CHSAANow

Month: August 2016

  • Football rankings: Six defending champions head preseason polls

    Valor Christian football team
    Valor Christian is No. 1 in 5A’s preseason poll. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    As is tradition, the defending state football champions have a way of finding themselves atop the initial set of CHSAANow.com football rankings.

    Of the seven teams that came away with titles in their respective classes, six will come into the 2016 season with a No. 1 ranking.

    With 12 first place votes in Class 5A, Valor Christian comes in as the top dog in the states highest classification. They return MaxPrep All-American quarterback Dylan McCaffrey and emerging running back Josiah Davis on the offensive side of the ball.

    Defensively, Noah Elliss leads a front seven that could rank as one of the top in the state. With balance on both sides of the ball, the Eagles will look for their seventh title in eight seasons.

    State runner-up Pomona takes the No. 2 spot in the polls and are looking to bounce back after a tough loss to Valor in the 5A title game.

    Mullen slides in at No. 3, while Cherry Creek and Grandview round out the top five teams.

    Windsor football team
    Windsor is No. 1 in 4A. (Matt Daniels/MattDanPhoto.com)

    In 4A, defending champion Windsor is riding high after playing its way to the fourth football title in team history. The Wizards sit atop the rankings with Pine Creek nipping closely at their heels.

    The Eagles had a string of back-to-back title reigns ended last season and are looking rebound from an unexpected exit in the 4A semifinals.

    With two consecutive titles in hand, Pueblo East starts the season as the top team in the 3A polls, taking seven first place votes.

    The Eagles went through Fort Morgan in the 3A semifinals last year and topped Roosevelt in the title game. Those two teams follow Pueblo East in the rankings with the Roughriders sitting at No. 2 and the Mustangs coming in at No. 3.

    As a newcomer to 3A, Longmont comes in at No. 4 despite receiving six first place votes.

    The 2A poll starts with the most distribution among voters in the class. Bayfield comes in at No. 1 with three first place votes. Delta, a team dropping down to 2A with the new football classification cutoff numbers, received the most first place votes with five, but the Panthers come in at No. 4 to start the year.

    The Classical Academy — another newcomer to 2A for this cycle — lands at No. 5.

    Buena Vista Crowley County football
    Buena Vista is No. 1 in 1A. (Bill Cronin)

    Just as they ended last season duking it out with each other, Buena Vista and Paonia battled for the top spot in the 1A polls with the Demons coming away with the top spot.

    They received 12 votes for the No. 1 spot while the Panthers snagged four.

    Burlington (No. 3) and Crowley County (No. 4) also received high rankings after making playoff runs last year.

    Other quarterfinal teams that made the top 10 this season are Limon (No. 5) and Meeker (No. 10).

    Like in the 1A polls, the 8-man state champ and runner-up come in as the top two teams this preseason. Sedgwick County and Akron take the No. 1 and No. 2 spots respectively with Sargent coming in at No. 3 and Norwood coming in at No. 4.

    Overall, seven of the eight quarterfinal teams in the 8-man playoffs come into the season ranked in the top 10.

    Fleming comes in as the only No. 1 team who does not have championship hardware from a year ago. The Wildcats lost in last year’s 6-man semifinals to eventual champion Eads, but come in this year as the preseason favorite to take the state title.

    After coming away with the state title, Eads comes in at No. 2 despite receiving the majority of the first place votes.

    State runner-up Arickaree/Woodlin comes in at No. 4.

    Kit Carson (No. 3) and Pawnee (No. 5) round out the top five teams in the 6-man poll.

    The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday during the regular season.

    Complete rankings are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Football Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and select media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | 1A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Valor Christian (12) 0-0 140
    2 Pomona (1) 0-0 115
    3 Mullen (1) 0-0 99
    4 Cherry Creek 0-0 98
    5 Grandview 0-0 96
    6 Columbine 0-0 88
    7 Ralston Valley 0-0 44
    8 Regis Jesuit 0-0 39
    9 Eaglecrest 0-0 17
    10 Fairview 0-0 14
    Others receiving votes:
    Doherty 13, Chaparral 11, ThunderRidge 10, Cherokee Trail 9, Mountain Vista 8, Fountain-Fort Carson 6, Arapahoe 5, Rocky Mountain 5, Fossil Ridge 2, Legend 2, Rangeview 2, Highlands Ranch 1.

