LAKEWOOD — Andy Lowry hasn’t had a problem being a football Dad in the stands of prep football games over the past four years.
The five-time state championship football coach at Columbine High School enjoys standing behind the D’Evelyn Jaguars’ sideline to watch is son Thomas Lowry make his own mark. Thomas has been a big part of D’Evelyn football program on both sides of the football as a defensive back and receiver.
D’Evelyn senior Thomas Lowry makes a leaping grab over Denver West’s Andre Schlytter-Henrichsen during the Jaguars’ first offensive drive Saturday at Trailblazer Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“My Dad does help me out and gives me some pointers every once in a while. (D’Evelyn coach Jeremy Bennett) knows about passing and my Dad doesn’t pass it,” Thomas joked after he had four catches for 60 yards and a pair of touchdowns in D’Evelyn’s 44-13 victory over Denver West on Saturday afternoon at Trailblazer Stadium.
Thomas grew up watching his Dad win a handful of Class 5A state championships at Columbine, but the now senior at D’Evelyn decided he would go in his own direction before entering high school.
“Going to Dennison (Elementary) and D’Evelyn we kind of knew he was on that path. He was doing really well academically,” Coach Lowry said. “Coach Bennett has done a great job with his great program. Sometimes playing for your Dad is awfully hard. I not sure I wanted that pressure on him.”
It has all worked out.
Thomas is one of the top receivers in Class 2A with 32 catches for 618 yards and seven touchdowns through six games. He is a jack-of-all trades starting at receiver and safety, along with the Jaguars’ punt and kickoff returner, and don’t forget he is the holder on field goals.
“I grew up on the sideline every game at Columbine being ballboy,” Thomas said. “I’ve been around football players and coaches all my life. That has definitely helped me out with my football IQ.”
Thomas has been a ballhawk defensively with eight career interceptions.
D’Evelyn senior Thomas Lowry (14) celebrates a 27-yard touchdown catch with freshman Gabe Jackson during the first half Saturday at Trailblazer Stadium. Lowry had four catches for 60 yards and two touchdowns in the Jaguars’ 44-13 victory over Denver West. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“Thomas is an extension of our (coaching) staff,” Bennett said. “He sees things sometimes because of his upbringing on being on a football field so much. Most important for us, he is an outstanding teammate and unanimous captain voted on by his teammates.”
Columbine’s — five yards and a cloud of dust — and physical defense that Lowry brought to the Rebels’ program in the mid-1990s turned Columbine into a perennial powerhouse in the largest classification for the past two decades. However, D’Evelyn was a great place for Coach Lowry’s oldest child to thrive both academically and athletically.
“It’s a fit for Thomas,” Bennett said. “What we do and his size. He catches the ball and runs fast. I think Andy wanted to give Thomas a different experience than what he could offer (at Columbine). We are sure glad he stayed.”
Bennett admitted he was surprised when Thomas talked to him during his eighth-grade year at D’Evelyn and told Bennett he wouldn’t be leaving to join his Dad at Columbine.
“He (Thomas) has really made his own path,” Coach Lowry said. “I’m really proud of him. He has made his own success at D’Evelyn and is having a great career over there.”
Bennett said the Lowry Family has been great in supporting the Jaguars as Thomas wraps up his high school football career at D’Evelyn. Also, Bennett likes the fact that he has the chance during games to bounce things off the five-time state champion coach.
“Andy has been amazing,” Bennett said. “I’ll go to the fence every once in a while because you have Andy Lowry standing over there so go get his opinion. A lot of times he is like, ‘Gee, shoot Coach. Can you run trap here?’ Andy has been great. I think he enjoys watching his kid and not having the pressure to coach him.”
The pressure on D’Evelyn (4-2, 2-0 in 2A Flatirons League) moving forward is to keep its postseason streak in alive. The Jaguars have qualified for the playoffs for four straight seasons, but might have to win a conference title to make it five.
Opening-season losses to No. 8 TCA and No. 9 Eaton put D’Evelyn behind the eight-ball when it comes to having to possibly win its final seven games to make the 16-team 2A state tournament field.
