CHSAANow

Month: June 2019

  • All-state girls soccer teams for the 2019 season

    The 2019 all-state girls soccer teams honor the best players in the sport as judged by the leagues and coaches. They are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.

    These teams were created following a lengthy process which included nominations from leagues, and then a vote of head coaches.

    Player and coach of the year was also selected by a vote of the coaches.

    [divider]

    Class 5A

    Grandview’s Kacy Johnston. (Derek Regensburger/MaxPreps)

    Player of the year: Kacy Johnston, Grandview

    Coach of the year: Tari Wood, Grandview

    First Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Tessa Barton Columbine FORW Senior
    Brooke Berdan Fairview MF Senior
    Lauren Holleran Grandview D/MF Senior
    Kacy Johnston Grandview MF Senior
    Madison Livingston Grandview GK Senior
    Grayson Lynch Rock Canyon FORW Senior
    Caylin Lyubenko Grandview MF Junior
    Mallory Mooney Broomfield FORW Junior
    Sarah Piper Ralston valley MF/FORW Senior
    Lauren Walter Arapahoe FORW Junior
    Audrey Weiss Arapahoe FORW Senior
    Second Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Lauren Durbin Rock Canyon MF Senior
    Cori Dyke Valor Christian MF/FORW Senior
    Shaylee Gailus Broomfield FORW Senior
    Abby Gearhart Windsor MF/FORW/STRK Senior
    Maddie Hahn Arapahoe D Senior
    Madi Hand Rocky Mountain MF Senior
    Ava Laden Regis Jesuit FORW Junior
    Reilly Madden Boulder D Senior
    Grace McReynolds Rampart   Junior
    Izzy Munsell Broomfield D Senior
    Shalom Prince Grandview FORW/MF Senior

    Honorable mention:

    • Aaliyah Acevedo, Cherokee Trail, Junior
    • Shayla Addington, Chaparral, D, Freshman
    • Brynn Boeyink, Mountain Vista, D, Junior
    • Mackenzie Bryant, Cherry Creek, GK, Senior
    • Brae Cole, Monarch, Sophomore
    • Emily Cottrell, Rock Canyon, D, Senior
    • Madison DeHerrera, Ralston Valley, MF/FORW, Senior
    • Lila Dere, Fruita Monument, FORW, Junior
    • Mikayla Eccher, Rocky Mountain, MF, Senior
    • Makenna Fowler, Arvada West, MF/FORW, Senior
    • Jariya Freeling, Denver East, D, Senior
    • Jordan Garrett, Rampart, Junior
    • Kaitlin Glover, Cherry Creek, MF, Senior
    • Anna Hart, ThunderRidge, STRK, Senior
    • Lucy Hart, Pine Creek, Sophomore
    • Tara Hoffman, Heritage, GK, Senior
    • Riley Kaali-Nagy, Columbine, FORW, Freshman
    • Carty Kingsbury, Windsor, MF/FORW, Freshman
    • Sophia Leone, Fossil Ridge, Junior
    • Daisy Light, Monarch, Senior
    • Marisa Lucero, Doherty, STRK/MF, Junior
    • Kailey Maness, Legacy, Senior
    • Maria Martinez, Liberty, GK, Sophomore
    • Makayla Merlo, Legacy, MF, Junior
    • Sophie Moran, Ralston Valley, D, Senior
    • Rylee Mullen, Chatfield, MF, Senior
    • Nariana Nealy, Northglenn, FORW/GK, Senior
    • Molly Reich, Regis Jesuit, D, Senior
    • Lucy Roberts, Legend, Junior
    • Kaitlyn Rogers, Fossil Ridge, Sophomore
    • Sarina Russ, Fairview, MF, Senior
    • Dekota Schubert, Douglas County, Junior
    • Hanna Sexton, Highlands Ranch, MF, Senior
    • Kailey Seymour, Castle View, D/MF, Junior
    • Laurel Storheim, Fruita Monument, MF, Senior
    • Kali Villalobos, Brighton, Junior
    • Savannah Watts, Prairie View, GK, Senior
    • Kylie Wells, Chatfield, STRK, Junior

    [divider]

    Class 4A

    Cheyenne Mountain’s Lisa Long. (Derek Regensburger/MaxPreps)

