Ralston Valley’s Gianna Browdy was the 5A Jeffco League MVP last season. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
ARVADA — Ralston Valley softball coach Wendy Davies wouldn’t mind avoiding the up-and-down season the Mustangs experienced last year.
While Ralston Valley eventually went undefeated in Class 5A Jeffco League play for the second straight season — the Mustangs haven’t lost a conference game since Oct. 2, 2014 — there was a six-game losing streak before league play. Then there was the loss at regionals that forced Ralston Valley to defeat Mountain Vista twice to even advance to the 16-team 5A state tournament.
“It was a rollercoaster,” said Davies, who is starting her 18th season guiding Ralston Valley’s successful softball program. “I hope it resonates within them. I hope they remember that and what it feels like. I want them to remember what it took to comeback, work hard and work through it.”
Junior Abri Trujillo will step into the starting catcher role for Ralston Valley this season. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The Mustangs, along with Jeffco rival Dakota Ridge, bowed out of the state tournament with first-round losses in 2016.
Davies has always stressed that each season is a new year with new players and new chemistry. However she is excited to have starting pitcher and last year’s 5A Jeffco MVP back in senior Gianna Browdy.
“I think she (Browdy) will do great,” Davies said. “I was really impressed with her last year. She stepped up for us pitching, hitting, everything. She had a great year.”
Ralston Valley graduated four seniors and starting shortstop Christaana Angelopulos transferred to rival Arvada West this school year. Browdy said she is looking forward to playing against her former teammate and is confident the Mustangs have the talent to fill the voids.
“We are focusing on working together and getting everything done that we need to this year,” said Browdy, who nearly battled .500 last season along with 13 wins in the circle for the Mustangs. “We’ve got a lot of younger players this year. We’ve got to work together. This year our main focus is winning as many (games) as we can.”
Another key piece to the puzzle for Ralston Valley will be at catcher. The graduation of four-year starter Alexa Samuels behind the plate is big. Davies is confident that junior Abri Trujillo will be up to the challenge.
Kaylee Cerrone throws from second base during practice last week. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“Abri does a great job,” Davies said of the Mustangs’ new catcher. “She has some learning to do on the whole catching position. She will work her tail off.”
Ralston Valley will begin its regular season on the road against Mountain Vista on Thursday, Aug. 24. The high school season comes on the heels of a busy summer where some club players play up to 120 games from November until the end of the July.
While Davies believes some softball players get burnt out from a long club season, she feels fortunate to have a dedicated group of girls year-after-year.
“I think high school is nice,” Davies said. “They do enjoy coming back together and playing with their friends. We talk a lot about having pride in your school.”
Davies — Arvada West graduate who played softball at Florida State University and was inducted into the Jeffco Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013 — has some company with another top Jeffco graduate and athlete heading up a softball program in Jeffco. After a few years as an assistant coach at Chatfield, Jenny Lazzeri has moved into the head coaching job for the Chargers’ softball program.
“I love coaching. I feel like coaching and teaching is why I’m here on this Earth,” said Lazzeri, who is a physical education teacher at Chatfield. “That’s my skill set and what I’m good at. I love working with young woman and female athletes so they can be the best they can be.”
Chatfield junior Taylor Wittwer, left, it back after suffering a knee injury last season. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Lazzeri is a Green Mountain High School graduate where she played basketball and softball. Lazzeri went on to play basketball for four years at the University of Wyoming (1996-1999) before returning to teach in Jeffco. She coached basketball for five years at Green Mountain.
“I think it’s great,” Davies said of Lazzeri taking over the program at Chatfield. “I think the kids need great role models. They know their coach has been to that next level (college) — be it basketball or softball. Jen is a great lady and is going to do a great job over there.”
The Chargers have some work to do. Chatfield graduated seven seniors and finished near the bottom of 5A Jeffco with a 1-6 conference mark last season.
“Everyone is kind of counting us out, but I’m pretty excited about the kids that we have,” Lazzeri said. “We have some hardworking kids. Kids with good integrity and character. We’ve got some freshmen who will be playing with us on varsity. I think we’ll be able to compete.”
Besides a six-game losing streak to end last season, the Chargers also lost all-conference outfielder Taylor Wittwer toward the end of the season with a knee injury.
“I was very disappointed,” Wittwer said of suffering the injury just before the regional tournament. “It was hard not knowing what my outcome would be. Not knowing if I would ever play again.”
