(Renee Bourcier/CHSAANow.com)

DENVER — Sixty-one years ago, Longmont met Grand Junction in the Class AA championship football game. It was a rematch of the previous season — something the sport rarely sees.

In fact, a championship rematch in the largest classification hasn’t happened in the decades since.

Until now.

When Valor Christian and Pomona play for the Class 5A title on Saturday at Mile High Stadium, it will be the first time since that Longmont/Grand Junction meeting in 1955 that teams from the largest class have met in consecutive years.

Here’s how rare this is: Since CHSAA was founded in 1921, there have been only four championship rematches at the largest classification. And it has never happened before in Class 5A.

Bottom line: It’s not easy to make it to a championship game.

“I’ve always felt that exceptional programs find ways to get to the semifinals,” said Valor Christian coach Rod Sherman. “And sometimes, in the semifinals, you’re going to block a field goal and make one late, and sometimes you’re not.”

Jay Madden. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

Said Pomona coach Jay Madden: “I talked to (Cherry Creek) coach (Dave) Logan about it on Monday. He was like, ‘People do not realize how hard it is to do it twice.’ It was hard, but this is a great group to do it with.”

Pomona’s journey was made even more impressive considering it lost All-American lineman Jake Moretti to a season-ending knee injury in the summer. The Panthers lost electric player of the year candidate Max Borghi in the quarterfinals. And then another star, Cam Gonzales, hurt his leg in the semifinals.

“It’s been kinda nuts,” Madden said. “Getting back here, it seems like it’s been a long drive, that’s for sure. But it’s been a lot of fun, too.”

The Panthers were ranked No. 1 in CHSAANow.com’s poll for much of the season.

“This has been the hardest year, just as far as dealing with expectations and trying to get up for Friday night,” Madden said. “The kids just can’t stop thinking about December. You’ve got to bring them back down to Earth: ‘We’ve got to be here tonight. We’ve got to be good today. We’ve got to have a good practice.’

“That part is very difficult. And if we didn’t have good senior leadership, it would be almost impossible.”

Pomona had lost in the quarterfinals in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 before reaching the championship game last season.

“Getting by the quarterfinals seems to be the hardest thing to do,” Madden said. “But once we did it, our kids were hungry to get here.”

Valor Christian, meanwhile, will be playing for a championship for the eighth-straight season. (“I can’t imagine how Valor has played in seven straight” prior to this game, Madden said.)

Rod Sherman. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

Only Limon, which went to six-straight championship games from 1963-68, and nine of 10 from 1959-68, has done something similar. (Fort Collins, which went to nine championship games over a span of 13 seasons from 1922-34, did have dominant run, too. Their longest streak, though, was three-straight.)

“This has been the most enjoyable coaching year I can remember,” Sherman said.

His team started 1-3 in non-conference play this season, and has since won nine games in a row to reach the championship stage.

“We’re not going to live by fear,” Sherman said. “My job’s not on the line if we lose in the semifinals. But the challenge as a staff is to get your players not to play with fear: ‘What if we’re the first senior class that hasn’t played in a state championship game?’

“You know, we lost to Creek two years ago (in the title game), and life went on,” he continued. “We played as hard as we could. They made a few more plays than we did. Life went on, and it’s still high school sports.”

Saturday’s meeting will be the sixth time Valor and Pomona have faced one another in the past three seasons. Valor holds a 3-2 edge, including a 2-0 mark in the postseason. But Pomona beat Valor Christian 23-16 earlier this season.

“You can feel the sense of a new-era rivalry,” said Pomona quarterback Ryan Marquez. “It’s a great rivalry. Two great teams going at it, everyone playing their hearts out all the time. So it’s really fun when all of us step on the field together and the best of the best battle it out.”

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Rematches at state football

A breakdown of rematches at the largest classification of football since 1921.

