CHSAANow

Month: September 2020

  • 5A boys tennis: Regis Jesuit’s Morgan Schilling repeats; Cherry Creek claims team title

    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    DENVER – Morgan Schilling’s serve was simply electric Saturday afternoon.

    The Regis Jesuit senior was ripping off aces with ease at Gates Tennis Center as he defended his Class 5A boys tennis No. 1 singles championship. Schilling unloaded 16 aces in his title match with Cherry Creek’s George Cavo, including the final one on match point to secure the 6-1, 6-2 victory and his second consecutive state title.

    “I’ve never seen a junior (player) with a serve like his,” Cavo said. “He trains super hard, works super hard, and he’s a great player. I’ve got to give my hat off to him.”

    Cavo and his Bruins teammates did come away with the team trophy Saturday, the school’s 43rd overall, but the first since 2016. All seven positions reached the finals, and all four doubles team won state championships. Cherry Creek finished with 59 points, followed by Regis Jesuit at 55 points.

    Schilling didn’t drop a set over the two days at Gates. He rolled past Ralston Valley’s Dayton Fisher 6-2, 6-1 in Saturday morning’s semifinal round, then had to wait while Cavo gutted out a 7-6, 6-2 victory over Fairview’s Luke Silverman. Schilling defeated Silverman in last year’s title match.

    Cavo, who rallied from a 5-3 deficit in the first set of his semifinal match with Silverman, wasn’t able to break Schilling’s serve in any game in the finals. The Regis Jesuit senior fired off four aces in the final game, and after the last one tucked inside the line and past Cavo, the two friends walked to the net and embraced.

    “I saw it bounce and my stomach dropped,” Schilling said. “I was so relieved – all this weight off my shoulders. I just took a deep breath.”

    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    Schilling is the first player to defend his No. 1 singles title since Chatfield’s Christian Holmes did in 2017-18.

    Ironically it was Holmes who ended Schilling’s season at the state tournament his first two years. Homes defeated Schilling in the first round of his freshman year, and then again in the state championship match in 2018 – even after Schilling jumped out early against him.

    “Christian dealt with pressure really well,” Schilling said. “He just didn’t give up, and that’s what I’m taking away – never give up.”

    While Cavo didn’t come away with an individual title, he still had something to celebrate. With Cherry Creek and Regis Jesuit engaging in a tense back-and-forth for first place after the first day, the Bruins took a 12-point lead into the finals. Despite Regis Jesuit sweeping the Bruins in each of the singles matches, Cherry Creek locked up the crown after its No. 4 doubles team of Blake Holst and Matt Hu defeated Valor Christian in a three-set thriller.

    “I haven’t been able to experience a state title with the team,” Cavo said. “It’s a great feeling for sure.”

    Brothers Kiril and Kristian Kostadinov got the ball rolling for Cherry Creek at No. 1 doubles, taking care of Valor Christian’s David Bomgaars and Luke Beukelman 6-4, 6-3, to cap an unbeaten season.

    For Kiril, it was his second consecutive title at No. 1 doubles. As a freshman, he teamed with Aram Izmirian to win a championship.

    Getting to do it again Saturday, this time with his brother, was that much sweeter.

    “It was a good experience,” Kostadinov said. “We’ve tried playing together in the past and it hasn’t worked out. This year we did really good.”

    Ainsley Elliott-Beagle and Casey Dennis won the No. 3 doubles crown 6-2, 7-6 over Regis Jesuit, and the No. 2 tandem of Braden Meyer and Nathan Henden rallied to top Fossil Ridge 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3) in the final match of the day.

    Regis Jesuit’s Conor Kaczmarczyk took home the No. 2 singles crown with a hard-fought 6-1, 1-6, 6-0 victory over Cherry Creek’s Matt Batnunkh. The Bruins junior was coming off a three-set victory in the semifinals that went to a tiebreaker in the third set.

    In a battle of sophomores at No. 3 singles, Cameron Kruep topped Izmirian 6-3, 6-3, to win his second title.

    The state tournament was the first to decide a state champion since ice hockey last February, with the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down the state basketball tournament and wiping out the spring sports season.

    The players were thrilled with the opportunity to get to compete this fall and finish things off in a shortened-season.

    “Even in July I was like no way we would have a tennis season with all the COVID cases going up and up,” Schilling said. “We are all really fortunate that tennis is a social-distant sport; you’re on opposite sides of the court.

    “I’m really happy we got to play.”

    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

  • Photo: Elizabeth softball tops Falcon, thanks in part to Espinoza’s bat

    Elizabeth softball picked up a 9-5 win over Falcon on Thursday.

  • CHSAA statement on spectators at state championship events

    CHSAA seal plaque
    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    The CHSAA follows state and local guidelines regarding maximum numbers in facilities. Many of our state events will have some restrictions and modifications on spectator numbers. Please check with your school athletic directors for spectator variances.

