CHSAANow

Tag: Rampart

  • Volleyball rankings: Lutheran and La Veta move up to No. 1 in polls

    (Gabriel Christus/Denver Broncos)

    Lutheran (3A) and La Veta (1A) have each moved up to the top spots in this week’s volleyball rankings.

    The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.

    Complete rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Volleyball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Cherokee Trail (7) 5-1 101 1 0-0
    2 Chaparral (1) 5-2 95 2 2-0
    3 Legend (2) 5-1 87 3 1-0
    4 Valor Christian (1) 3-0 72 4 2-0
    5 Fairview (1) 5-0 48 8 1-0
    6 Rampart 3-0 46 – 2-0
    7 Cherry Creek 2-1 43 5 1-0
    8 Fort Collins 4-1 30 7 1-0
    9 Grandview 4-3 26 9 2-0
    10 Eaglecrest 5-2 21 6 1-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Heritage 17, Loveland 15, Broomfield 11, Legacy 9, Pine Creek 9, Chatfield 6, ThunderRidge 5, Dakota Ridge 4, Ralston Valley 3, Windsor 3, Castle View 2, Columbine 2, Mountain Vista 2, Fossil Ridge 1, Highlands Ranch 1, Lakewood 1.
    Dropped out
    Chatfield (10).
    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Lewis-Palmer (4) 1-1 89 1 1-1
    2 Mead (3) 4-1 82 3 3-1
    3 Palmer Ridge (1) 1-1 66 2 0-1
    4 Cheyenne Mountain (2) 2-0 62 8 2-0
    5 Discovery Canyon (1) 6-1 48 4 5-1
    6 Silver Creek 1-0 42 6 0-0
    7 Mullen 4-0 39 – 2-0
    8 Coronado 1-1 33 10 0-1
    9 Niwot 0-0 32 5 0-0
    10 Montrose (1) 3-0 31 – 1-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Air Academy 30, Skyline 26, Longmont 20, Denver West 17, Fort Morgan 16, Pueblo West 16, Frederick 14, Woodland Park 10, Golden 6, Ponderosa 6, Eagle Valley 5, Battle Mountain 4, Skyview 4, Evergreen 3, Glenwood Springs 3, Standley Lake 3, Thomas Jefferson 3, Kennedy 2, Mesa Ridge 1, Wheat Ridge 1.
    Dropped out
    Longmont (7), Air Academy (9).
    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Lutheran (7) 1-0 94 2 1-0
    2 Eaton (1) 2-0 85 1 0-0
    3 Colorado Springs Christian (1) 3-0 76 3 2-0
    4 Faith Christian 1-0 75 4 1-0
    5 Alamosa (1) 5-1 61 5 4-1
    6 Sterling (1) 1-0 55 7 1-0
    7 Valley 0-1 33 8 0-1
    8 University 2-2 30 6 1-2
    9 Platte Valley 1-0 22 10 1-0
    10 Cedaredge 4-0 18 – 4-0
    Others receiving votes:
    La Junta 15, Englewood 10, Fort Lupton 10, Coal Ridge 9, Eagle Ridge Academy 8, Lamar 8, Brush 7, Peak to Peak 7, Frontier Academy 6, Centauri 5, James Irwin 5, Manitou Springs 4, Resurrection Christian 4, SkyView Academy 3, The Pinnacle 2.
    Dropped out
    Resurrection Christian (9).
    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Denver Christian (8) 5-0 80 1 4-0
    2 Limon 2-1 62 4 2-1
    3 Wiggins 2-0 61 3 1-0
    4 Union Colony Prep 5-0 47 6 3-0
    5 Meeker</tdå> 3-1 36 5 3-1
    6 Yuma 1-1 35 2 1-1
    7 Ignacio 3-0 19 – 1-0
    8 Swink 4-1 16 – 2-0
    9 Highland 4-2 14 – 1-1
    10 Hoehne 3-3 10 8 0-3
    Others receiving votes:
    Simla 9, Fowler 8, Sedgwick County 8, Dawson School 7, West Grand 6, Clear Creek 5, Rye 4, Akron 3, John Mall 3, Lyons 3, Telluride 3, Hayden 1.
    Dropped out
    Lyons (7), Akron (9), Vail Mountain (10).
    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 La Veta (7) 5-0 70 2 1-0
    2 Kit Carson 2-1 60 1 1-1
    3 Briggsdale 4-1 51 4 1-0
    4 Merino 4-1 43 7 2-0
    5 Fleming 1-1 40 3 1-1
    6 Otis 4-0 28 5 4-0
    7 Prairie 1-0 25 10 1-0
    8 Genoa-Hugo/Karval 3-0 22 – 2-0
    9 Weldon Valley 3-1 18 6 2-1
    10 Haxtun 1-4 8 – 0-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Dove Creek 5, Sangre de Cristo 5, Stratton/Liberty 5, Springfield 2, Kim/Branson 1, Pikes Peak Christian 1.
    Dropped out
    McClave (8), Sangre de Cristo (9).

