Castle View has named Jeff Langrehr its next boys basketball coach, athletic director Derek Cordes announced on Wednesday.
Langrehr comes to Castle View following a highly-successful 31-year career in Kansas at Great Bend and Gardner Edgerton high schools. His teams won two state titles, and appeared in the Final 4 four times.
His has more than 300 career wins.
Langrehr was also a baseball coach in Kansas for 22 years, and he won two state championships, and won more than 340 games.
He will coach English at Castle View.
Castle View finished 12-12 last season in Class 5A, reaching the state tournament.
DENVER — They meet annually, but this one will be of a little extra importance.
Arapahoe and Heritage, two rivals from Littleton Public Schools whose campuses are separated by 11 minutes, each went 2-0 on the first day of the Class 5A state baseball tournament.
It means they will face off in the always-important late game during the second day of the bracket on Tuesday — with the winner emerging as the lone unbeaten remaining in the field of eight. Both teams are assured of playing next weekend.
“That’s going to be a good one,” said Arapahoe senior Brandon Dryer. “Rivalry, Final 4, All-City? It doesn’t get better than that.”
Arapahoe beat Mountain Vista 8-1, and then Cherokee Trail 9-1 in advancing.
Dryer and Jake Groth each homered in the first game for the Warriors, with Groth driving in two runs. Ryan Nourse also had two RBIs.
Drew Hayes threw a gem, allowing just three hits in a complete-game effort. He struck out five, and walked just two. Hayes hadn’t pitched since April 23 as he recovered from a concussion — it was the type of performance a team gets when it succeeds in late May.
“He’s the kind of kid that likes to get the ball in big games, so we were excited,” said Arapahoe coach Jim Dollaghan.
In the second game, Garrett DeClure threw five innings in getting the win. He struck out seven, and allowed just four hits, three walks and one run. Spye Turnbeaugh followed that with two innings of one-hit pitching.
(Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
Dryer and Hunter Jackson each had two RBIs.
In each win, Arapahoe got its bats going early.
Against Mountain Vista, which entered the game 21-0 and was the top overall seed in regionals, Arapahoe built a 6-0 lead after three innings. In the win over Cherokee Trail, it was 8-0 after two.
“It’s easy when you come out and swing like that, because it just relaxes you, without a doubt, and it gives your pitchers a little bit of, ‘Hey, it’s not all on me,’” Dollaghan said. “That’s the last phase of the game that we really haven’t put everything together, is just swinging the bat. We’ve had good pitching at times, we’ve had good defense at times, and we’ve had great hitting at times, but really to see all three coming together at the same time is pretty exciting.”
Now 16-7, Arapahoe has its most wins since the 2008 season. They have also turned it around from a 1-3 start to the year, as well as a 1-3 skid in mid-April.
“All of a sudden, our backs were against the wall,” Dollaghan said.
So the team got to work, putting in extra time hitting against a pitching machine every day. It’s paid off.
Another change?
“I think the biggest thing is our attitude, and just all clicking together,” said DeClure.
Added Dryer: “We’ve had a rough year, no one ever believed in us. We never got any top-10 votes. Coming into the (first) game (against Mountain Vista), I think the only people in the state of Colorado who believed were people from Arapahoe.
“I was talking to a guy in the parking lot, and he said, ‘How did you guys do?’ and I said, ‘Well, we beat Mountain Vista.’ And his eyes lit up,” Dryer continued. “We just believe in ourselves. We know we’re a great team out here. We know we’re a contender for state.”
To advance earlier in the day on Monday, Cherokee Trail rallied to beat Rocky Mountain with a walk-off hit from Colten Chase.
Heritage played extremely well as it advanced in the winner’s bracket, beating Mountain Range 7-0 in the first round, and then Pine Creek 12-2 in the second round.
(Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
Riley Egloff starred in the win over Mountain Range, striking out nine in complete game performance. He allowed just four hits. Alex Champagne drove in two runs in the win for the Eagles.
In the second game, Heritage trailed Pine Creek 2-0 through four innings before erupting for 12 runs in the top of the fifth. Champagne again drove in two runs, while Gunnar Kozlowitz had four RBIs.
Lucas Quezada and Peter Chronowski combined on the mound for Heritage. Chronowski didn’t allow a hit in two innings.
