CHSAANow

Month: December 2015

  • Ball Fever: Week 1 lives up to its “action-packed” billing

    Regis Jesuit Columbine boys basketball
    (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    Week 1 of Class 5A/4A hoops was called “action-packed” with the early non-conference matchups and opening tournament action. Fans were not disappointed.

    Impressive individual performances are already stacking up and exciting last-second finishes added to the fun.

    Ball Fever will take a look at some of the big matches which already have great coverage but we’ll also “dig” for those performances that may not have received as much attention but are deserving as part of our ever improving Colorado hoops scene.

    Lets get started!

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    Week in review

    Lewis-Palmer Pueblo Central boys basketball
    Lewis-Palmer beat Pueblo Central on opening night. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    Tuesday, Dec. 1:

    • Brock Laue was the CHSAANow man on the scene at the huge opening-night George Washington top-5 match up at Overland.
    • The Fever Crew was at No. 2 Legend visiting No. 7 Denver East in another top-10 season-opening match up. Legend’s senior led squad never let the team get too high or low and stuck around until the end where they veteran players were a big part of closing out this comeback. Strong shooting on the perimeter kept them in this one throughout. East was at its best when attacking the hoop and hitting the boards offensively. Jack Buckmelter’s 29 points and leadership throughout proved he’s primed to take the reins for East. Check out Andre Lyseight’s full coverage here.
    • Arvada West has patiently awaited the return of big man Dallas Walton, who has returned from two knee surgeries and did not disappoint with an 18-point, 18-rebound double-double in the win over young and talented Smoky Hill.
    • Our 4A top-10 matchup of the night pitted Lewis-Palmer vs. Pueblo Central and Dan Mohrmann’s all over it.
    • Eaglecrest came out swinging with a 26-point win over up and coming Rock Canyon. The hoops community is fully aware of NCAA Division I-bound Colbey Ross, who scored 20 on the night, but watch out for sophomore Victor Garnes, who scored 18 and was perfect from the field.
    • Sand Creek with top player D’Shawn Schwartz’s 22-point, 15-rebound double-double, alongside Jordan Phillips’ 24 points, elevated Sand Creek over Palmer in a Colorado Springs rivalry game.
    • Ball Fever “Dig”: Sawyer Kirbo scores 33 points for Horizon in rout over Northglenn.
    • Backcourt combo Ladarious Thomas and Elijah Coleman combine for 49 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists in Aurora Central’s Denver vs. Aurora battle of A. Central and Thomas Jefferson.
    • Oh yes, we have our first Ball Fever stat-stuffer of the season in up-and-coming Colorado Springs beast at Widefield Tre Pierre: 25 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 steals, 7 blocks. HELLO! Widefield 61-47 over Coronado.

    Wednesday, Dec. 2:

    • One of our state’s top shooters caught fire for Fossil Ridge as they put the score keeper to work beating Thornton 117-71 and Braxton Berolette had 33 points shooting 50 percent from 3-point land.
    • Our preseason No. 3 ThunderRidge came out the gate swinging with five players in double digit scoring, led by Stetson commit Clay Verk’s 17 points in the 84-41 thrashing of Denver South.
    • Junior Quinzel Harding continues the family tradition as he scored 18 points in Harrison’s win over Manual 72-66.
    • Good looking sophomore Daylen Kountz scored 25 points for George Washington but it wasn’t enough as a balanced Chatfield team who will surprise folks this year won 88-83.
    • Big man Frank Ryder’s 20 points helped Fairview to a 47-18 second half advantage leading to a 20-point win over Chaparral. Dominic Coleman with 22 points, 8 rebounds in the loss.
    • The Fever Crew made it out to the ThunderRidge tourney on this night and saw a great back and forth between to of our top 2017guards in Cherokee Trail’s Jaizec Lotie and Doherty’s Brevan Brimble who knocked down this “walk off” game winner:

    Thursday, Dec. 3:

    • Ball Fever “dig” for stats turned up junior Lechaun Duhart’s 33-point performance for Grandview vs. Castle View this night. The Wolves will be looking for leadership with their young squad and Duhart may be that guy! Senior Jake Ellis led Castle View with 21.
    • Love the Centennial vs. Continental matchups and Arapahoe outlasted Mountain Vista 74-70 behind senior James Walsh’s 20 points, who led three Warriors in double digit scoring. Solid early win for the Warriors!
    • Preseason top-10 4A match up as Pueblo South took down Lewis-Palmer 63-59.
    • Cherry Creek on the road in Las Vegas go down by four 43-39 to Durango, Nevada.
    • The Fever Crew got out to a 5A/4A tilt that ended up a lot more lopsided than we thought as Thomas Jefferson visited preseason 5A No. 4 Rangeview. The Raiders were literally flying all over the court! Coach Palmer once again has a perimeter-oriented group that is lengthy and excels in transition. The Raiders were led this night by senior Tyrei Randall, who had numerous athletic dunks leading to a game high 16 points. FRESHMAN ALERT for TJ: the Spartans have a strong-point guard freshman in Jodaun Dotson who played hard until the end of the blowout and finished with 7 points, 3 steals in the 70-40 loss.
    • Douglas County quietly making some Week 1 noise with a 10-point win over HInkley led by Solomon Stark’s 27 points and CJ Jetta’s 19.
    • Under new leadership for the first time in a while the Lincoln Lancers cruised to a first victory on the road in Las Vegas behind Umar Jalloh’s 17 points in 30-point win over Basic, Nevada.
    • Our preview called CJ Jennings perhaps the best player no one knows about and his 16 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals didn’t let us down in the Stallions’ win over Greeley Central.
    • Preseason 3A No. 1 Colorado Springs Christian took down 4A Mesa Ridge in a tight 60-59 win.
    • Impressive win for Vista Peak as they defeated No. 4 Pueblo Central, who got the terrible news they lost D-I commit Kobi Betts to a knee injury for the season. Vista Peak had four players score double figures with Tre Early and Dylan Holt both scoring 14. Pueblo Central star Michael Ranson will now carry a heavy load, and scored 35 in this one. Look for him to be the state’s leading scorer … maybe by far!
    (Valor Christian Air Academy boys basketball
    Valor Christian beat Air Academy on Friday. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    Friday, Dec. 4:

    • That No. 2 ThunderRidge balance was on full display this night as Kaison Hammonds led five Grizzlies in double figures in a 25-point win over Doherty that we expected to be a lot closer.
    • Watch out for preseason No. 10 Pueblo South, folks, who took down their second top-10 opponent in one week with 61-58 win over Golden.
    • Elijah Coleman and Ladarius Thomas both score over 20 points but it wasn’t enough to take down Grand Junction out west.
    • Dylan McCaffrey has yet to join the Valor Eagles hoops squad while he was quarterbacking his way to a 5A football title and the way Valor took down defending champ Air Academy without him might place them as a favorite for a 4A basketball title. Read a full recap here.
    • Our Ball Fever 5A “sleeper” was the FNE Warriors and they aren’t quite full strength with big man Relando Rogers out with knee injury but senior guard Sekou Cisse is carrying the weight scoring 32 points in the rout of Thornton.
    • A lil Ball Fever “dig” into the stats caught Tre Pierre’s double-double of 23 points, 14 rebounds vs. Woodland Park.
    • Standout-point guard Colbey Ross struck again with 26 points in Eaglecrest’s 16-point win over Palmer.
    • Mead is playing some good early ball but came up 6 points short vs. No. 1 Longmont and Justinian Jessup’s 23 point, 10-rebound double-double.