• 2015-16: Valor Christian vs. Pomona, Class 5A. Valor Christian won last season’s meeting, 29-26. The two teams meet again on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
• 1954-55: Longmont vs. Grand Junction, Class AA. Longmont won both meetings, winning 40-7 in 1954, and then 32-6 in 1955.
• 1949-50: Denver East vs. Fort Collins, Class AA. Denver East won the initial game in 1949, 27-6, and Fort Collins returned the favor in 1950 with a 14-6 win.
• 1926-27: Fort Collins vs. Canon City, unclassified. Fort Collins won both games, 13-0 in 1926, and then 14-0 in 1927.
• 1922-23: Fort Collins vs. Colorado Springs, unclassified. These were just the second and third championship games in the history of the sport. Fort Collins won the first game in 1922, 16-7, and then the teams played to a scoreless tie in 1923.

DENVER — The head coaches for the 4A and 5A football finalists met the media during a press conference ahead of their championship games this weekend.

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4A: Broomfield vs. Pine Creek

[divider]

5A: Valor Christian vs. Pomona

A roundup of Jeffco prep highlights, interviews and schedules with Dennis Pleuss, Jeffco Public Schools’ Communication Specialist. This month’s edition features football, state volleyball, state gymnastics and early-National Letter of Intent Signing Day.

Golden coach John Anderson hopes his squad can vanquish its playoff demons this season. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

GOLDEN — The spotlight will shine solely on Kayden Sund when Golden’s boys basketball team has Senior Night later this season.

The 6-foot-5 forward is the lone senior in the Demons’ program this year.

“It’s a little weird,” Sund said. “Coach (John) Anderson always takes a picture with all of his seniors at center court with everyone taking a knee. I was the only one looking up at him. It was a little weird, but it was cool.”

Having Sund — Golden’s leading scorer at nearly 14 points per game last year — back is a comfort for longtime coach John Anderson. Sund signed his National Letter of Intent earlier in November to continue his basketball career at Chadron State College in Nebraska.

“I just really loved Coach (Houston) Reed,” Sund said of signing with the Division II program that plays in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. “I think he is really trying to change the culture there. It’s good for me to get it out of the way so I can just focus on basketball.”

Anderson has high expectations for his lone senior.

Golden senior Kayden Sund has signed with Chadron State College. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

“I except him to have a great year,” Anderson said. “We can be special with Kayden. I don’t want to put extra pressure on Kayden, but he can take us to that next level.”

The level Anderson has had the Demons at over the last several years is impressive. Golden has been one of the more consistent 4A programs in the state. The Demons have averaged 20 wins per season the previous three years.

However, the postseason hasn’t been kind to Golden. The Demons have lost home games as the higher seed during the state tournament the previous three seasons. Last year it was a round of 16 loss to Vista Ridge after winning the competitive 4A Jeffco League.

“We take pride in playing here. That has been very disappointing,” Anderson said of the Demons losing at home in the playoffs. “We’ve talked about that from Day 1 this year. It doesn’t matter where you play. You have to show up and play.”

Last year’s tough playoff loss was a huge motivating factor for junior Adam Thistlewood. The 6-foot-6 point guard is focused on doing everything he can in preventing another early postseason exit this year.

“It was extremely motivating.” Thistlewood said of the season-ending playoff loss. “It’s what pushed me this summer. I was probably in the gym four to five hours a day going non-stop. It was probably one of the most disappointing losses.”

Thistlewood has the talent to become of the elite players in 4A with his size and ball skills. Anderson admits he doesn’t want to put too much more on Thistlewood’s shoulders, but knows his star guard will be key to the Demons’ success.

Golden junior Adam Thistlewood, right, could have a breakout season. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

Junior Joe Madsen is another piece to Golden’s puzzle. The 6-foot-5 center will man the post for the Demons and play a bigger role with the graduation of Ryan Blodgett.

Blodgett was a staple on varsity for four season for the Demons. He was Golden’s leading rebounder for three straight seasons, averaging nearly a double-double since his sophomore season.

“We relied on him (Blodgett) to rebound so much last year. We just assumed he would get it,” Anderson said. “That is probably one of our biggest weaknesses right now. Other guys are going to have to step up. I don’t expect anybody to be Ryan Blodgett, but two or three guys have to get the rebounds he got.”