    Player of the year: Lisa Long, Cheyenne Mountain

    Coach of the year: Nikki Athey, Cheyenne Mountain

    First Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Abby Barhydt Palmer Ridge   Junior
    Marissa Dowlin Cheyenne Mountain FORW Senior
    Laryssa Hamblen D’Evelyn   Senior
    Molly Kratzer Wheat Ridge MF Senior
    Jadyn Ledoux Sand Creek FORW Sophomore
    Lisa Long Cheyenne Mountain FORW Senior
    Liza Louthan Air Academy D Senior
    Bella Scaturro D’Evelyn   Senior
    Zoe Sims Air Academy MF Senior
    Colleen Tyrrell Silver Creek D Senior
    Luisa Weiner Evergreen   Senior
    Second Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Baylee Barnes Air Academy FORW Senior
    Kinley Carter Pueblo Centennial FORW Senior
    Macy Clem Mullen MF Senior
    Trinity Harvey The Classical Academy FORW Junior
    Kaitlin Hinkle Pueblo County   Senior
    Sharon Mayes Discovery Canyon FORW Junior
    Sophia McConnell Cheyenne Mountain MF Sophomore
    Olivia Pietro Green Mountain   Senior
    Catherine Rapp Evergreen   Freshman
    Elizabeth Rapp Evergreen   Freshman
    Madeline Schuemann Sand Creek D Sophomore

    Honorable mention:

    • Cailynn Andreis, Canon City, D, Sophomore
    • Catherine Bakken, George Washington, MF/FORW, Senior
    • Carlene Beaton, Denver North, D/GK, Senior
    • Morgan Berry, Woodland Park, MF, Freshman
    • Faith Brendefur, Centaurus, Senior
    • Allison Canada, Mesa Ridge, D, Senior
    • Hannah Coster, Durango, MF, Junior
    • Logan DuFord, Wheat Ridge, GK, Senior
    • Kate Eggen, Silver Creek, MF, Senior
    • Jackie Escalera, Fort Morgan, FORW, Sophomore
    • Melina Faris, Pueblo County, FORW/MF, Junior
    • Kiera Flanagan, Niwot, FORW, Sophomore
    • Jersey Garoutte, Pueblo West, FORW/MF/D, Junior
    • Drew Girling, Sierra, GK, Junior
    • Stephanie Gwilliam, Thompson Valley, Sophomore
    • McKenna Harrington, Erie, FORW, Senior
    • Molly Hennessy, Skyline, FORW/MF/D, Junior
    • Mikayla Henson, Pueblo Centennial, D, Sophomore
    • Kiera Hess, D’Evelyn, GK, Senior
    • Jaelyn Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, D/FORW, Senior
    • Allie Jones, Pueblo Centennial, MF, Sophomore
    • Riley Jones, Palmer Ridge, Sophomore
    • Alexa Karsel, Silver Creek, STRK, Junior
    • Haley Klasner, Standley Lake, MF, Senior
    • Claire Krueger, Battle Mountain, D, Senior
    • Lily Maus, Evergreen, Sophomore
    • Rachel Melchior, Elizabeth, FORW, Junior
    • Delaney Moon, Steamboat Springs, STRK, Senior
    • Shelby Olson, Mountain View, MF/GK, Junior
    • Kiley O’Rourke, Canon City, Senior
    • Lauren Prescott, Conifer, MF, Senior
    • Abby Raio, Pueblo South, MF, Junior
    • Yadira Ramos Gurrola, Skyview, HB/STRK, Senior
    • Addie Randel, Northridge, FORW/MF, Junior
    • Shelby Ransom, Green Mountain, Senior
    • Talia Schmidt, The Classical Academy, Sophomore
    • Abby Scruton, Glenwood Springs, Sophomore
    • Emma Seufer, Ponderosa, D, Junior
    • Shelby Smotzer, Frederick, Senior
    • Emily Stec, Golden, FORW, Junior
    • Lauren Strizich, Coronado, MF, Junior
    • Audrey Teague, Battle Mountain, D, Senior
    • Hailey Ter Meer, Greeley Central, GK/FORW, Sophomore
    • Isabelle Thibault, Falcon, D/MF, Senior
    • Lesley Vasquez, Northfield, MF/STRK, Freshman
    • Kaylah Wanna, Mullen, FORW/MF, Senior
    • Haley Williams, Mead, Freshman

    [divider]

    Class 3A

    Colorado Academy’s Catie Groves. (Paul DiSalvo/MaxPreps)