“Just to win league to win league would be great. I think I have more runner-up finishes than anyone in the history of Jefferson County,” Bennett said. “I think it will probably take that for us.”
Thomas Lowry will be a big piece as the Jaguars attempt to win-out.
“We’ve been to the playoffs the last three years,” Thomas said. “Hopefully we can get a fourth.”
No matter what happens, Thomas will have a very experienced football coach and Dad in his corner.
“It goes so quick. It’s hard to believe he is senior,” Coach Lowry said. “I’m just really proud of him. He is a really good football player, but also a great kid and young man.”
D’Evelyn senior Thomas Lowry strolls into the end zone during the second quarter for a 17-yard touchdown catch — his seventh TD catch on the season — Saturday afternoon at Trailblazer Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Golden sophomore Caitlyn Stevens (21) is mobbed by teammates after her 2-run home run in the second inning Thursday against D’Evelyn. It was all the offense the Demons needed in the 2-0 victory against the Jaguars. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
DENVER — Golden softball opened up a 1-game lead in the competitive race for the Class 4A Jeffco League title Thursday afternoon.
The Demons — No. 2 in the CHSAANow.com Class 4A rankings — edged rival D’Evelyn 2-0 on the Jaguars’ home field. Despite taking the driver’s seat in the conference race, Golden coach Chad Herbers knows it far from over when it comes to repeating as league champs for the Demons (19-1, 6-1 in league).
Golden senior Emma Graham pitched a complete-game shutout Thursday afternoon against D’Evelyn. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“I’m still not comfortable,” Herbers said of the Demons’ 1-game lead over D’Evelyn and Wheat Ridge with three league games left. “We can lose that top spot just as quickly as we gained it. It’s beautiful to see 4A Jeffco as strong as it is right now. It makes it fun.”
Golden sophomore Caitlyn Stevens was a big part in making the trip to D’Evelyn fun. The Demons’ designated hitter belted a 2-run home run over the fence in left field in the top of the second inning for the lone run-producing hit of the game.
“I just went up there and focused on the ball,” Stevens said of long blast. “I felt like it was a good hit, but I didn’t know what would happen with it.”
What happened was the ball skipped off the top of the fence to drive in senior Haley Prey to grab a 2-0 lead for the Demons. Prey was hit by a pitch to start out the inning.
“I didn’t think it would go out,” Herbers said of the home run by Stevens. “Not at 225 (feet) and the wind blowing in from left field. She really got into it.”
Herbers said Stevens had been working hard on her swing lately. It was her second home run in the past three games.
Golden senior Emma Graham pitched the complete-game shutout. Graham had to dance her way out of jams in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to keep D’Evelyn (13-7, 5-2) at bay.
D’Evelyn junior Kylee Ornstein takes a cut at the plate Thursday against Golden. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The Jaguars actually outhit the Demons 5 to 4 in the loss, but couldn’t come up with the big hit to get on the scoreboard.
“To win ballgames like this you have to be the one to want to be at the plate,” D’Evelyn coach Dan Porreco said. “To win these game you have to come up with those big hits.”
Graham finished the game in style striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh inning after a lead-off single by D’Evelyn sophomore Mia Riebe.
“It’s always my goal to strike people out, but you can’t always do it all,” Graham said when asked about striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
Graham finished with nine strikeouts.
“Emma delivered,” Herbers said. “She pitched deep in some counts and made it interesting. Defense still made the plays too.”
D’Evelyn sophomore pitcher Avery Garbarek was very impressive too. Garbarek allowed just the four hits while striking out five against the hot hitting Demons. It was the lowest scoring output for Golden on the season.
“She (Garbarek) did a fantastic job,” Porreco said of his sophomore pitcher. “After that home run she really emotionally settled in and came back. She is growing. That was impressive against Golden.”
Golden finishes league play with games against Green Mountain and Standley Lake before hosting D’Evelyn in its regular-season finale Oct. 10. The Jaguars have a tough road facing Evergreen and No. 5 Wheat Ridge before getting the rematch against Golden.