  • No. 8 Chatfield football changes up the pace in win over Rampart

    LAKEWOOD — Chatfield offense changed like a chameleon Saturday night at Jeffco Stadium.

    Whatever the situation was the Chargers’ offense was able to adapt, lifting Chatfield to a 35-26 victory over the visiting Rampart Rams from Colorado Springs. Chatfield used its ‘tempo’ offense led by senior quarterback Matt Canino and its signature ‘psycho’ offense steered by senior Jack Wells to get Class 4A’s No. 8-ranked Chargers into the win column.

    Chatfield senior Malcolm Boyd breaks into the open during the Chargers’ non-league game Saturday night against Rampart. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    “Jack is a great quarterback and runs the ‘psycho’ offense really well. Matt runs ‘tempo’ really well. He has a great arm and is a great leader,” Chatfield senior running back Malcolm Boyd said. “We are really lucky to have both of them be able to do both things.”

    Boyd rushed for three touchdowns, including a quick striking 60-yard scamper in the second quarter to answer Rampart’s first touchdown.

    Canino and senior receiver Daniel Nickels added another critical quick scoring play with a 37-yard touchdown with 1.5 seconds left before halftime to push the Chargers’ lead to 28-14 at the break.

    “We needed a big play and our coach made the right call,” Nickels said of his touchdown to end the first half. “We executed the play and scored.”

    The Rams answered with their most impressive drive of the night. Rampart marched 80-yards in 14 plays on the opening drive of the second half. Senior Chris Yoo scored from 2-yards out to trim the Chargers’ lead to 28-20 midway through the third quarter.

    The Chargers offense almost identically mirrored Rampart’s long, time-consuming drive with one of its own. Chatfield went 80 yards on 14 plays with Wells behind center to chew up the remainder of time in the third quarter. Boyd closed out the drive with his third touchdown run of the night to push the Chargers’ lead to 35-20.

    Chatfield senior Daniel Nickels had a huge first half for the Chargers, including a 37-yard touchdown pass with 1.5 seconds left before halftime to give the Chargers a 28-14 lead. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    “Our o-line and d-line guys are awesome, but we wore them down pretty thin in the first half. They got tired,” Chatfield coach Bret McGatlin said about what he learned about his team in the victory. “We had adjust and slow things down a little bit because we didn’t want to kill our guys.”

    Rampart wouldn’t go away. Yoo found the end zone again on a 2-yard touchdown with 6:58 left in the fourth quarter, but a failed 2-point conversion left Chatfield holding on to a two-score lead, 35-26.

    “(Chris Yoo) is a good back. We were worried about him,” McGatlin said. “I think he is one of the best backs in the state.”

    Chatfield wasn’t able to score again, but a 12-play drive that eventually ended in a punt milked more than five minutes off the clock in the fourth quarter. Chatfield senior Shane Compton sealed the victory with an interception of Rampart junior quarterback Cale Cormaney in the final minutes.

    “Utilizing both offenses is good,” McGatlin said. “This is going to be a good group when we can get them in shape. They can compete with the best of them.”

    Boyd capped off the drive with a 3-yard touchdown with 11:18 left in the fourth quarter.