Wittwer had surgery last November and spent six weeks on crutches. She missed the majority of the track season, but is back on the field for the Chargers this fall.
“Our goal is to work together and have a better outcome than last season. We weren’t very united,” Wittwer said. “Lazzeri has worked hard on bring us together as a team.”
While being a competitive team this season is definitely a goal, Lazzeri has a big picture focus for Chatfield’s softball program and its future.
“What I ultimately want is kids in this area to be excited about wanting to go to Chatfield,” Lazzeri said. “I want girls at a young age knowing that they want to go to Chatfield to play softball.”
Green Mountain graduate Jen Lazzeri at now at the helm of Chatfield’s softball program. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
In the first game of the year, Lamar softball showed it means business in 2017.
The year opened with a league game against St. Mary’s and it was the Savages who came out strong, getting the 9-0 win.
The preseason rankings were favorable for Lamar (1-0 overall, 1-0 Class 3A District 2) who opened as the No. 5 team in the 3A polls.
“It’s not preferable (opening up with a league game), but we’ve been doing it for a long time,” Lamar coach Mindy McCoy said. “It’s what we’ve gotten used and it’s okay considering our girls play all summer long.”
They had dreams of a championship run in 2016, but ran into a strong Brush team, who came away with a 12-2 win.
The Pirates (0-1, 0-1) were unable to get any runners across the plate, but remained within striking distance through three innings.
The Savages were only up 2-0, but a three-run fourth inning made the lead a little more comfortable. They added four more runs in the sixth, sending a message to teams within the league and across the state that they are a team that should not be taken lightly.
“I saw a lot of good things to start the season,” McCoy said. “My pitcher Lacey Cohen came out and pitched a great game. Hitting-wise, the girls did everything that I asked of them and scored a lot of runs.”
Cohen threw all seven innings and scored two runs for the Savages. Morgan Reed went 2-for-4 and also scored a run.
Peyton Richter went 2-for-3 for the Pirates.
Lamar is back in action on Friday when it hosts Burlington. The Cougars are unranked, but received votes in this week’s preseason poll.
The Pirates will try to get into the win column when they host No. 6 La Junta on Tuesday.
Pomona coach Tracey Boychuk has guided the Panthers to back-to-back 5A team titles. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
ARVADA — Two-time defending Class 5A gymnastics state champion Pomona has the defending 5A individual all-around champion Brooke Weins back.
However, there is a possibility the junior won’t have the opportunity to defend her all-around title. Weins had her left ankle heavily wrapped during the Panthers’ first official practice on Monday. It was evidence left behind after suffering a broken ankle four months ago during a floor routine.
“I want to win (all-around) at state again, but if it doesn’t happen I’m not going to be super bummed out,” said Weins, who added her beam and bars routines will be even stronger this year with her only being able to practice on those two events so far since the injury.
Pomona junior Brooke Weins practices on the beam fourth months after breaking her left ankle. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Weins was cleared by doctors to compete on the beam and bars — events she won during the individual apparatus competition at state last year — but there is a chance she might not be able to compete in the floor and vault this fall.
“I’m just trying to get everything back,” said Weins, who has committed to the University of Missouri for gymnastics. “I want to do my best and prove that I can be as good as I was.”
Weins has dealt with injuries earlier in her prep career. It’s clear Pomona coach Tracey Boychuk isn’t counting Weins out to make her mark this season.
“She is a hard worker and if she gets something in her mind that she wants to do she is going to do it,” coach Boychuk said of last year’s 5A all-around state champion. “I don’t doubt that we’ll have her on bars at some point and probably beam. I’m not going to push her to tumble or vault this year.”
Something positive coming out not having Weins at 100 percent to start the season is Pomona has the type program that has the depth to overcome injuries. Senior Kelsey Boychuk, the coach’s daughter, and sophomore Kaylie Berens are two more returning all-state gymnasts besides Weins.
Some other Panthers who will step into bigger roles are sophomore Audrey Brandt, junior Katie Olson and senior Sarah Hooper.
“Anything can happen,” Boychuk said, looking back on her fall on the beam during the team competition at state that cost her a shot at a third-straight all-around title. “We always have each other’s backs. We know we need more girls to step up for Brooke in floor and vault.”