Golden, No. 4 in the CHSAANow.com 4A boys basketball preseason rankings, opens the season with three home games as a part of the D’Evelyn/Golden Preview Classic.

The Demons host Lewis-Palmer, a 4A state quarterfinalist last year, in their season opener at 7 p.m. Thursday. Golden continues the tournament against more 4A powerhouses with No. 7 Mead the following night and No. 5 Holy Family to close out three games in three days.

“I think it will be good for us,” Sund said of Golden opening up the season against tough competition. “It will give us a chance to see where we are at playing good teams.”

The 4A Jeffco League will likely be just as competitive as last season. Valor Christian was the 4A state runner-up last year. Evergreen and D’Evelyn return plenty of talent to be in the mix.

“It’s going to be an absolute grind,” Anderson said of the 4A Jeffco League where all eight teams play each other twice in conference play. “Hopefully it prepares us for the playoffs.”

Thistlewood doesn’t shy away from his expectations of the season.

“Our goal is to make it to the Final 4,” Thistlewood said. “We know (anything) can happen once you get to the Coliseum. Our goal is go get there and go from there.”

Golden junior Riley Stoner, far right, guards senior Kayden Sund (45) during practice over Thanksgiving Break. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

(Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

Chauncey Billups is a legend on Monaco Parkway.

The greatest player in Colorado high school history led George Washington to a pair of state championships. He was named Mr. Basketball three times and was selected as a McDonald’s All-American his senior year.

The point guard, who thrived at the University of Colorado and in the NBA, earning Finals MVP honors in 2004 during a championship run with the Detroit Pistons, piloted the Patriots to their last basketball crown. They won 6A over Horizon in 1994.

Basketball has always meant a great deal to the school. This year’s team has a chance at snapping a 22-year title drought.

“It would mean a lot, because we haven’t won a state championship since Chauncey,” said Calvin Fugett, the current floor general for the Patriots. “It would put George on the map again.”

In many ways, George Washington is already on the map again. They are the two-time defending Denver Prep League champions, boasting a 16-0 record in league play over that span. That came after 3-4 and 4-4 city records the previous two seasons.

“I think the last two seasons were very exciting, because we won the Denver Prep League,” said Jon’il Fugett, Calvin’s brother and capable sidekick. “I remember when Calvin was a freshman and I would go and watch his games. I would see him lose to some of these DPS teams. They got so sad when they lost. They had so much pride. The fact that I haven’t had a loss and haven’t had to feel what they felt is pretty good.”

The program has also reached the 5A Sweet 16 the past two seasons, their deepest tournament runs since 2011, and been one of the more compelling teams to watch.

(Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

Now they want more. A state championship is in their sights and they are brimming with talent. Hoops are alive and well at the traditional city contender.

“When I first got here, a lot of students didn’t go to the games but our style of play is exciting,” said fourth-year coach Reggie Hammons, a former Patriots player. “The crowd is involved again. We have a nice little buzz around the school about the team.”

George Washington, ranked sixth in the preseason CHSAANow 5A poll, might have the fastest group in Colorado. They have the personnel to be in that conversation and love to take advantage, consistently pushing the pace and pressuring opponents with their athleticism.

“We definitely are an athletic, running team, because we’re really guard-heavy,” Calvin Fugett said. “We’re going to be a team that can shoot better this year. We’ve been working on that. We’re going to be a defensive team as well.”

“I don’t really see any team that can hang with us man-to-man or can press us full-court,” Jon’il Fugett added. “If that happens, we’re going to take advantage and attack them.”

Although Daylen Kountz, perhaps Colorado’s best junior prospect, transferred to Denver East, the Patriots still have sufficient star power.

Jon’il (14.4 points per game, 2.1 steals per game as sophomore) and Calvin Fugett (11.1 ppg, 5.8 assists per game as junior) are dynamos in the open court. And 6-foot-5 guard Jervay Green is uber-talented, a senior that Coach Reggie Hammons describes as one of the best in the state. 6-foot-8 Tre Pierce is mobile, a rim-protector who accounted for 2.5 blocks a night as a sophomore.

