Students may have been out of school for the summer, but kids continued to compete in athletic workouts and games in order to prepare for the upcoming fall season. Denver North and Denver East were among those who stayed active.
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Month: August 2016
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Field hockey preview: Addition of Liberty and Arapahoe continue sport’s growth
Arapahoe had more than 60 girls try out for its new field hockey team. (Bethany Brookens/CHSAANow.com) There will be two new teams in the hunt for the 2016 Colorado state field hockey championship: the Liberty Lancers and the Arapahoe Warriors.
“To add two programs in one year is phenomenal,” said Liberty head coach Michelle Amon.
With the new additions, there are now 15 field hockey programs in the state.
“(Field) hockey is basically isolated on the east coast and California. In between, there’s not much,” Amon said. “So, for it to be out here it’s just incredibly big for our sport in general because it’s moving across the country.”
The sport has been popular on both coasts, but, like lacrosse prior to the past five years or so, it has struggled to gain traction in between. Amon has experienced the growth of the sport first hand and loves being in the middle of it.
“I’m coming from Kentucky where it has taken about 25 years for us to get where we’re at, because we didn’t have very many programs as well,” Amon said.
Amon has been playing and coaching field hockey for 14 years and played collegiately at the University of Louisville.
“It’s definitely a part of who I am,” Amon said.
As for the players that will be taking the field for Liberty, they consist of a variety of multiple sport athletes.
“I have a couple soccer players, a couple swimmers, and then most are lacrosse,” Amon said. “I have probably two or three girls who have played before.”
Arapahoe had an impressive turnout for their tryouts with a total of 62 girls showing out for a spot on the new team.
“The sport provides new opportunities for girls in the fall season and we are seeing a great response by the numbers of girls who are trying out for the teams,” said CHSAA assistant commissioner Bethany Brookens, who oversees the sport. “I am hoping that the participation numbers continue to increase with the addition of these teams, and ultimately, we would love to get more schools offering programs.”
A massive learning curve is to be expected, but the girls of the Liberty field hockey team seem to be chugging along with more excitement than frustration.
“They’re picking up the skills pretty well – they’re excited to be playing a new game,” Amon said. “It’s not really frustration, it’s more anxiety because there is so much to learn before we start playing.
“It’s excitement, there’s not really frustration because they’re just happy to be on the field and have a team.”
Amon ran clinics in the spring and summer, but for most of the team their experience of the game ends there. The athleticism of her players is huge in their ability to pick up the game.
“I was pleasantly surprised because we have a lot to learn in a short amount of time. I have a lot of athletes so I got lucky there,” Amon said.” Some of the girls have grown very quickly. It’s pretty great to see how quickly they’re picking it up because it’s not a very easy sport to pick up right away.”
Amon spoke on the surrounding community and its efforts giving credit to both the resources around the school as well as the people.
“The community has been working many years to get this game growing here, and I’m super excited to be a part of it, and I hope that it continues to grow,” Amon said. “But it will take time.”
One of the resources Amon named is the Olympic committee being in the area. She mentioned that the team has been watching the Olympics together and getting immersed in the game.
“It’s actually really fortunate that the Olympics are right now as we’re starting because the girls are getting exposed without ever knowing what it was before,” Amon said.
The U.S. national team made it to the quarterfinals, so the success brought even more excitement to the girls.
Looking towards the season and the expectations from the new team, Amon did not shy away.
“I’m very competitive,” Amon said. “I would like to have huge expectations.”
A few of the older girls on the team have stepped up as leaders with that same mentality.
Mindful of the future of the program, Amon wants to keep the sport trending upwards.
“The biggest thing is getting the younger kids excited to come up and build our program,” Amon said. “Keep that excitement, keep that love of the game happening and passing it down so that we can continue to grow.”
“We are really excited about the growth of high school field hockey, and I see the addition of two new schools a direct reflection of hard work by the coaches, players, parents, officials, and entire field hockey community in general,” Brookens said.