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Windsor (8) 0-0 126
    2 Pine Creek (5) 0-0 111
    3 Denver South 0-0 69
    4 Loveland 0-0 68
    5 Heritage (1) 0-0 63
    6 Vista Ridge 0-0 55
    7 Dakota Ridge 0-0 48
    8 Ponderosa 0-0 35
    9 Wheat Ridge 0-0 33
    10 Broomfield 0-0 30
    Others receiving votes:
    Chatfield 25, Pueblo South 25, Fruita Monument 20, Monarch 17, Fort Collins 10, Montrose 10, Grand Junction 5, Greeley West 5, Pueblo Centennial 4, Pueblo West 4, Rampart 4.

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Pueblo East (7) 0-0 126
    2 Roosevelt 0-0 100
    3 Fort Morgan (1) 0-0 89
    4 Longmont (6) 0-0 75
    5 Discovery Canyon 0-0 71
    6 Palisade 0-0 65
    7 Rifle 0-0 40
    8 Evergreen 0-0 37
    9 Holy Family 0-0 30
    10 Thompson Valley 0-0 26
    Others receiving votes:
    Mead 23, Durango 16, Lutheran 10, Pueblo County 9, Eagle Valley 8, Lewis-Palmer 8, Silver Creek 8, Vista Peak 8, Palmer Ridge 7, Mitchell 6, Alameda 5, Conifer 1, Pueblo Central 1, Woodland Park 1.

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Bayfield (3) 0-0 104
    2 Kent Denver (1) 0-0 97
    3 Platte Valley (2) 0-0 90
    4 Delta (5) 0-0 78
    5 The Classical Academy 0-0 68
    6 D’Evelyn (3) 0-0 67
    7 La Junta (1) 0-0 62
    8 Resurrection Christian 0-0 58
    9 Sterling 0-0 47
    10 Brush 0-0 38
    Others receiving votes:
    Eaton 33, Faith Christian 20, Bishop Machbeuf 9, Manitou Springs 8, Moffat County 8, Elizabeth 7, Cortez 6, Fort Lupton 5, Steamboat Springs 5, Arvada 4, The Academy 4, Gunnison 3, Basalt 2, Weld Central 2.

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Buena Vista (12) 0-0 149
    2 Paonia (4) 0-0 146
    3 Burlington 0-0 83
    4 Crowley County 0-0 76
    5 Limon 0-0 71
    6 Strasburg 0-0 52
    7 Bennett 0-0 50
    8 Platte Canyon 0-0 41
    9 Monte Vista 0-0 35
    10 Meeker 0-0 34
    Others receiving votes:
    Rye 33, Cedaredge 24, Centauri 24, Dolores 16, Ellicott 15, Wiggins 14, Center 8, Dolores Huerta 8, Holyoke 8, Vail Christian 8, Colorado Springs Christian 6, Olathe 6, Rocky Ford 6, Grand Valley 5, Byers 4, Highland 4, Peyton 3, Trinidad 3, Hotchkiss 2, Front Range Christian 1.

    8-man
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Sedgwick County (8) 0-0 96
    2 Akron 0-0 87
    3 Sargent 0-0 80
    4 Norwood (2) 0-0 73
    5 Dayspring Christian 0-0 61
    6 Hoehne (1) 0-0 60
    7 Merino 0-0 31
    8 Granada 0-0 26
    9 Caliche (1) 0-0 23
    10 Dove Creek 0-0 20
    Others receiving votes:
    West Grand 15, Sangre de Cristo 14, Holly 12, Springfield 12, Sanford 10, Las Animas 9, Mancos 9, Miami-Yoder 6, Haxtun 5, Plateau Valley 3, Del Norte 2, Hayden 2, Soroco 2, Gilpin County 1, McClave 1.