    Player of the year: Catie Groves, Colorado Academy

    Coach of the year: Sean Stedeford, Colorado Academy

    First Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Bridget Lynch Jefferson Academy D/MF Senior
    Catie Groves Colorado Academy   Senior
    Iris Zhang Peak to Peak FORW/MF Junior
    Kelley Francis Aspen FORW Sophomore
    Kendall Beall Colorado Academy   Junior
    Kristen Capan Jefferson Academy FORW/MF Senior
    Lily Thimsen Jefferson Academy D/MF Junior
    Mari Annest Colorado Academy   Senior
    Maya Pellegrini Colorado Academy   Sophomore
    Mika Fisher Kent Denver GK Junior
    Sidney Chong Kent Denver   Senior
    Second Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Taylor Ehlert Middle Park MF Senior
    Megan Elmer Kent Denver   Senior
    Lily Fletcher Prospect Ridge Academy MF Junior
    Katie Fowler St. Mary’s D Senior
    Kayla Futakami Stargate School FORW Sophomore
    Sammy Gish Vail Mountain MF Senior
    Annabelle Johnson Kent Denver   Junior
    Lisa McClain Middle Park FORW Senior
    Laura Pelino Salida   Senior
    Natalie Smink DSST: Stapleton MF/FORW Junior
    McKenzie Stricker The Academy MF Sophomore

    Honorable mention:

    • Destany Araiza, Atlas Preparatory School, Junior
    • Nevaeh Archuleta, Sterling, FORW/STRK, Senior
    • Victoria Arzalo, KIPP Denver Collegiate, Senior
    • Hannah Baylor, The Vanguard School, GK/FORW, Sophomore
    • Addison Bright, Salida, GK, Senior
    • Emily Broadhurst, Roaring Fork, Junior
    • Mary Brummel, St. Mary’s, FORW, Senior
    • Lesli Bueso, Aurora West College Prep Academy, GK/D, Sophomore
    • Ava Candelaria, DSST: Byers, MF, Sophomore
    • Shaya Chenoweth, Grand Valley, MF/FORW, Senior
    • Sheridan Choat, Lamar, Senior
    • Julia Creech, St. Mary’s, MF, Sophomore
    • Emma Day, Basalt, MF/FORW, Junior
    • Lorelai Flores, Eagle Ridge Academy, MF/STRK, Freshman
    • Kaylie Gabel, The Academy, FORW/MF, Senior
    • Lauren Gamlin, Liberty Common, MF, Junior
    • Reygan Garcia, Fort Lupton, MF/FORW/STRK, Freshman
    • Brianna Gelok, Eagle Ridge Academy, MF/FORW, Freshman
    • Kait Halverson, Colorado Springs Christian, FORW, Senior
    • Emily Hughes, Eagle Ridge Academy, FORW, Junior
    • Jamison Litvay, Buena Vista, STRK, Freshman
    • Ainsley MacDonald, Prospect Ridge Academy, FORW, Freshman
    • Ellie MacKendrick, Middle Park, MF, Senior
    • Margo McHugh, Aspen, D, Senior
    • Kelsey Mundy, Florence, MF/FORW, Senior
    • Audrey Pulliam, Bennett, Junior
    • Nallely Robles, DSST: Green Valley Ranch, Senior
    • Caileen Sienchnect, Manitou Springs, MF, Senior
    • Morgan Thompson, Pagosa Springs, MF, Senior
    • Ashlee Trujillo, Riverdale Ridge, Freshman
    • Missa Webb, Delta, FORW, Senior
    • Alyssa Wenzel, Coal Ridge, Senior
    • Morgan White, Frontier Academy, Junior
    • MyAnna Winters, James Irwin, FORW/HB, Sophomore

    [divider]

    Class 2A

    Dawson School’s Degen Miller. (Paul DiSalvo/MaxPreps)

    Player of the year: Degen Miller, Dawson School

    Coach of the year: Brad Homan, Denver Christian

    First Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Kara Amidon Denver Christian MF/FORW Junior
    Karina Davalos Crested Butte   Senior
    Alex Dunbar Dawson School   Junior
    Cameron Epstein Dawson School   Senior
    Tess Fenerty Crested Butte   Senior
    Olivia Hansen Cornerstone Christian Academy   Freshman
    Degen Miller Dawson School   Sophomore
    Molly Miller Loveland Classical   Senior
    Samantha Morrell Telluride   Junior
    Eden Reece Denver Christian GK Junior
    Kaya Schaap Denver Christian MF Senior
    Second Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Sydney Adamson Rye   Freshman
    Makayla Dannelly Cornerstone Christian Academy   Sophomore
    Sydney Hansen Cornerstone Christian Academy   Junior
    Katherine Hatch Colorado Springs School   Senior
    Sofia Mier Fountain Valley MF Sophomore
    Holland Reece Denver Christian FB Junior
    Claire Shaver Telluride GK Junior
    Leah Shorey Thomas MacLaren School STRK/MF Sophomore
    Meghan Sloan Front Range Christian   Senior
    Siena Truex Crested Butte   Senior
    Grace Whitehorn Del Norte D Junior