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Field Hockey preview
Defending state champion: Colorado Academy
Preseason No. 1: Colorado Academy
Returning All-State athletes: Taylor Hantman (Sr.) Cherry Creek, Emily Munn (Sr.) Palmer Ridge, Lindsey Reich (Sr.) Regis Jesuit, Nellie Turnage (Sr.) Colorado Academy
Regular season begins: Aug. 25
Quarterfinals: Completed by Oct. 22
Semifinals: Oct. 25, All-City Stadium
State final: Oct. 27 at 7 p.m., All-City Stadium
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Chatfield football has the horses heading into 4A
Chatfield senior Tylor Rowles brings plenty of speed to the field this season for the Chargers. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) LITTLETON — Chatfield senior Dalton Keene has already committed to play football at Virginia Tech a year from now, but that doesn’t mean he wants to rush through his final year of high school.
“I’m hoping it slows down a little bit this year,” said Keene, a running back and linebacker for the Chargers. “We are going to try to make this season last as long as it can. I think we are going to do great things.”
Keene rushed for more than 600 yards averaging nearly six yards per carry and was the Chargers’ leading tackler with 116. He verbally committed to Virginia Tech last winter.
Chatfield senior Dalton Keene, left, has committed to play for Virginia Tech. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) “I don’t have to try to impress anyone any more,” said Keene, who is also one of the top hurdlers in the state qualifying for the state track and field meet last May in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles. “I’m just playing the game and I’ll play to the best of my ability. I’ve got nothing to worry about.”
A big change for Chatfield is moving down from Class 5A to 4A for the next two-year high school cycle with enrollment numbers being pushed down to place the Chargers in 4A. The Chargers will play in the 4A Plains League that also consists of Adams City, Dakota Ridge, Gateway, Golden and Heritage.
“I know there is a lot of excitement. We are a solid group with a lot of depth. I know our guys are excited about having a shot to play at the end,” Chatfield coach Bret McGatlin said. “It gives us a realistic chance. We were one of the smaller schools in 5A and now we are one of the bigger schools in 4A.”
The conference foes are a totally different look for the Chargers that had a 3-7 record last season. Chatfield does get tested mightily during its non-league schedule with Pine Creek, Wheat Ridge and Dakota Ridge — all three in the top-10 of the CHSAANow.com preseason 4A football rankings — and throw in rival Columbine, 5A state semifinal time last year.
Pine Creek won back-to-back 4A state titles in 2013 and 2014 before getting upset as the No. 1 seed in the 4A semifinals last year. Chatfield opens the season facing Pine Creek on the Eagles’ home field Sept. 2.
“We have been focusing on (Pine Creek) all year,” Keene said. “We know they are going to be a challenge, but we are ready for them.”
While Keene might be the headliner for the Chargers this season, McGatlin believes his supporting cast might be one of the deepest he has had since taking over the program just more than a decade ago.
Senior Tylor Rowles are one of more than a handful of returning skilled players for the Chargers on the offensive side of the ball. Rowles will more than likely play more wide receiver than running back.
“I am pretty excited,” Rowles said of moving from running back to wide receiver. “It was a little bit of a surprise because I haven’t played receiver since little league. All offseason playing at receiver I’ve really got the hang of it.”
Ben Frenette, Logan Dannenhauer and Brandon Andersen and Keland Rumsey should make an impact in Chatfield’s running game this season.
The quarterback position has come down to sophomore Zach Yanda and junior Colton Arne competing for starting job. They are vying to fill the shoes of graduate Isaac Schley who plays at Georgetown University in the Ivy League.
Chatfield junior Colton Arne is in the battle for the starting quarterback job. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) “They are both tremendous kids,” McGatlin said of Yanda and Arne. “We need a team player and a great leader. We need someone back there to keep the ball rolling and get the ball into our athletes’ hands.”
Defensively, McGatlin believes junior Chandler Callejo will emerge as is one of the top cornerbacks in the state. The Chargers have a lot of returning experience on the defensively line and linebacker core.
Chatfield will get some early TV time this year. Altitude is scheduled to broadcast the Chargers against Wheat Ridge on Sept. 15 at Jeffco Stadium. CET will air the rivalry showdown against Columbine on Sept. 22 at Jeffco Stadium.
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Strong brains and bodies equals strong bones
It is the time of year that students are heading back to school, so there might be a decrease in physical activity – which could mean trouble in the classroom. There have been studies on the effect poor nutrition has on the brain, so it’s essential for student success that kids continue to make healthy choices, even in the midst of the chaos of starting a new school year.
Let’s take a look at how the body can positively impact the brain, which in turn can impact many different aspects of school performance.