  • Photos: Horizon softball upsets No. 2 Broomfield

    Horizon scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to rally and beat No. 2 Broomfield 5-4 on Thursday.

  • Boys tennis Class 5A state tournament underway at Gates Tennis Center

    DENVER — The Jeffco League had a strong presence during Day 1 of the Class 5A boys tennis state tournament Friday at Gates Tennis Center.

    Lakewood, Ralston Valley and Valor Christian qualified all seven positions for the state tournament that began Friday morning. Chatfield also qualified No. 1 singles player sophomore Daniel Smith, No. 2 singles junior Nick Bowers and the Chargers’ No. 4 doubles team of Ian Boraks and Jacob Sandy.

    The quarterfinals were scheduled to wrap up late Friday afternoon. The semifinals will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday with the championship finals scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at Gates Tennis Center.

  • 5A boys tennis: Familiar faces advance to Saturday’s No. 1 singles semifinals

    5A boys state tennis
    More photos. (Cindy Betancourt/eStudioWest.com)

    DENVER — A potential rematch looms for the No. 1 singles title following the first two rounds of play at the Class 5A boys tennis state tournament Friday at Gates Tennis Center.

    Defending champion Morgan Schilling, a senior from Regis Jesuit, and Fairview senior Luke Silverman, last year’s runner-up, each won two matches to advance to the semifinals on Saturday.

    Schilling defeated Chatfield sophomore Daniel Smith in round one (6-0, 6-1) and Cherokee Trail senior Shawn Springer in the quarterfinals (6-2, 6-1) to advance to the final four for the third-straight year.

    “It’s always nice to get the first two rounds out of the way,” said Schilling. “I played well this morning against a kid who is pretty good. I got a little nervous and tight in my second match, but I figured it out and pulled it out in the end.”

    Schilling, who lost in the championship match as a sophomore, has experience on his side as he vies to become the first repeat champion in 5A No. 1 singles since Christian Holmes won titles in 2017 and 2018. 

    Standing in his way in Saturday’s semifinal will be Dayton Fisher, a senior from Ralston Valley who advanced with wins over Rock Canyon’s Chris Swanson (3-6, 7-6, 6-4) and John Shelby of Fossil Ridge (7-6, 6-3).

    5A boys tennis Morgan Schilling Regis Jesuit
    More photos. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    “Last year I wasn’t coming back as the No. 1 singles state champion, so I didn’t feel as much pressure as I do this year,” admitted Schilling. “But that’s not a bad thing. I’m taking it as a privilege right now, and I think it’s a really cool opportunity for me to hopefully (win) it twice in a row.”

    Silverman beat Fort Collins sophomore Teagen Crow (6-3, 6-3) in round one and Valor Christian junior Jack Scherer in the quarterfinals (6-2, 6-3) and will be making his second consecutive semifinal appearance.

    “My first match was pretty good,” Silverman said. “I had to work. (Teagen) has a really tough serve. I felt like I was hitting the ball pretty well (all day). I’m feeling good for tomorrow.”

    Silverman’s semifinal opponent will be a familiar face: Cherry Creek senior George Cavo, whom he defeated in last year’s final four (6-1, 6-4).

    “I’ve got another shot at it (the state title),” said Silverman. “But I’m gonna take it one match at a time. Hopefully I can get through the semis tomorrow. George is a really athletic player; he moves really well at the net. He hits a ton of balls back, and doesn’t miss a lot. It’s going to be a tough matchup.”

    Cavo, who also finds himself in the No. 1 singles semis for the third-straight season, advanced with a round-one win over Cameron Lupo of Broomfield (6-2, 6-0) and a quarterfinal victory over Heritage senior Chase Walters (6-1, 6-1).

    The team race could be shaping up to be another fight between Cherry Creek and Regis Jesuit.

    Cherry Creek, which leads all schools with 42 team championships, is seeking its first team title since 2016. The Bruins have finished second in each of the last three seasons.

    Two-time defending state champion Regis Jesuit is attempting to become the first team to win three straight team championships since Cherry Creek captured four-straight trophies from 2013-2016.

    5A boys state tennis
    More photos. (Brent Murphy/brentmurphyphoto.com)

  • Photos: Riverdale Ridge softball beats Berthoud

    Riverdale Ridge softball picked up an 8-2 win over Berthoud on Thursday.

  • Photos: The first day of the 5A boys tennis state tournament

    The first day of the Class 5A boys tennis state tournament was held on Friday at Gates Tennis Center in Denver.

  • No. 5 Chatfield softball captures first 5A Jeffco League since 2011

    LITTLETON — Chatfield softball coach Jen Lazzeri won’t have to break out a calculator to figure out RPI points.