    Chatfield senior Cooper Kientz (73) tries to work off a block to tackle Rampart senior Chris Yoo on Saturday night at Jeffco Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    “We’ve got tons of linemen who go both ways. If we can slow it down and let them get their energy back nobody can stop our ‘psycho’ offense,” Boyd said. “If everyone does their job and knows what to do we can just run it down team’s throats.”

    Hunter Barnes and Ben Frenette nearly went back-to-back years in 2018 and 2017 with 1,500-yard on the ground for Chatfield. With both gone, Boyd is clearly the top running back for the Chargers this season.

    “Malcolm has been waiting for his turn. We’ve had some good backs the last couple of years. I knew it was coming for him,” McGatlin said. “He is a great leader. His mom passed away last year, so this means a lot to him to come out and perform.”

    It was a hectic Week 1 for Chatfield. Hurricane Dorian derailed a short cruise schedule to the Bahamas. The Chargers were supposed to take the cruise after suffering a 20-12 loss to Jensen Beach on Aug. 29, but had to change plans and went to Universal Studios in Orlando instead before heading back to Colorado on Monday, Sept. 2.

    “It was kind of a big distraction, but we just tried to focus on the game and took it day-by-day,” Nickels said of the experience in Florida. “It wasn’t ideal, but we had fun any way.”

    Chatfield senior Jon Dorrance (4) makes a leaping catch behind Rampart junior David Toney during the first quarter Saturday at Jeffco Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

  • Photos: Chatfield football beats Rampart

    Eighth-ranked Chatfield football beat Rampart on Saturday, 35-26.

  • Family atmosphere has Rampart volleyball on the verge of a resurgence

    Rampart volleyball
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    Anjelina Starck never stops smiling. When she moves on the court, when she sees the perfect set coming her way, or when she’s returning the favor and offering up a volleyball for a teammate to slam into the ground; she does it all with a smile on her face.

    Starck is one of several new varsity faces on the Rampart volleyball team. But unlike most, she’s not a junior varsity player from a year ago who is just now cracking the lineup. Starck and her family moved to Colorado Springs from Las Vegas, Nev. where she played for Bishop Gorman High School.

    She shined there and she’s already shining for the Rams. College programs have noticed and it was Penn State who was fortunate enough to land a commitment from a player who figures to be one of the stars in Colorado for the next two seasons.

    For those two seasons, she’ll suit up for the Rams and couldn’t be happier to find a program that quickly accepted her into its growing family environment.

    “She’s a really well rounded player,” coach Nikki Bloemen said. “She can do just about everything. She can hit, she can set, she can pass, she can serve. I can put her in any role and she just does her job.”

    She’s far from the only reason Rampart might be a sleeper team in Class 5A this season. The Rams have not cracked the Top 10 in the weekly volleyball rankings just yet. But this week they sit just outside and with the way they’re playing, it’s only a matter of time before they enter each match with a ranking next to their name.

    Rampart volleyball
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    “I think our actions will speak louder than our words,” senior Grace Wilkinson said. “I think that once we start playing tougher competition and better teams, I think we’ll perform really well and get in the top 10. I think the fire under everyone in this gym (to get there) is insane.”

    A senior on the team, Wilkinson has dedicated the last two seasons to helping Bloemen build a family atmosphere in the program. She was honored as a MaxPreps Marine Athlete of the Month last year and as part of the honor, she journeyed to Washington D.C. to observe the Marines up close.

    As part of the deal, she was allowed to bring a mentor with all expenses paid. Her first – and only – call was to Bloemen.

    With only four returning players from last year’s varsity squad, Wilkinson shouldered a lot of the responsibility of getting the team to connect as well as embracing a player like Starck who figures to be a difference maker this season.

    “Being a leader on this team like means a lot to me because it’s so hard to get everyone to come together at some points,” Wilkinson said.

    Through just two matches, Wilkinson leads the Rams in serves received and digs. She doesn’t mind doing the dirty work and letting the two outside hitters in Starck and Riley Simpson go after the kills.

    And the way they’re able to do that in games is by challenging each other in practice. In matches, they share the common goal of getting the win but while practicing each player is trying to up their game to force the rest of the girls to up theirs.

    “When we’re going against each other there’s a little smack talk going there,” Simpson said. “It’s really fun and the competitive, but then in games we’re all of course supporting each other.”