Above all else, the Patriots will no longer be one of the youngest teams in 5A. Upperclassmen lead the charge, a virtue George Washington hopes will push them into the state finals. Their last appearances in the championship game were in 2009, an overtime loss to Regis Jesuit, and 2001, a 40-39 defeat at the hands of Mullen. The program does have five state championships (1994, 1993, 1986, 1982, 1961).

“To win the state championship, it would be our legacy,” Jon’il Fugett said. “Just like Chauncey has his legacy at George, we would be able to leave our own legacy.”

[divider]

Boys basketball preview

Important dates and info

• Regular season begins: Nov. 30
• Regular season ends: Feb. 18
• Preseason rankings

Class 5A

• Defending champion: Overland
• Preseason No. 1: Eaglecrest
• Returning All-State Players: Sam Masten, Jr., Rock Canyon (1st team); Colbey Ross, Sr., Eaglecrest (1st team); Hunter Maldonado, Sr., Vista Ridge (1st team in 4A); Braxton Bertolette, Sr., Fossil Ridge (2nd team); Jake Belknapp, Sr., Mountain Vista (Honorable mention); Elijah Blake, Sr., Rangeview (Honorable mention); Daylen Kountz, Jr., Denver East (Honorable mention); Jaizec Lottie, Sr., Cherokee Trail (Honorable mention); Kolton Peterson, Sr., Lakewood (Honorable mention).
• Championship: March 11 at Denver Coliseum

Class 4A

• Defending champion: Pueblo West
• Preseason No. 1: Pueblo West
• Returning All-State Players: Jalen Sanders, Sr., Valor Christian (1st team); David Simental, Sr., Pueblo West (1st team); CJ Jennings, Sr., Sierra (2nd team); D’Shawn Schwartz, Sr., Sand Creek (2nd team); Kayle Knuckles, Sr., Valor Christian (Honorable mention); Trey McBride, Jr., Fort Morgan (Honorable mention); Nieyeme Smyer-williams, Jr., Pueblo West (Honorable mention).
• Championship: March 11 at Denver Coliseum

Class 3A

• Defending champion: Colorado Springs Christian
• Preseason No. 1: Colorado Springs Christian
• Returning All-State Players: Justin Engesser, Sr., Colorado Springs Christian (1st team); Tanner Ervin, Sr., Resurrection Christian (1st team in 2A); Ryan Brubacher, Sr., Alamosa (2nd team); Conner Martin, Sr., Strasburg (Honorable mention); Lucas Rodholm, Sr., Manitou Springs (Honorable mention); Robert Williams, Sr., Sheridan (Honorable mention); Will Willis, Sr., Lutheran (Honorable mention).
• Championship: March 11 at University of Denver

Class 2A

• Defending champion: Sanford
• Preseason No. 1: Sanford
• Returning All-State Players: Bradley Claby, Jr., Crowley County (Honorable mention); Dagan Rienks, Sr., Paonia (Honorable mention); Cole Rouse, Sr., Highland (Honorable mention).
• Championship: March 11 at Budweiser Events Center in Loveland

Class 1A

• Defending champion: Fleming
• Preseason No. 1: Fleming
• Returning All-State Players: Jaxon King, Sr., Fleming (1st team); Yaniel Vidal, Sr., Holly (1st team); Sigi Avalos, Sr., Holly (2nd team); Christian Dellamaestra, Sr., Wiley (2nd team); Kendall Pelton, Sr., Cheyenne Wells (2nd team); Alex Vandenbark, Sr., Fleming (2nd team); Ravi Inmon, Sr., Ouray (Honorable mention); Brad Johnson, Sr., Kit Carson (Honorable mention).
• Championship: March 11 at University of Northern Colorado

(Photos: Josh Watt/CHSAANow.com; Matt Daniels/MattDanPhoto.com; Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

AURORA — The 2016-17 winter sports season is upon us.

Wednesday marks the start of competition in all winter sports: boys and girls basketball, hockey, boys and girls skiing, and girls swimming.

The first winter championship will be girls swimming, which has added a 3A classification for the first time this season. Those championships will run Feb. 9-11 at VMAC in Thornton and EPIC in Fort Collins.

