Month: October 2018

3A/2A cross country: The Classical Academy’s Mason Norman breaks brother’s record

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

The Norman brothers have a stronghold on the state cross country competition at the Norris Penrose Event Center.

Mason, the younger sibling of Tanner, shattered the elder’s Class 3A course record of 15 minutes, 44 seconds from 2016 with a 15:33 in clinching back-to-back state crowns on Saturday. Salida senior Camden Gillis (16:18) was the runner-up.

The stalwarts from The Classical Academy have now won a combined four individual championships in a row as Tanner earned titles in 4A in 2015 and 3A in 2016.

In a bit of a surprise though, Kaylee Thompson matched the brothers with another crown for TCA, who was in for a championship frenzy as Titan competitors Katie Flaherty (5th place), Kennedy McDonald (6th), Rebecca Thompson (8th), and Sarah Burroughs (14th) also helped lift the program to their first team title since a 10-year winning streak from 2003-2012.

Their 34 points bettered Peak to Peak’s 97, the two-time defending champions.

But, before The Classical Academy girls left their mark on the 2018 state meet, Mason Norman entered the stadium ahead of the pack.

“It definitely did inspire me,” Mason said of seeing his brother taste victory at state. “I remember watching him win his junior year in a really tight race and his senior year, I ran with him and it was exciting where he had gone with running.”

Only a junior, Mason snatched his first cross country title with a six-second margin. His triumph was much more decisive this time around.

“Last year, coming into state I knew that I could maybe do it,” he said. “I knew I was going to have to gun it through to the finish to hang on to it. This year, I was really hoping to make a break early on in the race. Coming up to the first mile, I started to pull away a bit and I tried to stretch it out.”

With his sights set on winning more than time, Mason wasn’t sure of the classification course record mark.

“I didn’t really know exactly what it was,” the latest superstar harrier for TCA admitted.

Nonetheless, the record added to an illustrious career for Mason, who will be in search of a third individual crown as a senior. As a team, the Titans were the defending champions but settled for third (107 points) behind Peak to Peak (76) and Salida (80) on Saturday.

Now a veteran in the prep running scene, the younger Norman got a chance to watch a relative newcomer taste gold when Thompson (18:19) overtook the Peak to Peak twosome of Anna Shults (2nd place, 18:37) and Quinn McConnell (18:43, 3rd place).

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

Thompson, with a background in soccer and basketball, signed up for cross country for the first time as a junior and earned 10th at the state meet. She wouldn’t be denied this year.

“I was just trying to catch Quinn McConnell and try to get up with her,” Thompson said. “I made my move in the last half mile. I was nervous that I might not have enough energy left to finish, but I just kept pushing.”

McConnell led much of the race before Thompson overtook her and even shattered the classification course record herself.

A Brigham Young University recruit, the senior was ecstatic seeing three other teammates finish in the top 10. One was her sister, Rebecca, who was eighth as a junior.

“It’s amazing,” Thompson said of her sister also nabbing all-state honors. “I wish I could run every season with her.”

The Classical Academy girls have now won 11 cross country championships, a Colorado record.

As for the Pumas of Peak to Peak, the boys secured their first state championship by a thin margin over Salida. An entire varsity contingent returned from last year’s third place team.

William Ledden (3rd place), Justin Hager (14th), Ethan Monarski (16th), Ryan Kuykendall (21st), and Cole Beasley (22nd) broke new ground for a standout program from Lafayette. Coach Kim McConnell has earned three overall team championships with the program.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

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Class 2A

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

The wave of green and white from the spring carried all the way into October for Heritage Christian.

After clinching their fifth 1A championship in boys track and field in May, the Eagles topped everyone in 2A cross country, winning the crown in Colorado Springs with a mere 12 points.

Seth Bruxvoort (1st place, 16:09) and Levi Killian (4th, 16:55) led the Eagles’ contingent as the long hair and smooth stride of Bruxvoort, and the more aggressive looking form of Killian (800, 1,600, 3,200 champion in 1A track), proved to be an overwhelming one-two punch. Keaton Case rounded up the scoring for the Eagles in eighth.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

Lyons girls were just as convincing in victory as junior Katie Fankhouser (19:24) and freshman Quin Gregg (19:36) crossed the finish line faster than anyone else in 2A, all but ensuring Lyons of a second girls team championship in school history (2014 winners).

Sophomore Hannah Thomas (12th) was the final scorer for Lyons, one of many Boulder County challengers throughout the divisions and a program that has also seized five boys titles in the past seven years. The boys were the runner-up this time with 38 points as Isaac Roberts finished third.