Boychuk won the 5A all-round title in 2014 and 2015. She is coming off winning the vault last year. The senior said she is more focused on team goals going into this year.
Pomona senior Kelsey Boychuk will continue her gymnastics career at Iowa State University. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“This year for me it’s more about the team doing well then me individually. I want to see if this team can get three in a row,” said Boychuk, who is committed to Iowa State University. “I just want to enjoy every second of it no matter what happens, the good and the bad.”
If Pomona can pull of a three-peat, the Panthers would be closer to matching Bear Creek’s feat of winning fourth-straight titles from 1974 to 1977.
“That’s definitely in the back of our minds,” coach Boychuk said of a three-peat. “But just like last year, it’s a goal but we have to stay healthy, get what we need to get out of our routines and hit when it counts.”
Coach Boychuk likes the make-up of her team with six seniors to help lead the team through the ups and downs of the season.
“It’s great to have that leadership and those are the kids who really want to be here,” said coach Boychuk, who talked about how all her seniors stayed late to work with young inspiring gymnasts during Pomona pee-wee camp it held before the start of the season.
Pomona’s first regular-season action will be hosting a meet with Bear Creek and defending 4A state champion Green Mountain on Aug. 30. The Rams have plenty of talent, but a new coach with Taelore Fehr taking over the program after the successful wife and husband tandem of Sandi and Dan Patterson stepped down after the end of the 2016 season to spend more time supporting their three sons in their athletic activities.
Pomona hopes to leap into a third straight Class 5A state team title. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Davis Bryant‘s only bogey of the day came on the second hole of the Centennial League’s first meet.
From that point on, he was only steady and strong, turning in a three-under-par 67 to claim the win at Meadow Hills.
He made bogey on No. 2 to move to one-over, but starting on hole four, made three straight birdies to seize the lead.
He never relented, rattling off seven pars in a row before making birdie on No. 14.
Arapahoe’s Tommy Packer, Alex Yano and Caleb Busta all finished in the top 10, good enough to give the Warriors the overall team win.
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Montezuma-Cortez, Durango win at Pagosa Invitational
Montezuma-Cortez’s Cris Rudosky claimed the individual win at the Pagosa Invitational with a 74, six strokes better than Alamosa’s Aaron Hsu.
Durango had four golfers who finished in the top 11 which was good enough to give the Demons a decisive team win.
Ryan Genualdi led the Durango charge, shooting a 81.
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Brighton, Prairie View win at Aurora Hills
Terrance Barrios made birdie on No. 15 to get back to even at Thursday’s EMAC tournament at Aurora Hills.
He and Brighton’s Jay Audette-Smith both shot 72 to sit atop the leaderboard. Barrios is listed as the winner on iWanamaker.
The Thunderhawks shot 15-over to claim the team title.
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Three shoot under par at Eaton Invitational
Sterling’s Brayden Lambrecht, Roosevelt’s Tyler Severin and Mountain Range’s Connor Jones all ended their rounds at one-under par 70 at the Eaton Invitational on Thursday.
Josh Caridi’s 71 paced Fossil Ridge to the team win.
Find complete results of all the day’s golf tournaments on this page.
Gunnison cross country has a habit of staying out of the limelight.
Despite placing in the top 15 at the Class 3A boys state meet nine times in a row, which includes five top three showings, they don’t always get discussed as much as a few other traditional contenders.
“We kind of like having an image of being a bit of an underdog,” senior stalwart Jon Wilkinson admitted. “We have so many hilly races that we don’t always put out the best times, so other teams on the Front Range who run more flat and fast courses may look at us and think of nothing of it.”
When it comes to the state meet, the Cowboys often saddle up and show their clout, though. They finished in third place a season ago, following fifth- and fourth-place showings the previous two campaigns. It might be wise to keep these guys on your radar throughout the fall.
For one, Gunnison features a one-two punch that could be unmatched in 3A this year. Wilkinson and junior Colton Stice both have their eyes set on podium finishes in the top 10-after placing 17th and 14th a season ago.
“They are two really talented runners who had tremendous track seasons,” longtime coach Gregg Smith said. “I’m so excited to see what they’re going to be able to do this year. Over the years they’ve set big goals and this year their goal is to try to get into state and bring home some hardware.”
Stice is one of the premier young runners in Colorado, posting swift 800 (1:57; fifth place) and 1,600 (4:25; third place) times at the state track meet. Wilkinson more than held his own in the spring, earning a state medal in the 1,600 (4:29, fifth) as well.
