(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY — There’s a saying that those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it.

Air Academy girls basketball coach Phil Roiko is a fan of learning. Last year, when the Kadets hosted Rifle in the Sweet 16 of the Class 4A girls basketball tournament, they couldn’t hit shots, they looked gassed on defense and they couldn’t contain Elly Walters.

In 2018, they were able to do all those things. The result was a 42-25 win for Air Academy and a date in the Great 8 with defending state champion Evergreen.

“I thought our defense would keep us in the game,” Roiko said. “Last year, we couldn’t hit and this year we have better shooters and the girls worked really hard.”

It did take the Kadets some time to get rolling, though.

Karly Manuppella knocked down two early 3-pointers and Katy Manuppella added a free throw to help the Bears (22-3 overall) jump out to an early 7-3 lead.

The Kadets (24-1) couldn’t connect on any early shots and the three points came when Zoe Sims attacked the basket, made her shot and got a free throw off a foul.

“That settled us a little bit more,” Roiko said.

Through just a quarter, it was only a two-possession game, but the fast start was definitely able to creep into the minds of the players, coaches and spectators at Air Academy High School. Rifle had pulled off an improbable win a year again, and with the way the game was started there was some brief concern that it might happen again.

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

“I think it’s one of those things that always crosses our minds,” senior Mary Parchinski said. “We’ve been in this situation before so we knew we had to remain composed.”

And they needed an offensive spark. They got that in the form of Kayla Nocon who came off the bench and scored on two quick layups and then knocked down a 3-ball.

“Everyone coming off the bench needs to be ready, and we are,” Nocon said. “We really step up to meet the same level as the girls on the floor and that’s what the coaches want.”

The Kadets also amped up their pressure defensively, deciding that the best way to put the Bears back on their heels was make them work on the offensive side of the ball.

The 2-3 zone that Roiko had his girls running really took a toll on what the Bears were trying to do to remain in the game.

“It really threw us for a loop,” Rifle coach Kristy Wallner said. “They did a good job taking us out of stuff that we wanted to do.”

In the second half, the Kadets looked very much like the team that was ranked No. 2 in the CHSAANow.com poll. Parchinksi scored nine of her game-high 12 points in the third and fourth quarters.

Walters scored a team-high nine for the Bears, but had to grind for each and every point that she got.

“She’s tough,” Roiko said of Walters. “The idea was to constantly stay on her and I think that worked. She scored nine and that doesn’t happen very often.”

With one mental hurdle out of the way, the Kadets now have one more to deal with. The road to the Denver Coliseum still runs through Air Academy, but it’s the defending state champs who will be traveling it.

Evergreen and Air Academy will tip on Friday night, with the winner advancing to the 4A Final 4.

“They’re fun to watch,” Roiko said. “But I’m happy that game is here and not there.”

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

DENVER — Golden senior Mia Johnson picked the perfect time to play her best game of the season.

“I knew D’Evelyn’s plan would be to double-down on Abby (Garnett) and Makena (Prey) because they are our strongest players,” Johnson said. “I felt like if I hit some open shots it would open things up for them.”

Johnson hit a trio of jumper in the first quarter Tuesday night in the Class 4A girls basketball all-Jeffco Sweet 16 state playoff game at D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School. The scoring lift allowed the No. 10-seeded Demons get out to a 20-10 lead after the first quarter.

Golden’s Makena Prey (32) is contended by D’Evelyn’s Kylee Fridgen. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

“You’ve got to have role players step up if you want to go deep in the playoffs,” Golden coach Mike Osborne said after the Demons’ 49-40 victory over No. 7 D’Evelyn. “Mia stepped up and had a great game.”

The victory marked the third win for Golden (21-4 record) over rival D’Evelyn (18-7) this season. The win, coupled with No. 2 Holy Family getting upset, allows the Demons to host No. 15 Widefield in a state quarterfinal game Friday, March 2.

“We definitely hope for the best,” Johnson said of the Demons’ chances to get to the state semifinals at the Denver Coliseum. “All the teams left are great competitors. We’ll see where the season takes us.”

Golden seniors Abby Garnett and Makena Prey are the two big reasons for the Demons’ success this season. The two had combined to score 67 percent of Golden’s points and grab 61 percent of rebounds for the Demons coming into Tuesday’s game.

The hot first-half shooting was key to Golden and its 32-16 lead at halftime.

“You are always surprised when a team shoots 63 percent in the first half,” D’Evelyn coach Chris Olson said. “They didn’t miss much. We tried to run our pressure, our zone and our man. They just shredded it all. We threw everything we could at them.”

D’Evelyn’s Tori Szathmary, right, attempts to block the shot of Golden’s Abby Garnett. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

Johnson finished with eight points and sophomore Elli Garnett pitching in 10 points, including 6-for-8 from the free-throw line in the final quarter. Golden did just enough to push away D’Evelyn’s comeback attempt in the second half.