Platte Canyon (43 points), led by Emma Dikken (6th), was second in the girls team competition.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

October 27, 2018
5A/4A cross country: Valor Christian’s Cole Sprout repeats as champion

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

COLORADO SPRINGS — After two miles, Valor Christian’s Cole Sprout was comfortable enough with his pace that he went for it. He picked up the pace, pulled away from the pack and claimed his second state cross country title.

“That last mile I felt pretty comfortable where I was,” Sprout said. “It hurt, but I felt like I could maintain it and not burn out before the end.”

His time of 15 minutes, 16 seconds kept him well ahead of the rest of the Class 5A field. The junior was the only runner for the Eagles but represented his school well. As one of the top runners in the country, and a defending state champion, he has reason to be optimistic heading into the state meet, but also knew that nothing is given and that he had to earn it.

“I was pretty optimistic that I had a good chance of winning,” he said. “I never want to take it for granted because anything can happen. I can twist my ankle in the middle of the race and finish last. I had confidence for sure.”

With 47 points Dakota Ridge came away with the 5A team title, the first for the Eagles since 2006. Connor Ohlson finished second overall and Austin Vancil finished third to help pace the Eagles to the team title.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

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5A girls

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

Jenna Fitzsimmons had to be experiencing some déjà vu. The Mountain Vista junior won her second 5A girls cross country title in as many years and helped the Golden Eagles also repeat as team champions.

Knowing the expectations that were being placed on her as well as the team, Fitzsimmons and her teammates tried to keep the overall feel of the race relaxed.

“We were just trying to go into every race super loose, knowing we had something to do but not putting a ton of pressure on ourselves,” she said.

The plan worked.

Fitzsimmons didn’t jump out to an early lead, but maintained a strong pace and stayed within striking distance. When she eventually made her move she put enough distance between herself and the rest of the field.

She finished the race in 18:12.3 as teammates Sarah O’Sullivan and Madison Reed both placed in the top 10. It was knowing they were in the race with her that helped push Fitzsimmons to a strong finish.

“Every time I started to doubt myself and what could happen I just thinking about doing it for the other girls on the team,” she said. “I know that they’re putting in the work and every point counts for what we’re going to do.”

The Golden Eagles finished with 44 team points. Runner-up Cherry Creek finished with 88.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

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4A boys

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

As long as he can maintain his speed, Niwot’s Cruz Culpepper knows that winning is a good probability. He showed that exact mentality as he claim the 4A boys cross country championship, finishing the race in 15:48, 10 seconds faster than teammate Ares Reading.

“I know my speed is unmatchable,” Culpepper said. “I’m always confident that I can bring it back in.”

When the mile two leaders were announced to the crowd at the Norris Penrose Event Center, Culpepper’s name was not at the top of that list. It made spectators observers glance at each other wondering if some mistake had been made.

It hadn’t. He just hadn’t made his move because he was waiting for the opportune time to strike.

“I wanted to wait as long as possible,” he said. “I still didn’t put in that hard move until that last mile or so. I’m glad I didn’t jump on it and just kind of halved it and then ended up bringing it back in with 800 to go.”

Despite finishing one-two, the Cougars weren’t able to come away with the team championship. That honor went to Centaurus who had three runners finish inside the top 10. Cooper Brown (fourth), Torey Puckett (seventh) and Kyle Piper (10th) all paced the Warriors to their first title since 2011.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

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4A girls

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

The Niwot girls were not going to get shown up by the boys. About an hour and a half after Culpepper and Reading finished one-two in the 4A boys race, Layla Roebke and Taylor James went one-two for the girls.

In fact, they decided they wanted to do the one-upping. The Cougars finished with 47 points to claim the 4A girls cross country title.

Roebke came away with the state championship with a winning time of 18:29, but knows she couldn’t have done it without the support of her team.

“Our plan was to stick to that pack because there are certain parts after that bridge where it goes from five-wide to three-wide and then your position gets messed up,” she said. “Our plan was to get there relatively close to the same time and pack up.”

With her legs feeling good after the second mile, she made her move and made the final turn into the Norris Penrose Event Center floor ahead of the pack. But with a championship nearly in her grasp, she knew there was no room to let up.

“It’s the hardest push I’ve ever made,” she said. “It’s a big win and in the last 150 meters someone can still come in and take my space, so I have to give it everything.”

She gave it everything. And it paid off both Roebke and for the Cougars.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

October 27, 2018
Elizabeth cross country taking three sets of siblings to state

From left to right: Alaina and Brenna Jones, Ella Benkendorf, Isa Tebrugge, Caela Benkendorf, Ashten and Masen Loeks. (Photo courtesy of Alan Small/Elizabeth cross country)

Six of the seven state qualifiers for the Elizabeth girls cross country team share a lot in common. Mainly sets of genetics.

