The preseason football rankings are out ahead of the 2018 season. No. 1 teams include Cherry Creek (5A), Pine Creek (4A), Palmer Ridge (3A), Bayfield (2A), Strasburg (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.
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.
The 2018 all-state baseball 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.
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Class 5A
Mountain Vista’s Sam Ireland. (Tim Bourke/MaxPreps)
Player of the year: Sam Ireland, Mountain Vista
Coach of the year: Ron Quintana, Mountain Vista
First Team
Name
School
Pos.
Year
Brayden Brooks
Mountain Range
Senior
Garrett Declue
Arapahoe
LHP/CF
Senior
Riley Egloff
Heritage
RHP/3B
Senior
Sam Ireland
Mountain Vista
RHP/3B/1B
Junior
Niklavs Levensteins
Ralston Valley
3B/2B
Senior
Jack Liffrig
Mountain Vista
LHP
Senior
Justin Olson
Pine Creek
1B/LHP
Senior
Tanner O’Tremba
Cherry Creek
Zach Paschke
Mountain Vista
INF
Senior
Second Team
Name
School
Pos.
Year
Justin Boyd
Legend
SS/CF
Junior
Matthew Boyd
Regis Jesuit
Senior
Riley Cornelio
Pine Creek
SS/RHP
Junior
Brandon Dryer
Arapahoe
LF/RHP/2B
Senior
Hayden Heinze
Rocky Mountain
OF
Senior
AJ Jergensen
Ralston Valley
OF
Junior
Arian Jimenez-Quezada
Heritage
SS/3B/RHP
Senior
Kasey Koppelmaa
Chatfield
LHP/OF
Senior
Andrew Morris
Monarch
2B/P
Senior
Josh Thompson
Highlands Ranch
P
Senior
Honorable mention:
Luke Bailey, Chaparral, OF, Senior
Jake Barber, Cherokee Trail, Senior
Simon Baumgardt, Lakewood, P/SS, Junior
Tyler Boggs, Fruita Monument, C, Senior
Alex Champagne, Heritage, SS/2B, Freshman
Colten Chase, Cherokee Trail, Senior
Dorsey Chatham, Boulder,
Pete Chronowski, Heritage, LHP/1B, Junior
Benjamin Derosiers, Castle View, LHP/1B/CF, Senior
Ozzie Dominguez, Aurora Central, P/1B, Senior
John Emerson, Denver East, Junior
Tanner Garner, Broomfield, Senior
Zach Goodman, Arapahoe, C/OF/UTIL, Senior
Jake Greiving, Legend, C/OF/3B, Junior
Zach Harstad, Loveland, 1B/LHP/OF, Junior
Calvin Hunt, Ralston Valley, RHP, Junior
Jenner Kehe, Lakewood, P/OF/SS, Sophomore
Cam Kennedy, Smoky Hill, CF/3B/2B, Junior
Reese Lansville, ThunderRidge, RHP/INF, Senior
Cale Lansville, ThunderRidge, RHP/INF, Freshman
Grant Magill, Mountain Vista, C, Junior
Jayden Martinez, Grandview, OF/DH, Junior
Nick Merone, Rock Canyon,
Trey Morrill, Fruita Monument, P/OF, Senior
Cade Nelson, Rocky Mountain, INF/P, Junior
Drew Norsen, Fort Collins, OF/LHP, Sophomore
Jay Onken, Pine Creek, OF/RHP, Senior
Ryan Overboe, Legacy, LHP/1B/RF, Senior
Quentin Parr, Cherry Creek,
Mike Polson, Mountain Range, Senior
Henry Rock, Fairview, Junior
Tyler Schultz, Cherry Creek,
Frankie Shearn, Columbine, OF, Senior
Ross Smith, Legacy, RHP/RF, Senior
Drew Stahl, Mountain Vista, INF, Junior
Ryan Stohr, Dakota Ridge, RHP/1B, Junior
Zach Sulyma, Eaglecrest, 3B/C, Senior
David Velasquez, Brighton, SS/P/3B, Senior
Wyatt Wendell, Rock Canyon,
Reggie Williams, Douglas County, Senior
Kevin Zapanta, Overland, 2B/1B/RHP, Senior
[divider]
Class 4A
Valor Christian’s Josh Danyliw. (Paul DiSalvo/MaxPreps)
LAKEWOOD — In one of the biggest moments of its season, Pueblo West turned to a junior who hadn’t pitched all year.