    6-man
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Fleming (2) 0-0 76
    2 Eads (4) 0-0 74
    3 Kit Carson (1) 0-0 67
    4 Arickaree/Woodlin (1) 0-0 58
    5 Pawnee 0-0 31
    6 La Veta (1) 0-0 30
    7 Peetz 0-0 28
    8 Briggsdale 0-0 19
    9 Stratton/Liberty 0-0 18
    10 Cotopaxi 0-0 17
    Others receiving votes:
    Sierra Grande 13, Hanover 12, Antonito 11, Otis 10, Cheraw 7, Cripple Creek/Victor 4, Genoa-Hugo 4, Primero 4, Cheyenne Wells 3, Walsh 3, Hi-Plains 2, Mountain Valley 2, Aguilar 1, Idalia 1.

  • Volleyball rankings: Rock Canyon among preseason No. 1 teams

    Rock Canyon Legend volleyball
    Rock Canyon leads the 5A volleyball preseason poll. (Ray Chen/ArrayPhoto.com)

    After a wild finish at the 2015 state volleyball tournament, it looks like the fun is going to continue in 2016.

    Three defending champions sit at No. 1 in the CHSAANow.com volleyball rankings while two other squads are coming into the year with heavy expectations being placed on their shoulders.

    After cruising through pool play only to fall in the semifinals, Rock Canyon comes in at No. 1 in the Class 5A volleyball rankings to start the year.

    The Jaguars lost two seniors from last year’s team, but outside hitter Keeley Davis and libero Kendall Hanak both return.

    Defending state champion, Cherokee Trail comes in at No. 5 to start the year with Fairview, Chatfield and Denver East filling the spots in between.

    After being the first team in Colorado to take down two-time defending champion, Lewis-Palmer, Cheyenne Mountain claims the top spot in the 4A rankings. The Indians received 12 of 13 first place votes as the Rangers took the other one. That helped them take the No. 2 spot behind their league rivals.

    Evergreen and Ponderosa take the next two spots in the poll after each team advanced to last year’s semifinals.

    At No. 10, Pueblo West comes in as the only ranked 4A team that did not make last year’s state tournament.

    Eaton volleyball team
    Eaton leads the 3A poll. (Matt Daniels/MattDanPhoto.com)

    In 3A, someone is going to have to knock off Eaton before anyone will be convinced the Reds should not be the No. 1 team in the state.

    Eaton has rattled off three straight state titles and have not lost a match since Sept. 14, 2014. The No. 1 ranking is a clear message to the 3A field: to be the champ, you have to beat the champ.

    The 3A rankings are also filled with a lot of familiar names over the last few seasons. Valley (No. 2), University (No. 3), Colorado Springs Christian (No. 4), Platte Valley (No. 6) and Manitou Springs (No. 8) all carried over success from last season into this year’s rankings.

    After beating Resurrection Christian (a 3A team from here on out) in last year’s state title match, Yuma comes in as the top team in the 2A rankings.

    The Indians have played for the 2A title for the last two seasons and by taking six of 11 first place votes, they come in as a favorite to advance to the title match for the third-straight year.

    With Resurrection Christian now out of 2A, Paonia (No. 2) and Lyons (No. 3) now become the most likely to contend with Yuma for the 2A title.

    At No. 10, Byers is the only ranked team in 2A that did not make last year’s state tournament.

    After making the semifinals but failing to advance to the title match, Fleming comes in as the No. 1 team in 1A.

    Defending champion Otis will come in slightly under the radar to start this year, sitting at No. 7, with state runner-up Idalia sitting right behind the Bulldogs at No. 8.

    Briggsdale (No. 5) and Caliche (No. 9) are the two teams ranked in the preseason that did not make last year’s state tournament.

    The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.

    Complete rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Volleyball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | 1A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Rock Canyon (4) 0-0 89
    2 Fairview (2) 0-0 79
    3 Chatfield 0-0 66
    4 Denver East (2) 0-0 63
    5 Cherokee Trail (2) 0-0 61
    6 Chaparral 0-0 50
    7 Grandview 0-0 38
    8 Cherry Creek 0-0 32
    9 Arapahoe 0-0 21
    10 Fossil Ridge 0-0 12
    Others receiving votes:
    Mountain Vista 11, Legend 9, Castle View 4, Fruita Monument 4, Lakewood 3, Coronado 2, Highlands Ranch 2, Regis Jesuit 2, Doherty 1, Rampart 1.