Caela and Ella Benkendorf, Alaina and Brenna Jones, and Ashten and Masen Loeks will all compete for the Cardinals on Saturday at the state meet which is held at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.

The three sets of sisters have helped Elizabeth’s standards in the sport reach a high level. But it wasn’t always like that.

When the Jones sisters, fraternal twins, Ella Benkendorf and Ashten Loeks all came in as freshman, the Cardinals weren’t exactly known for cross country success. But those three helped change the standards the team would try to live up to.

“When the older four girls each came up, they set a whole new standard and a whole new level of expectation for our program,” coach Alan Small said. “We hadn’t been on the state scene or anything like that. They helped bring in something that we had never had before. And so the younger siblings kind of came in expecting how it is. We’re supposed to be competing for things and we’re supposed to doing these kinds of things. The expectations were completely different for the younger ones that have come in.”

But those standards, along with the arrival of the younger Benkendorf and Loeks girls have made the team competitive and a fun environment for the entire team.

At regionals last week, all seven Elizabeth runners finished in the top 21 of the race. The seventh runner is the team’s adopted sister Isa Tebrugg. Small quickly points to her as the glue that holds the team together.

Not that they don’t along. Quite the contrary. Three sets of the girls might share the same last name, but from a personality standpoint, they couldn’t be more different.

“They’re all unique,” Small said. “Every single one of those girls is completely different from the other. It’s kind of funny. They are a hoot, but they are so unique. Each one of them.”

Heading into this week’s meet, the girls are taking the chance not just to try and compete for a state title, but to relish in one of the last events where they’ll compete together.

A lot can be said about sibling rivalry and how it plays into high school athletics, but these girls don’t let it come into play.

There’s not even a sense that they privately want to compete with each other in practice situations. They’d rather take the time to help each other get better so that the team can achieve more.

“They’re pretty chilled when it comes to all that,” Small said. “Even though they’re all sisters, they have a great sense of family (with each other) throughout the year. Just like any team, we spend a lot of time together. We do a big summer camp where we all get together. They’re not hyper-competitive in practice with each other. They want to do well together.

Doing well this year would be a great way for their time together to end. With four of the girls graduating this year, it’s on Masen Loeks and Caela Benkendorf to carry on the level of competition that they came into when they joined the team

“We lose five strong competitors,” Small said. “Those younger two realize they want that trend to continue and maybe even try to find a way to elevate where we’ve been in the past.”

That’s a concern for down the road. The main priority for each girl, regardless of class, is to try and get the best result this weekend.

The most important part from the team perspective is that they get to do it together. There was uncertainty early in the year if they would be able to do so, but as the state meet has come closer, the team has really started to come into its own.

“Caela had been hurt early this year and there was concern of whether she would be healthy enough to compete throughout the year,” Small said. “They were really upset early on that they might not have the chance to share this moment together. If you look at the last few weeks, Masen has really just come on. What it’s done for all of them is that they trust each other and they know that on any given day one of the younger ones can have a great race or one of the older ones can come out and have a great race.”

Come Saturday it won’t matter who has the best race. It won’t matter if one sister finishes faster than the other. The only thing that matters is that they’ll compete together just as they always have.

October 26, 2018
Regis Jesuit field hockey beats Cherry Creek to win first state title in epic game

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

DENVER — It was, perhaps, one of the greatest nights high school field hockey has ever seen in the state of Colorado.

In front of a crowd of more than 1,000 fans — the largest to ever witness a championship game — top-seeded Cherry Creek and No. 3 Regis Jesuit put on a show. The game featured a last-second goal to send the game to overtime, and a winning penalty stroke.

Ultimately, Regis Jesuit won the state championship, the program’s first, with a 2-1 victory over previously unbeaten Cherry Creek.

“It’s incredible,” said Regis Jesuit star Lauren Pendergast, who scored both goals for her team. “I mean we’ve worked so hard, and I know our coach is so proud of us right now, and he’s so excited. It’s just a surreal feeling.”

The Raiders’ Pendergast, a spark all postseason, scored the winning tally on a penalty stroke with just over two minutes remaining in the first overtime.

“Honestly, every time I’ve practiced going left,” Pendergast said after the game. “So I was like, you know what? … The goalies anticipate us going left, so I’m going to go right. And I just thought, I’m going to do it. I don’t know why I did it, but it worked.”

Pendergast buried the shot to the right, setting off a celebration on the Raiders’ sideline.

