CHSAANow

Month: March 2016

  • Regis Jesuit tops Mountain Vista to move to hockey’s championship

    Regis Jesuit hockey team
    Regis Jesuit advanced to Saturday’s championship game by beating Mountain Vista in the semifinals. More photos. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

    LOVELAND — Regis Jesuit hockey scored three second-period goals en route to a semifinal victory over Mountain Vista on Thursday.

    The Raiders (21-1-0) beat Mountain Vista 4-2 at the Budweiser Events Center to advance to Saturday’s championship, where they’ll face Monarch.

    The game was scoreless after the first period before Regis Jesuit broke through in the second frame.

    “It was a challenge, because two goals is not a good enough lead on that team, and we were fortunate to get the third,” Regis Jesuit coach Dan Woodley said after the game. “We were fortunate to go into that third period maybe a goal up from where we might have been.”

    The third goal, especially, was critical. Michael Baer scored off a set play with four seconds left in the period.

    “We were real fortunate,” Woodley said. “We had a special line out there. Michael Baer is one of our best shooters, and he just reached for a puck and snapped it off. That thing was a bullet.”

    Cale Woodley broke open the scoreless game with a rebound goal on the power play 3:45 into the second period. Jack Jordan followed that five minutes later, and then Baer’s goal made it 3-0 head to the third period.

    In that period, Mountain Vista’s Ryan Lindemann scored twice, but those goals were sandwiched around a five-hole snipe from Kyle Nelson, and Regis Jesuit held on to win. Nelson also had two assists on Thursday.

    Raiders goalie Sam Gartner made 17 saves to secure the win. Mountain Vista’s Brandon Sego had 26 stops.

    Regis Jesuit Mountain Vista hockey
    More photos (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

    Regis Jesuit moves on to play a familiar foe in Monarch, which advance to the championship game with a 6-2 win over Ralston Valley. The Coyotes are 22-0-0 this season, including a 3-0 win over Regis Jesuit on Feb. 6.

    “We really have a lot of respect for that team,” Woodley said. “We have obviously got three years of history with them. We know a lot of their players, and respect them. It’s going to be a real epic game.

    “I think our team can come out and play a little bit better than we played tonight. And maybe that’ll be enough, we’ll see.”

    Monarch and Regis Jesuit were the top teams in CHSAANow.com’s coaches poll all season long. It makes for a fitting finale.

    “It is fitting,” Woodley said. “They’re, what, 22-0? And we’re 21-1 — and our only loss is to them. That (earlier) game, we did have some opportunities, and their goalie played fantastic, and that can happen. It can also happen the other way. I guess we’ll have to see (Saturday), but it’ll be a fantastic game.”

  • What’s the scoop on yogurt?

    Did you ever wonder why yogurt has been getting so much hype? Yogurt is an amazing food that can be used for a meal, snack or in place of other ingredients (like sour cream) to make a recipe healthier. Yogurt is made by the bacteria, Lactobacilli (i.e. L. bulgaricus, S. thermophiles, and L. acidophilus) which changes lactose (the natural sugar in milk) to lactic acid, which thickens milk protein (casein) to create yogurt’s creamy texture. One great thing about this fermentation process is that it makes yogurt easier for people with lactose intolerance to digest!

    Yogurt is a great go-to food for many reasons:

    • It is high in protein for your recovery
    • It is high in calcium for bone health and strength
    • It is high in Vitamin D for calcium absorption
    • Yogurt is known for its probiotics (good gut bacteria) – probiotics help with digestion and promote gut health

    Yogurt is rich in protein; depending on the variety, an 8oz serving may contain anywhere from 5-23g of protein. It provides both casein (80%) and whey (20%) protein. Casein can increase the absorption of minerals such as calcium and potassium and whey is very high in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), such as valine, leucine and isoleucine, which are linked to better workout recovery.

    Why yogurt is a great post workout snack

    Post-workout nutrition should contain carbohydrates to refill glycogen stores and protein to aid with muscle repair. Yogurt’s nutrient profile makes it a “home run” for a post-workout snack because it has both, plus it is low-fat. Fat is NOT a bad thing in the diet, but after a workout it isn’t ideal because fat slows down digestion. After a workout, your body needs to digest the protein and carbohydrates in your post-workout snack, so you don’t want to slow down digestion with fat.

