Kent Denver field hockey coach Kathy James reached a momentous milestone on Friday when she won the 300th game in her career.
The win, 3-1 over Denver East, came in the first round of the state tournament.
Her 300 wins are the most of any Colorado coach, according to the NFHS record book.
James, among the state’s most impactful coaches in any sport, is now in her 22nd year as the coach at Kent. She was actually the Sun Devils’ coach prior to field hockey’s sanctioning in 1997.
Since that sanctioning, Kent Denver has won 10 championships, the most of any program in the state.
James — a five-time state coach of the year, and three-time sectional coach of the year — has not only built a successful program which is annually a contender for the state title, she is also a great advocate for the sport of field hockey as a whole. She has also coached for USA Field Hockey.
Dawn Gaffin won the 600th career game of her illustrious career on Friday at the state softball tournament.
The 600th win came via an 8-7 victory over Castle View in the first round of the Class 5A bracket.
Gaffin, in her 18th season as the coach at Legacy, is now 600-208-4 in her career. She has also coached at Thornton, Northglenn and Horizon, starting her career in 1987.
Under Gaffin, Legacy has gone 431-107-4 and won six state championships. She is the only coach in program history.
LAKEWOOD — Columbine wrapped up the Class 5A Metro West League title and automatic postseason berth Friday night in impressive fashion.
The Rebels, undefeated and ranked No. 3 in the CHSAANow.com Class 5A football poll, dominated defending 5A state champion No. 4 Pomona 35-13 at Jeffco Stadium.
The head-to-head meetings between the Rebels and Panthers has been a bit one-sided over the past four years. Pomona had a 4-1 record, including playoff victories in 2015 and 2014 to end Columbine’s season.
Columbine junior Luke Folsom (25) fights for extra yards during the first half Friday night at Jeffco Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“We talked about it a little bit,” Columbine senior quarterback Logan DeArment said of the Rebels’ struggles recently against Pomona. “I knew it in the back of my head.”
The lone win for Columbine came during the regular season in 2015. The two didn’t meet last season when Pomona won the 5A state championship.
“It feels great,” Columbine junior Luke Folsom said of the Rebels improving to 9-0. “It’s what was supposed to happen in our minds. We just need to keep getting better every week and see where it goes.”
Columbine (9-0, 4-0 in league) took care of business in familiar fashion. The Rebels’ rushing attack pounded away early and often. DeArment pulled of the perfect ball fake to score untouched on a 14-yard touchdown on the Rebels’ opening drive.
After junior Tanner Hollens intercepted Pomona senior quarterback Riley Welsch deep in Columbine territory, the Rebels drove 97 yards on 17 plays. Hollens finished off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run.
Hollens and Folsom both intercepted Welsch to set up Columbine’s scoring drive in the first half to help give the Rebels a 14-0 lead at halftime.
Pomona senior Dominic Bettini (5) escapes from Columbine senior Ben Earnest (58) on Friday night at Jeffco Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“Our defense played great not giving up anything in the first half,” Columbine coach Andy Lowry said.
Columbine kept pounding away in the second half. Junior Adam Harrington got into the scoring action with a 57-yard touchdown run on the Rebels’ opening drive of the second half. After a three-and-out by Pomona (6-3, 3-1), Columbine went 52 yards on 11 plays. Hollens found the end zone for a second time on a 1-yard run to give the Rebels a 28-0 lead late in the third quarter.
DeArment finished of Columbine’s scoring with a 48-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter.
“It feels great, but obviously we aren’t done yet,” DeArment said. “We have tons to improve on and that’s a good thing.”
Pomona got touchdown runs by senior Dominic Bettini and Welsch in the fourth quarter to prevent from getting shut out.
“That’s a great football right there,” Pomona coach Jay Madden said of Columbine. “We need to be 100 percent healthy and not make mistakes to have a chance.”
Madden unfortunately has a long list of key players out with injuries. On the defensive side, senior lineman MJ Allen and junior linebacker Sanjay Strickland didn’t play Friday.
Senior receiver Billy Pospisil — Washington State University-commit who just went over the 3,000-yard career receiving milestone — was in a sling Friday night. A left shoulder injury against Mullen last week ended Pospisil’s season.
Starting running back Therious Robison — three-time individual state wrestling champion — hasn’t played due to injury since conference play began in Week 6. Robison should be back for the Panthers. Senior playmaker Colten Mueller has also been suffering from an injury.
“Pomona is a very good football team, but they have about half their starters out right now,” Lowry said. “I know that isn’t the whole Pomona football group. They are missing some good football players.”
The focus now for the Panthers is Ralston Valley (6-2, 2-1) next Friday night at the North Area Athletic Complex.
“It’s rivalry week. Ralston Valley is going play as hard as they have played all year and do different stuff on offense and mix it up,” Madden said. “Hopefully some of our injured guys will be back next week.”
Columbine has a chance to end its regular season undefeated if it defeats Arvada West (6-3, 2-2) at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, at Jeffco Stadium.