    Honorable mention:

    • Sophie Adamson, Rye, Freshman
    • Amy Antes, Evangelical Christian, Junior
    • Alessa Baker, Rye, Sophomore
    • Ella Beck, Colorado Rocky Mountain, Senior
    • Mia Gardner, Thomas MacLaren School, GK, Junior
    • Justice Gearhard, Cornerstone Christian Academy, Senior
    • Juliet Hall, Thomas MacLaren School, MF, Junior
    • Jamie Johnson, Fountain Valley, FORW, Senior
    • Cameron McClelland, Loveland Classical, Sophomore
    • Elaizha Nelson, Belleview Christian, Freshman
    • Kendra Parra, Del Norte, FORW, Junior
    • Tilly Rahm, Fountain Valley, GK, Junior
    • Sidney Singh, Front Range Christian, Sophomore

  • Seven more Colorado products selected on the final day of the 2019 MLB Draft

    On the final day of the 2019 MLB Draft, former Colorado high school baseball players continued to hear their names called.

    Chris Givin

    On Wednesday, seven alumni were drafted out of college: Chris Givin (Rock Canyon), Chad Bell (Rocky Mountain), Jack Strunc (Mountain Vista), Alex Achtermann (Cherokee Trail), Bryan King (Ponderosa), Trevor Kehe (Lakewood), and Jake Eissler (ThunderRidge).

    That brings the total of Colorado high school products drafted this season to nine. No high school seniors were selected for the first time since 1984 — it is only the second time since 1965 that has happened.

    Givin, a 2015 graduate of Rock Canyon, was selected in the 19th round at No. 563 overall by the San Diego Padres. He recently finished his senior season at Xavier. The shortstop hit .306 with seven home runs and 35 RBIs this season. He led the team with four triples.

    Givin was a first-team all-Big East selection this season.

    At Xavier, he finished with 249 career hits, which are the third-most in school history.

    As a senior at Rock Canyon, he helped lead the Jaguars to the Class 5A championship, and he was named first-team all-state.

    This marks the fourth time a former Rock Canyon player has been selected in the MLB Draft, and it is the third consecutive season they’ve had someone drafted.

    Chad Bell

    Bell graduated from Rocky Mountain in 2015. He was also selected in the 19th round, at No. 585 overall, by the New York Yankees.

    He just finished his senior season at Louisiana-Monroe, where he hit .333 with 21 home runs and 61 RBIs this season.

    His 21 home runs set a single-season school record, and rank in the top ten nationally.

    A third baseman, Bell was named first-team all-conference in the Sun Belt, and also made the league’s all-tournament team.

    At Rocky Mountain, Bell was part of Rocky Mountain’s 2014 5A championship team, and was part of the all-state teams as a senior.

    This is the 16th time Rocky Mountain has had a former player selected in the MLB Draft.

    Jack Strunc

    Strunc went in the 25th round to the Miami Marlins, at No. 741 overall.

    A 2014 graduate of Mountain Vista, he helped Creighton reach the NCAA regional final this season, which was his redshirt senior year.

    Strunc hit .294 with four home runs and 34 RBIs this season as Creighton won the Big East Tournament. Strunc hit a grand slam in that game to help the Blue Jays clinch the title. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

    At Mountain Vista, he helped the Golden Eagles reach the Final 4 in 2014.

    He is the sixth former Mountain Vista player to be drafted, and the first since 2015.

    Achtermann graduated from Cherokee Trail in 2014. He’s an infielder and right-handed pitcher at Pittsburg State, having just completed his senior season.

    He threw 89 2/3 innings this season, and went 7-5 with a 3.51 ERA and 99 strikeouts. He hit .286 with four home runs and 26 RBIs.

    Achtermann is the third draft pick out of Cherokee Trail.

    King, who graduated from Ponderosa in 2015, made 13 starts at McNeese State this season, going 3-5 with a 6.94 ERA.

