CHSAANow

Month: November 2015

  • Photos: Eads cruises by Fleming to go to 6-man championship

    FLEMING — No. 3-seeded Eads flew by No. 2-seeded Fleming, 48-22, to move to the 6-man football championship game.

    They will face defending-champion Arickaree/Woodlin.

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  • Fairview’s upset win over Chatfield highlights Day 1 of state volleyball

    Fairview volleyball
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    DENVER — The Coronado Cougars suddenly have something to play for.

    After dropping their first match in pool play to Chatfield, the biggest underdog in Class 5A appeared to be doomed. Until they got a much-needed assist from the Fairview Knights. In the sixth match of the day, the Knights did what the Cougars couldn’t quite do; they conquered the classification’s top seed.

    “Physically, I think they had enough time to recharge,” Fairview coach Kelsey Spencer said. “I think mentally, it might’ve knocked (Chatfield) down a little bit to five with the 12 seed, but I saw the fight that I heard about throughout their season.”

    Now Saturday’s clash between Coronado and Fairview carries implications for all three teams. A Fairview win means they advance to the semifinals. A Coronado win complicates matters and sends it to a tie-breaker.

    But Spencer is hoping that her girls can come out and take care of business against the Cougars just like they did against the Chargers.

    Depending on the outcome of the Knights’ match with Coronado, Pool I could see two tie-breaker matches. The two teams with the lowest set percentage will play one 25-point set with the winner playing the team with the highest set percentage won in another 25-point set. The last team standing will advance to the semifinals.

    “You can’t walk out that and not have a confidence boost,” Spencer said. “But we’re coming out and not underestimating Coronado at all. They’re here for a reason.”

    And the Cougars showed they belonged at state early as they took the first set from the Chargers 27-25. Chatfield would go on to win the next two sets, with Coronado taking the fourth to even up the match. Chatfield jumped out to an early lead in the fifth set and never gave it up.

    It was a much different story against Fairview as the Knights got on a roll early and rode the wave of momentum to the upset win.

    “In that first set, they came out and executed the game plan and we showed what we were made of,” Spencer said. “I was really confident that no matter what happened in the game, we were playing with heart.”

    Tie-breaker format:

    • The two pool teams with the lowest set percentage (number of sets won/total number of sets played) will play one 25-point set.
    • The winner of the lone 25-point set will play the pool team with the highest set percentage in a single 25-point set with the winner advancing to semifinals.

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    Class 5A:

    Cherokee Trail and Rock Canyon all advanced to Saturday’s semifinals. The 5A bracket proved to be the most exciting of the day with only one match ending in a sweep.

    Grandview controls their own destiny after their four-set win over Chaparral in the final match of the night.

    The rest of the 5A bracket will be decided with the conclusion of pool play Saturday morning.
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    Class 4A:

    The potential for a state title match between Lewis-Palmer and Cheyenne Mountain is alive after both teams swept their way into the semifinals. Ponderosa also advanced to the Final 4.

    The big surprise of the day was Montrose and Evergreen both defeating Holy Family, eliminating the No. 4 seed from the state tournament. The winner of Saturday’s match between the Indians and the Cougars will advance to the 4A semifinals.
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    Class 3A:

    Eaton, CSCS and University all advanced to the semifinals with ease. That was not the case with Platte Valley, however. In 3A’s final match of the night, they were upset by Valley 3-2.

    If Valley beats Pagosa Springs, the Vikings will advance to the 3A semifinals. If Pagosa wins, it will set up a tie-breaker for Pool III.
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    Class 2A:

    There were no upsets in 2A as seeds Resurrection Christian, Yuma, Lyons and Paonia all advanced into the semis ahead of Saturday’s early matches which will conclude pool play.
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    Class 1A:

    While Otis and Idalia have already advanced to Saturday’s semifinals, the results of Pool III and Pool IV aren’t as clear.

    The winner of Weldon Valley vs. Sangre de Cristo will certainly advance in Pool IV while a potential tie-break situation looms depending on the outcome of Fleming vs. Prairie.

  • Playoff football roundup: Big second half pushes Ralston Valley past Arapahoe

    Ralston Valley Arapahoe football
    Ralston Valley football beat Arapahoe in the 5A football playoffs on Friday night. More photos. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

    Trailing at halftime, No. 3 seed Ralston Valley scored the game’s final 21 points to knock off previously unbeaten, and No. 2-seeded, Arapahoe in the second round of the Class 5A football playoffs on Friday night.

    Ralston Valley’s defense forced two turnovers to lead to their first 14 points in the second half. The unit shut down Arapahoe’s offense the rest of the way as the Mustangs secured the spot in the quarterfinals.

    Arapahoe went up 3-0 with a 35-yard field goal late in the first quarter, but neither team scored again before halftime.

    Ralston Valley took a 7-3 lead in the third quarter, one they didn’t give up the rest of the way. Kyle Rush added two scores in the fourth quarter for the Mustangs.