“We have a pretty good Arvada West team coming up on a short week,” Lowry said while giving praise to A-West’s potent offense led by quarterback Johnny Krutsch and receiver Chris McEahern. “They beat up on Mullen last night. We have our work cutout for us. We have to finish our 10-game schedule out first.”
Columbine junior Tanner Hollens (6) looks for some running room Friday night at Jeffco Stadium. The No. 3 Rebels clashed with No. 4 Pomona in the Class 5A Metro West League. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
After Keenan Goodwin found Cauy Bouldin for a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, Montrose used four second-quarter touchdowns to help build their lead. Two came from Chris Eckerman, one from Riley Barnhill, and another from Elijah Evans.
Then, to start the third quarter, Josh Kasamis returned the kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.
“I thought we started off a little slow, but got it going in the second quarter,” Montrose coach Brett Mertens said. “I was proud how we played as a team. It was fun to get some of the younger kids in during the second half. We have a big game next week and the kids are excited for the chance to play Ponderosa.”
“We play for each other,” Barnhill said. “We go out and get it done. We want to make the town proud.”
GREENWOOD VILLAGE — Top-ranked Cherry Creek football found itself in a battle with No. 10 Cherokee Trail, but pulled away late in the fourth quarter to get a 35-14 win.
AURORA — Through a dominating 27-2 record in the 2018 season, Holy Family capped a special season with a Class 4A state title behind the right-hand of senior pitcher Erin Caviness and timely hitting.
Up against reigning champ and regular contender Mountain View (20-7-2), the Lady Tigers ran away with a 10-3 victory.
Offensively, Holy Family had its frustrations early on, particularly in the first inning after loading the bases with one-out and not plating a run. The following frame, similar fits with an inning-ending double play on a line drive at the pitcher ended the scare for MV.
However, Holy Family broke through in the third after the leadoff homer by junior Anna Martinez. The flood gates then opened in the frame after seniors Sara Rode (error), Erin Winters (single) and Caviness (walk) loaded the bases with nobody out.
Sophomore Tyler Whitlock corked a sacrifice fly to right field to bring in the second run before Caviness’ heads-up base running scored on a wild pitch to expand the lead to three.
Retiring six of the first seven batters faced, Caviness looked to be in control, but the Lady Mountain Lions then pounced.
Senior Jaelyn Taylor began things with a leadoff shot to right-center field. Three batters later following a one-out walk, sophomore Bailey Carlson helped herself with a mammoth two-run home run to left to tie things at three. The two home runs were two of the three hits that Caviness allowed all day.
“I know they all have my back,” Caviness said. It’s cool to know I could not strike everyone out, and they would still have my back.”
Did they ever.
Holy Family didn’t waste any time, getting their senior hurler back the lead with a five-run outburst to put the Lady Tigers back ahead. A two-run single by Martinez, a two-run double by Caviness and an RBI-single by Whitlock outlined the scoring.
“This team never lets up,” Martinez said. “Even if someone hits a home run or something goes in the other direction for the team, we still keep each other up and keep each other going. No matter what, I know my teammates are behind me.”
Eight runs were more than enough for Caviness, but two more crossed home in the sixth after the two-out, two-run RBI triple by Whitlock. Caviness concluded her spectacular complete game with seven innings thrown with eight strikeouts and three walks. Other than the fourth inning, she was in full control.
“The mental approach she has had this year as a senior has been amazing,” Holy Family coach Mitch Martinez said. “Nothing fazes her and even though it sounds redundant but you just do what you do, and that’s what she has done all year long.”
In their fifth year in 4A, Holy Family has escalated to the top quickly, and with the talent and coaching present, expect to see this program in the spotlight routinely.
“We have been here for five years, and we just kept working,” Martinez said. “These seniors have been with us and have worked and led and that’s why we are here. We don’t get ahead of ourselves. We stay focused on every inning, try to keep pressure on people, and put the ball in play. We want to make the other team make plays, and the formula worked for this group. Put the ball in play, good things happen.”
AURORA — Alexis Rayburn crossed home plate on a wild pitch in the first inning. Offensively, that’s all she needed to. She shined with the ball in her hand on defense, striking out 16 and not allowing a hit until the sixth inning.
It was behind that performance that Strasburg beat Eaton 3-0 to repeat as the Class 3A state softball champion.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Rayburn said. “I was shocked we won it again and I was very thankful that my team had my back. Especially Ashlyn Richardson, my third baseman, she comes over and talks to me all the time, gives me encouragement. My catcher, Jodie, she gives me a ton of encouragement. She frames my ball really well. I couldn’t believe it when it first happened but then it processed that this was my last game. I was sad but very happy at the same time.”
She was nervous heading into Saturday’s championship game. Eaton had come off a semifinal performance where it scored 11 runs in the first inning alone. The Reds (22-6 overall) scored 48 runs in the first three games of the tournament, but couldn’t get any across the plate against the Indians (22-5). It said a lot about the way Strasburg came together to perform at a championship level.