Pine Creek had advanced via a 3-2 win over Rock Canyon.
It all sets up a big rivalry game on Tuesday at All-City. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
“That’s what high school sports are all about, is seeing the guys they’ve played with growing up, and their neighborhood buddies, and getting out there and battling,” Dollaghan said.
Arapahoe has not beaten Heritage since 2014.
“We’ve got to focus like it’s just another game — we can’t make it too big — but it’s definitely going to be a big atmosphere, a lot of people here, and it’s going to be loud,” Dryer said. “It’s going to be a fun game.”
Last year’s champion Lauren Lehigh of Loveland, Cheyenne Mountain’s Maxine Choi, and Windsor’s Jessica Zapf all sit atop of the leaderboard after shooting a 7-over-par-78 on day one.
“I was kind of oblivious of the scores all day,” Choi said. “I honestly felt like a lot of today was a blur.”
With this being Choi’s home course, it just seemed like a normal day of golf.
“I’m much more comfortable playing here,” said Choi. “It’s just home and I don’t like I’m out of place, plus I get to go home and sleep in my own cozy bed tonight.”
She birdied 2 and 4 and finished with six bogies. A triple bogie on hole 17 kept her from breaking away with the clear lead, but she isn’t deterred by that.
“I felt like I played really well today, maybe one mess up,” said Choi. “But I’ve already forgotten about that one.”
With a strong start on the first day, Choi is far from worried and is just enjoying the ride.
“I feel like I have really improved from last year,” she said. “I’m just going to go out and play tomorrow like I played today.”
Also improving from last year, is Zapf who is looking like a seasoned pro. She came out and made a birdie on 6 and although she finished the day with eight bogeys, she avoided major trouble by not scoring any worse than bogey on any hole..
“I feel like I played pretty solid today” said Zapf. “I wish that I would’ve made a few more putts out there though. I didn’t play super good on any holes and I didn’t play bad on any holes. The greens did get me, but this isn’t my first time playing at this course and I know that I can go out and do what I know I am capable of doing.”
(Kelsey Lowry/CHSAANow.com)
Glenwood Springs made a late charge towards the end and finished the day at the top of the leaderboard in the team race, going 47-over. The next closest teams are Loveland and Windsor who tied, and both ended the day at 51-over.
“To me winning as a team is more important and that’s what I’m really playing for,” said Zapf. “They’ve been here for me all year, so to be there for them is really great.”
This year’s tournament could witness something extremely rare and exciting for Windsor. Sarah Johnson also plays for the Wizards’ soccer team, which will be playing in the state championship game on Wednesday. This means that Johnson could possibly win two state titles in two days. Johnson shot a 94 in her round and Wizards remain within four strokes as a team.
“That would be the coolest thing for Sarah and our school,” Zapf said. “We didn’t know if Sarah would even be able to play today, so it’s just really exciting that she’s here getting to experience this with us a team and that she has the opportunity to win state in golf and soccer in the same week.”
Zapf finished last year in fourth place and is using that to help motivate her to play like she knows she can.
“I’m excited to come back out tomorrow,” said Zapf. “Last year I was really close to the top and a few mistakes cost me big, so to be in this position again where I can actually win is really motivating me to go out and give it my all.”
Also looking forward to Tuesday is Loveland’s Lehigh who won last year’s 4A tournament. Paired with Zapf, Lehigh birdied 2 and 4 and finished her round with eight pars.
Loveland’s Taylor Bandemer is the closest to the top three after shooting a 83. Close behind her in a tie for fifth is Kylie Severin of Vista Peak and Lois Sheaffer of Northridge.
BOULDER – A rough first round spoiled her freshman debut at the 2017 state tournament but Regis Jesuit sophomore Katie Berrian was dialed in on Day 1 of this spring’s Class 5A girls golf state championships.
On Monday at Boulder Country Club, Berrian got off to a hot start and reached as low as 3-under in her first eight holes before eventually turning in a 2-under 70 to finish the opening round as the clubhouse leader with a one-stroke lead on University of Colorado-bound Fairview senior Kelsey Webster.
“I was feeling really confident coming into today,” Berrian said. “It’s a beautiful day, I’ve been hitting the ball really great and putting well so I felt like I could be really aggressive with it. That really helped me. I’m going to go home and I’m going to rest and just take tomorrow slow and easy and try to feel comfortable.”