Students are encouraged to eat nutrient rich foods, such as low fat and fat free dairy, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, and be physically active for 60 minutes each day. It only takes 20 minutes of physical activity for brain function to improve. The outcome: better attention in the classroom, improved attendance and higher test scores.
The outcomes don’t stop there.
When students eat nutrient rich foods their bodies benefit as well. Bones, for example, need calcium and vitamin D. During the teen years, this is crucial since this is the bone-building phase of your child’s life. Calcium, vitamin D and protein not only support bone growth, but also help build the “bone bank” for adulthood.
This time in a child’s life is so important for many reasons, but making sure your bones get adequate nutrition is critical. Some scientists have reviewed lifestyle factors on teens and their beverages of choice and found that as kids pass the age of 6, they are choosing carbonated beverages over nutrient dense beverages like milk. This is concerning because evidence shows that these beverages have been associated with increased bone fractures, reduced bone mineral content, and decreased density and strength. It is hypothesized that these beverages might precipitate urinary loss of calcium. Carbonated beverages are also associated with poor bone health because they replace the more nutrient-dense beverage choice of milk.
As athletes it is important to not only nourish your brain, but also your body, which includes your bones. Good nutrition will also pay off in the classroom. Make sure you are getting enough nutrients throughout your day to nourish your growing body and mind by choosing a wide variety of foods, including 3 servings of dairy each day. Nothing is better than a strong mind to facilitate a great performance.
To learn more please visit Western Dairy Association.
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Spirit preview: Castle View co-ed cheer aiming for three-peat
Things are already heating up for the two-time Class 4A/5A co-ed cheer state champions from Castle View.
Coach Heather Acampora was quite pleased after her team’s huge accomplishment in December, but her drive for success is at its peak and the Sabercats are back for more.
Castle View won the 4A/5A co-ed cheer championship last season. (Whitney Webermeier/CHSAANow.com) With just under two months of announcing the Sabercats’ 2016-17 cheer squad, the preparation for competition season began. Aside from the standard summer practices almost every high school cheer team endures, Castle View goes above and beyond in this area.
“During the summer, each team does strength and conditioning with the school three times a week and they also do tumbling twice a week, so they’re not really off,” Acampora said.
The Sabercats journey to competition season is not limited to just this, they also attended a Masters camp hosted by the biggest cheerleading company around, Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA). It was here the Sabercats found themselves working with some of the best coaches in the country — including members from Team USA and top cheerleading athletes from various colleges.
The Sabercats didn’t only get the chance to work with these incredibly knowledgeable cheerleading instructors, they also had the opportunity to work with Blake Johnson, a VIROC choreographer. The team was given its routine in June, and Johnson used his cheerleading intellect to create what would best fit the Sabercats needs — which is valued at about four thousand dollars.
“They have been given the best and hardest routine I’ve ever seen for a high school team. It was designed to meet the score sheet and help our kids,” said Acampora.
The Sabercats have ambitious plans for this season and are truly pushing their limits. They will be performing predominantly college-level skills such as unassisted co-ed full up to hands, partner four high to high full arounds, low-to-high ticks — and on the tumbling side of things, select standing and running fulls.
Castle View lost three major leaders from the previous season and Acampora is well aware that this season will be different without them. The focus now is leadership training and of course, crowd leading.
“There are a lot of teams stepping up that are going to be great this year,” said Acampora.
But the confidence she has in her team is at an all time high and with the team’s dedication, drive, and minimal amount of switching stunting positions. They are expecting a smooth ride on the way to State.
The team will perform its routine several times in front of a crowd leading up to the big day come December, Castle View will be hosting a competition Oct. 22, and the team is also enrolled in UCA Regionals in Pueblo (gameday squad), UCA Regionals in Denver (competition squad), league, and an exhibition at an all-star gym.
Castle View is hungry, and so are many other high school cheerleading programs. The Sabercats have remained undefeated the past two years and in just under four months, Colorado will see if they are going to three-peat.
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Photos: Boys golf’s Spartan Invite in Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS — The Spartan Invite kicked off the boys golf season for a number of teams in Colorado Springs on Monday.
Discovery Canyon won the meet.
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Football’s TV & streaming schedule for 2016 season
Below is a list of high school football games available on TV and live streams in Colorado this season. This is in addition to games on the NFHS Network, which will have extensive coverage every week.