“It’s a process,” said Regis Jesuit coach Spencer Wagner. “It’s a lot of years. It’s a lot of gratitude to the teams that came before. I think back to the times we made the semis, I think back to the players who experienced this kind of pressure before and learned from it and taught the underclassmen, who taught their underclassmen.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

“I got messages from the very first captains that we had, and they were sending us good luck tonight,” the coach continued. “It really goes all the way back to the beginning. Every single year, the girls have learned from the previous girls, and this is a testament to last year’s team. We had a super strong team last year of 11 seniors, and they all graduated, but they left these underclassmen a lot of wisdom in how to play the sport well and they built on that this year.”

Regis Jesuit had to regroup after Cherry Creek’s Ella Pratt scored an amazing goal with one second left in regulation to the tie game and send it to overtime, the eighth time a title game had done to an extra frame.

With time winding down, Cherry Creek raced to get a last-second short corner attempt off. The Raiders nearly got the ball clear, but Pratt got hold of possession, and slammed home a goal from the edge of the circle.

But in the five-minute break before overtime, Regis Jesuit rallied.

Said Pendergast: “Our whole team was like, ‘Let’s not let this define us. We’re not going to lose a championship in the last second, so we’re going to come out here and take it to them. We’re going to win.’”

“We said, ‘OK, next play. What can we do about this?’” Wagner said.

Pendergast, who also scored Regis Jesuit’s lone goal in a 1-0 win over Kent Denver in the semifinals, opened the scoring with her goal from about 15 yards out off a short corner with 21:43 to play in regulation.

“She has carried this team through the playoffs,” Wagner said, noting that Pendergast scored in each game. “But it’s a testament to the teamwork that she hasn’t been our main scorer this whole season. It’s only been when we’ve come down to needing specialty plays that she has been our specialty player, so we rely on her heavily when it’s under pressure, and she rises to that challenge.

“She absolutely loves this game,” Wagner said, “and she loves the challenge of facing good opponents, and she loves the challenge of facing good opponents, and she rises to that challenge like no one I’ve ever coached.”

The Raiders had an aggressive attack throughout the game. They hit the post just before halftime, and had another close chance eight minutes into the second half.

After Pendergast’s goal, Cherry Creek turned up the pressure. Regis Jesuit goalie Shay Zilvitis made a huge save with nine minutes to play to preserve the lead.

Ultimately that Cherry Creek pressure paid off in the form of Pratt’s last-second goal. But Regis Jesuit, led by Pendergast, was able to respond.

It led to a memorable night in front of a massive crowd.

“Our whole school was telling me they were going to come out,” Wagner said. “Everybody’s been so supportive. … It was great to see. The more people, I think the stronger the environment, the will to win, it really helps to push them through to the end. And they needed to be pushed. That last 10 minutes was grueling, but they did it.”

(Ray Chen/ArrayPhoto.com)

October 26, 2018
OT goal sends Arvada West in second round of 5A boys soccer playoffs

ARVADA — Arvada West sophomore Gabe Schultz’s game-winning shot road the north wind Thursday night at the North Area Athletic Complex.

With the wind at his back, Schultz sailed a shot over the head of Poudre senior goalie Jacob VanDress less than four minutes into overtime in opening round of the Class 5A boys soccer state tournament to give the Wildcats a 2-1 victory.

Poudre senior Blake Knipple, left, and Arvada West junior Judah Johnston get tangled up during the first half Thursday at NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

“I just touched it, beat a kid and just hit it,” Schultz said of the goal that sends the Wildcats into the round of 16. “There was no open space the whole game. I was surprised I had that much space. I just kind of roofed it. I was so excited.”

Next up for A-West is the winner of the No. 25 Castle View versus No. 8 Arapahoe winner that started an hour later then the first game of a 5A boys soccer double-header at NAAC.

The last playoff win for A-West came back in 2015 when the program advanced to the 5A state quarterfinals. The past two years the Wildcats suffered road losses in the opening round of the state tournament.

Through the first half it looked like the No. 9-seeded Wildcats would be in danger of making it a third straight year of an early playoff exit. No. 24 Poudre held 1-0 lead after the first half. A turnover by the Wildcats led to a scoring chance by freshman Rowan Slater for the Impalas. Slater was able to place a high shot over A-West goalie Latham Kleckner in the 8th minute.

“It was a bit of a slow start. They stuck to the game plan,” A-West coach Troy Gette said. “They played great in the second half. What we hit the post four times. I think it was just a matter of time until we got one in.”

Arvada West senior Evan Keasling (16) scored a big goal in the 62nd minute to tie the game at 1-1 against Poudre. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

Arvada West tied things up in the 62nd minute on a hard low shot to the far post by senior Evan Keasling.