D’Evelyn junior Eve Dalla (2) prepares to slide into third base as Golden senior Makayla Middleton gets ready to put down the tag during the Class 4A Jeffco League game Thursday at D’Evelyn. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Rock Canyon has moved up to the top spot in this week’s Class 5A softball rankings.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday during the regular season.
Voted upon by coaches and select 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
Rock Canyon (11)
14-1-0
125
2
3-0-0
2
Chatfield
16-1-0
96
1
1-1-0
3
Loveland (1)
15-1-0
94
5
4-0-0
4
Broomfield (1)
14-2-0
82
3
3-1-0
5
Columbine
14-2-0
77
4
0-2-0
6
Rocky Mountain
13-3-0
47
6
1-2-0
7
Grand Junction Central
10-2-0
46
–
1-0-0
8
Brighton
10-4-1
26
–
2-0-0
9
Lakewood
15-2-0
21
–
2-0-0
10
Legacy
9-4-0
19
8
2-1-0
Others receiving votes:
Castle View 18, Fossil Ridge 14, Smoky Hill 13, Arapahoe 11, Prairie View 10, Hinkley 9, Cherokee Trail 6, Arvada West 1, Douglas County 1.
Dropped out
Prairie View (7), Castle View (9), Smoky Hill (10).
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Holy Family (6)
12-1-0
104
1
3-0-0
2
Golden (2)
14-1-0
91
3
1-1-0
3
Pueblo South (3)
12-1-0
81
4
3-1-0
4
Wheat Ridge
13-2-0
72
5
3-0-0
5
Erie
13-2-0
64
2
1-2-0
6
Silver Creek
13-4-0
58
6
3-0-0
7
Pueblo County
11-2-0
46
8
3-1-0
8
Pueblo Central
8-5-0
31
7
1-2-0
9
Rifle
10-2-0
13
10
2-0-0
10
D’Evelyn
8-6-0
9
–
1-1-0
Others receiving votes:
Coronado 6, Berthoud 5, Mountain View 5, Pueblo East 4, Roosevelt 4, Mead 3, Mullen 2, Northridge 2, Pueblo Centennial 2, Evergreen 1, Longmont 1, Pueblo West 1.
Dropped out
Pueblo West (9).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
University (13)
14-1-0
130
1
2-1-0
2
Eaton
12-3-0
105
2
2-1-0
3
Brush
11-4-0
76
5
2-1-0
4
Basalt
12-1-0
73
6
4-0-0
5
Riverdale Ridge
11-1-0
73
4
3-0-0
6
Strasburg
8-6-0
72
8
2-1-0
7
Lyons
9-4-0
64
7
3-0-0
8
Sterling
10-5-0
46
3
1-2-0
9
Limon
10-4-0
34
9
2-0-0
10
Fort Lupton
13-4-0
12
–
2-0-0
Others receiving votes:
Rocky Ford 7, Montezuma-Cortez 5, Platte Valley 5, Meeker 4, Cedaredge 3, Peak to Peak 3, La Junta 2, Lamar 1.
Arvada West junior Tyler Tyson chips out of trouble on the par 4 No. 11 hole Monday at Bear Creek Golf Club in Lakewood. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
LAKEWOOD — It’s not even September, but Monday’s boys golf tournament marked the midway point of conference play for the Class 5A and 4A Jeffco League.
On the toughest of the six courses of the Jeffco League tournament schedule, Chatfield senior Max Heupel soared up 5A individual standings with a strong 1-over-par, 73. Heupel was six strokes better than Arvada West’s junior Zach Tyson and Valor Christian’s tandem of Logan Byler and Lucas Schulte, who all shot rounds of 79.
Heupel is tied with Lakewood sophomore Max Lange atop the 5A Jeffco individual standings. Valor widened its lead in the team race over second-place Ralston Valley and third-place Lakewood.
Lakewood junior Ryan Liao chips onto the No. 16 green during his round of 80 Monday at Bear Creek Golf Club. Liao had a hole-in-one on the No. 7 99-yard par 3 to highlight his round. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Defending 5A Jeffco individual medalist — Lakewood junior Ryan Liao — shot a round of 80, but did have one of the highlights with a hole-in-one on the No. 7, 99-yard par 3.
