The state baseball tournament in Class 3A has been further postponed to Tuesday and Wednesday of next week as a result of field conditions at the host sites.
The 3A games are being held at Niwot High School and Butch Butler Field in Greeley. They will be on the same time schedule as originally planned, and at the same sites.
Each of the other tournaments remain on schedule after their initial alterations, which were announced on Thursday.
THORNTON and AIR FORCE ACADEMY — Live results from the 2017 boys state swimming and diving championships are below. Navigate to the classification of your choosing below.
AURORA — Weather forecasts called for storms in the area of Legacy Stadium. But the only thing pouring was the amount of goals that Cherry Creek was able to score early.
The Bruins struck fast. And they struck often. The end result was a 13-5 win over Kent Denver to advance to the Class 5A boys lacrosse title game. After missing out last year, Cherry Creek will head back to Sports Authority Field at Mile High to play for a state title.
“The Kent-Creek rivalry always brings the intensity that’s there an we felt it at the beginning of the game,” Nolting said. ”
Asher Nolting got the Bruins (17-1 overall) on the board less than two minutes in. Two minutes later, Griffin Gharrity pushed the lead to 2-0. Nolting and Gharrity each finished with two goals, as did Alec Bildstein and Jimmy Erickson.
From that point on, every ground ball seemed to go to the Bruins. Every face-off seemed to wind up in their hands. They were getting plenty of chances and taking advantage of every one.
“So much of the game is ground balls,” Bruins coach Bryan Perry said. “We knew those were going to be a key in this one too.”
The Sun Devils (13-5) finally got on the board with 9:17 left in the game with a strike from Ryan Bergner. He ended with two in the game.
Returning to the championship game is a welcome feeling for the team who last won a 5A title in 2015, beating Regis Jesuit, the very team they will face on Friday.
It was the Raiders who are responsible for the one loss on Cherry Creek’s record. Regis won that game 14-11 back on Mar. 15. But since then the Bruins have been on a roll, which includes a 14-4 over nationally-ranked Torrey Pines.
“We’ve changed our mindset on offense a lot,” Nolting said. “On defense, we’ve been more patient with the ball. Our intensity has been higher and we’re ready for Friday.
Their only goal heading into Friday is to keep this momentum rolling for just one more game. If they can do that, they’ll once again hoist a championship trophy.
DENVER — On an evening that saw dark clouds roll in above All-City Stadium, it was fitting that Denver Christian girls soccer stormed into the Class 2A championship game.
The Thunder (15-2-0) scored two goals within five minutes of one another in the first half, then cruised to a 6-1 win over Fountain Valley on Wednesday. It will be Denver Christian’s first appearance in a state title game since 2005.
Denver Christian’s Miranda Kortenhoeven scored two goals, both in the second half, to help the top-seeded Thunder put the game out of reach. Kortenhoeven now has 20 goals this season.
Denver Christian junior Sidney Beijer opened the scoring when she broke in alone on Fountain Valley keeper Ava Rahm and tucked a low shot just inside the far post.
Just 4:20 after that, Hally Herder, another junior, scored off a corner kick to give the Thunder a two-goal cushion in the first half.
For each girl, it was their 10th goal of the season.
After the break, Grace Phillips made it 3-0 in favor of Denver Christian with 33 minutes to play. Kortenhoeven then added her first tally five minutes later when her free kick careened in off the crossbar.
Fountain Valley’s McKenna Monk did cut things to 4-1 briefly — it was her classification-best 42nd goal this season — before Kortenhoeven scored again with 16:53 to play.
Denver Christian’s leading scorer, freshman Kara Amidon, made it 6-1 two minutes after that off a corner kick. It was her 26th goal of the year.
Denver Christian girls soccer has gone to eight championship games prior to this season, but none since 2005. All of them came when the program was competing in 3A. The Thunder have been 2A since 2015, and made two trips to the semifinals in those three seasons.
Fountain Valley ends the year 12-6-0. The semifinal appearance marks the furthest the program has ever gone in the postseason.
“They were very sharp in all facets. We stuck to our gameplan and executed it well,” Dawson coach Peter Devlin said. “I’m super proud of these guys and all the hard work they’ve put in. We’ve been wanting to get back to this game really bad.
“We’re trying to focus on every day and trying to get better. Work on the details and make sure we’re learning.”
Gavin Pure led Dawson with five goals, including three in the first half.