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Cheyenne Mountain (12) 0-0 129
    2 Lewis-Palmer (1) 0-0 117
    3 Evergreen 0-0 81
    4 Ponderosa 0-0 80
    5 Montrose 0-0 52
    6 Longmont 0-0 48
    7 Windsor 0-0 47
    8 Holy Family 0-0 43
    9 Berthoud 0-0 28
    10 Pueblo West 0-0 22
    Others receiving votes:
    Mead 18, Valor Christian 11, Palmer Ridge 7, Air Academy 6, Battle Mountain 6, Silver Creek 6, Erie 4, Steamboat Springs 3, The Classical Academy 3, Mullen 2, Niwot 2.

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Eaton (11) 0-0 110
    2 Valley 0-0 87
    3 University 0-0 66
    4 Colorado Springs Christian 0-0 64
    5 Lutheran 0-0 49
    6 Platte Valley 0-0 43
    7 Coal Ridge 0-0 34
    8 Manitou Springs 0-0 30
    9 Resurrection Christian 0-0 25
    10 St. Mary’s 0-0 21
    Others receiving votes:
    Alamosa 14, Delta 14, Pagosa Springs 12, Faith Christian 7, Middle Park 7, Sterling 6, Grand Valley 4, Bishop Machebeuf 3, La Junta 2, Salida 2, Skyview Academy 2, Bennett 1, Centauri 1, Jefferson Academy 1.

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Yuma (6) 0-0 100
    2 Paonia (4) 0-0 95
    3 Lyons (1) 0-0 84
    4 Limon 0-0 51
    5 Union Colony 0-0 48
    6 Fowler 0-0 38
    7 Colorado Springs School 0-0 35
    8 Dayspring Christian 0-0 34
    9 Ridgway 0-0 32
    10 Byers 0-0 18
    Others receiving votes:
    Sargent 14, West Grand 14, Highland 8, Simla 8, Akron 5, Hoehne 5, Merino 4, Vail Christian 3, Clear Creek 2, Soroco 2, Custer County 1, Front Range Christian 1, Haxtun 1, Meeker 1, Wiggins 1.

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Fleming (7) 0-0 79
    2 Prairie (1) 0-0 60
    3 Kit Carson 0-0 57
    4 La Veta 0-0 48
    5 Briggsdale 0-0 30
    6 Springfield 0-0 28
    7 Otis 0-0 25
    8 Idalia 0-0 18
    9 Caliche 0-0 17
    10 Flagler 0-0 16
    Others receiving votes:
    McClave 14, Heritage Christian 7, Sangre De Cristo 7, Cheyenne Wells 6, Genoa Hugo/Karval 6, Nucla 6, Eads 5, Holly 5, Weldon Valley 4, Jim Elliott 2.

  • Boys soccer rankings: All three defending champs lead preseason polls

    Broomfield Boulder boys soccer
    Broomfield is the preseason No. 1 team in 5A boys soccer. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    All three defending boys soccer champions have been declared favorites according the CHSAANow.com boys soccer polls.

    Broomfield, Evergreen and Kent Denver all took the No. 1 spots in their respective classes as each team will look to repeat their title runs from a year ago.

    In the Class 5A rankings, the Eagles edged out Mountain Vista, the team that they needed overtime to beat in the state championship game last fall.

    The Golden Eagles took three first place votes and hold the No. 2 spot heading into the regular season.

    Fairview, Arapahoe and Boulder round out the top five teams in the initial set of rankings. All three of those teams advanced to at least the state quarterfinals in 2015.

    Heritage, which was a semifinal team last year, comes in at No. 7.

    In the 4A rankings, state runner-up TCA lands at the No. 2 spot behind the Cougars.

    Cheyenne Mountain takes the No. 3 spot while Standley Lake takes No. 5. Both teams advanced to the semifinals last year and are looking at staying just as competitive in 2016.

    Air Academy, which won the 4A title in 2014, lands at No. 4.

    All totaled, each team that advanced to last year’s quarterfinals will be ranked to start the season.

    Kent Denver boys soccer
    Kent Denver heads the 3A poll. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    With Kent Denver taking the top spot in the 3A poll, it’s Vail Mountain that comes in at No. 2.

    The Gore Rangers lost to Kent Denver in the semifinals before the Sun Devils went on to beat Fountain Valley in the 3A title game.

    The Danes will start the season at No. 3.

