half. Freshman Amanda Porter was able to settle a bouncing ball in front of Mountain Vista goalie Christine Ottinger and kicked a one-timer into the back of the net.

    “It’s great knowing we could score two goals against Mountain Vista who hasn’t given up a goal all tournament,” said Cavarra who added she believed the 5A Jeffco League champions have been underestimated. “We worked our butts off for this.”

    Columbine and Mountain Vista each had just a few scoring opportunities each in the scoreless second half.

    Columbine sophomore Breckyn Schmitz (2) and Mountain Vista junior Megan Massey (10) battle for the ball during the second half Saturday at Englewood High School. (Dennis Pleuss)
    Columbine sophomore Breckyn Schmitz (2) and Mountain Vista junior Megan Massey (10) battle for the ball during the second half Saturday at Englewood High School. (Dennis Pleuss)

    “Columbine had a better day than we did,” Echtermeyer said. “That’s soccer. It happens.”

    The Golden Eagles were without one of the top players in the state for the semifinal. Sophomore Mallory Pugh was with the U.S. U-20 women’s national team. Echtermeyer said Pugh gets back into town tomorrow (Sunday).

    Echtermeyer coached Green Mountain two a pair of 5A state titles in 1999 and 1997 before starting the program at Mountain Vista, where she also coaches the boys program.

    Columbine will attempt to make school history when it plays for the 5A championship game May 21 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Rebels have never won a girls team title in school history.

    The Rebels are loaded with underclassmen, but they are only one win away from that elusive state title.

    “We were hoping,” Porter said of making the state title game this year. “With hard work we’ve got here.”

    Columbine senior Madison Chapman (9) heads the ball in front of Mountain Vista junior Morgan McDougal (17) and Columbine sophomore Kelcey Cavarra during the second half Saturday at Englewood High School. Cavarra scored on a direct free kick in the opening minute on the way to a 2-0 victory for the Rebels. (Dennis Pleuss)
    Columbine senior Madison Chapman (9) heads the ball in front of Mountain Vista junior Morgan McDougal (17) and Columbine sophomore Kelcey Cavarra during the second half Saturday at Englewood High School. Cavarra scored on a direct free kick in the opening minute on the way to a 2-0 victory for the Rebels. (Dennis Pleuss)

  • Ponderosa takes down defending champ Wheat Ridge for state title

    Ponderosa boys lacrosse celebrates its 4A title. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
    Ponderosa boys lacrosse celebrates its 4A title. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    DENVER – A 13-7 lead for the Ponderosa Mustangs was slowly being eaten away. The defending Class 4A boys lacrosse champions, the Wheat Ridge Farmers, had found themselves in quite the hole, but had shown before that they had the talent to climb out of it.

    But Patrick Tierney’s Mustangs had too much resolve and in the end, would hold on 13-11 to take the 4A title in what many would call a major upset in Colorado high school lacrosse.

    “If you watch, you knew that they needed each other,” Tierney said of his team. “They worked hard the whole game. They turned to each other, they passed when they had to and they didn’t try to take it on themselves.”

    It was all the more impressive considering the Farmers scored 54 seconds into the contest to take a quick 1-0 lead. After winning their first two playoff games by a combined score of 22-12, a quick start was anything but a surprise.

    The 1-0 score would hold for over seven minutes before the Mustangs were able to shake their cobwebs and get the ball by Farmers goalie Jensen Makarov. Ponderosa’s ability to tie the game also came as little surprise.

    (Dan Mohrmann)
    (Dan Mohrmann)

    Where the surprise came in was how the Mustangs converted another goal 20 seconds and yet another with 14 seconds left in the first quarter — both at the hands of senior captain Blake Bruner — to take a 3-1 lead.

    “It’s a game of runs and we knew that coming in,” Bruner said. “Everyone contributed so much and that got our momentum going and we just kept with it and we knew we would get some runs and they would get some too. We just made sure to get ours going real quick.”

    The Farmers wouldn’t quit and battle back to cut the lead down to one goal thanks to goals by John Roach and Dylan Mechling. But just as it appeared Wheat Ridge had seized some momentum, the Mustangs went on a run of four straight goals to build a 7-3 lead.