    Saturday, Dec. 5:

    • Coach Earl Boykins has Douglas County sitting at 3-0 after Solomon Stark scores 17 in the 81-64 win over Pomona.
    • We mentioned previously that this Chatfield squad is veteran led and tough. They gave ThunderRidge all they could ask for in the tournament championship game the Grizzlies won 62-55. Clay Verk led T’Ridge again with 18.
    • Back in middle school days the hoops community called him “Superman” and now David Thornton is rolling as a senior at Cherokee Trail with a “monster” 36-point, 16-rebound double-double in the Cougars 3-point win over GW.
    • Regis with impressive 30-point win over Columbine. Find photos from the game here.
    • Lincoln, on the road in Vegas, suffered a 23-point loss to Trinity International as the road trip got a lot tougher.
    • Elijah Coleman broke out with 27 points as Aurora Central played their most complete game so far.
    • Two DPL 4A teams Thomas Jefferson and Denver South were looking for wins and got them Saturday after a tough first week. The Rebels win at Chap in tourney play while the Spartans took down Littleton.
    • Emotional week for the Denver East Angels but what a way to finish on the court with a 60-55 tournament title win over Fossil Ridge with senior Daytone Jennings setting the TONE with 23-point, 12-rebound double-double. Braxton Bertolette again scorching 32 points for the Sabercats in the loss.

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    Look ahead to next week’s top games

    Golden Vista PEAK boys basketball
    (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    Monday, Dec. 7:

    • Mullen at Mountain Range.
    • George Washington travels to Boulder.
    • Monarch at Aurora Central slates two hot teams.
    • Denver South tries to hold momentum vs. Greeley Central.
    • Pueblo Central at Falcon down south.
    • Broomfield goes south to visit Sierra.
    • Fairview at Niwot.

    Tuesday, Dec. 8:

    • ThunderRidge at Smoky Hill in battle of veteran play vs. young talent.
    • Dakota Ridge will test No. 2 Legend.
    • Rangeview at Poudre.
    • Ralston Valley hosts FNE Warriors (Montbello) in tourney play.
    • Out west Uintah at a solid Grand Junction squad.
    • Douglas County looks to stay unbeaten at Palmer.
    • No. 1 Overland visits Lakewood.
    • Weld Central at No. 1 Longmont.

    Wednesday, Dec. 9:

    • Fossil Ridge travels south to Highlands Ranch.
    • Cherokee Trail and Denver East will get up and down the court!
    • Chaparral at Chatfield.

    Thursday, Dec. 10:

    • Grand Junction and Legend looks like a good one!
    • Lewis-Palmer and Fossil Ridge in solid 5A/4A battle.
    • Regis begins its travels vs. Mater Dei.
    • Frederick at No. 1 Longmont.

    Friday, Dec. 11:

    • Boulder at Cherokee Trail.
    • Denver East renews their fun yearly battle with Cherry Creek.
    • Chaparral heads into No. 1 Overland.
    • Lincoln at Chatfield will be good!
    • Sand Creek at Mitchell.

    Saturday, Dec. 12:

    • Highlands Ranch at Cherokee Trail.
    • Bragging rights on the line in Doherty and Sand Creek!

    If Week 1 was any indication we are once again in store for an action-packed season with our perennial favorites looking strong but some nice surprises eager to prove we shouldn’t have overlooked them!

    Looking forward to the ride …

  • Photos: No. 6 Regis Jesuit boys basketball tops Columbine

    LITTLETON — Sixth-ranked Regis Jesuit boys basketball beat Columbine 64-34 in a Class 5A game on Saturday.

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  • Valor Christian beats Pomona for sixth football title in seven years

    DENVER — On a cold winter day at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Valor Christian reestablished their spot atop the high school football rankings in Colorado by avenging their only loss to a team within the state this season.

    The Eagles (12-2 overall) downed the Pomona Panthers (10-4) by a final score of 29-26 in a rematch of the very first game of the season, in which the Panthers upset the then-No. 1 ranked Eagles 28-14.

    Only this time, the Class 5A state championship was at stake.

    Things were tough for Valor all game long, as they’d need a fumble with under three minutes to go in order to orchestrate the game-winning drive.

