AURORA — Colorado Academy and Glenwood Springs are set to add varsity hockey programs for the 2018-19 season, following a vote of approval from the sport’s committee on Friday.
It will bring the total number of varsity hockey teams to 36 next season. Additionally, Sargent is mulling over whether to add a junior varsity program.
The two schools presented their intention to begin competition next season. Colorado Academy started its program with a JV schedule this season.
“We’re committed,” said Colorado Academy athletic director Bill Hall.
The team is expected to have 30 players. If there are enough players, CA would continue to have a JV team in addition to the varsity team.
Colorado Academy plans to play home games at Foothills Ice Arena.
This will be Glenwood Springs’ first foray into CHSAA competition, though Yampah Mountain High School in the area has fielded a JV program the past three seasons. (Yampah Mountain is set to discontinue that program next season.)
“The numbers we have in our youth hockey program in Glenwood, they’re substantial,” said Glenwood Springs athletic director Craig Denney.
Glenwood expects to have between 40 and 45 players in its program, allowing them to have both varsity and JV teams.
The team will practice in Glenwood Springs, but because that’s a covered outdoor rink, they will play their home games in Eagle. The team would be allowed to play one outdoor game at their rink in Glenwood.
CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green noted the growth in the sport, saying, “It’s almost like there’s a resurgence of ice hockey. We were dropping programs at one point.”
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Conferences realignment recommendation
The committee recommended the following league alignment for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. It is a change from the current four-conference alignment to six conferences of six teams.
Metro 1
Regis Jesuit
Mountain Vista
Castle View
Cherry Creek
Valor Christian
Chaparral
Northern
Ralston Valley
Fort Collins
Resurrection Christian
Monarch
Standley Lake
Dakota Ridge
Western Slope
Aspen
Steamboat Springs
Summit
Glenwood Springs
Battle Mountain
Crested Butte
Metro 2
Heritage
Columbine
Mullen
Chatfield
Kent Denver
Denver East
Southern 1
Rampart
Palmer
Coronado
Woodland Park
Liberty
Doherty
Southern 2
Air Academy
Pine Creek
Cheyenne Mountain
Colorado Academy
Pueblo County
Lewis-Palmer
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Notables
There was some talk about a potential split into two classifications for the sport. Blanford-Green addressed the topic during the meeting: “We are probably at capacity for adding another male gender championship,” she said, noting Title IX implications. “The Board is going to be leery of adding another championship, especially if it’s going to take us out of equity. So the potential for expanding, unless there’s a lot of growth in this sport, is going to be hard to do.”
The committee voted to support an increase to a 23-game season from the current 19. That change would have to be proposed to the Legislative Council by a league.
The 2017-18 all-state skiing teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.
These teams were created based upon results at the state meet. Skiers of the year were selected based upon the number of team points they produced during the meet. Coaches of the year are voted upon by their peers prior at the state meet.
Skimeister is a season-long event conducted by the Colorado High School Ski League which honors the top skier in both disciplines.
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Girls
Devan McSwain. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Alpine skiier of the year: Devan McSwain, Aspen
Nordic skiier of the year: Kate Oldham, Colorado Rocky Mountain
Skimeister: Kiana Brausch, Battle Mountain
Alpine coach of the year: Bill Gooch, Lake County
Nordic coach of the year: Jonathan Mocatta, Summit
First team
Name
School
Event
Emma Blakslee
Vail Mountain
Nordic Classic
Molly Blakslee
Vail Mountain
Nordic Skate
Winter Boese
Steamboat Springs
Nordic Skate
Kiana Brausch
Battle Mountain
Skimeister
Emily Creek
Nederland
Slalom
Alex Cregan
Platte Canyon
Giant Slalom
Amber Eliott
Steamboat Springs
Slalom
Olivia Flake
Steamboat Springs
Slalom
Grace Johnson
Battle Mountain
Nordic Classic
Devan McSwain
Aspen
Giant Slalom, Slalom
Chelsea Moore
Aspen
Nordic Skate, Nordic Classic
Kate Oldham
Colorado Rocky Mountain
Nordic Skate, Nordic Classic
Kylee Ornstein
Evergreen
Giant Slalom
Noelle Resignolo
Summit
Nordic Classic
Madeline Robbins
Durango
Giant Slalom, Slalom
Tai-Lee Smith
Summit
Nordic Skate
Levyn Thomas
Aspen
Giant Slalom
Second team
Name
School
Event
Lizzy Barsness
Aspen
Nordic Skate, Nordic Classic
Nancy Brown
Lake County
Slalom
Kaela Fahrney
Battle Mountain
Nordic Skate
Analise Gates
Durango
Giant Slalom, Slalom
Katy Jane Hardenberg
Vail Mountain
Nordic Classic
Katy Jane Hardenbergh
Vail Mountain
Nordic Skate
Emily Jensen
Middle Park
Nordic Skate, Nordic Classic
Sonja Kainulainen
Colorado Rocky Mountain
Slalom
Gabby Myers
Summit
Giant Slalom
Alexandra Raichart
Battle Mountain
Nordic Classic
Edie Sherlock
Aspen
Slalom
Estelle Sweeney
Aspen
Giant Slalom
Ella Wiser
Middle Park
Giant Slalom
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Boys
Cameron Wolfe. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Alpine skiiers of the year: Luke Bailey, Platte Canyon; Michael Resnick, Vail Mountain
Nordic skiier of the year: Cameron Wolfe, Vail Mountain
Skimeister: Henry Barth, Aspen
Alpine coach of the year: Bill Gooch, Lake County
Nordic coach of the year: Jonathan Mocatta, Summit
COLORADO SPRINGS — When Joe Golden and Kyrele Benford were sophomores they got to play on the floor at the Denver Coliseum. The Doherty Spartans had advanced to the Class 5A Great 8, but fell to eventual state champion Overland.