“We went through a lot of adversity and stuck together,” coach Michelle Woodard said. “They knew if they could do that, we would be in this game. Eaton is a great team and we knew it would be a tough one, but Lexi threw a great game today.”
Where Eaton came into the game seemingly with plenty of fire power, Strasburg had suffered a slight setback in its semifinal win over Faith Christian. Third basemen Ashlyn Richardson suffered a dislocated finger in that game, but there was no way she was going to miss the title game.
She even cleanly fielded both ground balls hit her way.
“To be honest, you don’t really think about it when you’re out there. You just have to play in the moment and have each other’s backs. So, no I wasn’t thinking about it.”
Richardson was on third base in the bottom of the fourth when a ground ball hit by Rayburn went through the glove of Eaton shortstop Jennifer Jamagin.
Richardson and Emily Johnson both scored to make it a 3-0 game, more than enough breathing room for Rayburn who had settled in at that point of the game.
“Once I settled in and got through the lineup once I was a lot more comfortable,” she said.
Eaton had seen Rayburn twice this year, splitting those two games. Coming in for the third game didn’t put her at ease as much as it made her nervous that the Eaton hitters had seen her pitch twice already.
“They know my spins, they know how I run and bat,” Rayburn said. “We tried to change things up this time, but we just kind of stuck with what we knew so it was actually harder this time playing it twice.”
This is the fifth state championship for Strasburg. They’ve won all their titles since 2012. This is the second time they’ve won back to back crowns, doing it first in 2012 and 2013.
“It doesn’t happen very often but we’ve been blessed twice,” Woodard said.
Rayburn and second baseman Trystyn Carlmark are the only two seniors on a Strasburg roster that will head into 2019 hunting a third-straight title.
AURORA — Winning a state championship is always a tall mountain to climb. Legend’s softball team can attest to that after becoming the first team in school history to accomplish the feat last fall.
So as the Titans celebrated their second consecutive state softball championship Saturday afternoon at Aurora Sports Park after defeating Cherokee Trail 8-4 in the Class 5A title game, the players reflected on becoming the first 5A team to defend its trophy since Legacy won five in a row from 2007-11.
“I think defending it is sweeter. I’m a very competitive person,” said Legend senior Zoey LeCompte, who earned the victory. “It’s kind of like everyone wasn’t expecting us to, so we needed to do it just to show them what’s up, I guess.”
The Titans (21-9) entered the tournament as the No. 6 seed after enduring a rough start to the season that saw them lose nine of their first 12 games. But the team regrouped and finished the season on a 16-game winning streak, capped off by victories over Central of Grand Junction and top-seeded Cherokee Trail on Saturday.
“There were some dark days early on, and the target was on our back. But it wasn’t our team playing,” Legend coach Kristen Shirk said. “This was a totally different team than our first 12 games.”
After dispatching Central 8-3 in the semifinals Saturday morning, Legend fell behind the Cougars 1-0 in the first inning on an RBI single from Kelsey Bell. The Titans bounced back with two runs in the third inning — Liv Bradley tied the game up with a run-scoring single, and Cailey Oldemeyer put Legend up to stay with a sacrifice fly.
Lauren Griggs belted a two-run home run to right-center field in the top of the fourth inning, which seemed to give the Titans the lift they needed.
“I think it created a momentum that the entire team was able to, you could say, mooch off of,” Griggs said. “It created this whole new energy that drove us.”
Payton Lincavage made it 5-1 in the fifth with a base hit, and LeCompte followed with a two-run single to make it a 7-1 advantage.
The Cougars (26-3) put two runners on in three of the first five innings but were only able to push one run across. LeCompte escaped a jam in the fourth inning by getting a groundout and strikeout, and the Memphis-bound senior got a lineout in the fifth inning.
“Definitely trusting my teammates and knowing they can make the plays,” LeCompte said of the key to getting out of those jams. “They knew what to do, and I didn’t have to do it all by myself.”
Cherokee Trail made its most noise in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two runners on, Adreanna Lance doubled off the fence in right field, but the Cougars’ lead runner was thrown out at the plate. Flex player Hunter Gilbreath pinch hit and belted a three-run home to left field off Bella Mumford to make it a 7-4 game.
Legend had lost to the Cougars 13-12 in eight innings in August, so Shirk was well aware of Cherokee Trail’s ability to hammer the ball. The Cougars had also walked off Loveland 2-1 in the semifinals on a single and an error after allowing the tying run in the top of the seventh.
“We knew from facing them earlier you can never stop,” Shirk said. “You have to keep going, keep tacking the runs on.”
Legend added an insurance run on an error in the seventh inning, and Mumford tossed a 1-2-3 inning to set off the celebration.
“We knew we had what it took,” LeCompte said. “We were going to get it done.”
Bradley was 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored for Legend, which will graduate five seniors. The program continues to establish itself as a force in the state, and going back-to-back only cements that status.
“I think we’ve definitely brought around softball at Legend, and I hope we’ve built a powerhouse,” Shirk said. “I hope it keeps going.”