    KIPP and Faith Christian will make up the rest of 3A’s top five teams. KIPP advanced to the state quarterfinals and the Eagles lost to Peak to Peak in the second round of the tournament.

    After advancing to the semifinals last year, Coal Ridge will start the season ranked at No. 6.

    The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday during the regular season.

    Complete rankings for each class are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Boys Soccer Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and select media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Broomfield (7) 0-0-0 93
    2 Mountain Vista (3) 0-0-0 87
    3 Fairview 0-0-0 76
    4 Arapahoe 0-0-0 68
    5 Boulder 0-0-0 54
    6 Cherry Creek 0-0-0 40
    7 Heritage 0-0-0 38
    8 Arvada West 0-0-0 33
    9 ThunderRidge 0-0-0 22
    10 Grandview 0-0-0 10
    Others receiving votes:
    Pine Creek 8, Lincoln 5, Rocky Mountain 5, Adams City 4, Fort Collins 3, Legacy 2, Aurora Central 1, Chatfield 1.

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Evergreen (6) 0-0-0 95
    2 The Classical Academy (4) 0-0-0 94
    3 Cheyenne Mountain 0-0-0 70
    4 Air Academy 0-0-0 62
    5 Standley Lake 0-0-0 48
    6 Battle Mountain 0-0-0 42
    7 Ponderosa 0-0-0 35
    8 Valor Christian 0-0-0 27
    9 D’Evelyn 0-0-0 17
    10 Longmont 0-0-0 15
    Others receiving votes:
    Littleton 8, Niwot 8, Montrose 5, Lewis-Palmer 4, Mullen 4, Wheat Ridge 4, Silver Creek 3, Windsor 3, Centaurus 2, Palmer Ridge 2, Denver North 1, Durango 1.

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Kent Denver (8) 0-0-0 80
    2 Vail Mountain 0-0-0 59
    3 Fountain Valley 0-0-0 57
    4 KIPP 0-0-0 47
    5 Faith Christian 0-0-0 32
    6 Coal Ridge 0-0-0 29
    7 Colorado Academy 0-0-0 28
    8 Peak to Peak 0-0-0 26
    9 Pagosa Springs 0-0-0 20
    10 Salida 0-0-0 19
    Others receiving votes:
    Liberty Common 17, Jefferson Academy 7, Colorado Springs Christian 5, Vanguard 5, Telluride 4, Aurora West 2, The Academy 2, DSST-Stapleton 1, Sheridan 1.

  • Softball rankings: Mountain Range, Valor Christian, Strasburg are No. 1 teams

    State softball Mountain Range team
    Mountain Range is No. 1 in 5A softball. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    Mountain Range is looking for a repeat performance of their historical softball state title run in 2015.

    In the first ever appearance in the state tournament for the school, the Mustangs fought to the Class 5A state championship and, as a result, have earned some respect heading into the 2016 season.

    Mountain Range was voted as the No. 1 team in 5A in the first set of CHSAANow.com softball rankings.

    They start the season one spot above Chaparral, which went into last year’s state tournament with the No. 1 seed. The Mustangs beat the Wolverines 4-2 in the semifinals of the tournament.

    Legend comes in at No. 3, taking a couple of first place votes along the way. Grandview  also snagged a No. 1 vote, but will start the season ranked No. 8.

    State runner-up Pomona will begin the year ranked No. 7.

    Coming off back-to-back state championships, Valor Christian will start the year ranked as the No. 1 team in 4A.

    State semifinalists Erie and Mountain View come in at No. 2 and No. 3 respectively while state runner-up Wheat Ridge lands at No. 4, taking a first place vote in the process.

    All eight teams from last year’s quarterfinal round are ranked in the preseason top with Berthoud (No. 7) and Air Academy (No. 8) completing the field.

    Strasburg Eaton softball 3A state title
    Strasburg is No. 1 in 3A softball. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

    Strasburg enters the season as the unanimous pick as the No. 1 team in 3A. The Indians came away with their third title in four years with a 7-5 win over Eaton.

    The Reds land at No. 2, hoping for another chance to make a championship run.

    Rocky Ford (No. 3), La Junta (No. 4) and Sterling (No. 5) all come in with high rankings after they each advanced to to the state quarterfinals.

    Sterling was the only team from that trio to advance to the semis.