    He just completed his senior season there, helping them reach the regionals this season.

    King is Ponderosa’s sixth draft pick.

    In the 36th round, at No. 1068 overall, Kehe, a 2015 Lakewood grad, was drafted by Baltimore out of Colorado School of Mines.

    A redshirt junior, he hit .431 with 18 home runs and 58 RBI this season.

    He is the ninth player to be drafted from Lakewood.

    Two rounds later, in the 38th, 2016 ThunderRidge graduate Jake Eissler was selected by Cleveland with the 1150th overall pick.

    Eissler, a junior, was 4-4 with a 6.33 ERA and 50 strikeouts against 12 walks in 48 1/3 innings as he helped TCU reach the regionals.

    At ThunderRidge, Eissler was the 2016 5A player of the year as part of the all-state teams.

    He is the seventh draft pick from ThunderRidge in school history.

    We are tracking all the local selections in the 2019 MLB Draft on this page.

  • List of Colorado products selected in 2019 MLB Draft

    The 2019 MLB Draft is June 3-5. Below is a list of Colorado products selected.

    Last season, 13 players who played high school baseball in Colorado were taken.

    For a list of all previous Colorado players drafted, browse our historical MLB Draft database.

    Coverage:

    [divider]

    Local selections in the 2019 MLB Draft

    Alumni
    RD OVR Team Name POS High School Grad College
    6 168 Baltimore Orioles Maverick Handley C Mullen 2016 Stanford
    8 234 Cincinnati Reds Quin Cotton CF Regis Jesuit 2016 Grand Canyon
    19 563 San Diego Padres Chris Givin SS Rock Canyon 2015 Xavier
    19 585 New York Yankees Chad Bell 3B Rocky Mountain 2015 Louisiana-Monroe
    25 741 Miami Marlins Jack Strunc SS Mountain Vista 2014 Creighton
    30 909 Colorado Rockies Alex Achtermann RG Cherokee Trail 2014 Pittsburg State
    30 912 Chicago Cubs Bryan King LHP Ponderosa 2015 McNeese State
    36 1068 Baltimore Orioles Trevor Kehe OF Lakewood 2015 Colorado School of Mines
    38 1150 Cleveland Indians Jake Eissler P ThunderRidge 2016 TCU

  • Mullen alum Maverick Handley, Regis Jesuit alum Quin Cotton selected in the MLB Draft

    (Chris Martin/Flickr)

    Maverick Handley, a graduate of Mullen, and Quin Cotton, who graduated from Regis Jesuit, were both selected in the 2019 MLB Draft on Tuesday.

    Handley, a 2016 graduate of Mullen, was selected in the sixth round, going No. 168 overall to Baltimore.

    He is the first former Colorado high school baseball player selected in the 2019 MLB Draft.

    Handley is a junior at Stanford, where he has helped the Cardinal reach the Super Regionals. He is hitting .293 with five home runs and 24 RBIs in 56 games this season as the team’s starting catcher. In the regional final against Fresno State on Monday, Handley homered twice.

    At Mullen, Handley was named first-team all-state as a senior.

    He is the first Mullen alum drafted since 2015, when Sam Haggerty was selected by Cleveland.

    Cotton was selected two rounds later, in the eighth, by the Cincinnati Reds at No. 234 overall.

    A junior center fielder, he hit .331 with four home runs and 37 RBI this season. He earned all-Western Athletic Conference honor for the second consecutive season after leading his team in hits (83) and doubles (21).

    As a senior at Regis Jesuit, he was also named first-team all-state. After his senior season, he was drafted by the Rockies in the 38th round, but opted to head to college.

    We will be tracking locals selected in the MLB Draft on this page.

  • Rampart tabs Troy Ward to take over for Rob Royer as football coach

    Rampart Dakota Ridge football
    (Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)

    Rampart athletic director Andy Parks didn’t have to look far for his new football coach. Parks announced over the weekend that Troy Ward will take over as the head coach of the Rams.

    He takes over for Rob Royer, who stepped down from the position in April.

    Ward was an assistant under Royer for the last five years and served as the defensive coordinator for the Rams. He held a similar position at Mitchell High School from 2010-13.

    He is a graduate of CSU-Pueblo and works in the Colorado Springs Police Department.

    His passion for developing kids into young men was a big reason he appealed to Parks as the right man for the job.

    In his letter of interest to Parks, Ward wrote that “I believe we get four years to invest in them and if we do that well, we will see that investment pay off for the next 40 years of their lives.”