    And that comes from the family atmosphere that Bloeman has started building since she took the job in 2014. And while it’s easy to say it all comes from her, the atmosphere doesn’t happen if she doesn’t have the players buying into it.

    And when a player like Starck comes in and immediately feels at home, that atmosphere is reinforced.

    “Everybody was so welcoming when I came and everybody was so nice,” Starck said. “I like how everybody is so close and we have really good team chemistry.”

    Penn State will be in her future, but for the next two years Rampart is her volleyball family. And she wants to help that family get back in the state championship conversation.

    Rampart volleyball
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

  • Photos: Dakota Ridge football knocks off No. 9 Rampart in 4A

    Dakota Ridge used a big first half to jump out to a 28-7 lead, then closed out a 34-16 upset win over No. 9 Rampart on the road.

  • New beginnings for Colorado Springs-area quarterbacks

    The 2019 football season marks new beginnings for four local quarterbacks.

  • Top-10 football schedule and scoreboard for 2019’s Week 1 games

    A complete schedule and scoreboard for football’s top-10 teams during Week 1 of the 2019 season.

    [divider]

    Class 5A
    1 Valor Christian 1-0
    Friday: W 56-6 at Charlotte Christian
    2 Cherry Creek 1-0
    Friday: W 45-6 vs. Doherty
    3 Columbine 1-0
    Friday: W 49-0 at Denver East
    4 Grandview 1-0
    Friday: W 49-7 at Chaparral
    5 Pomona 0-1
    Friday: L 13-23 at (9) Regis Jesuit
    6 Eaglecrest 1-0
    Friday: W 30-20 at Highlands Ranch
    7 Fairview 1-0
    Thursday: W 49-14 vs. Boulder
    8 Ralston Valley 1-0
    Friday: W 42-26 at Mountain Vista
    9 Regis Jesuit 1-0
    Friday: W 23-13 vs. (5) Pomona
    10 ThunderRidge 1-0
    Thursday: W 42-14 at Rangeview
    Class 4A
    1 Pine Creek 1-0
    Friday: W 62-32 vs. Rio Rancho
    2 Loveland 0-0
    Off this week.
    3 Ponderosa 0-1
    Thursday: L 21-28 at Legend
    4 Broomfield 1-0
    Friday: W 34-13 at Legacy
    5 Montrose 1-0
    Friday: W 44-20 vs. Grand Junction Central
    6 Skyline 1-0
    Friday: W 37-6 at Westminster
    7 Chatfield 0-1
    Thursday: L 12-20 at Jensen Beach
    8 Pueblo West 1-0
    Friday: W 35-14 at (10) Fruita Monument
    9 Rampart 0-1
    Thursday: L 16-34 vs. Dakota Ridge
    10 Fruita Monument 0-1
    Friday: L 14-35 vs. (8) Pueblo West
    Class 3A
    1 Palmer Ridge 0-0
    Off this week.
    2 Pueblo East 0-1