Largely because of that decision, the Cyclones are assured of a chance to play for the Class 4A state baseball championship next week.
Julian Lucero entered the game with runners on first and second and no outs in the bottom of the fifth. Pueblo West led Windsor, the No. 1 overall seed, 6-3.
Lucero promptly struck out Braden Martinez, who homered earlier. Then he forced a ground out — which did lead to a run — but he followed it with another strikeout. Crisis averted.
“It’s just all about being a competitor when you’re out there on this stage,” said Lucero, who also plays for the school’s boys basketball team.
The Cyclones went on to escape with a 7-6 victory over Windsor, and are the lone remaining team in the 4A state tournament.
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
“He’s a competitor — he’s a hooper — so when you’re an athlete and a competitor, we trust that,” said Pueblo West coach Dan Sanchez. “We love that they’re athletes and they’re gonna compete. … If we didn’t think he would do that, we wouldn’t have put him out there.”
This is the third time in the past six seasons that Pueblo West has been the only unbeaten team heading into the final set of games. The Cyclones have never won a baseball championship.
“We’ve just got to keep on playing like we’re playing,” Sanchez said.
Tuesday’s win wasn’t without its share of drama.
Lucero went on to throw a scoreless sixth, including another strikeout, before Windsor started a rally in the seventh. The Wizards’ Martinez homered again, Bailey Brachtenbach drew a walk, and Craig Singiser singled. It was 7-5 at that point with just one out, and Pueblo West brought Nate Denniston in to close for the second day in a row.
Josh Barker then singled, but Pueblo West’s Dylan Gist threw a runner out at home. In the top half of the inning, Gist had driven in what would later be the winning run.
“You’ve just got to make a play, and when your team needs you, you’ve got to do what you can,” Gist said. “If you don’t trust yourself, you can’t make those plays.”
Added Sanchez: “Today, he was huge.”
Two outs.
Windsor’s Braden Peninger then singled, but the ball hit an umpire up the middle, and changed direction, so the runners already aboard stayed put at second and third, and Peninger at first.
Jake Barker followed that with a bases-loaded walk to make it a one-run game at 7-6.
But Denniston got Windsor’s Owen Lockner to ground out to third base to end the game.
“He’s a tough kid,” Sanchez said of Denniston. “We love that he’s out there in that moment. We know that he’s not going to fear it.”
Now, the Cyclones will face Cheyenne Mountain at noon Tuesday at All-City Field in Denver. On the other side of the bracket, Windsor and Valor Christian will play at 9 a.m.
If Pueblo West wins its game, two teams will remain for Wednesday, and the winner of Windsor and Valor Christian would need to beat the Cyclones twice to win the championship.
If Cheyenne Mountain wins, the Indians would face the winner of Windsor and Valor Christian in a de facto semifinal game Wednesday morning, with the winner of that contest advancing to play Pueblo West in a winner-take-all championship Wednesday afternoon.
Cheyenne Mountain punched its ticket with a marathon 2-hour, 41-minute win over Holy Family that saw the squad pound out 10 hits and draw 10 walks in a 12-5 win.
Chase McCleary had three RBIs in the win, while Michael Ellis and AJ Carpenter each had two.
Devin Dodson was solid in relief for Cheyenne Mountain, allowing just one hit and two walks in three innings. He struck out two.
Holy Family beat Longmont 7-6 earlier Tuesday to eliminate the Trojans.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Two-time defending champion Valor Christian returned to the Final 4 with a 10-0 win over Roosevelt in six innings. Noah Kuzma hit a two-run home run in the first inning, and Ryan Barber and Rafe Kinder each had two RBIs.
Radek Birkholz threw a complete-game for the Eagles, allowing just four hits and two walks. He struck out three.
Earlier, Roosevelt had eliminated Evergreen with a 2-1 win on Wednesday morning.
DENVER — To win big games in May, you need big plays. And Pueblo West got two very big ones as it marched on in the Class 4A state baseball tournament.