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Televised games
Date Time Teams Station Aug. 26 7 p.m. Pomona vs. Mullen Altitude Aug. 27 1:30 p.m. Valor Christian vs. Saguaro (Ariz.) ESPN Sept. 1 7 p.m. Chaparral at Grandview CET Sept. 9 7:30 p.m. Broomfield at Wheat Ridge CET Sept. 9 8 p.m. Valor Christian vs. Greater Atlanta Christian ESPNU Sept. 15 5 p.m. Chatfield vs. Wheat Ridge Altitude Sept. 15 8 p.m. Columbine vs. Bear Creek Altitude Sept. 16 7:30 p.m. Ralston Valley at Pomona CET Sept. 22 6 p.m. Columbine at Chatfield CET Sept. 23 7 p.m. Pomona vs. Valor Christian Altitude Sept. 29 7 p.m. Valor Christian vs. Cherry Creek Altitude Sept. 30 7:30 p.m. Pine Creek at Ralston Valley CET Oct. 7 7 p.m. Fossil Ridge at Cherry Creek CET Oct. 14 7 p.m. Fairview at ThunderRidge CET Oct. 20 6 p.m. Heritage at Dakota Ridge CET Oct. 21 5 p.m. Eaglecrest vs. Castle View Altitude Oct. 21 8 p.m. Grandview vs. Doherty Altitude Oct. 28 6 p.m. Cherokee Trail at Mountain Vista CET Nov. 3 6 p.m. ThunderRidge at Columbine CET Nov. 4 7 p.m. Cherokee Trail vs. Pomona Altitude [divider]
Streaming games
This list will be updated with new information as it becomes available. These games are in addition to those on the NFHS Network, which produces a wide range of games each week. This section will be updated.
Date Time Teams Stream Sept. 1 6 p.m. Poude vs. Mountain Vista Stream It Sports Sept. 2 7 p.m. Erie vs. Vista PEAK ETN Sept. 2 7 p.m. Fort Collins vs. Fossil Ridge Stream It Sports Sept. 8 6 p.m. Rocky Mountain vs. Fossil Ridge Stream It Sports Sept. 8 7 p.m. Rampart vs. Monarch 20TV Sept. 8 7 p.m. Rock Canyon vs. Smoky Hill ASBN.tv Sept. 9 7 p.m. Mullen vs. Regis Jesuit Stream It Sports Sept. 9 7 p.m. Eagle Valely vs. Erie ETN Sept. 9 7 p.m. Fort Collins vs. Poudre Stream It Sports Sept. 9 7 p.m. Eaglecrest vs. ThunderRidge ASBN.tv Sept. 16 7 p.m. Northridge vs. Erie ETN Sept. 16 7 p.m. Fossil Ridge vs. Poudre Stream It Sports Sept. 16 Rangeview vs. Regis Jesuit Stream It Sports Sept. 23 7 p.m. Erie vs. Centaurus ETN Sept. 23 7 p.m. Poudre vs. Rocky Mountain Stream It Sports Sept. 23 Grandview vs. Cherry Creek Stream It Sports Sept. 29 6 p.m. Fossil Ridge vs. Lakewood Stream It Sports Sept. 29 7 p.m. Silver Creek at Erie ETN Sept. 29 Cherokee Trail vs. Grandview Stream It Sports Sept. 30 7 p.m. Rocky Mountain vs. Horizon Stream It Sports Oct. 6 6 p.m. Rocky Mountain vs. Eaglecrest Stream It Sports Oct. 6 Overland vs. Arapahoe Stream It Sports Oct. 7 4 p.m. Poudre vs. Fountain-Fort Carson Stream It Sports Oct. 7 7 p.m. Erie vs. Berthoud ETN Oct. 7 7 p.m. Fort Collins vs. Greeley Central Stream It Sports Oct. 14 7 p.m. Erie vs. Skyline ETN Oct. 14 7 p.m. Fort Collins vs. Mountain View Stream It Sports Oct. 14 Eaglecrest vs. Rangeview Stream It Sports Oct. 20 6 p.m. Rocky Mountain vs. Arvada West Stream It Sports Oct. 21 3 p.m. Fort Collins vs. Skyline Stream It Sports Oct. 21 7 p.m. Erie vs. Roosevelt ETN Oct. 21 7 p.m. Fossil Ridge vs. Denver East Stream It Sports Oct. 27 6 p.m. Fossil Ridge vs. Far Northeast Stream It Sports Oct. 27 7 p.m. Discovery Canyon vs. Mitchell 20TV Oct. 28 7 p.m. Mead vs. Erie ETN Oct. 28 7 p.m. Poudre vs. Valor Christian Stream It Sports Nov. 3 6 p.m. Poudre vs. Highlands Ranch Stream It Sports Nov. 4 7 p.m. Rocky Mountain vs. Ralston Valley Stream It Sports Nov. 4 7 p.m. Erie vs. Frederick ETN -
Photos: Grand Junction boys golf wins Montrose Invitational
MONTROSE — Grand Junction boys golf captured the Montrose Black Canyon Invitational on Tuesday.