    Valor Christian Pomona football
    Valor Christian quarterback Dylan McCaffrey converts a crucial fourth-down conversion. More photos. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    “I thought we left a lot of yards on the field today,” said Valor head coach Rod Sherman. “We’d get a penalty here, a negative play there. We didn’t feel like we didn’t have plays we could call, we were just missing little things throughout the game.”

    Things got off to a fast start for the Panthers, who utilized their seldom-used passing attack to drive down to a 7-0 lead on the first possession of the game after facing 10 men in the box from Valor on defense. The drive was capped by a rollout pass from Ryan Marquez to Elijah Leyva in the back of the endzone.

    But, it was Pomona’s defense that stole the show in the first quarter, stopping the vaunted Eagles offense first on a 4th and short on Valor’s opening possession, then sacking Dylan McCaffrey for a safety on the Eagles’ second possession of the game.

    The lull in offense was short-lived for the Eagles however, as they would take most of the second quarter orchestrating a drive that would bring them within two of the Panthers, capped by a McCaffrey sneak into the endzone for Valor’s first points of the game with 4:29 to go until half.

    Pomona wasn’t done themselves in the first half though. After a converted fake punt by Max Borghi, the Pomona running back then threw a halfback pass 28 yards to Masavik Dominguez to extend the Panthers’ lead to 16-7.

    “They were able to run the ball a little better than we expected,” Pomona head coach Jay Madden said after the game. “But we were really able to weather it and force them out of their rhythm.”

    A missed field goal from 49 yards opened the second half for Valor, and from there Max Borghi sprang for a 50-plus yard run, setting up a field goal for the Panthers to make it 19-7. The Eagles, determined not to lose the quarter, answered with another sustained drive finished with a four-yard touchdown run by Joshia Davis.

    With the fourth quarter underway, the Panthers got back to the roots of their offense, pounding the ball inside in a effort to run clock. Borghi once again was front and center for Pomona as they grinded their way down into the endzone with under nine minutes to play to extend the lead to 26-14.

    As Valor tried to mount a comeback down by two scores, the Eagles were able to drive but struggled to pick up big chunks of yardage against the stingy Panthers defense. By the time McCaffrey threw a touchdown pass to Ben Waters to make it 26-21, time would be a factor the rest of the way.

    “We’ve been here before,” said Waters after the game. “Don’t get me wrong, heading into the fourth quarter we knew we had to step up and be a little more desperate, but we execute these plays in practice every day. We had to remember to keep it simple.”

    When Pomona got the ball back, a heavy dose of Max Borghi was in order, but the workhorse running back fumbled the ball away at midfield after a gaining a first down, giving the Eagles new life.

    Valor Christian Pomona football
    More photos. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    For McCaffrey and Waters, that was all the opening they needed. Waters rumbled over 40 yards down to the four yard line before Davis punched it home to give Valor the 29-26 lead after the two point conversion.

    “I knew I was getting the ball on the play,” Waters said. “I looked over at my coach and he said ‘you gotta lock it up,’ so that was my main focus but when the extra yards were there I knew I was going to take it all the way.”

    For Pomona, the loss was their fifth in a state championship game, with their lone victory coming in 1988 over Montbello.

    “I’m in shock,” Madden said. “They’re a tough team, and they have great players, but we were in position to win.”

    “Sometimes the ball just doesn’t bounce your way.”

    For the Eagles, who lost in last year’s state title game to Cherry Creek, it was a return to the status of champions for the sixth time in seven years, and their third title at 5A.

    “In our program, we don’t want to focus too much on peaks and valleys,” Sherman said. “We lost a close game like this last year and tried not to be too devastated about it, and this year we’ll try not to be too over the moon. It’s about the time we’ve gotten together as a team, and we thank God, specifically for that.”

    But for seniors, like Waters, this was the cap on the experience of a lifetime.

    “It’s been so different than any team I’ve ever played on,” Waters said. “As a senior you try to take more ownership in the team, and I think we did that this year. The result has been the most fun I’ve ever had in my life.”