The Cyclones went 2-0 thanks to wins over Longmont and Valor Christian on Tuesday at Metro State. It means they’ll face Windsor, which also went 2-0 on Tuesday, in the unbeaten game at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at All-Star Park.
“We’re going to go try to pitch our butt off, and we’re gonna scrap,” said Pueblo West coach Dan Sanchez. “We’re gonna scrap.”
Pueblo West’s offense stole the show in the first game, a 12-7 win over Longmont on Tuesday afternoon. Included were five RBIs from Isaiah Avila.
The nightcap, a 3-2 win over Valor Christian, was defined by a two major moments:
In the fourth, Pueblo West shortstop Kyle Jameson made a diving catch with the bases loaded and two outs to stop a Valor Christian rally that looked like it had the makings of a big inning. The Eagles had erased a 2-0 Pueblo West lead to tie the game.
“That was a huge play,” Sanchez said. “I mean, that could’ve opened the floodgates. He’s a great athlete, and he made a couple of great plays today.”
Then, in the fifth, Cyclones catcher Zach Thomas doubled home what proved to be the winning run with a shot to center field.
“I pretty much just barreled it up and did my job,” Thomas said.
Added Sanchez: “He’s been a big slugger for us all year. We’re just happy they threw him the fastball and not the curveball. … That was a big hit for us.”
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Of course, the win wouldn’t have been possible without the stellar performance from Kaleb Woltz on the mound for Pueblo West. Woltz, a sophomore, threw 5 2/3 innings, allowing just the two runs and four hits. He struck out eight.
“It was a great outing for him,” Sanchez said. “And they’ve got so many talented kids over there. It’s just always a great challenge when you can even just compete against them.”
Valor Christian, which beat Holy Family in the first round, is the two-time defending champion, while Pueblo West has made the state tournament each of the past two seasons. In fact, the two teams matched up in the 2016 championship game.
Valor also beat Pueblo West a year ago in the state tournament.
“This is the game we’ve been waiting for, we’ve been working for,” Thomas said. “We love the competition with them. … That was our goal during season, was to compete as if we were going to play them. Once we got tested, we performed, and we did pretty good. Can’t say enough about the team.”
Windsor moved on by virtue of wins over Roosevelt (2-0) and Cheyenne Mountain (11-2).
Logan Thornton threw five innings of shutout baseball for the Wizards in the opening-round win, allowing just three hits. Owen Lockner pitched the final two innings in that game, allowing just two hits.
In the second game, Windsor put up eight runs in the sixth inning, and pounded out 16 hits on the whole. That game was delayed due to lightning in the
The Wizards, seeded No. 1 in regionals, are now 22-1 this season.
Cheyenne Mountain beat Evergreen 7-3 earlier Tuesday to advance.
The tournament resumes on Wednesday with morning games at All-Star Park and Metro State.
LAKEWOOD — During the final day of the state track and field meet at Jeffco Stadium, Fountain Fort-Carson continued a championship tradition that is nearly unmatched in Colorado.
The Trojans (100 points) won the 5A boys state crown for the fourth time in five years. Cherry Creek was the runner-up with 71.
A dynamic group of athletes featuring Jalen Lyon (200-meter dash and 400 champion), Deondre Ritter (2nd in 100), and Jequan Hogan (high jump champion, triple jump runner-up, third place in long jump) led the way in explosive events.
But, in the 800 relay final Cherry Creek was in first after three legs. Lyon, a University of Northern Colorado recruit, made up the gap on the anchor leg, helping Fountain win a thrilling race in 1 minute, 26.53 seconds. The Bruins were second in 1:26.65.
“We knew it was going to be close, because Cherry Creek always pushes us like that,” Lyon said. “I fought him at the end and that was probably the most adrenaline I’ve ever had in a race. I had my boys on my mind.”
The camaraderie and expectations within the program are elements of their success.
(Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“We’re a family,” Lyon said. “We make jokes, we practice hard, we push each other hard, and we talk each other up. The coaches also push us to continue the legacy.”
Following in the footsteps of older brother Christian (100 and 200 titles in 2016), Lyon joined a lengthy list of sprinters who have won multiple sprint crowns in the same season for the Trojans. Donovan Williams (2017), Tevin Donnell (2015), and Markesh Woodson (2011) all claimed championships of their own in the shorter sprint races.