The Tigers shot 213 to win the team championship, while Montrose was second at 216.
Grand Junction’s Trevor Olkowski was 3-under and won the event individually. Montrose’s Glen-Michael Mihavetz was second at 1-under.
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Q&A: Valor Chrisitan’s Dylan McCaffrey talks senior year, high expectations in college
HIGHLANDS RANCH — If there hasn’t been a spotlight on Valor Christian quarterback Dylan McCaffrey yet, it will be shining directly on him in two weeks.
The senior for the Eagles is ready to step to the forefront and try and lead his team to back-to-back Class 5A state championships.
It’s been a heck of a year for the McCaffrey family between last year’s state title run and the national exposure that Dylan’s older brothers, Max and Christian, received for their football accolades.
Having already committed to Michigan, McCaffrey took some time to talk about the expectations that might be on his shoulders, the jitters that come with playing on national TV and who was on what sides during family battles.
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Question: Coming into this year, does it feel different than the start of your sophomore or junior season?
McCaffrey: In a lot of ways, but in a lot ways it doesn’t as well. There’s no one above us now so we seniors have to take more of a leadership role on this team so that’s been very new.
Other than that, we have the same standards going in every year at Valor and all the guys have the same views, so that’s stayed the same. It’s just the preparation and the anticipation of the season has all been the same as years past for sure.
Q: What about you? You’ve committed to Michigan, you’re hitting camps everywhere, is there a point with you still being a kid in high school that it’s transitioned from being fun and a game to being a job?
McCaffrey: There’s always that little aspect of it. I think even people going into high school will see that, just from youth league is so much different. I definitely feel that a little bit, but it’s one of those things where I wouldn’t want any other job in the world.
A lot of these guys go out and have summer jobs and this just pretty much takes up all my time. I haven’t had time to get a job or do a lot those things, but I wouldn’t want it that way.
I love football and as long as it’s a job, it’s the job I want to do for sure.
Q: It’s been a solid 365 days for your family with you winning a state championship, Christian taking second in the Heisman race and Max signs with an NFL team. What’s that ride been like?
McCaffrey: It’s been awesome. We’ve been really lucky this past year. It’s been amazing. It’s definitely been one for the books.
Since we were little, we all had to fall in love with the game before we did this. Our parents never forced us to play football. My mom always wanted us to play soccer, actually. We all played soccer until we realized there was football out there and once we tried that, we were pretty much hooked.
That’s where it all started, where we all decided that we wanted to take this game as far as we could take it.
Q: Is there a point where your parents get tired of when the four of you are all together and all you talk about is football?
McCaffrey: We like to mix up the conversations a little bit at dinner because there’s so much talk about it. It’s such a fantastic world we live in so I think we definitely mix it up.
Probably for my mom (it gets old) a little bit. By Monday she’s so worn out with football that she never really watches Monday Night Football. The whole weekend, all she’s doing is watching football from Friday night through Saturday then Sunday.
So she doesn’t watch (Monday) because she needs a little break every now and then.
Q: You mentioned she wanted you to play soccer, was there every anything else for you guys? You and Christian play basketball, he ran track. At what point for each of you did you know that football was going to be it?
McCaffrey: I’d say all my brothers — we all played basketball, that was a big thing. Luke is a big lacrosse player, I know for a while he said he wanted to play lacrosse in college, but I think throughout high school are when mine and his views started to change.