“That what huge,” Prey said of Johnson’s three first-quarter buckets. “They had to worry about her (Johnson) and that really opened it up for me and Abby tonight.”

Prey finished with 18 points, but was held to just two points in the second half. Abby Garnett ended up with 10 points before fouling out with 3:19 left in the fourth quarter.

D’Evelyn did make a couple of second-half runs, cutting Golden’s lead to single-digits. Seniors Angi Reed and Bailey Marvel, along with juniors Izzy Lopez and Tori Szathmary led the comeback attempt.

“Olson gets so much out of those kids,” Osborne said. “I was really impress how they came back. Right when we were about to crack we made some plays and did it at the free-throw line late.”

Golden advances back to the state quarterfinals for the second straight year. Last year the Demons’ season came to an end with a loss to No. 1 Pueblo South on the road. This time around Golden is excited to host with a shot at the Final 4 on the line.

“That’s great,” Prey said of hosting Widefield on Friday. “To have an Elite 8 home game is going to be so cool.”

Golden sophomore Elli Garnett (23) was clutch in the 4th quarter making 6-of-8 free-throws to seal the win for the Demons. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

(Kelsey Lowry/CHSAANow.com)

COLORADO SPRINGS — Chloe Welch’s start power is only rising with each playoff game.

The Mesa Ridge senior helped the No.8 Grizzlies beat No. 9 Thomas Jefferson 72-49 Tuesday night to advance in the Class 4A state tournament.

While scoring over 70 points would give the appearance that the Grizzlies were all offense, it was actually the defense that gave them the momentum to pull through.

Both teams got off to a slow start and struggled from the field. Thomas Jefferson first got on the board with two free throws from Kharial Clark. Welch got the energy started with a drive that put Mesa Ridge on the board. The first quarter finished with Mesa Ridge holding a slim 13-9 lead.

The second quarter started with a drive from Thomas Jefferson’s Sydney Thompson that put them within two points of Mesa Ridge, but that would be the closest the Spartans would get to catching the Grizzlies. With a jumper from Ashley Bowen and two free throws from Welch, the Mesa Ridge Girls headed into halftime with a 37-21 lead over the Spartans.

“With our tough game and win over Littleton last week, we knew we would have to come into this game with good defense and rebounds,” Mesa Ridge coach Jeff Beatty said. “All of our girls came out and scored and played defensively, which helped us to carry the momentum to play a great game.”

With stellar defense, Mesa Ridge limited Thomas Jefferson’s offensive output and outworked them on the glass.

Welch finished the game with 18 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds. Bowen added 15 points, going with 11 rebounds and Serin Dunne scored up 10.

“Winning this game is very exciting,” Welch said. “We really played as a team tonight and played really well.”

(Kelsey Lowry/CHSAANow.com)

Sydney Thompson had 12 points to lead Thomas Jefferson and Zaya Robbins finished with 10 points and a notable 16 rebounds. The Thomas Jefferson girls finished the season with a 22-3 overall record.

The Mesa Ridge girls will advance to the Great 8 and face No. 1 Pueblo West on Friday. The game will provide the Mesa Ridge Girls with a shot of redemption after losing to Pueblo West in last years tournament.

“It’s going to be a tough game, but our girls are familiar with them and they know what to expect,” Beatty said. “We may have to reach into our bag of tricks for the game, but our girls are ready to go out and get the win.”

AURORA — Avery Vansickle scored 18 and Fran Belibi added 11 as Regis Jesuit grabbed a 58-50 win over Cherry Creek in the Class 5A girls basketball tournament.

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BROOMFIELD — Charisse Fairley had 21 points as No. 15 Widefield girls basketball upset No. 2 Holy Family 59-53 in the Class 4A Sweet 16 on Tuesday.

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Have you ever wondered where your milk comes from and how it gets from the farm to your fridge? Read on for a quick glimpse into the journey of milk from farm to table – how it’s produced, its freshness and simplicity, and the story that connects your glass of milk with the local dairy farm families who produce it.

On the Farm

Cows are milked two to three times each day with specialized milking equipment that milks the cows and pumps that milk directly from the cow to a refrigerated storage tank, where it is quickly cooled to preserve freshness and safety. It is important to note that milk never touches human hands – just one of the many food safety measures in place.

Did you know that 98% of dairy farms are family owned and operated? Animal welfare is a top priority for dairy farm families because healthy cows produce high quality milk (plus, taking great care of the cows is the right thing to do!). For that reason, dairy cows receive special diets designed by cow nutritionists, shelter and water, regular veterinary care, including periodic check-ups, preventative vaccinations and prompt treatment of illness.

It is important to note that dairy cows are not routinely treated with antibiotics. Just as you’d only treat a sick child with antibiotics under the supervision of a doctor, dairy farmers care for their cows in a similar manner. When an illness requires that a cow be treated, antibiotics are administered under veterinarian care, the cow is milked separate from the rest of the milking herd, and her milk does not enter the food supply.