    Ralston Valley advances to play Valor Christian in the next round.

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    4A: (13) Loveland 30, (4) Vista Ridge 14

    Loveland led 10-0 at half, 17-0 after three and 23-0 late in the fourth quarter in a stunning upset of Vista Ridge in the first round of the 4A playoffs.

    Quarterback Ayden Eberhardt passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two more in spearheading the upset for Loveland, a No. 13 seed. He also kicked a 29-yard field goal to play a role in all 30 points.

    Eberhardt found Ryan Svendsen just before the half for his first passing touchdown, and added another to Aidan McQuade just prior to the end of the third quarter.

    No. 4 Vista Ridge made it 17-6 early in the fourth quarter, but Eberhardt and Loveland responded less than four minutes later.

    Loveland will face the winner of Saturday’s game between No. 5 Durango and No. 12 Aurora Central.

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    4A: (11) Palmer Ridge 39, (6) Dakota Ridge 21

    Dakota Ridge Palmer Ridge football
    More photos(Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)

    This game was actually close early, but Palmer Ridge, the No. 11 seed, scored 20 unanswered points spanning the first and second quarters to break it open.

    The Bears led 39-14 at halftime and then cruised in the second half to the 39-21 win.

    Palmer Ridge quarterback Isaiah Sanders had four touchdowns, all in the first half.

    Jeremy Lujan had three rushing scores for No. 6 Dakota Ridge in the loss.

    Palmer Ridge awaits the winner of Saturday’s game between No. 3 Windsor and No. 14 Pueblo Centennial.

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    5A: (1) Cherry Creek 38, (4) Mullen 6

    Cherry Creek Mullen football
    Cherry Creek quarterback Alex Padilla. More photos. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    Cherry Creek scored two touchdowns in the game’s first quarter, including a 60-yard passing score from freshman quarterback Alex Padilla, to take a 14-0 lead. The No. 1-seeded and defending 5A champion Bruins never looked back.

    It was 21-0 at halftime, and then 31-0 in the third quarter.

    Kory Taylor-Keel, Trey Windham and Ashton Riley each had rushing touchdowns for Cherry Creek.

    “Everything really came together tonight as far as the offense and defense is concerned, so it was just a great win,” Padilla told the Union Street Journal, Cherry Creek’s student newspaper, after the game.

    Cherry Creek will play the winner of Saturday’s game between No. 6 ThunderRidge and No. 7 Fruita Monument in the quarterfinals.

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    3A: (8) Discovery Canyon 43, (9) Rifle 20

    Discovery Canyon football
    More photos. (Josh Watt/CHSAANow.com)

    Discovery Canyon got a crucial pick-6 just before halftime to go up 29-7, then held on for a big win over the Bears in the opening round of the 3A playoffs.

    Brandon Storch returned the interception with 21.8 seconds before halftime to extend the lead and bring all the momentum into the break.

    Rifle responded and would get to within 29-20 with three minutes to play in the third quarter, but Discovery Canyon put together two quick TD drives to put the game out of reach.

    Discovery Canyon will face Pueblo East in the quarterfinals.

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    Notables

    • Pueblo East, the No. 1 seed and defending champion of 3A, rolled to a 49-10 win over No. 16 Lewis-Palmer. It was 49-0 after three quarters. Bryson Torres had four rushing scores for the Eagles.
    • 5A No. 1 seed Columbine moved to 11-0 with a 48-14 win over No. 4 Heritage.
    • Regis Jesuit, a No. 2 seed in 5A, beat No. 3 Legacy 34-7. It was 21-0 at half. Regis Jesuit will play Columbine in the quarters.
    • Hayden Blubaugh had four touchdowns as Grandview, another No. 1 seed in 5A, cruised to a 49-20 win over No. 4 Mountain Vista.
    • Dylan McCaffrey and Blake Stenstrom each threw two touchdowns in No. 1 seed Valor Christian’s 47-3 win over No. 5 Chaparral. McCaffrey threw for 225 yards, and also rushed for a touchdown. Joshia Davis, a freshman, had 120 yards and a score on the ground for Valor.
    • Pomona, a No. 2 seed in 5A, easily handled No. 7 Horizon 35-14. The Panthers will play Grandview in the quarterfinals.

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    More coverage

  • Photos: Palmer Ridge upsets Dakota Ridge in 4A football playoffs

    LAKEWOOD — No. 11 seed Palmer Ridge knocked off No. 6 Dakota Ridge in the first round of the Class 4A football playoffs on Friday night.

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  • Photos: No. 1 Cherry Creek cruises to win over No. 4 Mullen in 5A football playoffs

    GREENWOOD VILLAGE — No. 1-seeded Cherry Creek football, the defending Class 5A champions, rolled to a 38-6 win over Mullen in the second round of the playoffs on Friday.