    Not all yogurt contains healthful nutrients that suit post-workout meals. Look for yogurt that’s low in fat and sugar and that contains active cultures. Try plain yogurt or select yogurts with natural sweeteners. Please visit Western Dairy Association for more information on snacks and eating for athletic performance. Click here for more information on yogurt.

  • Photos: Regis Jesuit hockey beats Mountain Vista in semifinals

    LOVELAND — Regis Jesuit hockey topped Mountain Vista 4-2 in the semifinals on Thursday. The Raiders now advance to the championship game on Saturday.

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  • Replay: Postseason basketball, including 5A and 4A girls Great 8

    Basketball’s postseason is rolling right along. On Friday, all classes are in action, including the 5A and 4A girls in their Great 8.

    We have live coverage below.

    Brackets:

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    Live Blog Postseason basketball, including 4A/5A girls Great 8
     

  • Roundup: Cherry Creek boys basketball knocks off No. 1 ThunderRidge in 5A Sweet 16

    Cherry Creek boys basketball team
    Cherry Creek boys basketball pulled off the upset of the night in the Sweet 16, beating No. 1 ThunderRidge. More photos. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

    (4) Cherry Creek 67, (1) ThunderRidge 56

    Cherry Creek boys basketball stunned No. 1 seed ThunderRidge with a 67-56 win in the Class 5A Sweet 16 on Wednesday night. The win secures a spot for the Bruins in Saturday’s Great 8.

    The Bruins, a No. 4 seed, were in control at seemingly every juncture. They jumped out to a 13-4 lead late in the first quarter, and extended that lead to 24-19 at halftime. It was 46-37 after three quarters, and Cherry Creek controlled the fourth quarter for the upset.

    Cherry Creek had a scoring advantage in every quarter en route to the win, which knocked off last year’s 5A runner-up.

    This is the Bruins’ first appearance in the Great 8 since 2012, according to AD Jason Wilkins.

    Find photos from the game here.

    (1) Chatfield 63, (3) George Washington 59

    Chatfield rallied from a 10-point deficit in the third quarter, and sparked a comeback victory over George Washington.

    The Chargers trailed 46-36 in the third, but an 11-0 run gave Chatfield a 47-46 lead.

    Chatfield had trailed after the first quarter — 17-10 — but a 9-0 run gave the Chargers a 19-17 lead. Still, GW took a 26-25 advantage into halftime.

    The Patriots pushed their lead to that 46-36 margin in the third quarter, before Chatfield’s 11-0 run changed the game.

    It was 58-56 Chatfield with just over 30 seconds to play, and the Chargers were able to hold on from there.

    The upcoming trip to the Great 8 is believed to be the school’s first in 15 years, according to Chatfield.

    (1) Rangeview 57, (5) Arvada West 56

    Kris Hollins made what proved to be the game-winning free-throw with 2.1 seconds left to help Rangeview escape an upset bid.

    As it typically does, Rangeview jumped out on Arvada West early, and led 17-11 after the first quarter. But A-West hung around in this one.

    The Wildcats rallied to take a 27-26 lead at halftime, and stuck close throughout.

    Rangeview did lead 45-39 after three quarters, but Arvada West cut it to a three-point lead with 1:17 to go. With 35 seconds to play, it was a two-point lead.

    The game was tied late when Hollins was fouled following an offensive rebound, according to Brock Laue. He hit one free-throw, and that proved to be the difference.

    (2) Cherokee Trail 56, (3) Legend 52

    In yet another close Sweet 16 contest, the two teams stayed close all night.

    Still, Cherokee Trail held narrow leads after each quarter. It was 17-15 after one, 27-24 at the half, and 46-42 after three.

    According to Ian Silvester, Cherokee Trail’s David Thornton led all scorers with 21 points. Thornton is CT’s leading scorer this season at 19.5 points per game.

    (2) Regis Jesuit 60, (3) Dakota Ridge 53

    Regis Jesuit Dakota Ridge boys basketball
    Regis Jesuit beat Dakota Ridge to move on to the Great 8. More photos. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    Regis Jesuit had a monster second quarter to build a lead, then held on for the Sweet 16 win.

    The Raiders trailed 10-9 after the first quarter, but used runs of 11-0 and 7-0 to take a commanding 33-19 lead into halftime.