    Friday: L 21-38 at Roosevelt
    3 Palisade 0-0
    Off this week.
    4 Erie 1-0
    Friday: W 42-33 vs. Evergreen
    5 Mead 1-0
    Thursday: W 47-7 at Lewis-Palmer
    6 Green Mountain 0-0
    Off this week.
    7 Discovery Canyon 1-0
    Friday: W 55-14 at Mountain View
    8 Pueblo South 1-0
    Friday: W 49-25 vs. (9) Holy Family
    9 Holy Family 0-1
    Friday: L 25-49 at (8) Pueblo South
    10 Durango 1-0
    Friday: W 47-0 vs. Pagosa Springs
    Class 2A
    1 La Junta 0-0
    Off this week.
    2 Platte Valley 1-0
    Friday: W 37-12 vs. Berthoud
    3 Faith Christian 0-0
    Off this week.
    4 Resurrection Christian 0-1
    Friday: L 7-13 vs. Sterling
    5 Rifle 1-0
    Friday: W 47-7 vs. Grand Valley
    6 Bayfield 0-1
    Friday: L 13-42 vs. San Juan
    7 Delta 0-0
    Off this week.
    8 Kent Denver 0-0
    Off this week.
    9 Aspen 0-0
    Off this week.
    10 Eaton 0-0
    Off this week.
    Class 1A
    1 Limon 0-0
    Off this week.
    2 Strasburg 1-0
    Friday: W 45-28 at University
    3 Colorado Springs Christian 0-0
    Off this week.
    4 Centauri 0-0
    Off this week.
    5 Holyoke 1-0
    Friday: W 34-0 at Haxtun
    6 Meeker 1-0
    Friday: W 28-7 at Hotchkiss
    7 Peyton 0-0
    Off this week.
    8 Florence 1-0
    Friday: W 40-6 vs. Rocky Ford
    9 Burlington 0-0
    Off this week.
    10 Wray 0-1
    Friday: L 6-14 at Highland
    8-man
    1 Sedgwick County 1-0
    Friday: W 46-0 at Simla
    2 Hoehne 0-0
    Off this week.
    3 Merino 1-0
    Friday: W 18-6 vs. (7) Pikes Peak Christian
    4 West Grand 1-0
    Friday: W 66-18 at Calhan
    5 Caliche 1-0
    Saturday: W 62-26 vs. Gilpin County
    6 Mancos 1-0
    Saturday: W 68-0 at Plateau Valley
    7 Pikes Peak Christian 0-1
    Friday: L 6-18 at (3) Merino
    8 Fowler 1-0
    Friday: W 54-6 vs. Swink
    9 Rangely 1-0
    Friday: W 46-28 at Norwood
    10 Sargent 0-0
    Off this week.
    6-man
    1 Stratton/Liberty 0-1
    Friday: L 14-48 vs. (2) Kit Carson
    2 Kit Carson 1-0
    Friday: W 48-14 at (1) Stratton/Liberty
    3 Fleming 1-0
    Friday: W 65-12 vs. (7) Idalia
    4 Prairie 1-0
    Saturday: W 58-18 at Hanover
    5 Flagler/Hi-Plains 1-0
    Friday: W 40-39 at (9) Briggsdale
    6 Peetz 1-0
    Thursday: W 59-28 vs. Weldon Valley
    7 Idalia 0-1
    Friday: L 12-65 at (3) Fleming
    8 Arickaree/Woodlin 0-1
    Saturday: L 8-36 vs. North Park
    9 Briggsdale 0-1
    Friday: L 39-40 vs. (5) Flagler/Hi-Plains
    10 Cheyenne Wells 1-0
    Friday: W 58-8 vs. Otis