The state wrestling tournament is then Feb. 16-18 at the Pepsi Center for all classes.

That championship is followed by the state skiing championships, which will be held this year in Steamboat Springs.

Hockey’s semifinals and championships are March 3-4. A location still needs to be finalized.

Finally, the state basketball championship rounds are March 9-11 at five different sites.

Find all important dates on the 2016-17 calendar.

(Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

Ticket and game information for Saturday’s state football championships is below.

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Class 3A

• Teams: Pueblo East at Discovery Canyon
• Time: 1 p.m.
• Site: District 20 Stadium, Colorado Springs
• Tickets: GoFan.co, or at the stadium beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday
• Stream: NFHSNetwork.com
• Radio: Pueblo Sports Radio (103.3 KIQN, Pueblo), KTSC Rev 89 (Pueblo)

[divider]

Class 4A

• Teams: Broomfield vs. Pine Creek
• Time: 11 a.m.
• Site: Mile High Stadium, Denver
• Tickets: ticketmaster.com, or at the Denver Broncos ticket office
• Parking: Lots open at 8 a.m. Free parking in Lots B, C & D on south side of stadium. Handicap parking in Lots C & D.
• Gates open: 10 a.m. Note that the stadium’s clear bag policy is in effect. All bags are subject to search.
• Seating sections: Broomfield is in 124; Pine Creek is in 104.
• Stream: NFHSNetwork.com
• Radio: The Fan (104.3 FM, Denver); XTRA Sports (1300 AM, Colorado Springs)

[divider]

Class 5A

• Teams: Valor Christian vs. Pomona
• Time: 2:30 p.m.
• Site: Mile High Stadium, Denver
• Tickets: ticketmaster.com, or at the Denver Broncos ticket office
• Parking: Lots open at 8 a.m. Free parking in Lots B, C & D on south side of stadium. Handicap parking in Lots C & D.
• Gates open: 10 a.m. Note that the stadium’s clear bag policy is in effect. All bags are subject to search.
• Seating sections: Pomona is in 122; Valor Christian is in 106.
• Stream: NFHSNetwork.com
• Radio: The Fan (104.3 FM, Denver)

(Josh Watt/CHSAANow.com)

The Class 3A football championship game will be played at District 20 Stadium this Saturday.

The stadium, located on the campus of Liberty High School in Colorado Springs, is the home stadium for Discovery Canyon, the No. 1 overall seed in the 3A playoffs which is set to host Pueblo East for the title game.

To serve as a host site for the 3A championship game, a site must have a minimum seating capacity of 5,000, according the football bulletin. D-20 Stadium has a capacity just under 5,000, so in order to meet that minimum, Discovery Canyon will install an additional 1,500 seats in temporary bleachers.

The decision was arrived at early Monday evening after officials from CHSAA, Discovery Canyon and Academy District 20 spent much of the day talking through logistics of hosting.

Kickoff for the 3A title game is scheduled for 1 p.m. It will be broadcast by the NFHS Network.

Ralston Valley’s girls basketball team in primed for another solid season after reaching the 5A state semifinals last season. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

ARVADA — Ralston Valley’s girls basketball team wants to take that next step.

Last season the Mustangs racked up a 23-4 record and advanced to the Final 4 in the Class 5A state tournament for the first time in the program’s history. While topping last year’s success might be a tall order, Ralston Valley is up to the challenge.

“It was another step for us,” Ralston Valley coach Jeff Gomer said of the Mustangs’ furthest advancement in the postseason. “Our goal is another jump.”

Ralston Valley, ranked No. 2 in the CHSAANow.com 5A girls hoops preseason poll, might very well have the horses to challenge for a state title. The Mustangs graduated only one senior in Hannah Weber.

Ralston Valley coach Jeff Gomer has 324 victories during his coaching career in Colorado. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

Highlands Ranch ended the season last year for Ralston Valley, taking a 20-point victory from the Mustangs in the semifinals last March at the Coors Event Center in Boulder.

“Hopefully we’ll go a little further this year,” Ralston Valley senior Sarah Bevington said. “Last year we ended not the way we wanted to. We want to build off of that this year.”