With Berrian leading the way, Regis Jesuit is ahead in the team scoring with 240 combined strokes going into Tuesday. The Grandview Wolves, who won the 5A team title in 2016, are just one stroke behind in second place. Cherry Creek will also be in the running on Day 2 with 243 strokes.
Emma Bryant. (Brad Cochi/CHSAANow.com)
Looking to follow in the footsteps of older brother Davis Bryant, who won the 5A boys title as a senior last fall, Eaglecrest freshman Emma Bryant finished Day 1 at 1-over and in third place.
When the lead group tees off on No. 1 at 9:58 a.m. on Tuesday, it will include a sophomore, a senior and a freshman, each of whom appears capable of winning the individual title.
“I was kind of nervous in the very beginning because it’s my first state and everything,” Bryant said. “Once I got that first tee shot out of the way, I got the ball rolling. I just wanted to hit fairways, hit greens and control what I can control. My brother told me just to play my own game and don’t play the competitors’ or you’ll just get inside your head and everything’s just going to fall off. So I’ll just do my absolute best and after that, there’s nothing I can do.”
Through 15 holes on Monday, Berrian, Webster and Bryant were all tied up at 2-under.
Webster bogeyed Nos. 16 and 17 before ending her round with a birdie on the par-5 18th. Bryant was at 1-under going into the final hole but doubled No. 18. Berrian bogeyed No. 17 but birdied the 18th to get back to 2-under.
After Monday’s top three, there will be an intriguing four-way tie for fourth place to open play on Tuesday.
Highlands Ranch’s Jenna Chun, who lost a playoff and finished runner-up to Chitkoksoong last season, was 2-under through six holes but also finished 3-over.
Broomfield sophomore transfer Meghan Vogt, who tied for seventh in 3A while playing for Holy Family last season, four-putted No. 18 to also finish 3-over and will tee it up with 5A’s reigning top two at 9:48 a.m. on Tuesday.
Cherry Creek’s Payton Canon, who placed sixth last season, also finished 3-over on Monday.
The 5A state championships will conclude with the final round on Tuesday. The first group will tee off at 8 a.m.
PUEBLO — Sometimes there can be a preference in the way a championship is won. Start strong early and coast or stay in contention early and make a strong move late.
Hailey Schalk has now done it both ways. The Holy Family sophomore entered the final day of the Class 3A state golf tournament one stroke back of Colorado Academy’s Caroline Jordaan. She responded on Tuesday with a 4-under-par-67 at Elmwood Golf Course to finish the tournament 6-under. That was good enough to claim her second state championship.
So naturally, of the two she had to think about which route to the title was preferable.
“I don’t think there’s a preference,” Schalk said. “I think both are nice. I think (making the move on the first day) is more relaxing than the other way which pushes me harder to play my best and win and actually have to fight to win.”
She struggled early on Monday, but things went her way in the first few holes of the second round. Her second shot on the par-5 third hole landed about four feet away for eagle. She missed the putt, but will always take the tap-in birdie.
She made par on each hole the rest of the front nine, going out in 35. Jordaan was the victim of the tough breaks early on Tuesday. She went long of the green on No. 2 and couldn’t get up and down for par.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Her chip on No. 5 rolled well past the hole and she ended up three-putting for double-bogey. But she won’t be going home empty-handed. The junior played well enough to help the Mustangs claim their third consecutive team championship. They won in 4A in 2016 before taking the 3A title last year in the class’ first year of play.
It helped that Jordaan’s sister Marie had a better round on Tuesday, shooting a 76.
“I think individually, it was more important to take it shot by shot,” the younger Jordaan said. “Our team was really focused on how other teams were doing. Today, I was just trying to stay focused and, in the moment, and not looking ahead and thinking about my score. I just tried to find my good shots and try to feed off of that and not be negative and that really worked.”
The elder Jordaan sister has now finished in the top three at state in all three year’s that she has played. Even making the turn on Tuesday, she was just a stroke back of Schalk. But the defending champion scrambled to make par on 13 and made a 45-foot putt on 14 to get a firm grip on the leaderboard.
“That was definitely awesome,” Schalk said. “That’s just another confidence booster with my putter. It was nice to have a long birdie putt drop.”
