PARKER — It was a fast start as usual for Class 5A No. 2 Regis Jesuit girls basketball. The Raiders beat Chaparral 68-27 to remain unbeaten in Continental League play.
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AURORA — Payton Egloff only scored three points, but the third one came on a free throw with 0.2 seconds, giving Regis Jesuit boys basketball a 64-63 win over Class 5A No. 1 Chaparral.
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MONTROSE — After being shut out in the first quarter, and trailing 10-6 at halftime, eighth-ranked Montrose girls basketball rallied to beat Grand Junction on Tuesday.
Montrose won, 27-24, in the cross-classification matchup.
“We missed shots in the first half,” said Montrose junior Joise Eccher said. “We fought all the way through the game.”
Montrose chipped away at a 6-0 Grand Junction lead in the second quarter to make it 10-6 at the break. Then, a 15-9 advantage gave Montrose the lead at 21-19 after three quarters.
One key moment in that quarter came on a 3-pointer by Kennadie Minerich that tied the game at 14. Later, with Grand Junction up 18-16, Minerich hit another 3-pointer to give Montrose the lead.
In the fourth quarter, Montrose’s Michaela Ladage hit a key free throw which pushed her team’s lead to 26-22.
“It was a great match up and always is,” Montrose coach Steve Skiff said. “They came in with a ten-game winning streak. We talked about playing for 32 minutes. Our offense got off to a slow start and our defense carried us in the first half. Brenna Moss and Kennadie Minerich played the whole game which isn’t easy to do.
“We kept fighting to the end.”
Minerich finished with 14 points to lead Montrose. She also had six steals.
“Tough, tough game,” Grand Junction coach Sam Provenza said. “We need to finish our shots in the first half. I thought our defense was really good. … We stayed close, we just didn’t get it done. We will put this behind us and prepare for Central and Durango Friday and Saturday.”
Montrose (17-2, 4-0 in the Southwestern League) is off for a week, and will be at Grand Junction Central on Feb. 5. Grand Junction (13-5, 2-1) hosts Grand Junction Central on Friday.
A roundup of Jeffco prep highlights from January with Dennis Pleuss, Jeffco Public Schools’ Communication Specialist. This month’s edition features wrestling action from the Arvada West Invitational where Jefferson, Pomona and A-West made an impact. Boys basketball action between rivals Dakota Ridge and Columbine. Evergreen and Golden locked up in a big Class 4A Jeffco League boys basketball matchup. Ralston Valley hooked up against Dakota Ridge in girls basketball action. Golden’s Coed Cheer squad was honored at an all-school assembly after winning a state title.
Columbine junior Luke O’Brien sat down with Jeffco Public Schools communications specialist Dennis Pleuss for a one-on-one interview. O’Brien is one of the top boys basketball players not only in Jeffco, but in Colorado. Despite only a junior, O’Brien has already verbally committed to play hoops at the University of Colorado. Right now, O’Brien and the Rebels have their sights set on winning another Class 5A Jeffco League title.
This is the fifth of the monthly series of “Getting to Know …” where we’ll have one-on-one interviews with Jeffco student-athletes.
Bud Ozzello. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
AURORA — The CHSAA office announced two job openings on Monday for an Assistant Commissioner during its round table for all member schools.
Bud Ozzello, who has been at CHSAA since 2009, is set to retire this summer. A graduate of La Junta, Ozzello later taught business and coached baseball, softball and girls basketball at the school before becoming the Tigers’ athletic director, and later, principal.
Ozzello’s LJHS softball team won the 1999 3A title. He is a graduate of CSU and Adams State.
Ozzello served on the CHSAA Board of Directors prior to his appointment to the staff, and served on the CHSAA’s baseball, softball and Hall of Fame committees. He oversees football, softball, ice hockey and speech for the Association.
In addition, assistant commissioner Ernie Derrera has accepted a job as an assistant principal and athletic director at the new Severance High School, which is set to open in the Northern part of the state next fall.
Prior to joining CHSAA in 2017, Derrera was an athletic director and coach at Thompson Valley, Roosevelt and Frederick. He currently oversees wrestling, soccer, and student leadership for the Association.
“Our Association will truly miss the contributions Bud Ozzello has made to students and high school activities,” CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green said. “We look forward to celebrating both Bud and Ernie’s impact to our state in the coming months, and are excited to add new members to the CHSAA team!”
Both jobs are posted at CHSAANow.com/apply.
Ernie Derrera. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
(Marcus Gipson/Jmariahimages.com)
Josh Ulitzky, the longtime basketball coach at Grandview, won the 300th game of his career last week.
Ulitzky, who has led Grandview to back-to-back Class 5A championships, reached the milestone in a 75-34 win over Arapahoe on Saturday. His Wolves are now 14-3 this season.
Ultizky has been at Grandview for 14 seasons, having been hired in 204. He was at Overland, his alma mater, for six prior to that, and also coached Eaglecrest’s sophomore boys team.
The coach is now 300-177 in his 20-year career as a head coach.
He becomes the 25th girls basketball coach in state history to reach 300 wins.
(Dustin Price/dustinpricephotography.com)
Mike Holloway won the 300th game of his career on Saturday.
The boys basketball coach at Sterling, Holloway’s team beat Kent Denver 47-45 to reach the milestone at the school’s Wally Post Gym. He is 300-91 since taking over the program in 2003.
Holloway’s teams at Sterling have advanced to the state tournament in each season. They’ve gone to the Sweet 16 a total of 12 times, to the Great 8 six times, and the Final 4 four different times.
Sterling’s won two state titles under Holloway: Class 4A in 2011, and 3A in 2017.
Holloway is a 1989 graduate of the school, and starred as a player for the Tigers.
(Renee Bourcier/CHSAANow.com)
Valor Christian’s Dave Atencio has resigned as the school’s softball coach, the school announced on Tuesday.
Atencio led the program for the past six seasons, guiding them to a 123-23 record and three state championships.
“I have come to the conclusion that it is the right time to step away as head softball coach at Valor Christian High School. I do so with profound sadness, but also with complete peace,” Atencio said in a press release. “The decision to step away was difficult, emotional, and was made only harder by the many incredible relationships we have formed over the years at Valor.”
In a statement, Valor Christian athletic director Jamie Heiner said: “We are very thankful for Coach Atencio and the impact he has had on our school through the sport of softball. He transformed the culture of our program and invested greatly into the lives of our young women. Coach Atencio will be remembered for his generosity, his love and his pursuit of excellence in all matters. We are forever thankful for Coach ‘A’ and the work of his committed staff.”
Prior to joining Valor Christian in 2013, Atencio was the coach at Dakota Ridge for 17 seasons, founding that program. In 2010, the school named its softball complex in his honor.
Black Friday shopping madness is long passed, but there will be a new type of wrestling going on Tuesday at The Town Center of Aurora.