    Valor Christian Pomona football
    More photos. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

  • Photos: Valor Christian makes a late comeback to beat Pomona and claim 5A football title

    20151205_VALORvsPOMONA
    Valor Christian quarterback Dylan McCaffrey (12) scrambles for a crucial fourth-down conversion in the fourth quarter of the championship game. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    DENVER — A late fumble recovery gave Valor Christian second life and they used it to claim the Class 5A state football title with a 29-26 win over Pomona Saturday at Sports Authority Field.

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  • Photos: Pueblo East repeats as 3A football champion

    PUEBLO — Pueblo East won a second-straight Class 3A football championship on Saturday with a win over Roosevelt.

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  • Pueblo East tops Roosevelt for second-straight 3A football title

    (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
    Pueblo East won a second-straight 3A championship on Saturday. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    PUEBLO — Make it two in a row for the Eagles.

    Pueblo East won its second consecutive Class 3A state football title on Saturday, dominating Roosevelt 57-31 at Dutch Clark Stadium in Pueblo.

    This game was the Eagles’ from the get-go. Their first drive led to a punt, pinning the Roughriders at their own 8. On fourth down, the Eagles got to Roosevelt punter Dalton Hulbert, blocking his attempt. Kyle Bloms grabbed it in the air and ran it in untouched for the nine to give the Eagles to momentum.

    They scored touchdowns on their next three drives, going up 28-0 before Roosevelt was finally able to get on the board.

    East built a 35-10 halftime lead, spreading the wealth on the ground between running back Bryson Torres, who had 87 first-half yards, and quarterback Daniel Martin, who ran for 105 and two touchdowns.

    The Eagles were so dominating, in fact, that when Martin, playing defensive back, intercepted a pass and returned it for his fourth touchdown of the day, the running clock went into effect.

    Martin ran for 114 yards and passed for another 111 and one touchdown. Torres capped off the day by rushing for 137 yards.

    While the offense kept piling up yardage, it was the Eagles’ defense that may have shone even more, holding Riders quarterback Cameron Hurtado in check with 57 yards rushing and three completions in 12 attempts.

    To its credit, Roosevelt would not give up. The Roughriders scored a pair of touchdowns after the running clock was instituted.

    Martin said he and Torres run the offense on the buddy system.

    “We do what we have to,” he said of taking turns carrying based on what the defense was showing.

    Martin said although last season’s 30-14 victory over Rifle in last year’s state title game was a challenge, this season’s repeat effort was, in some ways, more challenging.

    “It’s very hard,” he said of winning consecutive titles. “You have a mark on your back.”

    Martin, a senior, said he is entertaining a couple of college offers and has a good idea of where he wants to go next fall, but he isn’t announcing until the signing period.

    The win was Pueblo East’s 13th victory in a row after losing its season opener 48-27 to Longmont in Week 1. Roosevelt, meanwhile, had its own 11-game win streak snapped. The Riders’ other loss came in a Week 2 nonconference defeat to eventual 4A champion Windsor.

  • Photos: Windsor wins 4A football championship over Loveland

    20151205_WINDSORvsLOVELAND
    Loveland quarterback Ayden Eberhardt (7) gets hit as he throws, and is intercepted by Windsor’s Zach Moser (14) during the 4A championship. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    DENVER — Windsor beat Loveland to win the Class 4A football championship.

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  • Windsor wins 4A football title over Loveland with a big second half

    DENVER — With just more than six minutes remaining in the third quarter and Windsor nursing a seven-point lead Saturday afternoon, Zach Moser made a play that helped define the Wizards’ amazing season.

    Despite being double-covered, the junior – who didn’t have a catch all season – reached up with one hand and hauled in a pass from Brad Peeples, breaking free into the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown.

    The score came in the midst of a three-touchdown blitz in a span of four minutes, 17 seconds that proved more than enough to secure Windsor’s first title in four years with a 35-14 victory over Loveland in the Class 4A state championship game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

    Windsor Loveland football
    More photos. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    It was Windsor’s first title since winning the 3A crown in 2011, and the team’s first 4A championship since 1993.