A lost ball on 15 ended Jordaan’s hopes of grabbing that elusive title. She was still able to go 2-under over her last three holes to help the Mustangs win as a team.
“It’s hard to have a bad hole like that, but it’s golf,” Marie Jordaan said. As a team, I think we’re proud of everything we’ve done. We have to feel good as a team.”
Future state tournaments won’t be any easier for Schalk. After winning in her first two tries, she figures to be a perennial favorite in the next two years. She has already shown the maturity to stay grounded and focused on her own rounds, something that will serve her well through the rest of her high school career.
“With her, she’s a grounded kid already,” Holy Family coach Matt Schalk said. “I think she’ll learn from this and understand that we can accomplish the goals we set each day and that’s good enough to win. And if they’re not, then kudos to whoever beats you.”
BOULDER – Eaglecrest’s Emma Bryant kept it all in the family at the Class 5A girls golf state championship, swiftly dropping long putts, as well as her score, in a mesmerizing final round at Boulder Country Club.
The Raptors’ freshman celebrated a state golf title only eight months after her brother Davis did the same in the boys’ season. Back three strokes of the lead heading into the last day, the young and bright-eyed Bryant posted a 2-under-par 70 Tuesday to finish 1-under for a seven-stroke victory.
Unaware of where she was on the leaderboard throughout the day, Eaglecrest coach Justin Jajczyk waited until the No. 18 green to finally break the news.
“As long as you don’t seven putt this, you got this,” Jajczyk grinned as he told her.
For good measure, she sunk a six-foot birdie to end it.
“That was the first time I’ve ever gone under par in a round,” Bryant said.
And what timing it was. Bryant gave Eaglecrest its second golf title of the year after the senior Davis won the 5A boys’ title by two strokes at CommonGround Golf Course in October. Big brother told his sister just to play the golf course and not the competition coming into the final day.
“He said if you try your best and don’t win there’s nothing you can do about it,” Bryant said. “I definitely tried my absolute hardest today.”
The freshman began the round with five birdies in her first nine holes and was 5-under on the day heading into the back nine. The only major hiccup came with a double bogey on No. 16, but Bryant answered with a par and birdie to comfortably hold off the field.
Grandview’s Morgan Ryan finished second with a tournament score of 6-over and five golfers tied for third at 8-over.
“It’s unbelievable for her to be a freshman and to be this mature, this grown up, this fantastic of an individual, is a testament to her, a testament to her family,” Jajczyk said. “It’s crazy special.”
Cherry Creek won its 11th girls’ golf title in history and the first since 2013. The Bruins came into the day third in the team standings but rose up the leaderboard with strong play from Alyssa Chin, Kaylynn Xia and Rachel Penzenstadler, and a strong finish from Payton Canon (8-over).
Cherry Creek (46-over) went back and forth with Grandview atop the leaderboard on Day 2. The Wolves finished two strokes back at 48-over.
“The persistence and the adversity this team faced over these two days was key,” Cherry Creek coach Randy Smith said. “We are not physically the most-talented team out here by far. There’s a lot of credit that goes to Grandview. … We knew they were going to be there in the end.”
The Bruins coaches kept the team scores away from their players during the round — except senior Canon down the stretch.
“On (hole) 14, I asked, ‘How we doing?’ and he said, ‘It’s really close’,” Canon said. “I knew I just had to hit fairways and greens. Just play boring golf.”
Canon hit five pars on her final seven holes as “boring golf” was met by an exciting ending.
“(Coach) goes ‘Are your arms tired?’ and I go ‘No, my arms aren’t tired’,” Canon recalled of the final green. “He then goes ‘Well you’re going to have to muscle up some strength and hold a state title trophy.’ And that’s pretty cool.”
This change follows an earlier announcement of delaying the tournament from Monday to Friday due to the field at All-Star Park being left unplayable from a rainstrom overnight on Sunday.
However, following communication with all schools, the tournament instead will move to Tuesday and Wednesday for its first two days, with sites at All-Star Park and Metro State.
The tournament will conclude next week on Tuesday and Wednesday. Sites are to be determined.
The field at All-Star Park in Lakewood, one of the host sites for the 4A event, was hit by rain on Sunday night, and water leaked under the tarp. It left the field unplayable, according to CHSAA assistant commissioner Bert Borgmann.