The two veterans could challenge for an individual crown at the state meet, but they also hope to accomplish something that has never been done in school history — win a cross country team title.
“I would be so incredibly honored my senior year for us to be the first team to win the state title in cross country,” Wilkinson said excitedly. “It would be awesome to win it also for our coaches, wonderful coaches who support us more than anyone else really. To give them a state title would be incredible.”
With the training grounds around the area, sitting at 7,700 feet, Gunnison is confident they’ll once again be ready for the hills of the championship course.
“We have mountains surrounding us, so we do a lot of pretty gruesome hill workouts all over the place,” Wilkinson said. “We also do a lot of intervals on beautiful trails. The fact we have all these mountains out our backdoor is a pretty good advantage for us.”
A program that also draws inspiration from being in the same town as Division II powerhouse Western State, Gunnison will rely on competitors like juniors Garrett Butts and Wulf Stark this season, among others, to back up Wilkinson and Stice. Colton Stice’s brother Brennan might provide a spark as a first-year.
The Cowboys have faith in their abilities, but they also know the strength of other programs in 3A. Alamosa graduated their top four runners, but being the three-time defending state champions doesn’t come without a reason. They’ve won five titles overall and “rebuilding” isn’t a theme. The Classical Academy, D’Evelyn, Peak to Peak, and Faith Christian are among a wide variety of teams with hopes of unseating Alamosa.
In 5A, Monarch, Mountain Vista and Rock Canyon appear to be the most clear-cut contenders on paper. Monarch ended a four-year title streak by Vista last season. Rock Canyon senior Chris Theodore is one of the top individual competitors.
In 4A, the Palmer Ridge Bears are in pursuit of their third title in four years. The depth of this program is outstanding. Silver Creek, led by James Lee (1:54 800 and state champion; 4:14 1,600) and Brock Dykema, has a special senior contingent that could factor into the national scene. 4A will be entertaining.
In 3A, The Vanguard School snapped a four-year championship run by Lyons, but Lyons might be a slight favorite in 2A over Mancos and Heritage Christian Academy this time around. Isaac Roberts is a familiar name in Colorado running circles.
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Boys Cross Country preview
Important dates
Regular season begins: Aug. 24
Regional meets: Oct. 19-20
State championships:
5A/4A/3A/2A: Oct. 28, Norris Penrose Event Center, Colorado Springs, CO
First Team: Connor McCabe, Rampart, Sr.; Charlie Perry, Monarch, Sr.; Harrison Scudamore, Denver East, Sr.
Second Team: Colin Berndt, Arvada West, Sr.; Carter Dillon, Mountain Vista, Sr.; Yonatan Kefle, Denver South, Jr.
Honorable Mention: Beraki Awet, Palmer, Sr.; Jacob Dewey, Rampart, Sr.; Chase Dornbusch, Lakewood, Sr.; Derek Fearon, Rock Canyon, So.; Chris Theodore, Rock Canyon, Sr.; Austin Vancil, Dakota Ridge, Jr.
4A:
First Team: Evan Graff, Montrose, Sr.; Cole Munoz, Widefield, Sr.; Cole Sprout, Valor Christian, So.
Second Team: Ben Highfill, Pueblo South, Sr.; James Lee, Silver Creek, Sr.; Ryan Matson, Palmer Ridge, Sr.; John O’Malley, Centaurus, Sr.; Matthew Roberds, Mesa Ridge, Jr.
Honorable Mention: Calvin Banta, Air Academy, Jr.; Cooper Brown, Centaurus, Jr.; Brock Dykema, Silver Creek, Sr.; Maxwell Herebic, Palmer Ridge, Sr.; Brandon Hippe, Palmer Ridge, Jr.; Dillon Powell, Air Academy, Jr.; Josh Torres, Northridge, Sr.
3A:
First Team: David Fine, Elizabeth, Jr.; Canaan Lamberth, The Classical Academy, Sr.; Ryan Lehmuth, Jefferson Academy, Sr.
Second Team: Macklin Brockmeyer, Faith Christian, Jr.; Andrew King, Platte Valley, Sr.; Nate MacDonald, D’Evelyn, Sr.; Tyler Scholl, Middle Park, Jr.; Colton Stice, Gunnison, Jr.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Butler, Skyview Academy, Sr.; Blake Davis, Lamar, Sr.; Wyatt Lehr, Lamar, Sr.; Kyle McCabe, Holy Family, Sr.; Jon Wilkinson, Gunnison, Sr.; Jordan Wilson, Skyview Academy, Sr.