That is quite a run of talent. Fountain has now tallied 20 state championships (all since 1960) in boys track and field, tying Fort Collins for the state record.
Several of the terrific Trojans, ones who won’t soon be forgotten, have signed with college programs, including Jason Farrell (hurdler, Northern Colorado) and Jequan Hogan (Texas Tech). Hogan was the New Balance national champion indoors in the triple jump as a senior.
Jawuan Tate (158-9) added 10 more points to Fountain’s total with a discus crown. Iosua Maika (49-4) finished fifth in shot put.
[divider]
Class 5A
Devin Cadena of Rock Canyon (10.70) nipped Deondre Ritter (10.71) in a fast 100 final. The Jaguars tasted plenty of success this weekend.
Liberty veteran Andrew Doctor did the same to Overland’s Joel Nyatusah with times of 14.35 to 14.38 in the high hurdle final.
Michael Mooney (3,200 champion Thursday) capped a terrific career for Broomfield with a winning dive against Mountain Vista’s Carter Dillon in the 1,600. 4:16.15 and 4:16.17 were the final marks for the pair of Division I recruits.
The Broomfield Eagles also produced the 300 hurdle champion in Mitchell Gorman (37.83).
Highlands Ranch junior Drake Nugent launched a winning throw of 55 feet, 9.5 inches in shot put.
Fort Collins was exceptional in triple jump, finishing 1st (junior Allam Bushara, 49-9.25, outstanding mark), 3rd, 4th, and 8th. Micaylon Moore, the third place finisher, won long jump as well.
[divider]
Class 4A
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Silver Creek (3:23) finished runner-up in the 1,600 relay behind Mullen (3:22). That added enough points to their final tally to secure their first-ever title in track and field. The school’s last team championship came in football in 2012. The Raptors (60.5 points) pulled away from Pueblo South (52), Pine Creek (51), and Valor Christian (50).
Silver Creek’s James Lee (University of Pennsylvania recruit) won the 800 on Friday and finished as the runner-up in the 1,600 on Saturday as they received further contributions in distance, jumps, pole vault, throws, and relays. In cross country, the Raptors had gotten close to winning titles each of the last two seasons with Lee, Brock Dykema (Colorado State), and Logan Simington (Arkansas State) all among the top talents in the classification.
Pueblo South did win the 400 relay in a thriller over Mullen with times of 42.44 and 42.47 seconds.
185-9 was the winning mark in discus for Kain Medrano of Pueblo East. That surpassed a 28-year old classification record of 183-11 by Ron Wach of Estes Park.
Medrano’s teammate, Luc Andrada, claimed the 100 crown in 10.66 seconds.
Angelo Hurtado of Roosevelt cleared the 110 hurdles quicker than anyone in 4A with a time of 14.48.
Tyrese Van Horne (21.63) added to a rich tradition in sprints for the Harrison Panthers with a 200 championship. He’s only a sophomore.
Sensational underclassmen Cole Sprout of Valor Christian (4:14) responded to a strong move by James Lee (4:19) with a fast 300-meter finish to win the four-lapper.
Valor’s Dane Palazzo and Pine Creek’s Wyatt Wieland shared the 300 hurdles crown with a time of 38.01.
Yet another champion was crowned from Colorado Springs as Air Academy senior Josiah Molascon (14-6) won pole vault.
[divider]
Class 3A
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Bayfield’s Carl Heide (14.65) was unmatched in the 110 hurdles. He also won the 300 hurdles in 38.69 (state record in 3A yesterday). Heide provided a boatload of points for a program that has one other track championship in their history (girls in 1991).
Bayfield tallied 79.5 points to win their first boys track title, but the Wolverines have corralled plenty of hardware in other seasons this school year while winning 2A football and 3A basketball. The Classical Academy was the runner-up with 73 points.
Lutheran, always a major presence, especially in sprints, had won four team championships in a row (three in 3A, one in 2A).
Seven Lindsey of Kent Denver topped all challengers in the 100 (10.74) and 200 (21.78).
Junior Chad Jackson, an Alamosa stalwart, completed 400 meters in first place with a time of 49.91.
Woodland Park junior Skye Ciccarelli (6-4) conquered high jump.