    The Chargers — No. 5 in the CHSAANow.com Class 5A softball rankings — locked up the 5A Jeffco League title and maybe more importantly the automatic bid to the 5A state tournament Wednesday afternoon with an 11-1 home victory against Pomona.

    Chatfield junior Kailey Horton is all smiles as she rounds the bases after her solo home run in the third inning Wednesday against Pomona. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    “This is so special with the year,” Chatfield coach Jen Lazzeri said of the Chargers winning their first conference softball title since 2011. “ Playing in a pandemic and losing Courtney two weeks ago, a huge emotional leader for us. These kids just have been on an emotional rollercoaster. It’s a special group. I’m so proud of them.”

    Senior Courtney Bidwell was part of a group of students and staff at Chatfield who had to be quarantined for two weeks. Bidwell will be out of quarantine on Tuesday, Sept. 29, according to Lazzeri.

    “It feels amazing. We were really doing it for our seniors,” Chatfield junior Kailey Horton said. “We’ve got a good group of girls, especially with our seniors we want to do the best we can for them and finish strong.”

    Chatfield (12-3 record, 6-0 in league) started out a little slow offensively against Pomona (8-6, 3-2). Senior Izzy DiNapoli had an RBI single in the first inning and Horton had a solo home run in the third inning, but the Chargers stranded a pair of running in each of the first four innings.

    Horton’s lead-off shot over the left field fence was a sign of what yet to come.

    “It was definitely a tight game. I was just going up there looking for a base hit,” Horton said. “I definitely exceeded the expectations for myself.”

    Pomona senior J’Lyssa Martinez has a stand-up double during the first inning Wednesday against Chatfield. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    A bunt single by junior Peyton Shepard and a pair of throwing errors by the Panthers allowed Shepard to score in the fourth inning to push Chatfield’s lead to 3-0. The flood gates opened in the fifth and six innings for the Chargers.

    Chatfield put up five runs in the fifth and added three more in the sixth inning to induce the 10-run mercy rule to end the game.

    “Our bats have been cold for a couple of weeks and we’ve been struggling,” Lazzeri said. “We just have to battle on stringing hits together. We did nothing but hit yesterday. Sometimes when you are slumping you just have to keep fighting through it.”

    The Chargers cranked out 14 hits. DiNapoli led the way going 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. The senior ace was also her normal dominating self in the circle. She gave up just four hits and one run for her ninth win of the season.

    Pomona senior J’Lyssa Martinez broke up DiNapoli’s shutout bid with a solo home run to start the sixth inning. Martinez also had a double off DiNapoli that led off the game.

    “It definitely feels good because that has been our team goal from the beginning,” DiNapoli said of Chatfield winning the conference title.

    Chatfield has one conference game left. The Chargers are on the road against Arvada West on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Then it will be a bit of a wait before the state tournament on Oct. 10.

    Pomona has a couple of league game left. The Panthers host Ralston Valley and Lakewood next week. The Panthers are currently 20th in the RPI standings. With the conference champions and the rest of the 16-team field being determined by RPI it will be a numbers game for who will make the state tournament.

    Chatfield senior Izzy DiNapoli tossed a 4-hitter with 11 strikeouts Wednesday in an 11-1 victory over Pomona. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

  • Boys golf: Flaxbeard powers Cherry Creek to regional title

    (Ben Parris/CHSAANow.com)

    Cherry Creek sophomore Charlie Flaxbeard couldn’t make things look too easy. He had to mix a bogey in there every now and then just to keep himself grounded. Or something like that.

    Flaxbeard shot a career-low 6-under-par 66 to claim the Class 5A Central Region boys golf title at Overland Park.

    Right behind him with a 68 was teammate Thomas Hicks, who also went into the clubhouse shooting the best round of his career. Those two efforts put Cherry Creek on top of the team leaderboard at the end of the day as well.

    Flaxbeard’s start to his round was fast as he made three straight birdies to get things going. His first bogey of the day was on No. 6 but he got that stroke right back with a birdie on the seventh. He made another bogey on the par-4 11th, but then turned the jets back on the rest of the way. He made four birdies in his final seven holes to finish his day.

    Hicks was a little more steady throughout the day as he made two birdies on the front and three on the back and only recorded one bogey.

    With top-five finishes from Ryan Liao (70) and Max Lange (70) Lakewood took second as a team to also punch a ticket to Rolling Hills for the 5A state tournament.

    Valor Christian’s Lucas Schulte finished third wiht a 70 of his own. The Eagles had four players play inside the cutline and will take a full team to state. Regis Jesuit had Teddy Hummel, Ryan Occhionero and Liam Wood all place in the top 13 overall allowing the Raiders to also take a team to Rolling Hills.

    The field for the 5A tournament is nearly set save for the Southern Regional qualifiers who will head to South Suburban on Thursday to claim their spots.