2A:
First Team: Cody Danley, Rocky Ford, Sr.; Ben Kelley, Soroco, Sr.; Patrick Scoggins, Rangely, Sr.
Second Team: Jaden Evans, Telluride, Jr.; Levi Kilian, Highland, Jr.; Nick Lovato, Vanguard, Sr.; Isaac Roberts, Lyons, So.
Honorable Mention: Seth Bruxvoort, Heritage Christian Academy, Jr.; Keaton Case, Heritage Christian Academy, Jr.; Gary DeLeon, Rocky Ford, Sr.; Colton Jonjak-Plahn, Lyons, Jr.; Caleb Smith, Peyton, Sr.; Field Soosloff, Lyons, Sr.; Teslin Stecher, Mancos, Jr.
The last of Telluride’s historic mines closed in 1978, but the Miners have struck gold again.
With a cross country program founded in 2008, Telluride High has already won three state championships as a team in Class 2A. After just two seasons in the books, a contingent of Ty Williams (first), Colten Rogers (sixth) and Nathan Loomis (eighth) sealed Telluride’s initial title. The girls have taken home the ultimate prize the past two seasons.
Keith Hampton and his wife, Alicia, started the program with humble beginnings. Erin Thompson joined the first team as a senior, not entirely sure what she was getting herself into.
“It was silly, because when I started I was really not much of a runner,” said Thompson, now in her first season as the cross country coach. “I had done track a little bit, but cross country was something new and very intimidating to me. I just fell in love with it.”
Keith Hampton retired from coaching this summer after putting the finishing touches on an exceptional career—the Lady Miners took home the 2A state runner-up trophy in track and field despite not even having a home track. When he took the reins in 2006, Telluride was coming off a conference meet the previous season in which they failed to score a single point.
My, how times have changed.
“They’ve been wonderful,” senior Soleil Gaylord said of Keith and Alicia Hampton. “We were really lucky to have them as coaches. They’ve led us to success. We also have a really cohesive, high morale team. Every day we come to practice ready to do our best and we push each other and are all positive with each other.”
Thompson, who will be joined by Lauren Ross and Lesley Terry on the staff, was the middle school track coach last season. She is thrilled at how far Telluride running has come.
“When we started we barely had enough girls and boys to even create a team and we were by no means fast,” she said with a laugh. “It was really a beginner group. The athletes we have running now are amazing.
“I’m just blown away by the heights they’ve reached. I never could’ve imagined our little cross country team in Telluride reaching the status they have.”
In a town well over 8,000 feet of elevation, the Miners have soared with a few individual state champions over the years as well. On the boys side, Ty Williams (2009-2011) was one of five males in state history to win at least three cross country titles. Keith Hampton’s daughter, Rachel, corralled a championship of her own in 2012 as a senior.
(Courtesy of Telluride HS)
Gaylord could follow in their footsteps. The senior has earned seventh, third and fifth place showings at the state meet. A fall crown has proved elusive for her as an individual thus far, which is just about the only item missing in her trophy case.
The long-striding senior has competed at the World Mountain Running Championships for the U.S. Junior team twice, and even claimed the junior event at the 2017 Snowshoe National Championships (Bend, Ore.) and World Championships (Saranac Lake, N.Y.). She’s also a two-time defending state champion in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs.
“My heart is — more so than track and cross country even — in mountain running,” she said. “I’ve done it my whole life.”
All the training Gaylord does in the off-seasons should put her on the right foot in 2017. She is planning to continue her career with a collegiate program, but before she moves on the hope is that the Telluride girls can make it three in a row.
It won’t be easy, not when sidekick Maya Ordonez is missing from the lineup this fall. The junior placed seventh at the state cross country meet the past two seasons, but will be off to Spain in an exchange program for a year.
Nonetheless, Telluride has established a culture that brews success.
Only three runners, rather than five like the other classifications, count towards the point tally at the 2A state meet and Gaylord is confident returning state qualifier Isabelle Bennett and others can step up to replace Ordonez and Alyssa Pack, who graduated. St. Mary’s, Paonia and Lyons look to be serious classification contenders.
