AURORA — No. 4 Cherry Creek used a late-inning offensive explosion to top No. 5 Regis Jesuit on Tuesday.
A seven-run seventh inning, started by a double off the wall from Tanner O’Tremba, lifted Cherry Creek to a 10-4 win.
It was a pitcher’s duel throughout as Regis ace and Texas Christian commit Caleb Sloan gave up an early two-run homerun but then proceeded to shut down the Bruins. It was the junior, Jake Lawrence, who had the exceptional performance for the Bruins on the hill as the reliever allowed just one hit in four innings.
“It was a really good team win,” said O’Tremba, a Texas Tech commit. “We always have intensity in the seventh inning and we need to take it throughout the game, we never give up and that’s the best part about this team.”
The Bruins have had three of their four games this season decided in the seventh inning, and they have found a way to win two of those.
“No one ever hangs their head and no one quits on each other,” O’Tremba said. “(Coach Marc Johnson) has scheduled every good team in the state this year, so we have seen a lot of good pitching. I think we have the experience we just need to do what we did in the last inning and we will be good.”
The No. 5 Regis Jesuit Raiders took a tough loss in their opening game, but they will be back in action on the road at No. 7 Ralston Valley on Wednesday to look to rebound after this loss.
No. 4 Cherry Creek will face No. 10 Heritage on Thursday afternoon in Littleton as the Bruins look to get one more victory before they head off on their spring break trip.
AURORA — Tom Robinson, CHSAA’s associate commissioner, isn’t leaving the staff just yet.
The longtime CHSAA administrator will officially retire on July 1, as he had planned, but will stay in his role on a limited basis until the end of the 2017-18 school year.
Incoming CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green asked Robinson to stay on to help in the transition of his position. Both Robinson and Blanford-Green agreed that it was in the best interest of the Association for Robinson to remain for another year.
“This will help enable stability for the membership, deepen the staff’s knowledge of his role, and also ensure we replace his position appropriately,” Blanford-Green said. “Tom has graciously agreed to this plan in order to assist the Association.”
Said Robinson: “I’m hopeful that my decision to return will truly benefit Rhonda’s vision and the Association as a whole.”
Robinson will work a limited number of days throughout the year, as is allowed under PERA retirement.
A longtime on-field official, Robinson oversees all of officiating for CHSAA. He also administers golf and sportsmanship.
Because Robinson is being retained, he will remain as associate commissioner, and no additional staff position will be hired for the 2017-18 school year.
Green Mountain freshman Addisyn Hyrup (9) scored a pair of goals Monday to give her six on the season. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
LAKEWOOD — What a different a year makes.
Last season, Green Mountain’s girls soccer team finished with a 2-12 record and scored just 15 goals the whole season. Ten of those goals came in a single game.
A year later, the Rams have already surpassed their win total from 2016. Green Mountain’s latest victory came against Class 5A Jeffco’s Dakota Ridge on Monday at Lakewood Memorial Field.
Green Mountain (3-0 record) took a 2-0 lead early in the second half and was able to withstand some good pressure from the Eagles (2-3) in the final 20 minutes to eventually take a 3-1 victory.
“We didn’t play well, but we found a way to score a couple,” Green Mountain coach John Barone said. “It’s a big difference from last year when we couldn’t find a way to get a goal even when we played better than this.”
Green Mountain’s Danielle Lord (19) and Dakota Ridge’s Avery Trigg, left, battle for a 50-50 ball. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Freshman Addisyn Hyrup has been a scoring machine for the Rams. Hyrup has six goals already on the season. The forward scored in the 6th and 49th minutes Monday to give the Rams a 2-0 lead.
Hyrup’s first goal came off a shot that looked improbable when she fired it as a pair of Dakota Ridge defenders closed in. The hard and high shot hit the inside of the far post and ricocheted over the goal line.
“Six goals in three game,” Barone said of the Rams’ scoring machine. “We are lucky to have her. She is a great player. She has a great shot and finds ways to get it off.”
The freshman admits she didn’t expect to have this type of early impact for the Rams.
“I hadn’t practiced with the team for a while because of club training,” said Hyrup, who gets the chance to play with her older sister Jadyn. “I’m surprised that I’m scoring a lot for the team.”
Dakota Ridge trimmed the lead to 2-1 with a goal by senior Hannah Matson in the 63rd minute. Matson’s shot sailed over the head of Green Mountain goalie Emma Lonergan and into the back of the net to make it a 1-goal game.
Dakota Ridge senior Kelsie Pierpoint (19) fends off Green Mountain junior Alexandrea Pietro (14). (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The Eagles had a couple of chances to even the game at 2-2. However, Dakota Ridge failed to get the equalizer. Green Mountain junior Sydney Weathers sealed the victory with a goal with 9 seconds remaining.
“This is a huge step for our team,” Green Mountain senior captain Danielle Lord said. “We had quite a young team last year. Now that we are a year old we’ve developed into better and stronger players. I hope we continue to be successful moving forward.”
Barone gave a lot of credit to the Rams’ backline of Elli Berger, Anistin Pazink, Jadyn Hyrup and Lord for helping Green Mountain surrender just a single goal in the second half.
“The whole second half was in our own end, but the defense played great,” Barone said. “Our back four are great. They are going to keep us in a lot of games.”
Green Mountain will get a hefty test Wednesday, March 22, at Lakewood Memorial Field. Defending 4A state champion Lewis-Palmer (3-0), ranked No. 2 in the latest CHSAANow.com 4A girls soccer poll, squares off against the hot Rams.
“We could surprise some people potentially,” Lord said about the Rams when they begin their 4A Jeffco League schedule after spring break next week. “What is nice about being the underdog is we can prove everyone else wrong.”
Dakota Ridge gets right back on the field when they face D’Evelyn at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Lakewood Memorial Field. The Jaguars (3-0) are No. 7 in the 4A rankings.
Dakota Ridge’s Kayta Arbuthnot, left, and Green Mountain’s Jadyn Hyrup battle for control of the ball Monday at Lakewood Memorial Field. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Congratulations to the winners of the Spring Season Fuel Up with Milk Grants!
Arvada High School Girls Soccer
Basalt High School Girls Tennis
Each team will receive cash to purchase milk (both white and chocolate) for their athletes for the entire sport season, soft-sided coolers for easy milk transport (perfect for travel days, practices and home games), a Fuel Up with Milk banner and additional promotional and educational materials.
Keep an eye on the CHSAANow Nutrition Corner for a feature story on each of these teams in the coming months.
Would you like to see your athletes excel both on and off the field by replenishing their bodies with white or chocolate milk? Your team could win funds to provide FREE milk for a season.
If your student athletes aren’t fueling up with low-fat white or chocolate milk, this is a great opportunity to get started!
Download the fall sport grant application on WesternDairyAssociation.org. Application MUST be postmarked by June 9, 2017 for Fall Sports.
Interested in reading about our new Colorado Spirit Award scholarship offered in partnership with CHSAA? Click hereto check it out.
Athletes can train harder and perform better with proper nutrition. Visit WesternDairyAssociation.org to read more about milk as an exercise recovery beverage and learn how to eat for peak athletic performance.