    It was 39-27 going to the fourth, and Dakota Ridge would get within five with three minutes left, but Regis Jesuit was able to put the Eagles away.

    The Raiders had four players hit double figures, led by Elijah Martinez and Michael Wambsganss, who each scored 15. Geoffrey Kelly added 13 points, and Connor Hobbs had 10 for Regis.

    Find photos from the game here.

    (1) Overland 68, (4) Boulder 40

    Alijah Halliburton went off for 20 points as the defending champions cruised back into the Great 8.

    Halliburton’s total was just off his season high of 23. Five other players had at least seven points for Overland, including De’Ron Davis (10), Reggie Gibson (nine), Jervae Robison (eight), Nick Holmes (eight) and Padiet Wang (seven).

    Bill Discipio was Boulder’s leading scorer in the loss with 12 points.

    Great 8 matchups

    Times TBD

    • (1) Eaglecrest vs. (2) Regis Jesuit
    • (1) Rangeview vs. (2) Cherokee Trail
    • (1) Overland vs. (2) Doherty
    • (4) Cherry Creek vs. (2) Chatfield

    Other coverage

  • Doherty’s defensive intensity leads Spartans past Rock Canyon and into 5A boys basketball Great 8

    Doherty Rock Canyon boys basketball
    Doherty boys basketball advanced to the Great 8. More photos. (Josh Watt/CHSAANow.com)

    COLORADO SPRINGS — As a school, the Doherty Spartans have embraced a “we before me” mentality. Wednesday night, the basketball team brought that mentality to life.

    The Spartans got a total team effort to top Rock Canyon 63-56, putting them into the Class 5A Great 8. Next up is defending state champion, Overland.

    “There was no better way that we could embody that,” senior Davlen Brushier said. “At the end of the day, it didn’t matter who was hitting as long as we were scoring, as long as someone was getting a rebound, playing defense, every little thing that we could pick up to beat this Rock Canyon team.”

    Through the first eight minutes, the game remained tight, but then the Spartans (22-3 overall) turned up the pressure defensively. The Jaguars (20-5) looked unsettled as they connected on only two field goals in the second quarter and didn’t get the their basket of the second half until there was 2:35 left in the third.

    Rock Canyon coach Kent Grams had hoped for long possessions that would generate high quality shots, but the shots weren’t falling and before he knew it, his team was down by double-digits.

    “I think we were almost too comfortable,” he said. “We knew they were going to sag off and try to take away the lane and take away Sam (Masten). We had open shots, but we were missing those shots.”

    Rock Canyon shot 30 percent from the floor on the night. And when a team isn’t generating points against an offense that features Brushier and Brevin Brimble, it’s going to be hard to beat Doherty. On the flip side, it’s a winning combination for the Spartans and it has them playing at the Denver Coliseum on Friday.

    Doherty Rock Canyon boys basketball
    More photos. (Josh Watt/CHSAANow.com)

    “You’re not going to lose too many games with that,” Doherty coach Jarris Krapcha said. “I thought we were dialed in defensively and it also helps that they missed a couple of open shots.”

    Once the Jaguars finally made a field goal in the third quarter, the dam seemed to break. Masten and Noah Hirsch came alive and helped Rock Canyon net 28 points in the fourth quarter. The only problem is that it wasn’t enough.

    Each time the offense was able to gain a little bit of momentum, the Spartans would take it right back. Brimble knocked down a couple of big 3-pointers in the third quarter that he felt gave the Spartans all the momentum they needed to advance in the tournament.

    “Once I hit those shots I knew (we were moving on),” Brimble said. “That momentum carried to our side and once we get that, we do everything 10 times harder. As soon as we did that, I had a feeling that we were going to win.”

    Brimble finished with 13 points points to go with Brushier’s team-high 15. For the Jaguars, it was Masten who led all scorers with 19 and Hirsch added 16.

    This is the first Great 8 appearance for the Spartans since 2010 and they did it by practicing what has been preached to them all season.

    “We got contributions from all eight guys who played tonight,” Krapcha said. “I couldn’t be happier for them. Every time you get a team win, confidence goes up.”