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  • Photos: Valor Christian rolls to 5A football quarterfinals

    PARKER — Dylan McCaffrey threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns, and also rushed for a score, as No. 1-seeded Valor Christian beat No. 5 Chaparral 47-3 in the second round of the Class 5A football playoffs on Friday.

    Freshman Joshia Davis rushed for 120 yards and a score for the Eagles.

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  • Photos: Ralston Valley rallies to beat Arapahoe in 5A football playoffs

    LITTLETON — No. 3-seeded Ralston Valley scored 21 unanswered points in the second half as the Mustangs beat previously unbeaten and No. 2-seeded Arapahoe 21-3 in the Class 5A football playoffs on Friday.

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  • Photos: Discovery Canyon beats Rifle in 3A football playoffs

    COLORADO SPRINGS — No. 8-seeded Discovery Canyon beat No. 9 Rifle 43-20 in the first round of the Class 3A football playoffs on Friday.

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  • Evergreen boys soccer wins 4A title over The Classical Academy

    (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
    Evergreen won the 4A boys soccer championship, taking down The Classical Academy. More photos. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    COMMERCE CITY — The Classical Academy had designs on a championship on Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. After all, TCA was appearing in its fifth state finals match in the past six years, the Titans’ second straight since moving up to Class 4A.

    Fourth-seeded Evergreen had other ideas as they shut down, and even shutout, one of the state’s best offenses during a 1-0 title-winning performance over the No. 2 Titans (18-2). The victory gave the Cougars their second boys soccer crown and first since 1989, the last season of unclassified play in Colorado when Evergreen took out Fort Collins 1-0, as well. They lost to Mullen in the 4A finals in 2011.

    For a still youthful team with only four seniors among the 22 who suited up for the playoffs, Evergreen was already powerful, especially defensively. In finishing with a 17-2-1 record, the Cougars posted 10 shutouts, earning their 10th against a team that entered having scored more goals than anyone in 4A.

    TCA was averaging five goals a game and had already scored 17 in four postseason contests. They still have never won in the finals.

    In the title match, Evergreen, who hadn’t been as high-powered offensively as TCA during the regular season, averaging 2.6 goals a game entering the day, had put in 18 in the playoffs. But, against TCA, the Cougars got back to what they do best, limit scoring opportunities with a talented defense and get timely saves from their goalie.

    After 34 minutes of scoreless play, Benner Cochran sent an absolute screamer to the left pocket of the goal to give Evergreen a 1-0 lead just before halftime.

    “It was the happiest I’ve ever been after a goal in my entire soccer career,” the junior midfielder said. “It was awesome.”

    Then, facing all kinds of pressure from a desperate TCA squad in the second half, especially in the closing minutes, the Cougars’ defense made the plays needed to preserve the win.

    “We have a really athletic defensive line and they just did everything they could to keep their fast forwards out of the goal,” Cochran said. “Their star player getting a red card kind of helped us out too, but they did awesome.”

    That star player, Titus Grant, a junior forward for the Titans who tallied 29 goals (tied for most in 4A) and 14 assists this season, earned a second yellow card and one-game suspension after a collision with the Standley Lake goalie on a fifty-fifty ball during a 4-1 semifinals win on Wednesday.

    The second yellow card was controversial, but Classical Academy still had plenty of weapons in the likes of Jaden Borja (22 goals, 13 assists) and Anders Carlson (11 goals, 7 assists).

    While no doubt missing one of the best players in the state made it that much more difficult for TCA to produce a goal, Evergreen’s defense was also just that dominant. And, in goal, junior Logan Westgard had a number of eye-opening saves.

    In fact, during the Titans’ last great look at goal with just over three minutes to go, Jeremy Baldes used his speed to break away from an Evergreen defender. Westgard decided to run out to try and snatch the ball in a play that seemed like it could go either way with a goal or a stop. Westgard corralled the ball and Evergreen was able to drain the clock from then on.

    Evergreen coach Ross Fowler, in his third year with the program, second as the head coach, says the depth the Cougars possessed in goal this season was a real asset.

    “We are ridiculously fortunate as a squad, because we have three goalkeepers,” he said. “Logan was the starting keeper today. Jack Cardillo has had a lot of minutes and has been just as important. Brian Belrose played on our JV.

    “It was Logan’s day today. I could’ve put any one of the three in there and I wouldn’t have had any doubts that they were going to get the job done. Logan’s save in the last three minutes was just pure desire, pure bravery.”

    Both teams will return nearly everyone in 2016.

    “The work and desire of the group that we’ve got, they didn’t want those seniors to leave without a state championship,” Fowler said. “We want to repeat next year.”

  • Photos: Evergreen beats The Classical Academy for 4A title

    COMMERCE CITY — No. 4-seeded Evergreen beat No. 2-seeded The Classical Academy, 1-0, to take home the 4A boys soccer crown on Saturday.

    The lone goal came from Benner Cochran late in the first half.

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