No one was able to better RidgeView Academy senior Inaujee Ison in long jump (21-2.25).
The Spartans of Berthoud (43.18) celebrated a victorious 400 relay.
Ryan Moen, a senior for TCA who also won the 3,200, had just enough foot speed to outlean Denver West sophomore Yasin Sado in the 1,600. Sado was also the runner-up in the 800. 4:25.72 and 4:25.75 were the final times.
[divider]
Class 2A
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
The team competition between Resurrection Christian and Lyons was close, but the Cougars displayed the necessary depth to outlast the Boulder County power. The group donned in white and blue racked up 63 points, holding off both Lyons (58) and Cedaredge (58).
Rez had earned runner-up honors in recent years, but had never before won state. That changed this weekend with placers in most events on and off the track. Freshman Tanner Applebee (21-3.5) was the long jump champion on Thursday for a program that started only seven years ago.
Patrick Scoggins of Rangely (51.02) grabbed gold in the 400. The senior had an illustrious career with a number of state medals.
Ben Kelley further cemented his status as one of the greatest 2A competitors in state history in any event by going back-to-back in the 1,600 (4:23). The leap team was led by junior Grant Redmond (6-5 high jump) of Soroco, Kelley’s teammate.
14.90 was the winning mark in 110 hurdles by Austin Davis of Byers.
Michael Morgan of Buena Vista (11.23) was the 100 sprint king.
Hoehne has a veteran 300 hurdler in Jacob Yates (39.50) who proved his worth as a champion.
22.62 was the winning 200 time by Ty Grant of Cedaredge, continuing a proud tradition in sprints for the program. The 400 relay (45.12) and the 1,600 relay (3:30.01) crowns were also claimed by Cedaredge.
[divider]
Class 1A
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Heritage Christian boys compiled a monstrous total of 169 points to win their fifth state championship in six years.
Junior Levi Kilian (1:59, 4:34, 10:04) swept the 1A distance events and shattered 1A state meet records in the 1,600 and 3,200. Isaiah Bowsher (4:38) also broke a state meet record that was previously held by Ryan Dollerschell of Prairie in the 1,600 (4:42 in 2014). Seth Bruxvoort (4:45) and Keaton Case (4:47) ensured the Eagles of a sweep of the top four places.
HCA also flourished in the sprints as Josh Damir (11.28, 22.87) swept the 100 and 200. He was the runner-up in the 300 hurdles. The Eagles finished the meet with a victorious 1,600 relay of 3:35.
Cotopaxi junior Arlo Garner (15.42, 39.56) was the title winner of the 110 hurdles and the 300 hurdles.
Holly sophomore Alex Ramos (50.72) proved his worth in the 400 as an underclassmen. He could be a force for years to come.
North Park (45.68) had a stronger foursome in the 400 relay than anyone else in 1A.
Pole vaulters will have to deal with Pikes Peak Christian again next year. Juniors Tommy Harmon (12-3) and Sam Smith (11-3) were wildly impressive in earning gold and silver.
LAKEWOOD — Long before siblings Max and Mia Manson swept the Class 5A pole vault competition at the 2018 state track and field championships, their father left his own mark on the event.
Pat Manson, a prep phenom at Aurora Central, flashed a brilliant smile as his son swiped one of his longstanding records on Thursday at Jeffco Stadium — the 5A state meet record.
Max’s chest just skimmed the top of the bar while attempting 17 feet, 3.5 inches, causing it to bounce slightly before falling back into place. The personal record vault topped his father’s 17-3 from 1986, a 32-year old record. The mark also ranks eighth in the nation at the moment.
“I’ve always thought of it as a far-off goal,” the younger Manson, yet another dynamic athlete for Monarch, said of the state meet best. “In the past couple years I knew it could be a reality. It was the most emotion I’ve ever felt after a vault. I was ecstatic.”
And yet, the elder Manson still holds an edge to Max in high school bests with an all-classification state record of 17-7.5. That may not be true by the end of next season with the promise Max has shown throughout his career.
He was the runner-up at state as a freshman with a personal best of 15-7, then finished second behind teammate Cole Rowan (a Duke University recruit) last year. They switched positions this year as Rowan dealt with an injury, but still managed to claim 2nd (15-8).