In middle school I would’ve told you that I wanted to play basketball in college. But after high school started and I got a feel for high school football and I got a glimpse of what college football would be like, that’s when I knew I wanted to play football. So I put (basketball) on the side and started focusing on football more.
I know my little brother has done the same, but he was big on lacrosse growing up. I know now he really wants football.
Q: Have you talked to Max and Christian a lot about what big time college football is about or is that a conversation you’re waiting to have until after the season?
McCaffrey: I think it definitely comes in little bits and pieces. The more they learn about it, the more they tell me. I know Max, the first time, he was the first of us to go through it so he would share bits and pieces every now and then, once stuff happened to him and as he learned more.
Christian was the same way. He learned a lot from Max so he knew what to prepare for and he’s just the same way. He’s told us more as more has happened and that’s just how it works.
Q: How surreal was it to see what Christian was able to do last year?
Christian McCaffrey. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com) McCaffrey: Oh, it was fantastic. I think we all had that feeling like he would do it eventually, but I think it was sooner than even I thought, which was awesome. It was such a good feeling. I was so happy for him, he’s worked so hard for that success. He’s earned it more than anyone else out there has, I know that for a fact.
Q: Does that make you nervous for any expectations that might be on your shoulders at Michigan?
McCaffrey: A little bit, but also at the same time, not really. I know it’s my own story and like I said, I chose football. I was never forced into anything so I really don’t have to live up to him.
He and I are so different anyway. We play completely different positions, we have different body types. So I mean, it really is almost a different life, just with some help from him.
Q: When you guys were growing up, how did the family teams always shake out?
McCaffrey: We would switch it up, it would usually be me and Christian and then Max and Luke. Sometimes it would be me and Max against Christian and Luke.
Christian and Luke are kind of the most similar so they would always end up together. There’d be those unfair times where Max and Christian would be on a team when me and Luke were pretty young so we’d always get killed by them. That was never any fun.
Q: So if a brotherly scuffle breaks out in the house, do you always side with a particular one of them?
McCaffrey: I think I would side with Max. He’s wily. I think he might win in a fight because he would start pulling out some dirty moves. I’d have to side with him somehow.
Q: It seems with the three oldest, you have a wide receiver, a running back and a quarterback. Why didn’t you all gravitate toward the same position?
McCaffrey: I think we were naturally built into where we landed. Max looks like a receiver. Christian didn’t get some of the height, but he got more speed than some of the other brothers got so he was a perfect fit for a running back.
I got the tall, lanky genes so I’m a little bit slower and I have to sit back in the pocket.
I think it also ended up that when we played in the back yard, we had all the positions there. That could be a big factor. Max had first say, he was the oldest, so he would take receiver. Christian just liked running so he took that and I was the quarterback.
Luke would take defense, offense, whatever. Luke would go wherever he wanted.
Q: After you guys fell short to Cherry Creek two years ago in the state championship, what was the feeling like last year, coming away with that title?
(Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com) McCaffrey: It was great. Last year was one of my favorite seasons I’ve ever played in my life, it was just so much fun. I thought out team stuck together the entire season and it showed with the way we finished that game.
I know there were definitely parts during that last game where I thought, “Oh no, it’s happening again. We might be the second to team to lose (the state title game) at Valor.”
But the team stuck together and I know no matter what that season would’ve been much more successful than (2014) because we bought in as a team. That’s a big reason why we didn’t lose.
Q: You guys get some national TV exposure early, how does that feel? Is it fun? Is it stressful? Is there still the kid in you that’s pumped about being on ESPN?
McCaffrey: There’s a little bit of that, but it’s all fun. It’s such a cool opportunity. Once you set aside the nerves and realize that there’s not a lot of people in the country that get to do that, it really is something special.
You really try and enjoy it.
It’s just a regular football game so you have to play football and enjoy the moment.
I’m also looking for some redemption. My freshman year we had an ESPN game and I had one of the worst throws of my life. My only throw. Wow that was tough. I have to redeem myself.
Q: How do you redeem yourself? You have two chances so what do you do to redeem yourself on national TV?
McCaffrey: Just come play like we’ve been practicing recently. That’s a big part of it is not letting TV get to us. Just come out knowing that it’s a regular game. We’re playing a good team and we’re going to have to play well to hang in there and beat them.