    Brush comes in at No. 7 after also advancing to the semifinals last fall.

    The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday during the regular season.

    Complete rankings for each class are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Softball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and select media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Mountain Range (5) 0-0-0 71
    2 Chaparral 0-0-0 63
    3 Legend (2) 0-0-0 50
    4 Fossil Ridge 0-0-0 44
    5 Eaglecrest (1) 0-0-0 36
    6 Broomfield 0-0-0 34
    7 Pomona 0-0-0 33
    8 Grandview (1) 0-0-0 27
    9 Ralston Valley 0-0-0 26
    10 Loveland 0-0-0 20
    Others receiving votes:
    Brighton 19, ThunderRidge 19, Legacy 18, Cherokee Trail 17, Douglas County 17, Rocky Mountain 12, Mountain Vista 11, Columbine 8, Dakota Ridge 7, Rock Canyon 6, Vista Ridge 6, Chatfield 3, Smoky Hill 3.

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Valor Christian (8) 0-0-0 88
    2 Erie 0-0-0 79
    3 Mountain View 0-0-0 54
    4 Wheat Ridge (1) 0-0-0 51
    5 Frederick 0-0-0 48
    6 Silver Creek 0-0-0 34
    7 Berthoud 0-0-0 30
    8 Air Academy 0-0-0 24
    9 Falcon 0-0-0 17
    10 Thompson Valley 0-0-0 16
    Others receiving votes:
    Discovery Canyon 15, Pueblo West 13, Niwot 8, Windsor 6, D’Evelyn 5, Kennedy 5, Mullen 4.

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Strasburg (8) 0-0-0 80
    2 Eaton 0-0-0 68
    3 Rocky Ford 0-0-0 56
    4 La Junta 0-0-0 40
    5 Sterling 0-0-0 37
    6 Valley 0-0-0 35
    7 Brush 0-0-0 26
    8 The Academy 0-0-0 21
    9 Lamar 0-0-0 19
    10 Cedaredge 0-0-0 17
    Others receiving votes:
    Faith Christian 15, Delta 13, Meeker 5, Burlington 3, Gunnison 3, Dolores Huerta 2.

  • Field hockey rankings: Colorado Academy leads the way in preseason poll

    Colorado Academy field hockey team
    (Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)

    When a team has gone four full seasons without a loss, it’s hard not to vote them in as the top team in their sport.

    And that’s what has happened with Colorado Academy field hockey.

    The Mustangs come into the 2016 season as the clear No. 1 team in the state after winning their fourth-straight state title last year.

    Cherry Creek lands at No. 2 after falling to Colorado Academy in the state title game last season.

    With two competitive games played against the Mustangs last year, Palmer Ridge takes the No. 3 spot. The Bears fell to Colorado Academy 4-2 in last year’s semifinals.

    Kent Denver comes in at No. 4 despite losing to Regis Jesuit in the first round of last year’s state tournament. The Raiders round out the poll at No. 5.

    The ranking, voted upon by coaches, is the official poll of the Association. Rankings are released each Monday during the season.

    A complete ranking is below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Field Hockey Poll

    Voted upon by coaches around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. This ranking has no bearing on postseason seeding.

    Field hockey
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Colorado Academy (7) 0-0-0 35
    2 Cherry Creek 0-0-0 25
    3 Palmer Ridge 0-0-0 21
    4 Kent Denver 0-0-0 14
    5 Regis Jesuit 0-0-0 7
    Others receiving votes:
    Denver East 2, Golden 1.

  • Boys golf preview: Fossil Ridge’s Josh Caridi looks to take team to next level

    5A state boys golf Josh Caridi Fossil Ridge
    Josh Caridi. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    Josh Caridi is on the verge of becoming a star.

    The Fossil Ridge junior will look to to qualify for his third Class 5A state tournament this year, and after finishing tied for fifth place last year, he’s ready to leave his mark as one of the best.

    And even more, he’s ready to help his team make the jump from a top-five finish to potential state champions.

    “Even though we lost four seniors, I feel like we can still go to state as a team and compete very strongly,” Caridi said. “Also, individually, I feel like I can shoot something pretty low to give me a chance to win.”

    And the confidence he has is real.