One of Max’s goals is to clear 18 feet as a senior, an extraordinary accomplishment for a high schooler.
About three decades after the birth of Pat’s illustrious career, which included a trio of gold medals at the Pan American Games, a sixth place showing at the 1997 World Championships, and a personal best of 19-2.25, another Manson is cementing himself as a Colorado prep legend.
But, he’s not the only one.
Monarch’s Mia Manson. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Mia, a sophomore, has already won back-to-back state crowns after clearing 12-6 on Thursday. The former avid rock climber is a top-flight sprinter and jumper as well. Manson’s rare mixture of speed and strength allowed her to shatter the freshmen national record in pole vault last year (13-4.25).
The underclassman was troubled with a foot injury down the stretch of this season, forced to scratch her other state qualifying events. Nonetheless, no one could match her Thursday as she bettered Rock Canyon senior Tameryn Coryell (12-3), the runner-up.
With a touch of rust though, Manson had to stay composed early.
“The first two bars I cleared on my third (and final) attempt, which is kind of stressful but after that the jumps kept getting better,” she said.
Within Boulder County, athletic lineage in track and field has been a trend of late. This is the case at Broomfield perhaps more than any other school.
Joe, Jake, Katelyn, and Emily (4th in 3,200 Thursday) Mitchem have all been standouts in distance events for the Broomfield Eagles. Ethan and Ivy (6th in 3,200) Gonzales are in the same mold.
Broomfield senior Michael Mooney. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Now Michael and Madison Mooney, a pair of national caliber athletes themselves, are leaving their own footprint on Broomfield and the entire state.
Michael Mooney (9:12) fended off a last lap charge by Denver East’s Harrison Scudamore (9:13) to claim his first 3,200 crown. Rock Canyon sophomore Easton Allred (9:15) was also in the thick of it until the very end.
“I tried to stay as close as I could to the lead,” Mooney said of his strategy. “Once he passed me that last lap, I had to give it everything I had to finish that race out.”
He was pleased to be the first state champion in his family as his other sister, Megan, a 2016 Horizon graduate, finished second in the 3,200 her senior year and now competes for Florida State University.
“I get to brag about this now,” Michael said with a laugh. “I did it first.”
Mooney also ran an 8:50 3,200 (No. 2 in nation) at the prestigious Arcadia Invite in California earlier in the spring. The Colorado State recruit has chosen to pursue cross country and track at the next level despite being named the 5A soccer player of the year and leading his team to another crown as a senior.
Later in the opening day of competition at Jeffco Stadium, Madison Mooney received the baton around 30 meters behind Mountain Vista in the 3,200 relay as the anchor leg. The Eagles rode the wings of Mooney to a state trophy, posting a time of 9:16. Mountain Vista was the runner-up in 9:23.
Madison, a future Wisconsin Badger, will be the No. 1 seed in the 800 (2:10.19) and the 1,600 (4:55.24) on Friday and Saturday. She has nabbed runner-up honors in each event before. Michael will be the No. 1 seed in the 1,600 with a time of 4:11.99, almost exactly one second off the Colorado record.
The state track and field meet will resume on Friday at 8:20 A.M. at Jeffco Stadium.
[divider]
Class 5A notes
Denver East’s Arria Minor set records in the 200 and 400, and now also holds the top time nationally in the 400.
Jequan Hogan (6’8) has now won back-to-back crowns in high jump for Fountain-Fort Carson. Teammate Jawuan Tate (158-9) was the discus champion, claiming 10 points for a Trojan dynasty (four crowns in past five seasons).
Fort Collins junior Micaylon Moore (22-10.25) leapt farther than anyone else in long jump, securing his first state title.
Mountain Vista (7:49) fought off Continental rival Legend (7:52) to win the boys 3,200 relay.
Gabriella McDonald of Rocky Mountain, a brilliant multi-sport athlete who signed with Colorado State for soccer and track and field, defended her discus crown (148-2). She’ll be after her third consecutive shot put championship later in the weekend.
The Cherokee Trail tandem of Sydnee Larkin (18-11.25) and Chian Deloach (18-6.5) swept the top two places in long jump for a Cougar group hoping to secure a team title.