As for the highest division, two running legends in Brie Oakley of Grandview and Lauren Gregory of Fort Collins have graduated. Nonetheless, 5A remains a gauntlet with Broomfield (7th) and Mountain Vista (13th) returning lineups that are nearly intact from teams that placed well at the Nike National Championships last December in Portland, Oregon.
Broomfield, the two-time defending champions, nipped the Golden Eagles by seven points at state in 2016. They will be laden with seniors, while Mountain Vista has a youthful group bursting with talent. The Front Range League has conquered nine 5A championships in a row (Broomfield, Fort Collins, Monarch).
In 4A, Battle Mountain has everyone back and is favored to win their second straight team title. The Huskies’ Elizabeth Constien (runner-up) and Naomi Harding (third) are among a handful of harriers with individual championship hopes. Durango, Air Academy and Palmer Ridge are among the challengers.
Peak to Peak has perhaps one of the best one-two punches of any small school in America in juniors Quinn McConnell (one track title, one cross title) and Anna Shults (three track titles). It would be quite a feat to stop the Pumas from defending their 3A crown, but The Classical Academy and Steamboat Springs should feature excellent lineups as well.
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Girls Cross Country preview
Important dates
Regular season begins: Aug. 24
Regional meets: Oct. 19-20
State championships:
5A/4A/3A/2A: Oct. 28, Norris Penrose Event Center, Colorado Springs, CO
Honorable Mention: Anna Busath, Palmer Ridge, So.; Katie Cole, Palmer Ridge, Jr.; Avery Doan, Eagle Valley, Jr.; Morgan Hykes, Windsor, Jr.; Madi Kenyon, Roosevelt, Jr.; Alex Raichart, Battle Mountain, Sr.; Lauren Zoe Baker, Silver Creek, Sr.
3A:
First Team: Winter Boese, Steamboat Springs, Jr.; Hannah Ellis, Frontier Academy, Sr.; Quinn McConnell, Peak to Peak, Jr.; Hannah McReavy, St. Mary’s, Sr.; Anna Shults, Peak to Peak, Jr.
Second Team: Tiana Bradfield, Peak to Peak, Jr.; Ruby Brown, Salida, So.; McKenzie Elliott, The Classical Academy, Sr.; Katie Flaherty, The Classical Academy, Jr.; Tara Sowards, Alamosa, Sr.; Chantae Steele, The Classical Academy, Jr.
Honorable Mention: Maggi Congdon, Steamboat Springs, So.; Sadie Cotton, Steamboat Springs, Sr.; Lilly Lavier, Alamosa, So.; Ashten Loeks, Elizabeth, Jr.; Kika Napierkowski, Holy Family, Sr.; Anna Ponzio, Colorado Academy, Sr.; Elle Triem, Peak to Peak, Jr.
2A:
First Team: Soleil Gaylord, Telluride, Sr.; Sydney Petersen, Crested Butte, Sr.; Chloe Veilleux, Soroco, Jr.
Second Team: Kayla Carter, Custer County, Jr.; Helen Cross, Nederland, So. Sarah Davidson, Nederland, Sr.; Courtney Jenson, Wiggins, Sr.; Emma Schaefer, Shining Mountain Waldorf, Jr.
Honorable Mention: Caroline Benney, Lake County, Sr.; Bria Johnson, The Vanguard School, So.; Kaylee Kearse, Peyton, Sr.; Samantha O’Brien, Clear Creek, Sr.; Maria O’Neal, Crested Butte, Sr.; CeAnn Udovich, Lyons, Sr.
Tailgates. Pep rallies. Friday night lights. The new school year is here! And that’s exciting news for student-athletes and high school sports fans alike.
Research shows that being a student-athlete is about a lot more than fun and games. It teaches important life lessons, too. In fact, high school athletes not only have higher grade point averages and fewer school absences than non-athletes, they also develop the kind of work habits and self-discipline skills that help them become more responsible and productive community members.
Attending high school sporting events teaches important life lessons, too.
Among them, it teaches that we can live in different communities, come from different backgrounds, faiths and cultures, cheer for different teams, and still have a common bond.
That’s why attending the activities hosted by your high school this fall is so important. It’s not only an opportunity to cheer for your hometown team, it is also an opportunity to celebrate our commonality. And that’s something our country needs right now.