Bevington is one of four seniors that will lead Ralston Valley. Ashley Van Sickle, Makela Shaklee and Chloe Gillach are the other seniors Gomer will lean on. Gomer — 324 career wins during his prep coaching career — is just two victories away from passing former Pomona coach Bob Hicks (325) with most career victories by a Jeffco girls basketball coach.

Van Sickle has been around for a lot of those victories. The point guard who signed to continue her hoops career at Montana State University has averaged double-digit points her first three seasons at Ralston Valley.

“It makes my job a lot easier,” Gomer said of having so much experience with Van Sickle. “Ashley can darn near coach the team now, she has been playing for so long. When you get in those big games it helps. You’ve been through the ups and downs.”

With her recruiting process over, Van Sickle said she is more relaxed heading into her final prep season.

Ralston Valley senior Makela Shaklee pulls up for a 3-pointer during practice. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

“I’m super excited that I signed. It’s a huge relief off my shoulders,” said Van Sickle, who averaged 15.6 points, 5 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 4.2 steals per game as a junior. “I can just look forward to senior year and help take our team as far as possible.”

An unknown for the Mustangs will be if transfer Delaynie Byrne will be ruled eligible to play this season for Ralston Valley. The 6-foot-3 junior averaged 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds for Broomfield as a sophomore.

Gomer said the best case scenario for the Mustangs is that Byrne would be eligible to play half the season, but there is a chance she could be rule ineligible to play for her entire junior season. Gomer believes the final decision by the Colorado High School Activities Association won’t be made before Christmas.

“I definitely think she (Byrne) would help us,” Gillach said. “Our team is strong right now with or without her. It would definitely be a nice addition. If we don’t have her it would be a bummer.”

With or without Byrne, the Mustangs having plenty of proven scorers returning this season. Van Sickle, Bevington, Shaklee and Gillach all averaged more than 7.5 points per game last season.

“It’s super important,” Shaklee said of the Mustangs’ scoring balance. “We have the team chemistry where we are all interchangeable to an extent. We’ve played together for so many years. We know we have players who will step up in big situations.”

The 5A Jeffco League title will likely come down to Ralston Valley and Lakewood, again. The Mustangs and Tigers have won the conference title the past five years.

“You would expect it to come down to us two,” Gomer said of Lakewood and Ralston Valley battling it out for the league crown.

The showdowns against Lakewood are scheduled for Jan. 5 at Lakewood and Jan. 27 at Ralston Valley.

Before those key conference games, Ralston Valley opens its season 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, at preseason No. 1 Grandview. The Wolves are led the UCLA-bound Michaela Onyenwere, who spearheaded Grandview to the state semifinals last season.

“It’s a good way to start,” Gomer said of facing Grandview in the season opener. “Win or lose, you always focus on getting better. Regardless of what happens, it’s a process. You try to keep focused on the process.”

Ralston Valley senior Ashley Van Sickle has already signed to continue her basketball career at Montana State. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

(Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

Having been on the doorstep of the Class 5A state championship game so many times in recent years, Grandview’s girls basketball team truly believed its time had come last March.

The Wolves were undefeated coming into the state tournament and were the top overall seed. But the team couldn’t quite overcome a slow start against ThunderRidge in the semifinals, and it was the Grizzlies who went on to celebrate a state championship.

Grandview senior Michaela Onyenwere remembers the outcome didn’t truly hit her until she reached the locker room.

“All the emotions started filling the room. We worked so hard and the results showed. They were an amazing team, but we had beaten them before,” she said. “It felt like a lot of things were in our favor.

“It was hard in the locker room. I felt terrible and didn’t want to talk to anyone the next day. It was just an awful, awful feeling.”

So it goes without saying that the Wolves are willing to do what it takes to avoid that sentiment again. After graduating only two seniors, Grandview is eager to get the 2016-17 season underway and prove it can finally break through. The Wolves are ranked No. 1 in the preseason.

For a team that has 114 victories in its past five seasons but no title-game appearances to show for it, close won’t cut it anymore.