The girls 3,200 was a sophomore showdown between Mountain Vista’s Jenna Fitzsimmons (cross country state champion) and Legacy’s Brynn Siles. Fitzsimmons finished on top again, but both ran stellar times (10:35 and 10:39).
[divider]
Class 4A notes
Pueblo East junior Kain Medrano (56-10.5) won shot put.
The Vista Ridge tandem of Raymon Harper (46-10) and Micah Hilts (46-1) conquered triple jump for a program that has excelled in the discipline in recent years.
Widefield junior Aaliyah Ricketts (36-6) claimed the triple jump crown.
Silver Creek senior Rylee Anderson, a Kansas University recruit, became a rare four-peat winner of high jump with a mark of 5-7.5. Vista Peak sophomore Raina Branch cleared the same height, but Anderson won on attempts. Niwot freshman Taylor James and Pueblo West freshman Shayla Padilla, third and fourth on Thursday, have bright futures themselves.
Roosevelt junior Logan Derock (40-0.75) was the only 40+ foot shot putter in the classification for girls.
[divider]
Class 3A notes
Steamboat Springs junior Eric Casey (14-0) was first in pole vault.
Reece Davidson, a Faith Christian senior, launched a farther throw than anyone in discus (159-0).
Roaring Fork has quite the pair of senior triple jumpers in Justin Thompson (45-11.75) and Jasper Germain (45-4). They proved to be the class of the field this year.
The Classical Academy’s Ryan Moen (9:38) and Mason Norman (9:41) swept the top two places in the 3,200. The Titans have flourished in distance events for years.
SkyView Academy (8:01) and Peak to Peak (9:20) ran away in the boys and girls 3,200 relays, although Frontier Academy (8:03) did pose a serious threat.
Frontier Academy senior Hannah Ellis (11:19) surged to a 3,200 title.
Bayfield junior Jordan Lanning (5-7.75) shattered the classification record in girls high jump, a record previously held by D’Evelyn’s Sarah Cerrone (5-7.50 in 2017).
[divider]
Class 2A notes
Resurrection Christian freshman Tanner Applebee announced himself as a force to be reckoned with for years to come by winning long jump (21-3.50).
Jacob Tu’ufuli of Ellicott, a senior, won shot put with a mark of 48-8.75.
Lyons (8:12, school record) and Paonia (9:57) claimed the boys and girls 3,200 relay victories. Each program has had substantial success in relay races.
Highland sophomore Remington Ross, the defending champion in the 100, announced herself as a threat to the classification record of 12.05 seconds with an eye-opening 12.09 (1st in prelims).
Dayspring Christian senior Katie Kurz claimed first in high jump (5-3).
[divider]
Class 1A notes
Levi Kilian (10:04.98) and Seth Bruxvoort (10:12.26) both shattered the previous 1A state meet record of 10:14.46 by Bryce Grahn (South Baca) in 2014. They are teammates at Heritage Christian. Sophomore Jaden Johnson (20-7) also won long jump for the Eagles.
Shining Mountain had winners in the girls 3,200 (Emma Schaefer, 12:11) and girls pole vault (Marina Flandrick).
Otis junior Keylan Dracon won boys shot put with a mark of 42-9.50.
Eads senior Mariah Smith (133-8, new 1A record) did the same in girls discus. The previous record was held by Sangre de Cristo’s Jenna McKinley (131-6, 2016).
Canon City 6, Fort Morgan 5, Thomas Jefferson 4, Kennedy 3, Palisade 3, Durango 1.
Dropped out:
Canon City (9).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Lamar (8)
17-1
98
2
2-0
2
Faith Christian
14-1
84
3
4-0
3
University (1)
15-2
80
1
2-1
4
Sterling (1)
11-4
63
6
3-0
5
Eaton
10-3
62
5
3-0
6
La Junta
11-5
34
4
0-2
7
Peak to Peak
11-4
30
8
3-2
8
Valley
9-7
23
7
0-2
9
Colorado Academy
13-3
20
–
3-0
10
Alamosa
13-4
19
–
3-0
Others receiving votes:
Resurrection Christian 16, The Academy 7, Buena Vista 6, Delta 6, Weld Central 2.
Dropped out:
Kent Denver (9), Buena Vista (10).