“The gameplan was to move the ball, possess the ball and win faceoffs. Kyle (Sudol) won just about every faceoff,” Pure said. “Possess, pass, pass, dodge and get our shots. We did a great job of that, and when the ball did get on our defensive end, our six-on-six defense shut them down.”
Jack Shams netted three goals in the game, including a howler from deep. Taylor Kamigaki and Hunter Watts each had three goals a piece.
Both Shams and Pure had hat tricks by halftime as Dawson led 10-1 after two quarters.
“Try to embrace the adversity rather than run away from it,” Pure said. “I think especially this game and moving into the championship, that’s the biggest thing. At this point, the teams are so good that it’s about holding them so they can’t go on a run. They’re going to get a goal here and there, but it’s about possessing the ball and being aware.”
Dawson held Conifer’s prolific goal-scorers to almost zero opportunities.
“We were trying to limit their transition opportunities and play six on six. We feel really good about defense,” Devlin said. “They have three very talented attackmen and when they get the ball in transition, they’re very crafty with their sticks.”
And when they got an opportunity, Dawson Santangelo was in net to stone the shot.
“(Santangelo) played so awesome today,” Devlin said. “He’s such a talented kid and we’re lucky to have him. A couple huge saves that could have been goals with another goalie, and next thing you know, it’s going the other way.”
Chase Phelps was held scoreless after coming into the game with 49 goals and 101 points. The next top goal scorers on Conifer — Mason Meyer, Nick Williams and Riley Miller — were held to just a goal a piece.
(Cannon Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Meyer gave Conifer a chance down 6-0, as he worked his way towards goal and ripped a shot. The ball went off the post and Mac Zee took it right down and gave the Mustangs a 7-0 lead.
It was more of the same in the second half as Dawson never let Conifer into the game and controlled the possession in the offensive end.
“We know we’re going to win a lot of faceoffs, and our offense kind of takes care of itself as long as we can limit the time of possession for the other team,” Devlin said.
Miller got Conifer on the board in the second half to close the score to 11-2, but Asher Walker made sure that hope was short-lived with a goal of his own to extend the Dawson lead.
Again, Cole Hollander scored for Conifer to make it 12-3, but Kamigaki put a goal in less than a minute later.
“I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time,” Pure said. “They’re a great team and we’re going to have to put a good game together. They’re going to be a tough opponent, but so are we. It’s going to be a battle.”
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Valor Christian pulls away from Cheyenne Mountain to advance to 4A championship
Valor Christian absorbed a comeback from Cheyenne Mountain after pulling away early to vault into the Class 4A boys lacrosse championship.
Valor Christian went on a 7-0 second-quarter run to make a 4-3 lead into an 11-3 lead.
Grayson Goodyear scored the first three goals for Valor Christian to give the Eagles a 3-2 lead after one quarter.
But, Cheyenne Mountain would not go down easy. The Indians responded to make it 12-7.
And again, Valor Christian came right back. Goodyear, Tillman and Seidlin scored three quick goals to extend the lead to 15-7.
The Eagles then cruised to a 17-9 win and will face Dawson to defend their title.
AURORA — The Class 5A boys lacrosse semifinal game between Regis Jesuit and Arapahoe was suspended Wednesday night because of lightning.
Regis Jesuit was leading 10-5 at the time the game was suspended.
After conferring with teams and officials, CHSAA commissioner Paul Angelico determined that it was best to send the players and spectators home and finish the game Thursday morning.
The game is scheduled for a 10 a.m. start at the Stutler Bowl.
“Its a school night and we had two groups of students gathered together underneath the bleachers,” Angelico said. “The weather tends to be better at the Stutler Bowl and we typically don’t get lightning in the mornings.”
When the game resumes, there will be 7:26 remaining on the clock.
There will be no entrance fee for anyone wanting to see the ending of the game.
DENVER — The second Class 2A girls soccer semifinal game between Dawson School and Front Range Christian was suspended before play could be completed on Wednesday.
The two teams were scoreless in the second half when play was stopped due to lightning in the area. They waited 45 minutes, but the storm hovered in the area of All-City Stadium, where the game was being played.
As the night wore on, and teams tried to wait out the delay, both schools agreed postpone the game to Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Denver Christian.
Play will resume with 31:52 remaining in the second half. Dawson has the ball on the opposing 15-yard-line, as marked on the football field. There will be no entrance fee.