  • Supporting cast steps up as Eaglecrest boys basketball beats Denver East in 5A Sweet 16

    (Stephen Priest/CHSAANow.com)
    (Stephen Priest/CHSAANow.com)

    AURORA — With two of the best coaches in the state matching wits for the second time this season, Wednesday’s Eaglecrest vs. Denver East matchup in the Class 5A Sweet 16 was full of intrigue.

    Ultimately, the No. 1-seeded Raptors came away victorious for the second time this year as they earned a 56-46 win over No. 5 Denver East

    The gameplan for the Angels from the tip was clear: Deny Eaglecrest star Colbey Ross the ball at all costs and make things tough on him when he had the rock in his hands. But what East coach Rudy Carey wasn’t banking on was a supporting cast for the Raptors that stepped up and made the necessary plays to force East to back off of Ross.

    “We have a bunch of guys that can step up,” Eaglecrest coach John Olander said after the Sweet 16 win. “That’s the good thing about Colbey, who is arguably the best guard in the state: he doesn’t have to shoot the ball 20 or 30 times for us to win. They did a good job of taking him out, but he’s finding open people and we have guys who are confident shooting the basketball.”

    Although Ross, a senior, had 18 points to lead the Raptors, his teammates were the main factor behind an effective offensive attack. Out of the 11 players that logged minutes on Wednesday for Eaglecrest, all but two players scored. Sophomore guard Victor Garnes and junior forward Joshua Walton both chipped in seven points of their own to relieve the offensive pressure from Ross.

    “Coach Carey is a great coach, I knew he was going to come out with a great defense and they were going to double-team me and not let me catch the ball,” Ross said. “My guys just stepped up, I have confidence in them and they have confidence in me.”

    Just before half, the Raptors found themselves up nine in a low scoring affair, 23-14. However, in the final three minutes behind the streaky shooting of senior Jack Buckmelter (14 points), East hit a 7-0 scoring run with Buckmelter scoring six of the seven points.

    To begin the third, Olander wanted his team to pick up the pace and for the most part they did as they created a 13-point separation from the Angles midway through the period.

    “It’s great having a guy like Terry Taylor, who’s a Hall-of-Fame coach that won a state title at Rangeview, on your staff. He takes notes for me and brings them down at half and tells me, ‘You’ve got to run,’” Olander said.

    “They were playing good defense, they were all over Colbey so we figured if we could get the pace going, we might be able to get Colbey some easy shots,” Olander added, “but our guys really settled in during the second half.”

    Denver East found a way to claw back into the game as the Angels were only down 47-43 with two minutes remaining. Conversely, the inconsistent shooting plagued them when they needed a bucket most down the stretch to stay alive.

    It came down to the foul game and at that point the game practically sealed itself as Ross and fellow senior Elijah Wilson nailed clutch free throws.

    With the win, the Raptors advance to the Great 8 to take on No. 2-seeded Regis Jesuit (22-3 overall) on Saturday at the Denver Coliseum.

    “We’ve got to be able to stop their dribble penetration, because they shoot it really well,” Olander described when asked about how his team can win against Regis. “If you let them penetrate, have to help and then they kick out and get open threes, you’re going to be in trouble. We also have to get on the glass. So if we stop the penetration and don’t have to help, we can limit shots if we defend hard.”

  • Photos: Doherty boys basketball beats Rock Canyon in 5A’s Sweet 16

    COLORADO SPRINGS — Second-seeded Doherty boys basketball beat Rock Canyon 63-56 in the Class 5A Sweet 16 on Wednesday.

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  • Photos: Regis Jesuit boys basketball beats Dakota Ridge with scoring balance

    AURORA — Regis Jesuit had four players hit double figures, led by Elijah Martinez and Michael Wambsganss, as the No. 2-seeded Raiders beat No. 3 Dakota Ridge 60-53 in the Class 5A boys basketball Sweet 16 on Wednesday.

    Martinez and Wambsganss each scored 15 to lead Regis Jesuit. Geoffrey Kelly added 13 points, and Connor Hobbs had 10 for Regis.

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  • Photos: Cherry Creek boys basketball upsets No. 1 ThunderRidge in 5A Sweet 16

    HIGHLANDS RANCH — Fourth-seeded Cherry Creek boys basketball upset No. 1 ThunderRidge 67-56 in the Class 5A Sweet 16 on Wednesday.

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