    The momentum had clearly shifted and it showed when Makarov lost the ball trying to clear it, allowing Austin Bullock to scoop it up and put it in the net for the Mustangs’ seventh goal of the game. Once again, the Farmers tried to fight their way back, but Ponderosa struck with another run, scoring four goals in a span where Wheat Ridge could only muster one. Junior Jack Griffin had three-straight goals for the Mustangs to increase their lead to 11-6.

    “We definitely didn’t have anything to lose, they’re going to 5A next year and we sent them to 5A in style,” Griffin said. “I felt like we were the underdogs and I’ve played Wheat Ridge a number times and never beaten them before so I think our team just wanted it more today.”

    The scoring for the Mustangs slowed to a crawl in the fourth quarter, just at Wheat Ridge redoubled their efforts. Ponderosa held a 13-7 lead with 6:49 to go in the game, but would soon get put back on their heels. As the seconds ticked away, so the did the Mustangs’ lead. John Roach added another and senior Tyler Knott added two more as the Farmers pulled to within two goals.

    The momentum appeared to be with the Farmers, but with 52 seconds left in the game Roach was called for a cross-check, giving the Mustangs a one-man advantage for the remainder of the game. They were able to control the ball for that last minute, taking down arguably the best 4A lacrosse team of all-time.

    “I think we had enough players on the field that when we had a chance we executed,” Tierney said. “And by executing, we were able to keep them at a distance but we got into some trouble with penalties and that late in the game it was tough to fight off. But it was a great win, I’m so happy for them. They worked hard for it; they worked hard for three years, most of these guys.”

  • Final results from the 4A, 5A boys swim meets

    FORT COLLINS and THORNTON — Complete results from the final day of the Class 4A boys swimming and diving state meet at EPIC, as well as the Class 5A meet at VMAC.

    Go to: 4A | 5A

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    Class 4A

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    https://old.chsaanow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/4a-boys-swimming-and-diving-2014-day-2-results.pdf

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    Class 5A

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    https://old.chsaanow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/5a-boys-swimming-and-diving-2014-day-2-results.pdf

  • Photos: Second day of the 5A state baseball tournament

    DENVER — Cherry Creek beat Chaparral in the morning, then rallied to top ThunderRidge in the afternoon with a walk-off hit during the Class 5A state baseball tournament.

  • State track and field: Day 2 heat sheets for boys and girls

    LAKEWOOD — Heat sheets for the second day of the boys and girls track and field meets are below. Find Day 1 results, as well as live Day 2 results, on this page.

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    Download: PDF

    https://old.chsaanow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/5-16-14-track-heat-sheets-day-2.pdf

  • Denver East’s Geberkidane finishes strong to take 800 meter title

    LAKEWOOD – Cerake Geberkidane looked over his shoulder with 200 meters to go in Friday’s Class 5A final of the boys 800-meter run at the Colorado Track and Field Championships.

    “I knew there’s some great kickers (in the field),” the Denver East senior said.

    Actually, it was the runner ahead of him, Smoky Hill’s Blake Yount, with whom he had to be most concerned.
    Yount, who came into the race with the state’s fastest time of the season, had set the tone from the outset, with Geberkidane right on his shoulder.

    Geberkidane made yet another move rounding the final curve and overtook Yount to take the state title in 1 minute, 51.75 seconds, winning by 55/100ths of a second.

    “At the start of the race I didn’t really want to lead the race,” Geberkidane said. “I wanted to be in second or third.”

    The two pulled away from the pack, with Yount trying to separate himself and Geberkidane staying on his right shoulder.

    “With 300 (meters) left, I made a move and he stayed (ahead),” Geberkidane said.

    With 100 to go, he looked back to see a gap between the two and the rest of the field. That’s when he began his final kick.

    “(Yount’s) such a great competitor,” Geberkidane said of relishing the challenge. “I love it.”