On the 4A side, Golden’s Grayson Flambures took the individual title with a round of 80. The Demons also edged Evergreen by six strokes in the team race. Golden and Evergreen are locked in a tight race for the conference team title. The Demons are one stroke ahead of the Cougars with three league tournaments remaining.
Evergreen’s Clayton Whitton and Jack Mitchell are currently one-two in the overall 4A Jeffco individual standings. Green Mountain sophomore Ollie Gibbons is third, Flambures and Conifer junior Dakota Dolph is tied for fourth.
The final three Jeffco League tournaments are scheduled for Indian Tree (Aug. 30) West Woods (Sept. 9) and The Broadlands (Sept. 17).
Chatfield junior Isabelle DiNapoli (11) is mobbed by teammates after her three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning Tuesday against D’Evelyn. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
LITTLETON — Chatfield softball coach Jen Lazzeri hopes the Chargers’ blazing 4-0 record to start the season is the beginning of ending a nearly decade-long drought.
“That’s our goal,” Lazzeri said of Chatfield going after the Class 5A Jeffco League title that the Chargers last won in 2011. “We keep talking about it. This group all got a taste what it’s like to be at the state tournament last year. I think they are starting to believe. I think once they start believing the sky is the limit for this group.”
Chatfield junior Madison Shepard foul a pitch off during the Chargers’ 12-4 victory over D’Evelyn. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The Chargers grabbed a 12-4 victory against D’Evelyn (0-1) on Tuesday afternoon. Juniors Isabelle DiNapoli and Madison Shepard led the way for Chatfield. DiNapoli tossed a complete-game victory striking out eight.
DiNapoli also helped herself out at the plate with a three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning that gave the Chargers a 4-0 lead.
“Those two kids (DiNapoli and Shepard) are a huge pieces of our line-up, offensively and defensively. Madison, I think is one of the best shortstops in the state,” Lazzeri said. “You can count on those two to come in and be clutch.”
Shepard put the game way with a line-drive home run during the Chargers’ six-run bottom of the sixth inning after D’Evelyn closed Chatfield’s lead to 6-4.
“It felt really good and helped pick up the team’s energy,” Shepard said of her two-run blast. “We really felt like we had the game in the bag after that.”
While Lazzeri was pleased with her Chargers cranking out 14 hits to produce double-digit runs for the third time already this season, four defensive errors was something Lazzeri — starting her third season at the helm of Chatfield’s softball program — knows her teams needs to clean up.
Chatfield pitcher Isabelle DiNapoli had eight strikeouts in her complete-game victory. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“People are going to hit the ball against Isabelle,” Lazzeri said. “Our defense has to be ready. We can’t be complacent defensively.”
Shepard believes the Chargers’ experience and talent can propel Chatfield to reach its goals this season.
“I think a league title and going far in state is all a possibility,” Shepard said.
D’Evelyn is always in the mix for the 4A Jeffco title and berth to the state tournament. The Jaguars were runner-up to Golden in the conference race last season, but a pair of one-run losses at regionals left D’Evelyn on the outside looking in to the 4A state tournament.
Senior Peyton Balbin has been a fixture in the Jaguars’ line-up for the past three season. Balbin started her final opening game behind the plate for the Jaguars against Chatfield.
“It’s crazy. Seems like just last week I was a freshman playing my first game catching ever,” Balbin said. “Now it’s my first game of my last season catching. It’s crazy thinking about how time flies by.”
D’Evelyn gets against another tough test versus another 5A Jeffco team Thursday when the Jaguars host Columbine (3-0). Chatfield hosts Mullen on Thursday before heading to the very competitive Erie Tournament of Champions next week.
D’Evelyn senior Peyton Balbin drove in a pair of runs on this swing in the top of the fifth inning Tuesday against Chatfield. The Jaguars hope to challenge Golden for the 4A Jeffco League title this fall. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