It appeared A-West might have scored in the final minute before halftime on a long shot that hit the cross bar then went off the back of VanDress. However, it was ruled that the ball didn’t completely cross the goal line before VanDress was able to slap the ball away.

The Wildcats entered the postseason on a seven-game winning streak. A-West had outscored it previous seven opponents 21-2.

Poudre pulled off its first winning season since 2014 when the Impalas had their last playoff win. Poudre had just 12 wins over the past three years combined before its resurgent season this season that yielded eight victories.

The Impalas close out the regular season with a 0-3-1 record, but all three losses were to top-10 seeded teams — No. 1 Fairview, No. 2 Boulder and No. 7 Fort Collins — in the 5A state tournament.

“They were so under-rated,” Schultz said of Poudre. “They played the toughest schedule. They should have been a higher seed.”

Arvada West junior Judah Johnston (17) centers a pass before Poudre sophomore Jacob Bee (4) can get a foot on it Thursday night at NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

October 26, 2018
Cherry Creek boys soccer works OT to get first-round upset win

Ralston Valley junior Hayden Miller, left, fires a shot off Cherry Creek junior Ian Elliott during the second half Thursday night at the NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

ARVADA — Cherry Creek junior Bryce Loui ended a long night of soccer at the North Area Athletic Complex.

Loui put the shot into the back of the net less than a minute into overtime to give the No. 22-seeded Bruins a 2-1 upset victory over No. 11 Ralston Valley. It was the second Class 5A boys soccer first-round playoff game to go overtime at the NAAC on Thursday night.

Arvada West also scored a quick goal early in overtime to edge Poudre in the first game of the playoff doubleheader.

“I flicked it over and saw the goalie wasn’t coming out,” Loui said talking about the game-winning goal in the 81st minute. “I just went out and got it. It ended up being nice.”

Cherry Creek junior Zach Lewis (16) advances the ball during the Bruins’ playoff win Thursday night in Arvada.

The Bruins had the disadvantage with going against a steady north wind to start the overtime period, but the goal seconds into the overtime didn’t allow the wind to play much of a factor.

“I was very surprised. I really wasn’t expecting it,” Loui said of his scoring chance so early in overtime. “They had us all game on defense. We had very few chances. I’m just happy to win.”

Cherry Creek’s other goal came in a strange manner. Junior Nolan Roberts kick off a restart from Ralston Valley’s first goal in the 21st minute rode the north wind and found the back of the net to tie things up 1-1.

Ralston Valley senior Mason Miller netted the Mustangs’ lone goal on a penalty, but Ralston Valley’s leading scorer wasn’t able to convert on a penalty kick in the 70th minute. Miller’s PK sailed over the net to keep the game tied at 1-1.

Cherry Creek junior Bryce Loui (2) walks off the field at NAAC as his teammates celebrate behind him.
(Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

Ralston Valley (9-5-2 record) came into the state tournament with plenty of momentum. The Mustangs were 4-0 in their final four regular-season games. They had outscored opponents 22-2 during the late-season stretch.

It’s the third straight first-round playoff loss for the Mustangs. Ralston Valley was bounced out of the state tournament in the opening round against Boulder in 2017 and Horizon in 2016. The last postseason win came in 2015 with a road victory against Fossil Ridge.

Cherry Creek (7-8-1) was able to grab a first-round playoff win last year before losing to eventual state champion Broomfield in the second round. The Bruins will hit the road to face No. 6 Cherokee Trail in the second round on Halloween — Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Cherry Creek senior Morey Schneider, right, is able to clear a ball out of danger before Ralston Valley senior Cort Johnson (4) can get to it Thursday night. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

October 26, 2018
Photos: Regis Jesuit field hockey wins first championship vs. Cherry Creek

DENVER — Regis Jesuit field hockey won an epic championship game against Cherry Creek, 2-1 in overtime.

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October 26, 2018
Photos: No. 4 Eaglecrest football tops Cherokee Trail

AURORA — Fourth-ranked Eaglecrest football got a 28-14 win over Cherokee Trail on Thursday.

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October 26, 2018
Photos: No. 2 Kent Denver tops No. 31 Aspen in first round of 3A boys soccer tournament

DENVER — Four different players scored for No. 2 Kent Denver in its 4-0 over No. 31 Aspen in the first round of the Class 3A boys soccer tournament.

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October 26, 2018
Photos: No. 4 Denver East boys soccer beats No. 29 Fossil Ridge in 5A

DENVER — Fourth-seeded Denver East boys soccer beat No. 29 Fossil Ridge in the first round of the Class 5A state tournament.

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October 26, 2018