    Parks first announce the hiring to the Rampart community at the program’s annual golf fundraiser last weekend.

  • All-state girls lacrosse teams for the 2019 season

    Colorado Academy ThunerRidge girls lacrosse
    (Theodore Stark/tstark.com)

    The 2019 all-state girls lacrosse teams honor the best players in the sport as judged by the leagues and coaches. They are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.

    These teams were created following a lengthy process which included nominations from leagues, and then a vote of head coaches.

    Player and coach of the year was also selected by a vote of the coaches.

    [divider]

    Player of the year: Sloane Murphy, Colorado Academy

    Coach of the year: Lauren Benner, Valor Christian

    First Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Katie Collins Cherry Creek M Senior
    Ally Gibb Valor Christian M Junior
    Charlotte Howie Aspen M Junior
    Ella Marks Colorado Academy G Junior
    Margo Miller Evergreen   Sophomore
    Sloane Murphy Colorado Academy M Senior
    Lucy Shimek Steamboat Springs M Senior
    Ella Squibb Denver East M Junior
    Addy Tysdal Valor Christian G Senior
    Sidney Weigand Regis Jesuit M/A Senior
    Emma White Cherry Creek D Senior
    Brittney White Pine Creek M/A/D Senior
    Second Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Kyra Barnes Fairview M Senior
    Kate Citron Aspen   Senior
    Everdina de Koning Denver East D Senior
    Maddie Ferguson Regis Jesuit A/M Senior
    Aly Gallagher Colorado Academy D Senior
    Grace LeBel Chaparral   Senior
    Anna Markham Rock Canyon D Senior
    Lily Miller ThunderRidge DM/D Junior
    Hayden Mitchell Castle View/Douglas County M Senior
    Tess Osburn Valor Christian M Freshman
    Avery Rodny Air Academy M Senior
    Aubyn Roemer Cherry Creek D Senior
    Bailey Truex Chatfield M Senior

    Honorable mention:

    • Shayne Abrams, Golden, Sophomore
    • Bella Ames, Regis Jesuit, D, Junior
    • Nicole Beaulieu, Cheyenne Mountain, M, Senior
    • Whitney Block, Columbine, M/A, Senior
    • Isabela Bloomquist, Fairview, A/M, Sophomore
    • Reagan Brenenstuhl, Air Academy, A, Senior
    • Kassidy Butler, Conifer, M, Junior
    • Payton Cheedle, Valor Christian, M, Sophomore
    • Izzy Cisneros, Mullen, G, Senior
    • Hannah Dove, Palmer Ridge, A/M, Sophomore
    • Evangelyn Eliason, Smoky Hill, M, Senior
    • Meghan Erbeck, Chatfield, G, Sophomore
    • Lecsi Glenn, Roaring Fork, M, Junior
    • Tyler Greene, Aspen, Senior
    • Kelly Henderson, Pine Creek, A, Senior
    • Evelyn Hollenback, Arapahoe, Junior
    • Makenna Huhn, Chaparral, Junior
    • Natalie Hulting, Palmer Ridge, A, Junior
    • Madeleine Hunt, Kent Denver, M, Senior
    • Emerson Johnson, Mullen, M, Senior
    • Michelle Kitchen, Liberty, D, Senior
    • Tia Krats, Dakota Ridge, Junior
    • Rylie Maready, Cheyenne Mountain, M, Senior
    • Ellie Martinez, Rocky Mountain, Junior
    • Amelia McCarthy, Cherry Creek, A, Junior
    • Lucy Munro, ThunderRidge, A/M/D, Sophomore
    • Emma Murphy, Kent Denver, M/D, Senior
    • Catarina Otero, Fruita Monument, Senior
    • Emma Pare, George Washington, Freshman
    • Eleanor Sheahan, Battle Mountain, D/DM, Senior
    • Lauren Spence, Evergreen, G, Sophomore
    • Ashley Starkey, Pine Creek, A/M, Senior
    • Madison Summers, Chaparral, Senior
    • Abigail Sundquist, Conifer, A/M, Sophomore
    • Kaylin Vanzant, Cherokee Trail, Junior
    • Grace Weigand, Regis Jesuit, M/D, Sophomore
    • Meghan Weiss, Grandview, M, Sophomore

  • Photos: Regis Jesuit wins title on final day of 5A state baseball tourney

    DENVER — A weather delay couldn’t cool off Regis Jesuit. The Raiders beat Cherry Creek 8-3 to win the Class 5A state baseball title.