Class 2A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Peyton (7)
14-1
70
1
2-0
2
Sedgwick County
16-1
64
5
5-0
3
Paonia (1)
14-2
61
2
1-1
4
Limon
11-3
49
3
2-1
5
Hotchkiss
12-2
35
4
1-1
6
Rocky Ford
12-3
33
6
2-0
7
Lyons
13-3
21
7
2-1
8
Yuma
12-5
16
9
4-1
9
Evangelical Christian
11-4
15
–
2-0
10
Meeker
11-5
14
–
3-0
Others receiving votes:
Front Range Christian 13, Dayspring Christian 10, Sargent 10, County Line 7, Sanford 5, Fowler 4, Highland 4, Calhan 3, Denver Christian 3, Simla 2, Dawson 1.
Dropped out:
Calhan (8), Sargent (10).
Class 1A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Cornerstone Christian (7)
13-2
77
1
2-1
2
Peetz
8-3
58
6
2-1
3
Otis
12-3
56
4
1-1
4
Holly (1)
8-5
53
2
2-0
5
Stratton/Liberty
7-3
39
–
2-0
6
Elbert
6-3
34
5
1-1
7
Caliche
10-9
32
3
2-4
8
Denver Jewish Day
3-2
26
8
0-0
9
Cotopaxi
12-4
16
9
3-0
10
Longmont Christian
6-6
12
–
0-3
Others receiving votes:
Nucla 9, Dove Creek 8, Eads 6, Manzanola 6, Fleming 4, Mile High Academy 4.
Golden 13, Pueblo County 8, Durango 5, Lewis-Palmer 5, Thomas Jefferson 5, Elizabeth 4, Palisade 4, Air Academy 3, Fort Morgan 1, Mead 1, Pueblo South 1.
Dropped out:
Golden (8).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
University (7)
13-1
87
1
2-0
2
Lamar (2)
15-1
83
2
4-0
3
Faith Christian
10-1
65
4
1-0
4
La Junta
11-3
58
5
2-1
5
Eaton
7-3
43
6
2-0
6
Sterling
8-4
37
3
0-3
7
Valley
9-5
35
9
3-0
8
Peak to Peak
8-2
28
7
0-1
9
Kent Denver
6-4
12
–
0-0
10
Buena Vista
8-2
11
–
1-0
Others receiving votes:
Colorado Academy 9, Bennett 5, Lutheran 5, Resurrection Christian 5, Alamosa 4, Aspen 3, The Academy 2, Weld Central 2, Platte Valley 1.
Dropped out:
Colorado Academy (8), The Academy (10).
Class 2A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Peyton (7)
12-1
104
1
1-0
2
Paonia (5)
13-1
103
2
3-1
3
Limon
9-2
82
3
1-0
4
Hotchkiss
11-1
71
5
2-0
5
Sedgwick County
11-1
70
4
2-0
6
Rocky Ford
10-3
44
8
0-0
7
Lyons
11-2
42
7
1-0
8
Calhan
11-3
22
–
1-0
9
Yuma
8-4
21
6
0-1
10
Sargent
13-2
20
–
2-0
Others receiving votes:
Evangelical Christian 18, Dawson 12, Meeker 12, Dayspring Christian 9, Highland 8, Front Range Christian 6, Sanford 5, Fowler 4, Denver Christian 3, Simla 2, Haxtun 1, Swink 1.
Dropped out:
Haxtun (9), Dawson (10).
Class 1A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Cornerstone Christian (4)
11-1
65
2
3-0
2
Holly (3)
6-5
61
1
0-2
3
Caliche
8-5
47
5
2-0
4
Otis
11-2
38
3
2-1
5
Elbert
5-2
30
4
0-1
6
Peetz
6-2
29
7
2-0
7
Nucla
7-7
28
–
2-0
8
Denver Jewish Day
3-2
19
–
2-0
9
Cotopaxi
9-4
18
6
1-0
10
Springfield
3-6
12
–
1-1
Others receiving votes:
Longmont Christian 10, Manzanola 10, Stratton/Liberty 7, Mile High Academy 5, Eads 4, Dove Creek 2.
Dropped out:
Stratton/Liberty (8), Longmont Christian (9), Dove Creek (10).