D’Evelyn sophomore Shiloh Miller (9) attempts to weave past a trio of TCA defenders Wednesday night. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
LAKEWOOD — D’Evelyn sophomore Anna Pampalone didn’t get all of it, but she got enough of it.
Pampalone was able to kick in the lone goal in the Class 4A girls soccer state quarterfinal game against The Classical Academy on Wednesday night at Lakewood Memorial Field. The Jaguars’ reserve put in the eventual game-winning goal in the 58th minute in No. 4-seeded D’Evelyn’s 1-0 victory over No. 5 TCA.
“There was a lot of confusion in the goal box. Everyone was just going at it,” Pampalone said. “I just tapped it in. It just kind of rolled in.”
The ball almost looked like it was going in slow-motion as it floated into the goal past TCA junior goalie Lauren Fletcher. The goal came after the Jaguars (14-3-1 record) applied a ton of offensive pressure entering the second half after a scoreless first 40 minutes.
“We just had to keep pushing through,” said D’Evelyn sophomore Laryssa Hamblen, who had a shot just slide wide of the goal in the 51st minute. “We felt it coming in the first half. We just made it happen in the second half.”
D’Evelyn’s Bella Scaturro (12) clears a ball out of danger. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
D’Evelyn sophomore goalie Kiera Hess picked up the shutout victory in goal. The Titans (15-2) nearly tied the game up in the 65th minute. A clearing attempt near the Jaguars’ goal line ricocheted off TCA sophomore Kaylee Thompson and right back at Hess.
The sophomore was able to make the stop off the deflection and was never really threatened in the final 15 minutes of play. D’Evelyn coach Paul Moline said one of the major keys was to control the midfield and limit the scoring chances of TCA senior Hannah Burgo, who came in with 34 goals on the season.
“We just had to stay patient because we had chances. It was just that final piece,” Moline said after the Jaguars advanced to the state semifinals for the first time since 2009. “I felt like we won individual battles all over the field today.”
D’Evelyn’s Laryssa Hamblen waits for the ball to drop Wednesday night. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The next battle D’Evelyn faces is squaring off against Jeffco rival and top-seeded Valor Christian. The Eagles (15-1) defeated No. 8 Mullen 3-0 in Highlands Ranch. That game featured a long lightning delay before finishing late in the night.
“We are just battle tested with playing in (4A) Jeffco. That part really helped us out,” Moline said. “We don’t care who we play. We just are waiting for the next team and thinking about what is in front of us.”
Valor edged D’Evelyn 1-0 back in 2009 in the state semifinals, the year Wheat Ridge won its first of back-to-back 4A state titles. The Jaguars hope the story is different Saturday, May 20, at EchoPark Stadium in Parker when D’Evelyn faces Valor with a ticket to the 4A title game on the line.
D’Evelyn has never played in a girls soccer championship game.
“We are definitely excited,” Hamblen said of the Jaguars’ third trip to the state semifinals in the program’s history. “We are definitely pumped up.”
D’Evelyn faces Jeffco Legue rival Valor Christian in the 4A semifinals Saturday at EchoPark Stadium in Parker. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Evergreen junior Alex Mason (9) battles to get a shot off during the 4A quarterfinal Wednesday night at Lakewood Memorial Field. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
LAKEWOOD — Finishing in a downpour was appropriate for Evergreen’s girls soccer team Wednesday night Lakewood Memorial Field.
The rain cleansed the No. 7-seeded Cougars (12-6 record) from a frustrating 2-1 loss against Wheat Ridge during conference play more than a month ago. Evergreen washed away that defeat by flipping the script with a 2-1 win over the No. 2 Farmers in an all-Jeffco 4A state quarterfinal.
“It’s means so much,” Evergreen junior Sydney Westgard said of defeating rival Wheat Ridge. “The tables were kind of turned. They beat us 2-1 and now we beat them 2-1. It feels amazing to beat them.”
Westgard gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead with a goal in the 33rd minute. The junior forward rocketed a shot past Wheat Ridge sophomore goalie Logan Duford after a pass from junior Lauryn Jeans.
Evergreen’s Sydney Westgard scored the first goal for the Cougars. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“I think it was all about composure when the ball was crossed,” Westgard said of her goal. “I just took a couple of touches to get past a few (defenders). I took a nice composed shot to the lower bottom corner because I know that’s a hard ball for the goalie in this kind of weather.”
The goal allowed Evergreen to take a 1-0 lead into halftime before heavy rain poured down for the majority of the second half.