Last year, the Spartans were upset in their bid to return to the Coliseum.
After Wednesday’s emotionally charged 47-40 win over Cherry Creek, Doherty is right back where it feels it belongs.
“It’s been since my sophomore year,” Benford said. “It’s about time we got there again.”
Like both teams in general, Benford had a rough start to his night. He went 3-for-8 from the free throw line in the first half. He sank all four foul shots in the second half, including two in the fourth quarter that kept it a two-possession game for in the Spartans (21-4 overall0 favor.
“My coaches came around and told me ‘you’re a good free throw shooter, you just have to settle down,’” Benford said. “I told them I’d have their backs at the line and I knocked them down.”
Doherty’s 2-3 zone gave the Bruins (15-11) fits for much of the game. They couldn’t knock down any shots early, scoring only 10 total points the entire first half.
Dimitri Stanley found some success shooting early in the third quarter, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers. He finished with a team-high 13 points.
It didn’t help that Doherty seemed to leave its composure in the locker room at halftime. Alijah Bates and DeMarious Carey were each hit with technical fouls, allowing Creek to close the gap late in the game.
“I’m a guy that preaches that all the time,” Doherty coach Eric Steinert said. “Character, body language, all that stuff matters. If you listened to me coach tonight, I probably coach 95 percent mental, five percent basketball. I think emotions were high and our guys really want to win.”
Creek wasn’t going to make it that easy.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Darius Price connected on a shot under the basket, getting fouled in the process. He made the free throw to complete the three-point play and cut the Doherty lead to 35-33 with 5:20 left in the game.
Bates battled for a tough bucket off the glass on the other end of the floor, but Stanley immediately returned the favor.
Golden added one more basket and then the Spartans had to put in the work at the free throw line.
Benford sank his two and Golden made one.
Julian Hammond knocked down a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left to make it a 42-40 game. After the Spartans got fouled, Cherry Creek coach Kent Dertinger argued the wrong player was shooting free throws.
He was hit with a technical foul, allowing Carey to knock down four. He added one more on the next possession to seal the game.
The Spartans are heading to the Coliseum, but a more composed game could be what they need to top No. 2 ThunderRidge.
“I would say that,” Golden said. “It’s going to be huge, especially with emotions running high because it’s the Great 8 and I’m just ready to go with my brothers.”
GOLDEN — Senior Matt Krage became an instant folk hero at Ponderosa High School with a last-second heave Wednesday night.
With 2 seconds on the clock and the Mustangs tied 41-41 with No. 3-seeded Golden, Krage made a shot every basketball player dreams of sinking.
“I really didn’t think I would be open,” Krage said after being mobbed by Ponderosa students after his last-second 3-pointer gave the No. 14 Mustangs a 44-41 victory on the Demons’ home court. “I turned around and saw that I’d have a good shot. I’ve been practicing those all these years. I was ready to make it.”
Senior Braden Bradshaw inbounded the ball from under the Mustangs’ basket. Krage caught the ball near mid-court, took two dribbles and then launched a shot from behind the 3-point line.
Golden’s Adam Thistlewood (31) dunks on Ponderosa’s Connor Hawk. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The victory advances Ponderosa (16-9 record) into the Class 4A boys basketball state tournament quarterfinals. The Mustangs will hit the road again to face No. 6 Pueblo West on Saturday, March 3.
“It’s so big for our program,” Ponderosa coach Max Schuman said. “These seniors have been together for a long, long time. We talk about having juice. They had juice tonight.”
The Mustangs actually never trailed against Golden (21-4). The Demons came in with a 12-game winning streak, but could never find their offensive rhythm while being held to a season-low 41 points.
“We just couldn’t make enough shots,” Golden senior Adam Thistlewood said. “That first quarter was not good for us and it came back to bite us in the butt.”
Ponderosa jumped out to a surprising 19-10 lead after the first quarter. The Demons trailed by double-digits for much of the second quarter before Thistlewood poured in seven points in the matter of 90 seconds to close out the first half.
Thistlewood finished with a game-high 22 points, but a base-line jumper on the possession before Krage’s game-winning shot didn’t fall for the future Drake University product.
“I have no words right now,” an emotional Thistlewood said after his final prep game. “Senior year, losing on a buzzer-beater knowing you are capable of going farther. It’s really tough.”