  • The preseason football rankings are out ahead of the 2019 season

    Palmer Ridge Pueblo East football
    (Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)

    The 2019 preseason football rankings were released on Monday. No. 1 ranked teams include: Valor Christian (5A), Pine Creek (4A), Palmer Ridge (3A), La Junta (2A), Limon (1A), Sedgwick County (8-man) and Stratton/Liberty (6-man).

    The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.

    Complete rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Football Polls

    Voted upon by coaches around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. In classs 1A-5A, these rankings will factor into postseason seeding. More information is available here.

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Valor Christian (11) 0-0 183
    2 Cherry Creek (3) 0-0 166
    3 Columbine (4) 0-0 150
    4 Grandview 0-0 133
    5 Pomona (1) 0-0 117
    6 Eaglecrest (1) 0-0 94
    7 Fairview 0-0 68
    8 Ralston Valley 0-0 66
    9 Regis Jesuit 0-0 45
    10 ThunderRidge 0-0 26
    Others receiving votes:
    Cherokee Trail 16, Fountain-Fort Carson 7, Arvada West 6, Highlands Ranch 4, Poudre 4, Castle View 3, Legend 3, Doherty 2, Legacy 2, Rock Canyon 2, Smoky Hill 2, Mullen 1.
    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Pine Creek (13) 0-0 184
    2 Loveland (5) 0-0 143
    3 Ponderosa 0-0 104
    4 Broomfield (1) 0-0 87
    5 Montrose 0-0 80
    6 Skyline 0-0 74
    7 Chatfield 0-0 65
    8 Pueblo West 0-0 52
    9 Rampart 0-0 49
    10 Fruita Monument 0-0 48
    Others receiving votes:
    Dakota Ridge 46, Greeley West 29, Heritage 25, Longmont 23, Windsor 22, Monarch 17, Grand Junction Central 9, Denver South 7, Vista Ridge 7, Wheat Ridge 7, Fort Collins 6, Vista Peak Prep 6, Bear Creek 5, Grand Junction 2, Air Academy 1, Golden 1, Mountain View 1.
    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Palmer Ridge (17) 0-0 198
    2 Pueblo East 0-0 176
    3 Palisade (3) 0-0 162
    4 Erie (1) 0-0 141
    5 Mead 0-0 109
    6 Green Mountain 0-0 79
    7 Discovery Canyon 0-0 67
    8 Pueblo South 0-0 53
    9 Holy Family 0-0 44
    10 Durango 0-0 42
    Others receiving votes:
    Harrison 39, Frederick 22, Fort Morgan 19, Thomas Jefferson 17, Roosevelt 11, Northridge 10, Pueblo Central 7, Lewis-Palmer 6, Canon City 4, Evergreen 3, Glenwood Springs 1.
    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 La Junta (3) 0-0 115
    2 Platte Valley (4) 0-0 113
    3 Faith Christian (4) 0-0 106
    4 Resurrection Christian (1) 0-0 87
    5 Rifle 0-0 82
    6 Bayfield (1) 0-0 48
    7 Delta (1) 0-0 47
    8 Kent Denver 0-0 38
    9 Aspen 0-0 31
    10 Eaton 0-0 22
    Others receiving votes:
    Basalt 21, Salida 15, Sterling 10, D’Evelyn 7, Elizabeth 7, The Classical Academy 7, Englewood 5, Lamar 5, Bishop Machebeuf 2, Alamosa 1, Berthoud 1.
    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Limon (11) 0-0 140
    2 Strasburg (2) 0-0 114
    3 Colorado Springs Christian (1) 0-0 103
    4 Centauri 0-0 84
    5 Holyoke (1) 0-0 63
    T6 Meeker 0-0 62
    T6 Peyton 0-0 62
    8 Florence 0-0 51
    9 Burlington 0-0 41
    10 Wray 0-0 32
    Others receiving votes:
    Monte Vista 21, Paonia 16, Crowley County 12, Highland 8, Buena Vista 7, Platte Canyon 6, Manual 2, Jefferson 1.
    8-man
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Sedgwick County (11) 0-0 119
    2 Hoehne (1) 0-0 87
    3 Merino 0-0 78
    4 West Grand 0-0 61
    5 Caliche 0-0 54
    6 Mancos 0-0 51
    7 Pikes Peak Christian 0-0 37
    8 Fowler 0-0 32
    9 Rangely 0-0 31
    10 Sargent 0-0 28
    Others receiving votes:
    Dayspring Christian Academy 24, Holly 22, Akron 18, Sanford 8, Vail Christian 6, Simla 2, Dove Creek 1, Sangre de Cristo 1.
    6-man
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Stratton/Liberty (5) 0-0 77
    2 Kit Carson (3) 0-0 75
    3 Fleming 0-0 59
    4 Prairie 0-0 49
    5 Flagler/Hi-Plains 0-0 38
    6 Peetz 0-0 34
    7 Idalia 0-0 25
    8 Arickaree/Woodlin 0-0 20
    9 Briggsdale 0-0 19
    10 Cheyenne Wells 0-0 12
    Others receiving votes:
    Genoa-Hugo 10, Cotopaxi 9, North Park 8, Granada 2, Cheraw 1, Mountain Valley 1, Walsh 1.

  • Fairview, Palisade and Pueblo East among football teams with returning offensive stars

    Fairview Horizon football
    (Steve Oathout)

    The start of football season in Colorado is just two short weeks away. With some players having graduated and moved on from every team, a new set of standout student-athletes will be in the spotlight in 2019.

    But there are plenty of players coming back this season and with them come numbers that were impressive even a year ago.

    Looking at the offensive side of the ball, there are plenty of reasons to be excited for the start of football season in 2019.