“That play we found an open player and some space,” Evergreen coach Peter Jeans said of the Cougars’ first goal. “Lauryn Jeans made the perfect pass to Sydney. Sydney was able to thread a beautiful finish.”
Evergreen’s second goal came off a penalty kick. Senior Elise Adreon was taken down in the Farmers’ goalie box in the first minute of the second half. Lauryn Jeans, the coach’s daughter, buried the PK to extend the Cougars’ lead to 2-0.
“It was a tough way to start the second half,” Wheat Ridge coach Dan Watkins said of giving up the PK. “But, I’m super proud of how our girls competed. It’s a fantastic group.”
Wheat Ridge’s Rylie Pachello (15) and Evergreen’s Sofia Weiner (14) battle. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Wheat Ridge (15-3) didn’t go quietly in the final minutes. Wheat Ridge senior Alex Nillen scored on a breakaway goal in the 76th minute to cut the Cougars’ lead in half.
“We probably needed to get it a little sooner,” Watkins said of Nillen’s goal with four minutes to play. “That is the type of character this group has. They fought to the finish. We just ran out of time against a good team.”
In the conference battle between Wheat Ridge and Evergreen on April 13, Nillen put in a pair of second-half goals to give Wheat Ridge a come-from-behind 2-1 victory.
The Cougars proceeded to lose three more regular-season games after the loss to the Farmers, but came in red-hot with big postseason wins over Discovery Canyon and Standley Lake. Evergreen has outscored its playoff opponents 11-2.
“This is great,” Jeans said of making the semifinals. “We haven’t been to the semifinals since 1997 when my assistant coach (Alexis Thomas) was on the team.”
Evergreen went on to claim its second girls soccer title 20 years ago with a 5-4 victory over Air Academy in the championship game. The Cougars’ other girls soccer championship came in 1990.
Next up for Evergreen is a trip to EchoPark Stadium in Parker for the 4A state semifinals Saturday, May 20. The Cougars face No. 6 Windsor, who upset defending state champion Lewis-Palmer 3-2 on Wednesday in another quarterfinal game in Colorado Springs.
“At this point every time is really good,” Coach Jeans said. “We just look forward to get to the state semifinals. It will be another great match.”
Three Jeffco League teams — Valor, D’Evelyn and Evergreen — makes up the four semifinalist in the 4A girls soccer state tournament. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
LAKEWOOD — The state track and field championships have been postponed due to the storm that blew in overnight, and left snow on the infield and track at Jeffco Stadium.
The storm is expected to last through Friday, making it prohibitive to run any events. As a result, the state meet has been moved to a two-day schedule, and will run on Saturday and Sunday.
“This snow came earlier than any forecast we’d seen,” said CHSAA assistant commissioner Jenn Roberts-Uhlig, who administers track.
Early Thursday morning, track’s games committee met at Jeffco Stadium and made the decision to postpone the first day of events because track and field conditions on site wouldn’t allow for safe competition.
That committee continued to meet through the morning on Thursday to discuss further plans. By late morning, they came to the conclusion that Friday would not be an option, either.
Any athlete knowing they will scratch and not participate in any event needs to notify Jenn Roberts-Uhlig via email by Friday at noon. At that time, the meet will be reseeded and new heat sheets will be posted by Friday afternoon.
Details on how the meet will run:
The revised schedule has a time slot at 11:50 a.m. on Sunday to honor those seniors who will be missing their graduation. They are encouraged to wear caps and gowns. Their coaches must check in to the inquiry table in order to participate.
There will be no prelims in running events. All events will be transitioned into timed finals.
Field events will have four throws and jumps, without prelims. All will be finals. Judges will adjust and move participants as needed, and/or consolidate from two flights to one flight.
Adjustments may be made for the starting heights of the pole vault and high jump to accommodate weather conditions and the number of participants.
In the high jump, there will be two-inch increments until one jumper remains. He or she will determine the heights.
Pole vaulters will have six-inch increments until one jumper remains. He or she will determine the heights.
The uniform rules will be enforced without exception.
Relay participants are not needed until teams turn in their relay card with the clerk. Therefore, they may make changes prior to check in for that race. Relay cards are in packs, and can be picked up at 6:30 a.m. Saturday.
Gates will also open to athletes at 6:30 a.m. Saturday. General public can enter at 7 a.m. on both days.
The Unified/Paralympic and Special Olympic races will be combined into one event of a 100-meter dash at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