“I think everyone realizes how far we can go again this year,” said senior point guard Kennede Brown, who played varsity as a freshman with Onyenwere. “Practices I think are a lot more competitive this year and people are taking it more seriously.

“We realize we don’t have that much time left and this is the last season. We have to go get it this season.”

Grandview coach Josh Ulitzky understands the talent that lines his roster, starting with the reigning 5A Player of the Year. Onyenwere, who recently committed to playing for UCLA, has been a first-team all-state selection in each of her first three seasons. The 6-foot forward averaged 24.5 points a game as a junior to go along with 10.6 rebounds and four steals.

(Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)

“It’s just been a real privilege to get to work with her and see her mentality. She’s being more of a leader, and she’s about as selfless of a player as I’ve seen,” Ulitzky said. “Under the amount of notoriety she’s gained, she’s incredibly humble. She cares about her teammates.”

Brown, junior Jaiden Galloway and sophomore Alisha Davis each averaged a little more than seven points a game last season. Ulitzky pointed out that while Onyenwere receives a lot of the accolades, she doesn’t do it by herself on the court.

“I think it takes every single one of us. Not one player, not two, not three – every single player has to contribute,” Onyenwere said. “Everyone has to have that winning mindset. Everyone has to know we want it more than every other than in the state. We have to realize this is what we want; we want to do something that’s never been done in Grandview history.”

Brown said it doesn’t matter how talented and how skilled the players might be, because if the team doesn’t work together it won’t go very far in the end. But the team’s past postseason history – three semifinal losses over the previous four seasons – won’t be a primary focus.

“We always talk about what we can control. We’ve talked about that for five years,” Ulitzky said. “We control how we execute and the effort with which we play. The focus honestly I don’t think is going to change that much.”

But in the back of their minds, the players still remember the bitter feeling from last March 10 at the Coors Events Center in Boulder. The calendar may have turned a handful of pages, but that doesn’t mean the memory fades.

“Just losing that game propels us to want to win. You can tell even now these girls want it,” Onyenwere said. “I want it more than anything just because of last year. I want it for the girls, I want it for the team, I want it for my coach and I want it for the school.

“That one loss is going to be the driving force for this season.”

[divider]

Girls basketball preview

Class 5A

• Defending Champion: ThunderRidge
• Preseason No. 1: Grandview
• Season Begins: Nov. 30
• Playoffs Begin: Feb. 21
• Championship: March 9-11, Denver Coliseum
• Returning all-state players: Michaela Onyenwere, Sr., Grandview (1st team); Tatum Rembao, Sr., Loveland (2nd team); Ashley Van Sickle, Sr., Ralston Valley (2nd team); Leilah Vigil, Jr., Highlands Ranch (2nd team).

Class 4A

• Defending Champion: Valor Christian
• Preseason No. 1: Valor Christian
• Season Begins: Nov. 30
• Playoffs Begin: Feb. 21
• Championship: March 9-11, Denver Coliseum
• Returning all-state players: Chloe Welch, Jr., Mesa Ridge (2nd team).

Class 3A

• Defending Champion: Lutheran
• Preseason No. 1: Manitou Springs
• Season Begins: Nov. 30
• Playoffs Begin: Feb. 24
• Championship: March 9-11, University of Denver
• Returning all-state players: Shelby Megyeri, Jr., Manitou Springs (1st team).

Class 2A

• Defending Champion: Yuma
• Preseason No. 1: Paonia
• Season Begins: Nov. 30
• Playoffs Begin: Feb. 23
• Championship: March 9-11, Budweiser Events Center, Loveland
• Returning all-state players: Sophia Anderson, Sr., Paonia (2nd team).

Class 1A

• Defending Champion: Idalia
• Preseason No. 1: Kit Carson
• Season Begins: Nov. 30
• Playoffs Begin: Feb. 23
• Championship: March 9-11, UNC, Greeley (title game at BEC in Loveland)
• Returning all-state players: Bree-ann Carwin, Sr., South Baca; Tess Hornung, Soph., Kit Carson; Micayla Isenbart, Jr., Kit Carson (1st team); Sarah McGinley, Sr., Heritage Christian.