    It was Geberkidane’s first state track title after winning the 5A state cross country title last fall with ease.
    The only thing left to cap off his career is Saturday’s 1,600-meter final. After winning the 3,200, “It makes me want (the 1,600) more,” he said.

    He knows that like the 800, the 1,600 won’t be easy.

    “You’re racing the best in the state,” he said. “It’s who wants it more, and who’s willing to hurt more. I’m willing to do that.”

    Saturday’s final day of the three-day meet begins at 8:30 a.m., with all events being finals.

  • State track and field: Day 3 heat sheets for boys and girls

    LAKEWOOD — Heat sheets for the third and final day of the boys and girls track and field meets are below. Find Day 2 results, as well as live Day 3 results, on this page.

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    Download: PDF

    https://old.chsaanow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/5-17-14-track-heat-sheets-day-3.pdf

  • Full results: State track and field meet at Jeffco Stadium

    LAKEWOOD — Live results, via co.milesplit.com, from the 2014 state track and field meet are below. Navigate to the event of your choosing with the menu at left.

    Watch the event live on the NFHS Network.

  • Cherry Creek boys lacrosse beats Kent Denver to return to 5A title game

    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
    Cherry Creek’s Jack Savage celebrates after the game. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    DENVER — Jack Savage scored once, twice, and that was it. Cherry Creek found itself back in the Class 5A boys lacrosse championship game for the third year in a row.

    Well — the 10-9 win over Kent Denver wasn’t quite that easy.

    Savage and the top-seeded Bruins trailed No. 4 Kent Denver 9-8 with five minutes to play in their semifinal game on Wednesday. Kent Denver was down nearly the entire game, but rallied in the final quarter and seemingly had all the momentum. At the very least, the two teams seemed destined for overtime — a point they reached during their meeting to close the regular season, when Creek won 10-9.

    Instead, Savage changed the game Wednesday at All-City Stadium. His long-range shot from the left side of the cage tied things at 9 with 3:59 remaining. Broderick Vitalie then drew a penalty, and, up a man 53 seconds after his first goal, Savage gave the Bruins a 10-9 lead. When that lead held, Cherry Creek had its return ticket to the state title game.

    “After I scored that first one, and then (Vitalie) got the call, I knew it was time to rally, get the boys together and win the game,” Savage said.

    Said Cherry Creek coach Bryan Perry: “Jack’s been fantastic for us all year. … We moved him around a little bit, found a home for him at middie and he just rose to the top of that heap very quickly and just does an outstanding job.”

    Arapahoe had one final chance with possession at the end, but the Bruins’ Nicholas Carpenter forced a turnover and Creek pushed the ball into its offensive end as it killed the final moments.

    Savage finished with three goals. Michael McCauley also scored three times for Cherry Creek, and had two assists, while Ryan Arthur had a goal and two assists.

    Vitalie was dominant in the faceoff circle, winning 16 of  21.

    “We kind of knew that was going to be key, and Broderick has been fantastic for us all year,” Perry said. “He came through for us today for sure.”

    Kent Denver was led by Zander Ellis’ four goals and an assist, and Jaden Franklin scored twice and assisted on another.

    For the longtime rivals, it was just the latest chapter in their history. Yes, there was the OT game just 12 days ago, but Wednesday was also the eighth time the two programs had met in the semifinals in the sport’s 16 seasons. Cherry Creek had won four of those games.

    “It’s a very good rivalry,” Perry said. “We have a lot of respect for each other. I know I have a lot of respect for them, and their kids and what they do.

    “It’s been a rivalry for years that’s as healthy of a high school rivalry that there is. There’s just a great respect, very little trash-talking or any nonsense. It’s a clean game. What was there, two penalties (Wednesday)? It’s always clean and well-played. It’s fun to be a part of. I’m honored to be a part of that.”

    Now, Perry’s Bruins will return to Mile High for the 5A title game, which is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Saturday. The past two years have ended in a loss to Arapahoe in that game. They will face Regis Jesuit — which beat Arapahoe in the semifinals — this season.

    “I want our guys to come out and play hard and play a good game,” Perry said. “I’m not sure we’ve played a complete game in that game yet.”