(Josh Watt/CHSAANow.com)
The bond we share is mutually supporting the teenagers in our respective communities. We applaud their persistence, tenacity, preparation and hard work, regardless of the color of the uniform they wear. We acknowledge that education-based, high school sports are enhancing their lives, and ours, in ways that few other activities could. And we agree that, regardless of what side of the field we sit on, attending a high school sporting event is an uplifting, enriching, family-friendly experience for all of us.
Many of the high schools in our state lie at the heart of the communities they serve. They not only are educating our next generation of leaders, they also are a place where we congregate, where people from every corner of town and all walks of life come together as one. And at no time is this unity more evident than during a high school athletic event.
This is the beginning of a new school year. Opportunities abound in the classroom and outside it. Let’s make the most of them by attending as many athletic events at the high school in our community as possible.
This year, Bayfield wants to start fresh in more ways than one. Captain Katelyn Gosney, who made up half of that tandem, is one of the few constants in Bayfield’s reinvention.
“(Gosney) has been in it the whole time,” First year head coach Annette French said. “She’s been hanging in there. This is her senior year, so finally I’m glad she gets to go out with a good team. The majority of our team is freshman that have had tumbling and all-star experience.
“I’ve got to give credit to our seniors, they’ve just hung in there with the program for the past few years.”
French and Gosney are looking forward to showing her small town what Bayfield cheer is capable of. To start, French has a team of 12 girls, including Gosney, and four boys. Three of those boys also play football at Bayfield.
“I’ve had a vision for the team for a long time,” French said. “It’s exciting to finally see all the work ethic that I’ve been instilling in these kids and finally now have the opportunity to coach a team and see them succeed.”
French runs a gymnastics facility in Bayfield and has been able to work with most of the girls she has on Bayfield’s team prior to this year.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of the girls,” French said on her facility that she’s owned for seven years. “A bunch of the girls this year were (with me). A lot of them have had the gymnastics tumbling experience and did the middle school program with me for cheer.”
That familiarity is certainly going to help the new additions at Bayfield as they try to navigate a new school and a new program. To French, building a strong foundation of trust and experience is the most important aspect.
“Having that instilled in them definitely helps. I’m hoping to get these girls the opportunity to be able to go compete and do what they’re capable of and take it from there,” French said. “Get the trust of the community and my school. Actions are going to speak louder than words.”
(Aislyn Carrillo/CHSAANow.com)
She has an uphill battle as the cheer program has not gotten very much support in recent years.
“When they went to state with two cheerleaders, it was definitely one of those years where people were not supporting our cheer team,” French said. “Those two girls were still proud to be able to represent Bayfield.”
But, French is looking to change that. She wants to go out and create a better name for the Bayfield cheer program.
“I want to be able to prove it to our school and community,” French said. “I’m trying to instill in them that I’m a new coach, it’s a new year with a new set of girls. What’s happened in the past, we’re changing that.
“We’re going to show Bayfield what these girls are really capable of.”
And, French wouldn’t mind adding more names to the Bayfield roster.
“To me, as long as they have a good attitude and they’re teachable, I can teach kids how to tumble and stunt. But, what I truly what’s more important to me is empowering the girls. I love giving everyone the opportunity to be a part of this.”
French wants to take Bayfield to another competition in addition to state this year to give her team more experience.
“As far as competing, I’m hoping that we do well and can walk off that mat with our heads held high because they worked hard,” French said. “I’m not expecting a certain place (at state). In their heads, they’re all thinking we’re going to be top five this year. I hope that happens.
“For them knowing that I’m backing them and supporting them and want to take them to another competition, they’re over the moon about that.”
French finally gets to be at the helm of the team she’s watched for so many years as a bystander. She’s in it for the long-term success of Bayfield.
“I want to finally see my team succeed in the right direction,” French said. “Whether that’s building the program up right now, or if that’s doing well in state or getting a bid to go to nationals. I would love the opportunity to go and keep learning.
“That’s what I want these girls to be doing: learning and building skills. When they’re done with high school on the other side, they can deal with whatever comes their way.”
The 2017 spirit season will feature Vail Christian in search of a seventh-straight title in 2A poms, while Castle View’s co-ed team will be looking for a fourth-straight championship.
St. Mary’s (2A/3A co-ed), Cherry Creek (5A poms) and Monarch (hip-hop) all could win their third-straight title should they take first come December.