At the Processing Plant

Fresh milk is driven from the dairy farm to a local dairy processing plant in an insulated, sealed tanker truck. You’ve probably seen one on the highway – it’s similar to a giant thermos on wheels.

Prior to leaving the farm, and upon arrival at the processing plant, every tanker load of milk is tested for antibiotics. In the extremely rare event that milk tests positive, it is disposed of immediately and never reaches the public.

Once the milk is unloaded from the truck, it is pasteurized and packaged into bottles or cartons. Pasteurization is a process of heating raw milk at a high enough temperature for a sufficient length of time to destroy bacteria, which can cause serious illnesses. This ensures that the milk is safe to drink.

Distribution companies pick up milk and other dairy products in refrigerated trucks from the local processing plants and deliver them to grocery stores, convenience markets, gas stations, schools and other retail outlets. In most instances, the milk you buy in your grocery store was harvested on farm less than 2 days (48 hours) prior. Now that’s local!

Regardless of whether your choice in dairy is influenced by taste or nutrition, you too can feel good about milk, cheese and yogurt as part of a balanced diet. In fact, milk is a nutritional bargain at less than 25 cents per 8-ounce glass, on a gallon basis. Especially when you think of all the liquid assets inside! Milk provides great taste plus 9 essential nutrients – it’s how nature does wellness.

Written by Jenna Allen, MS, RDN, Registered Dietitian with the Western Dairy Association. For more tips and healthy recipes visit www.westerndairyassociation.org.

The 2017-18 all-state wrestling teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.

These teams were created based upon results at the state meet. Coaches and wrestlers of the year were selected by the Colorado High School Coaches Association at the state meet.

Scroll down to see the teams, or use the menu below to navigate to the class of your choosing.
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Class 5A

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

Wrestler of the year: Jacob Greenwood, Poudre

Coach of the year: Cole Allison, Grand Junction

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Class 4A

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

Wrestler of the year: Andrew Alirez, Greeley Central

Coach of the year: Pat Laughlin, Pueblo East

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Class 3A

(Jeff Tucker/jefferywtucker.zenfolio.com)

Wrestler of the year: Brandon Damian, Valley

Coach of the year: Gary Ramstetter, Alamosa

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Class 2A

(Dustin Price/DustinPricePhotography.com)

Wrestler of the year: Diego Reyes, Rocky Ford

Coach of the year: Mike Jurney, Rocky Ford

A roundup of Jeffco prep highlights from February with Dennis Pleuss, Jeffco Public Schools’ Communication Specialist. This month’s edition features the state wrestling tournament where Jeffco wrestlers claimed three individual state titles. Also, Class 4A Jeffco League girls basketball action between state contenders Golden and Evergreen. Arvada West and Columbine faced off down the stretch on the boys basketball court during a wild 5A Jeffco League season that ended with the Wildcats and Rebels sharing the conference title. We close with a look at more than the 100 student-athletes from across Jeffco that signed their National Letter of Intent on Feb. 7.

(Kevin Keyser/KeyserImages.com)

Mullen has named Vincent White, a legendary alum of the school, as its next football coach.

The school announced the hire on its site on Wednesday.

“Mullen High School is excited,” Mullen athletic director Vince Massey told the site. “We welcome Vincent back home with open arms and are excited to move forward with him at the helm. His accomplishments in the sport of football speak for themselves.”

White, a 1979 graduate of Mullen, helped the Mustangs win the Class 3A title as a senior in 1978, the school’s first football championship. He went on to play at Stanford from 1979-82 — with John Elway as a teammate — where he was an All-Pac-10 selection, and honorable mention All-American. White also spent three seasons in the USFL.

Vincent White. (Photo: Delaware State athletics)

“Sometimes you know when the timing is right … I always talked about (coming home),” White told the site.

White has been coaching football since the mid-1980s, and was most recently the associate head coach and offensive coordinator at Delaware State, a Division I FCS program. He last coached on the high school level as the running backs coach at Rangeview in 1985.

White has coached all over the country, including time at Maryland, SMU, Pittsburgh, Arizona State, Utah and New Mexico. He was the head coach at St. Mary’s (Calif.) in 2003.

He takes over a Mullen program that went 5-6 last season, and reached the Class 5A playoffs. Former coach Tom Thenell resigned in January after six seasons heading the program. Thenell was 34-31 in his time at Mullen.

White and Thenell were teammates on the 1978 Mullen team.

Follow all of the coaching movement this offseason in our coaching changes tracker.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

AURORA — Monday marks the official start of practice for all spring sports, marking the start of their 2018 season.

Starting practice today are:

• Baseball
• Girls golf
• Boys lacrosse
• Girls lacrosse
• Girls soccer
• Boys swimming
• Girls tennis
• Boys track
• Girls track

Girls golf and girls tennis can each begin their competitive seasons on Thursday. All other sports can begin on March 8, with scrimmages allowed on Saturday.

Spring’s championship season starts with girls tennis’ state meets on May 10-12. They close with baseball’s final games on May 26.

Find more important dates on the 2017-18 calendar.