Golden’s Riley Stoner (10) grabs an entry pass into the post. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Bradshaw had the task of slowing down Thistlewood as much as possible.
“He (Thistlewood) is a great player. I was just trying to stay in front of him and keep my feet moving,” Bradshaw said of guarding Thistlewood most of the game. “It took me back to fundamentals of playing defense.”
Senior Joe Madsen (11 points) was the only other Demon to reach double-digit points. On the other hand, the Mustangs had a balance scoring attack with seniors Connor Hawk (12 points), Krage (9 points) and Bradshaw (8 points) leading the way.
Ponderosa’s great start included six different players scoring in the opening quarter.
“A lot of us coming in here were a little nervous,” Bradshaw admitted. “We got off to a great start and that boosted us for the entire game.”
Ponderosa had a bit of a deceiving record. The Mustangs play in the deep 5A/4A Continental League that featured the likes of Rock Canyon, ThunderRidge, Chaparral, Regis Jesuit and Mountain Vista — all teams in action in the Sweet 16 of the 5A state tournament Wednesday night.
“Playing in the Continental League prepares us so well,” Krage said. “They are the hardest teams in 5A. When we play down in 4A we feel like we can play with anybody.”
There was no mistaking where Golden wanted to end its season after coming in as the preseason No. 1 in the CHSAANow.com 4A boys basketball poll.
After weaving their way to the Final 4 of the Class 4A state tournament last season as the No. 12 seed, the Demons have been zeroed in on getting back to the Denver Coliseum and atoning for a rough 30-point loss to eventual state champion Valor Christian in the semifinals.
Despite falling short of their goal, Thistlewood was positive looking back at the season and Golden’s run to three 4A Jeffco League title over the past four years.
“It’s been a ride,” Thistlewood said of his time at Golden. “I think we accomplished more than what people expected. I’m proud of all my guys and excited about the future.”
Ponderosa senior Brennan Hicks (55) goes up for a shot on Golden senior Joe Madsen. The No. 15 Mustangs upset the No. 2 Demons on Golden High School. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
MONUMENT — In front of a packed gym, the Lewis-Palmer and Palmer Ridge boys basketball teams knew going into Wednesday’s Sweet 16 game that only one team would be continuing their season.
The Rangers had home-court advantage versus their rivals and left their gym with a 10-game winning streak and, more importantly, a spot in the Great 8 for the Class 4A boys basketball state tournament. The second-seeded Rangers beat the No. 15 Bears 65-54.
Being rivals, the two teams are very familiar with one another and came into the game knowing either team could win. The two teams split their regular season matchups.
“Having lost to them actually benefited us,” said Lewis-Palmer coach Bill Benton. “We knew if we didn’t play well and with that perfect effort, that they had chance to beat us because they’ve done it once already.”
Joel Scott scored seven of Lewis-Palmer’s first 13 points. But Palmer Ridge stayed close and the first quarter ended with a score of 13-7.
The second quarter was much more focused on defense from both teams and the score remained unchanged in the first three minutes. Palmer Ridge began a comeback and got within two points of Lewis-Palmer, but it didn’t last long, courtesy of Salim Nehme and Noah Baca, who each hit 3-pointers. Palmer Ridge’s Nathan Kuglar hit a jumper at the buzzer, and the Bears went into halftime trailing 25-20.
Over the next two quarters, though, Lewis-Palmer came out and proved why they are seeded second. With one minute left in the fourth quarter, the Rangers built a 14-point lead. The Bears were able to close the gap in a last-ditch effort, but ultimately came up short.
(Kelsey Lowry/CHSAANow.com)
“I’m extremely proud of my guys and very impressed with our level of physicality,” Benton said. “This is a fun bunch to coach and they have the balance to be pushed while also pushing themselves and that’s a sign of a good basketball team.”
Joel Scott finished the game with an impressive 19 points, and was followed by Matthew Ragsdale, who provided 15 points, and Noah Baca with 12 points. With eight different players scoring, and going 15-for-21 in free throws, the Rangers excelled offensively.
“We did very well,” Scott said. “We played with intensity and came out and smothered them on the defense end and we were able to hit our shots.”
Palmer Ridge was lead in scoring by Zach Hester, Nick Boldvich, and Cory McLellan who all scored 11 points. Nathan Kugler also provided ten points.
Palmer Ridge came fighting and played hard but missed rebounds and going 9-for-21 at the free throw line just proved to be too much to overcome. The Bears finished the season with a 16-9 overall record.
Last year, Lewis-Palmer lost in the 4A title game to Valor Christian, but according to coach Benton and his players, that game is in the past and the only focus they have is on the next game.
“It really sucks to lose the championship game,” Scott said. “But we just have to take every single game one at time and approach it the same way and know that we can go out and play like we know how to play and be successful.”
“There’s a drive to get to the championship game and they want to experience it, but we don’t talk about it and our biggest focus is on Saturday night,” coach Benton said.
That’s when Lewis-Palmer will host No. 10 Widefield in the Great 8 at 7 p.m. The Gladiators upset No. 7 Silver Creek 54-51 to punch their ticket.