    [divider]

    Passing:

    When it comes to passing stats, Fairview quarterback Aidan Atkinson led the way for all quarterbacks in 2018. The senior to be threw for a staggering 3,952 yards last year. It was a record-setting year all the way around for him and the Knights.

    For comparison, Highlands Ranch quarterback Jake Rubley threw for 1,951 yards and comes into the season No. 2 behind Atkinson in returning passing yards.

    The top-three passers in 4A all return in 2019 making the prospect of an aerial battle late in the season very intriguing.

    Ponderosa Skyline football
    (Kevin Prickett/prickettpix.com)

    Skyline’s Chase Silva threw for 2,829 yards as he helped the Falcons reach the 4A championship game. Centaurus’ Nick Faraca threw for 2,436 yards with Grand Junction Central’s Max Marsh threw for 2,296. The combination of Marsh and LSU football commit Kole Taylor is going to be a major attraction on the Western Slope this fall.

    The top five passers from 3A all graduated a year ago making George Washington’s Jaydon Green the top returning passer in the class as he threw for 1,722. Pueblo South’s Logan Petit (1,581 yards) and Durango’s Jordan Woolverton (1,560 yards) are other 3A names to keep an eye on.

    Aspen’s Tyler Ward led 2A with 2,202 yards last year and will be back as a junior in 2019 as will Meeker’s Ryan Phelan who topped all 1A passers with 1,869 in 2018.

    Front Range Christian’s Luke Hiltman led all 8-man passers with 2,079 yards and will be back this fall. Briggsdale senior Tyler Blickem returns with 2,368 passing yards from last year which topped all of 6-man.

    Granada sophomore Dominic Coleman got the attention of the class by throwing for 1,609 yards as a freshman.

    In terms of touchdowns, Atkinson set the standard state-wide with 55. Blickem threw for 36 and Silva connected on 30 touchdown passes.

    Rushing:

    Pueblo West Rampart football
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    The ground attack throughout the state lost a lot of spild performers from last year. Smoky Hill’s Obasanjo Sanni returns as the top returning rusher as he cleared the 2,000-yard mark last year and averaged 181 yards per game.

    Legacy’s Dakota Key (1,799) and Fountain-Fort Carson’s Q. Jones (1,406) round out 5A’s top three returning rushers.

    There were standout runners from 3A that are also making their way back this year. Palisade’s Cam Tucker ran for 1,662 and Thomas Jefferson’s Daveon Hunter ran for 1,410 yards in nine games.

    In 4A, the top two returners both come out of Academy District 20 as Pine Creek’s David Moore III returns with 1,494 yards from last year. Down the road at Rampart, Chris Yoo totaled 1,317 yards and both backs will be seniors this fall.

    The biggest loss of production on the ground comes in 2A where 10 of the top 12 rushers from last year were seniors. Coming into this season, just Brush’s Nick Wellen (1,250) and Bishop Machebeuf’s Darius Richards (1,012) return with over 1,000 rushing yards from last year.

    That’s a big difference in 1A where the top two rushers from 2018 will be back as seniors this fall. Colorado Springs Christian senior Peyton Brones led all of 1A with 1,724 yards last year while Monte Vista’s Kaidon Wenta sat right behind him on the leaderboard with 1,475.

    Dove Creek’s Chorbin Cressler broke into the top five of all 8-man rushers as just a freshman last year with 1,243 yards and will look to build on that momentum this season. Pikes Peak Christian’s Hudson Grant is 8-man’s No. 2 returning rusher with 1,188 yards in 2018.

    Tucker returns with the most rushing touchdowns from last year with 28. Stratton/Liberty’s Jaret Lichty ran for 27 and Brones punched the ball in 24 times.

    Receiving

    Losing Kain Medrano was always going to be a big deal for Pueblo East. But if there is a silver lining, it’s that Marvon London, Jr. appears ready to fill the void.

    The senior receiver for the Eagles amassed more receiving yards than any other player returning in 2019. His 1,083 yards were seventh in the state last fall and with Medrano gone, the number has a chance of increasing this season.

    Palmer Ridge’s Deuce Roberson (937) and Harrison’s Seth Fuller (928) are the other top 3A receivers coming back.