    [divider]

    Regis Jesuit vs. Cherry Creek

    [ngg src=”galleries” ids=”1743″ display=”pro_mosaic”][divider]

    Cherry Creek vs. Mountain Vista

    [ngg src=”galleries” ids=”1744″ display=”pro_mosaic”]

  • White vs. chocolate milk: Can both be part of your post-exercise game plan?

    As an athlete, you’ve likely heard the phrase “refuel with chocolate milk.” Maybe you’re one of those athletes who grabs that ice-cold glass of chocolate milk after a strenuous workout. But perhaps you’re asking, “What about white milk?”

  • University tops Resurrection Christian to repeat as 3A baseball champion

    (Ernie Derrera/CHSAANow.com)

    GREELEY — University has featured a wealth of good hitters the past two seasons. These guys lifted the Bulldogs to back-to-back Class 3A baseball titles.

    On Saturday, they defeated Resurrection Christian 10-3 in the championship game at Butch Butler Field.

    “University has been a very storied high school with baseball and there’s been great team after great team after great team dating back to the 1950’s,” coach Casey Miller said. “We are the first to go back-to-back.”

    When Resurrection Christian pinned a rare loss on University in Friday’s semifinals (6-5), opening the door for Lutheran and Rez to play another elimination game Saturday morning, UH responded by swinging the bats well in the title game.

    This wasn’t a big surprise. A team that closed with a 27-2 record, University carried a .391 batting average as a group. They recorded 13 hits in the finale.

    “We’re pretty grimy one through nine and if one guy is struggling, another picks him up,” Miller said. “We have hero after hero after hero. Anybody can do it, any given time. They just wear down pitchers.”

    University was favored again this season, but Resurrection Christian was carrying plenty of momentum. They knocked out Lutheran 5-3 in what amounted to be another semifinal game. Cooper Strong pitched five innings and gave up only four hits and two runs. He struck out four batters.

    After Brody Schneider smashed an RBI double and Lutheran took a 2-0 lead on the Cougars in the first, Rez tallied five hits and five runs in the fourth inning. That flipped the game and pushed the program into their first-ever 3A baseball finals. Resurrection Christian won 2A in 2012 and 2014 and this year’s team was on fire.

    But, as is often the case in state tournaments, pitching depth played a role. Resurrection Christian started Will Schrotenboer, a talented freshman, in the championship game. He had pitched just over 11 innings this season, but kept his team in the game for awhile.

    Colton Widler’s RBI groundout put University on the board first in the opening frame. Resurrection Christian tied the game on a balk in the top of the third. Then, the Bulldogs hitters really came alive.

    A 2-RBI triple by Andre Chacon followed with a run scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the third inning. Alex Martinez connected for an RBI double and freshman River Jackson smashed a 2-RBI double.

    “It was for the team,” Jackson said. “We play for the team, play as one. You just have to do it for the person behind you, the person next to you. You have to do it for your brothers.”

    University’s scoring binge gave the Bulldogs a 7-1 lead after three innings. But, the challengers continued to grit their teeth. Zach Parrish’s RBI double pulled Rez within 7-2 of University in the fifth.

    “They put balls in play and touched us up a little bit,” Miller said. “We haven’t given up 10 hits to very many teams this year. They put barrel to baseball and did that yesterday as well. They did a good job with their hitting approach.”

    Nonetheless, University was in control on Saturday. Sophomore Nolan Johnson (.518 batting average), a key cog during both title runs, laced a double in the bottom of the fifth inning that plated two runs. Another run scored on a Rez error and the Bulldogs all but clinched the championship as they opened up a 10-2 advantage.

    “I have some friends on that team that I know pretty well and I really like them a lot,” Jackson said. “It feels pretty good to come out on top though.”

    University was able to save Kalob Padilla, a senior who pitched all four seasons for the Bulldogs. He entered the game with a 6-0 record and a 1.92 ERA this year. Against Resurrection Christian, Padilla only gave up two runs on seven hits in 4 ⅓ innings. He mostly cooled off a hot Cougar lineup.

    “I’m overcome with how proud I am of this group of guys,” Miller said. “Ever since we won it last year, everyone was talking back-to-back. Winning one championship is really, really hard, especially when you’re surrounded by good teams from all around the state.”

    Three of the final four teams came from the Patriot League. Eaton was knocked out by Lutheran on Friday.