    “This is an unbelievable experience. For us seniors, we dreamed about this,” Wizards running back Landon Schmidt said. “My brother was on the 2011 state championship team. Since then we’ve all pictured this and we all said we need to work just as hard as they did.”

    After allowing a pair of first-half touchdowns, Windsor (13-1) kept the Indians off the scoreboard in the second half. The defense finished with six sacks and three interceptions, and junior Corte Tapia set the state career record with his 39th sack.

    “We went into playoffs with the No. 1 defense in the state, and we just wanted to keep that,” said junior Storm Fox, who had three sacks. “We just came out here and played like we do at home. We had our crowd here and they just helped push us to the end to keep going.”

    It was the little-used passing game that ultimately helped spark Windsor. A team which had thrown just 35 times all season turned out some big plays through the air, with Moser finishing with three catches for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

    “They were keying on the run, and we were telling coach, ‘Just throw it up a couple of times so they have to stay true to the pass,’” said Schmidt, who connected with Moser on a 33-yard halfback pass. “We’re so grateful for (Moser), and he made a couple of great plays. He gave it his all for us.”

    Perhaps no play was bigger than Moser’s second score. The two teams went into the locker room tied at 14-14, but the Wizards cranked out a nine-play drive to open the second half that Peeples finished off with a 22-yard sprint into the end zone.

    Loveland (9-5) couldn’t pick up a first down on the ensuing drive, and a shanked punt – something that plagued the team all afternoon – went only five yards. That’s when Peeples found Moser down the left side of the field, and the junior made a tremendous catch.

    “I couldn’t even tell you (how). Brad told me to look for him to throw it to me,” Moser said. “I looked up and he put it up there. I just reached out and tried to give it everything I’ve got. Somehow I came down with it.”

    The Indians didn’t cover the kickoff, and Brady Bowman hustled down the field and fell on the ball for Windsor. Four plays later Schmidt scored from nine yards out.

    Loveland turned the ball over three times in the second half, including a Moser interception in the red zone. The team moved the ball but couldn’t solve the adjustments that Windsor made.

    “Most good coaches and good teams do that. We tried to do the same thing with theirs, but I think the turnovers in the second half hurt us and some big plays,” Indians coach Wayne McGinn said. “Other than that I think we’re equal teams, have been all year and it was a great battle.”

    Windsor Loveland football
    More photos. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    After failing to score in the teams’ first meeting Oct. 22, Loveland found the end zone twice in the first half. The Indians capitalized on a 40-yard kickoff return from Kaden Morin, capping an 11-play, 48-yard drive with a one-yard run by Ayden Eberhardt.

    After the Loveland defense forced its first three-and-out of the game, the Indians again used a big play to set up their second score. Eberhardt found Aidan McQuade down the middle of the field for a 42-yard reception, and three plays later Charles Dunkelman punched it in from seven yards out.

    The 13th-seed in the field, Loveland had knocked out three of the top five seeds – including two-time defending state champion Pine Creek. Eberhardt and Dunkelman combined for more than 100 yards on the ground.

    “Our kids didn’t give up. We were trying to score at the very end,” McGinn said. “I was very proud of the way our kids played, how they didn’t give up and kept going as hard as they could.”

    Peeples had 69 yards through the air and 44 on the ground before sustaining an injury in the fourth quarter. Schmidt had a big game as well, with 54 yards in the first half alone and a score.

    Windsor Loveland football
    More photos. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

  • Photos: Noel’s goal lifts Ralston Valley hockey over Resurrection Christian in OT

    FORT COLLINS — Cody Noel scored the winner as No. 3 Ralston Valley hockey beat No. 7 Resurrection Christian 5-4 in overtime on Friday.

    The overtime goal was Noel’s fourth of the game. Garrett Devine had two goals for Resurrection Christian.

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  • Photos: Regis Jesuit hockey rallies to beat Lewis-Palmer

    MONUMENT — No. 2 Regis Jesuit hockey rallied from a 2-0 hole in the first period to beat No. 9 Lewis-Palmer 5-2 on Friday.

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