    Fairview’s Henry Blackburn hauled 890 receiving yards to lead all 5A returners and should thrive again with Atkinson still tossing passes for the Knights.

    Heritage junior Terrance Ferguson totaled 972 receiving yards making him the top returning 4A receiver this season.

    Two of last season’s top three receivers will be back in 2A. Aspen’s Max Ufkes led the class with 920 receiving yards and Englewood’s Nate Gravagno ranked third with 824.

    As much as 1A had coming back in terms of rushing production, that is not the case with receiving. Estes Park sophomore Calum Torrey had 442 receiving yards last year which is the most for anyone who was not a senior.

    Sangre de Cristo’s Mario Enriquez leds all 8-man returners with 594 yards while Deer Trail’s Dayne Woodis comes back with 730 yards which was second in 6-man last year.

    Blackburn returns with the most receiving touchdowns form last year with 17. Woodis and Roberson each hauled in 11 touchdown catches last year.

  • A look at returning volleyball stat leaders in 2019

    Silver Creek volleyball
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    If talent heading into 2019 is being judged on where volleyball players sat on the state stat leaders list, there are high-quality players returning this season.

    The 2018 season saw players at all classifications put up impressive numbers throughout the year and in the case of some categories, overall leaders will be right back on the floor when things get rolling this fall.

    Ahead is a look at some of the players that are looking at putting up solid stats once again when the 2019 Colorado volleyball begins next month.

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    Kills

    Silver Creek senior Caitlin Volkmann was a wrecking machine last year. She finished the season with the most kills in the state, recording 552 through the course of the season. She was one of just two players in Colorado to record more than 500 kills in 2018. The other was Fleming’s Whitney Chintala who cleared that mark as a freshman and should be one of the premier hitters in the state.

    Eaglecrest’s Audrey Black led all Class 5A hitters with 442 kills and will be back for the Raptors this season. Lutheran’s Payton Brgoch led all 3A returners with 434 and Lyons’ Taylor Maguire had 481 to top all players returning at 2A.

    Aces

    The ability to score a point without the other team returning a serve can be vital to a team’s success. Pikes Peak Christian’s Kyler Sweat returns in 2019 having dished out 87 aces last year to lead players coming back this season. Dawson’s Angelina Sala was just five behind sweat with 82 aces to top the 2A field and she’ll be back as a junior.

    Fossil Ridge’s Rachel Lambrecht recorded 73 aces, topping returning 5A players. In her first year of varsity volleyball, Lincoln’s Evelyn Montalvo-Lopez was tied for third in all of 4A with 70 aces. She’s hoping she can top the field in 2019 as just a sophomore.

    The same can be said for DSST: College View’s Jandel Bracamontes. Her 80 aces were tied with Eagle Ridge Academy’s Emma Cable for second in all of 3A. Both players will be back and trying to strike off the serve for their teams.

    Blocks

    Ellicott’s Dalton Henderson was a nightmare for hitters trying to attack the net. The now-sophomore ranked second in the entire state with 159 blocks last year topping the list of players coming back this season.

    She edged Horizon’s Lauren Strain who led all 5A returners with 157. If Grandview’s Addison O’Grady and Chaparral’s Julianna Dalton are factored in, 5A sees its top three blockers returning in 2019.

    Alameda’s Felicity Trujillo Maldonado tops the returning 4A players with 112. Woodland Park’s Sarah Garner was right behind her with 111.

    Soroco’s Tyla Johnson led 2A returners with 142 and La Veta’s Desi Ortivez led all of 1A 123 and will return as a senior.

    Digs

    Holy Family’s Peyton Frank doesn’t top the list of returning players with the most digs, she led the entire state in the category last year.

    Merino’s Faith Trenkle tops the field of returning 1A players with 642 and Fleming’s Whitney Chintala was also right there at 639. Both players joined Frank as three of the top four leaders across the state last year.

    Rampart’s Grace Wilkinson is the 5A player coming back with the most kills (497) this fall while Sterling’s Jade Feather (571) holds that honor in 3A.

    Highland’s Alyssa Winter led all 2A players with 552 digs last year and will be back as a senior in 2019.