    After spending the 2015 state tournament near the top of the leaderboard, it became very apparent that not only can Caridi play with the top dogs in the class, he can keep up with him.

    Even from watching the event, Sabercats coach Andy Stevens could see the confidence growing in his young standout.

    “For Josh, It was a great learning experience,” Stevens said. “He saw how (the top guys) handled themselves in adversity. But it also gave him a sense of confidence that he was only a sophomore and was out there competing with those guys.”

    Now the next step is figuring out how to get over the championship hump.

    If there is any kind of a mental block in trying to take down players who are older, it doesn’t necessarily get solved with strength.

    Even at 16-years-old, Caridi knows that the game is more mental than anything. In order to be the best through any round of 18 holes that he plays, he needs to combine ability with the ability to play the game with his head as much as his body.

    “It doesn’t always take the biggest drive,” Caridi said. “It takes, whoever gets it in the fairway and who can hit it straight to the green. If (we’re playing) a tighter course, I’ll play a little smarter and if it’s more open, I can be a little more aggressive.”

    Regardless of his approach, it seems to work. Stevens admitted that since the first day Caridi put on a Fossil Ridge shirt, he was the top golfer for the team.

    He has become the leader of the squad and his ability to compete in 5A is something that will unquestionably give the entire team a lift as they hope to dethrone Regis Jesuit as the reigning champions.

    “In order for us to catch and ultimately pass a team like Regis, we have to play our absolute best and handle our business,” Stevens said. “High school golf is so unique that it’s the only time in a golfer’s life that they are part of a team. Confidence definitely trickles down. When Josh or Dillon Stewart or Cam Lampe or Jack Hasting go out and shoot a round in the mid-60’s, that’s going to motivate everyone to pick up their game a bit.”

    The Sabercats lost Noah Browned and Matt Atkins from last year’s team, but it was Caridi and Stewart who had the best finishes at state. Lampe, Hastings and Dillon Muth figure to battle it out for the two team spots this season.

    But regardless of who ends up taking them, Fossil Ridge is set up to make a memorable run this season.

    “One of the things we’re blessed with is depth, we’re very lucky in that regard,” Stevens said. “The seniors we lost left some big shoes to fill, but we feel like (those three) are going to be step in and fill those holes.”

    [divider]

    Boys golf preview

    2015 individual champions:

    • 5A: Hunter Paugh, Fort Collins (graduated)
    • 4A: Jackson Solem, Silver Creek (senior)
    • 3A: Sam Taylor, Peak to Peak (senior)

    Defending team champions:

    • 5A: Regis Jesuit
    • 4A: Valor Christian
    • 3A: Peak to Peak

    Returning All-State athletes:

    • 5A: Griffin Barela (Sr.) Lakewood, Josh Caridi (Jr.) Fossil Ridge, Trevor Olkowski (Sr.) Grand Junction, Tyler Zhang (Sr.) Regis Jesuit
    • 4A: Matthew Casias (Sr.) Pueblo South, Cole Krantz (Sr.) Windsor, Glen-Michael Mihavetz (Sr.) Montrose, Jackson Solem (Sr.) Silver Creek, Lenny Urbas (Sr.) Evergreen
    • 3A: Nishant Datta (Jr.) Peak to Peak, Billy Howenstein (So.) Dawson, Oliver Jack (Jr.) Kent Denver, Yale Kim (Sr.) Dawson, Brayden Lambrecht (Jr.) Sterling, Ivan Richmond (Jr.) Estes Park, Sam Taylor (Sr.) Peak to Peak, Ian Thorpe (Jr.) Peak to Peak

    Regular season begins: Aug. 11

    Regionals: Completed by Sept. 19

    State meets: Sept. 26-27

  • Missy Franklin earns gold as part of 4×200 relay team at Olympics

    (Chan-Fan via Wikimedia Commons)
    Missy Franklin. (Chan-Fan via Wikimedia Commons)

    Missy Franklin earned a gold medal on Wednesday night when the U.S. women’s swimming team captured the 4×200 freestyle relay final at the Olympics in Rio.

    Franklin, a 2013 graduate of Regis Jesuit, did not swim in the final — a surprising turn of events. She did swim the second leg of prelims in helping the U.S. to the fastest qualifying time for Wednesday’s final, and so she will get a medal.