The biggest part is not worrying that it’s a TV game and come out like it’s an everyday conference game.
Q: Do you need to finish this year before you can look back and figure out what your best times were here at Valor or is there already something that sticks out right now?
McCaffrey: I think I’ll have to finish this year to get the whole grand scheme of things, but there are definitely things that I can look back on and if I was done now, I’d probably say those are the best times.
There have been a few of those.
Q: Care to share any of them?
McCaffrey: Probably the biggest one is when I was introduced to Valor football my freshman year. I just got moved up to the varsity team. We had a practice then we went on a retreat.
That was the first time I met a lot of the guys. My brother was there and I already knew a lot of his friends, but I remember a few guys, Ben Waters and Joe Bear (Ortiz), a couple of old players of ours.
They kind of took me under their wing. I just remember sitting by the fire all night and just talking and enjoying life. And that meant so much to me. That’s when I bought into this program and realized this is a special place and I love it here.
Dylan McCaffrey. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com) -
Lakewood boys golf aiming for elusive state championship
It didn’t take long for Lakewood’s boys golf team to start focusing in on its 2016 campaign.
Finishing tied in the Class 5A runner-up position for the second straight year was tough to swallow for the Tigers. What was even more difficult, Regis Jesuit edged Lakewood and Coronado by a single stroke to win the team title last year in Fort Collins.
“It’s been positive, but last year was kind of frustrating because we came so close,” Lakewood senior Griffin Barela said during practice Aug. 12 at Fox Hollow Golf Course in Lakewood. “We also gained some valuable experience. If we are in the same position this year we’ll know how to close.”
Barela, who has verbally committed to play golf at the University of Wisconsin after he graduates, finished in a four-way tie for fifth at the state tournament last October. The senior has an impressive summer taking medalist honors at the National Junior Amateur Qualifying tournament in June, advancing him to the National Junior Amateur in late-July in Tennessee.
The Tigers’ team captain then captured the Colorado Junior Match Play title in early August defeating Valor Christian graduate David Leede 1-up in the championship match. Barela edged Lakewood teammate Jack Castiglia in 19 holes in the semifinals.
“It was really fun to get the victory there, especially playing Jack there in the semifinals,” Barela said of his match play victory. “It was a lot of fun to play against a really good friend.”
Lakewood junior Jack Castiglia, right, placed tied for 28th at state last year. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) The stellar summer has Barela riding a wave of confidence as the Tigers begin their journey to claim their third straight 5A Jeffco League team title and get back in contention to claim that elusive state title. Lakewood opens its conference title defense in the first Jeffco League tournament of the season Monday, Aug. 15, at Deer Creek Golf Course in Littleton.
“I feel like I was able to play really consistently this summer,” Barela said. “I put myself in the position where I feel like I can win any tournament I’m in. That’s a good place to be.”
Castiglia spent most of his summer on the golf course as well getting ready for the short boys golf season that is scheduled to conclude with the two-day state tournament Sept. 26-27 at Bookcliff Country Club in Grand Junction.
“I wanted to get into the mindset of playing tournament golf and getting ready to play with the team and trying to win state,” Castiglia said. “There is going to be a little bit of pressure, but nothing we can’t handle. We can definitely win it this year.”
Lakewood will have plenty of senior experience returning that includes senior Grayden Wolfe who will be counted on to provide some depth for the Tigers.
“We have set the bar really high for ourselves,” Wolfe said. “We want to reach our full potential.”
Columbine senior Marcus Tait, 16th at state last year, will be one of the top returning Jeffco players. If Lakewood is able to win its third straight conference title it will play in the 5A regional and state qualifying tournament Sept. 15 at The Broadlands Golf Course in Broomfield.
“The ultimate goal is a state title,” Lakewood coach Alan Gonzales said. “We know we have the talent to do it. Now we just have to outwork everybody to make sure we do it.”
Gonzales admitted getting so close to winning a state title the previous two seasons motivates his team. He also said that winning isn’t everything and the key is to stay positive this no matter what happens from tee to green.
“Honestly, we are looking at the bigger picture,” Gonzales said. “What kind of program are we building? What kind of young adults are we? If success on the golf course follows we are going to take that as well.”
Lakewood senior Griffin Barela won the Colorado Junior Match Play title this summer. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)