    “We had to bang with them all year,” Miller, in his second year as the University head coach, said. “It compliments our league and Northern Colorado and what we have brewing here. The Patriot is going to be really tough the next couple of years, because there’s a lot of young teams that made noise this year.”

    University has now claimed six state titles in baseball. They took out Lamar 21-2 in last year’s final and won championships in 1997, 1992, 1982 (AA), and 1955 (as College High).

    “I’ve always taught at University, so I’ve seen what the program is all about,” Miller added. “It’s the attitude and the effort that these guys bring to practice every day and bring to off-season workouts. They grind and they embrace challenges.”

  • Weather delay can’t slow Regis Jesuit en route to the 5A baseball title

    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    DENVER — A near-two hour lightning delay did nothing to slow the Regis Jesuit Raiders. If anything, it seemed to energize them.

    Already leading 3-0 when the game was halted in the top of the fourth, Regis Jesuit pushed four runs across an hour and 52 minutes later when it resumed. It sparked an eventual 8-3 win over Cherry Creek for the Class 5A baseball title, the program’s first title since 2011, and third overall.

    “It was frustrating, but I know this team was prepared for it,” said Raiders junior Ethan O’Donnell. “I knew we had depth in pitching, so I knew we could wait them out.”

    Said coach Matt Darr: “Being up 3-0, it still felt pretty good. I just told the kids, ‘You’re up three runs, just play the game right, and you’ve got a good chance to win.’ I don’t think it affected us a lot.”

    Regis Jesuit starter Jacob Thompsen was spectacular, as he has been all postseason. Against the Bruins, Thompsen went 4 2/3 innings, and allowed just four hits. He didn’t allow an earned run in 17 2/3 postseason innings.

    But just as the game was set to begin the top of the fourth inning, lightning struck within 10 miles — the ensuing delay lasted one hour and 52 minutes.

    “My concern was Jacob and whether or not he was going to be able to throw again,” Darr said. “We kind of left it up to him to see how he was feeling.”

    Thompsen, though, had no doubt he was staying in.

    “I knew,” he said. “Any other day, it might have been difficult, but today it was easy: State championship, adrenaline.”

    And it gave Regis Jesuit a boost knowing their ace was going to be back on the mound.

    “I think mentally, it was big for our kids. Because he’s our dude,” Darr said. “I think it mattered.”

    Cherry Creek pulled starter Zach Herrick after the delay, meaning they would need to dip into a bullpen which didn’t have a lot of available arms entering the game due to the road they took through the elimination bracket.

    And Regis Jesuit came out firing as the delay lifted. Bryce Parsons drew a four-pitch walk, Owen Best singled, and then Craig Kenny followed that with a single to left field which scored both. Two batters later, Ethan O’Donnell crushed a pitch to right center field for a two-run home run. Suddenly, it was 7-0.

    “I knew the moment I hit it, it was going to go out,” O’Donnell said. “It’s great, but it’s better for the team. It fires everyone up. It fuels everyone, not just myself.”

    Regis Jesuit Cherry Creek baseball
    (Tim Bourke)

    Said Thompsen: “We were ready to go.”

    The next inning, Best hit another RBI single to make it 8-0.

    The Raiders had stormed through the 5A tournament’s first weekend, emerging as the lone unbeaten, then weathered a loss to Mountain Vista on Friday in the double-elimination tournament. But the Raiders were undeterred.

    They did have to endure one final comeback attempt from a comeback-prone Cherry Creek squad. That the Bruins even advanced to the final weekend, let a lone the title game, was a bit improbable.

    Cherry Creek had rallied for seventh-inning wins in their regional final and in an elimination game in the state tournament’s first week. They also rallied from a one-run deficit to win in the Final 4 on Friday, and again on Saturday morning in a 4-1 win over Mountain Vista to reach the title game.

    True to form, in the bottom of the fifth, Cherry Creek got on the board when Ben Perla hit an RBI single and Jack Moss drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs. Regis Jesuit turned to Chase Allen on the mound, and he got out of the inning to limit the damage to two runs, and help Regis Jesuit maintain the lead at 8-2.

    The Bruins again loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, and pushed a run across on a groundout from Shane Lippett to make it 8-3. But Allen again got out of the inning, this time with a chopper to third.

    Regis Jesuit brought Alec Willis out with one on in the seventh, and he sealed the victory, setting off a celebration out of the third-base dugout.

    Regis Jesuit Cherry Creek baseball
    (Tim Bourke)
    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)