    Franklin finished her prelim swim in 1:57.03, the second-fastest split of the American relay.

    But, like it did with the men’s relay, the U.S. opted to change three of the four swimmers in the final, going with Allison Schmitt, Leah Smith, Maya Dirado and Katie Ledecky. Schmitt was the lone holdover from the prelims.

    That group of four won the final in 7:43.03, beating out silver medalist Australia (7:44.87) and bronze medalist Canada (7:45.39). The men also won gold with a group that included former Regis Jesuit swimmer Clark Smith.

    The gold medal is Franklin’s fifth in her career, and sixth total medal. She won four gold medals at the 2012 Olympics in London just after finishing her junior year in high school, and also won a bronze.

    Franklin tweeted about the race shortly after it ended:

    Franklin finished 13th in the 200-meter race earlier in the week. She will finish her 2016 Olympic schedule with the 200 backstroke on Thursday. The prelims are at 11:41 a.m.

  • Regis Jesuit alum Clark Smith wins gold at Olympics

    Rio Olympics Aquatics Stadium
    (piviso.com)

    Regis Jesuit alum Clark Smith captured a gold medal when the United States men’s swimming team won the 4×200-meter relay at the Summer Olympics on Tuesday night in Rio de Janeiro.

    Smith helped the U.S. qualify for the final earlier Tuesday when he swam the lead leg in the preliminaries. His split was 1:47.20 as the Americans finished in 7:06.74, the second-best qualifying time.

    Regis Jesuit alum Clark Smith. (Courtesy of Team USA)
    Regis Jesuit alum Clark Smith. (Courtesy of Team USA)

    On Tuesday night, USA Swimming swapped out three of the four swimmers from prelims, inserting Conor Dwyer, Francis Haas and Michael Phelps, while keeping Ryan Lochte in the relay. That group of four won the final in 7:00.66.

    Because Smith swam in the prelims, he will get a gold medal.

    Smith graduated from Regis Jesuit in 2013, where he won 10 state championships in his career, including five individual titles.

    He is set to be a senior at the University of Texas this fall. In 2015, Smith won an NCAA championship in the 500-yard freestyle. He is a three-time All-American.

  • Bear Creek boys basketball announces coaching change

    Doherty Rampart boys basketball generic
    (Josh Watt/CHSAANow.com)

    A new era will begin this winter for Bear Creek boys basketball

    Bears athletic director, Jeffrey Lueders, confirmed to CHSAANow.com Monday that David Berghoefer has resigned as head coach to take a job in San Diego.

    As a result, Lueders has turned to former D’Evelyn assistant, Will Gosch, to lead the team.

    The Bears struggled in the 2015-16 season, going 8-18 (4-10 Class 5A Jeffco) with their season ending with a loss to the Far Northeast Warriors in the 5A state tournament.

    Gosch will not have to start with scratch as the team will return eight players who will be seniors.

  • Manitou Springs girls basketball coach Jon Asp leaves for the college ranks

    Manitou Springs Bishop Machebeuf girls basketball
    Jon Asp give his players instructions during a regular season game at Manitou Springs High School. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    The Class 3A girls basketball runner-up needs a new coach.

    Manitou Springs coach Jon Asp has accepted a position as an assistant at Colorado Christian University and stepped down from his position with the Mustangs.

    Asp met with athletic director John McGee Monday afternoon and confirmed his departure via text message Monday night. The school confirmed Wednesday morning that the girls basketball position was indeed open.

    “It was a tough decision, but I decided to try it,” Asp said in his text message. “There are some thing I will miss.”

    He was 66-14 in his three seasons with the Mustangs which included the program’s first appearance in the state championship game this past March. The Mustangs lost to Lutheran 52-44.

    “I appreciate all of the work Jon has done with our students,” athletic director John McGee said. “Our girls basketball program has had a tremendous amount of success under his leadership. He is not only a good coach but more importantly he is a good person. I wish him well in his next challenge.”

    The Mustangs graduated a strong trio of McKenzie Petricko, Brooke Garretson and Angala Jensen but Shelby Megyeri will be back for her senior season.

    Megyeri has already set Manitou career records for scoring and assists.

    The Mustangs will now look for a coach to continue the team’s successful run from the last three seasons.