CHSAANow

Tag: Arapahoe

  • All-state boys soccer teams for the 2019 season

    The 2019 all-state boys soccer teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.

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

    [divider]

    Class 5A

    Broomfield Regis Jesuit boys soccer
    (Tim Bourke)

    Player of the year: Gustavo Gutierrez, Broomfield

    Coach of the year: Jim Davidson, Broomfield

    First Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Mawolo Easton Broomfield FORW Senior
    Gustavo Gutierrez Broomfield MF Senior
    Blake Hansen Legacy FORW Senior
    Ivan Luna Grandview – Senior
    Jake Maurek Legacy MF Senior
    Casey McCloskey Regis Jesuit FORW Senior
    Braden Murphy Regis Jesuit D Senior
    Sam Phillips Boulder MF Senior
    Evan Stearns Broomfield D Senior
    Arroll Taekla Boulder FORW Junior
    Eli Young Pine Creek GK Senior
    Second Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Nick Dermer Regis Jesuit MF Senior
    Bishal Ellison Boulder D/FORW Senior
    Jackson Isaacs Pine Creek MF/D Junior
    Jake Ketchner Fairview D Senior
    Oboyo Kuot Rampart FORW Senior
    Hayden Miller Ralston Valley FORW/MF Senior
    Oliver Ramirez Fort Collins MF/FORW Sophomore
    Nolan Roberts Cherry Creek D/MF Senior
    Rashid Seidu-Aroza Rangeview FORW Senior
    Hadrood Webster Rocky Mountain – Senior
    Beneyam Yifru Overland FORW Senior

    Honorable mention: Jesus Ascencio, Senior, Gateway; Ben Beckman, Sophomore, Grandview; Jose Bucio, Junior, Aurora Central; Oscar Cambra, Junior, Vista PEAK Prep; Cray Carlton, Senior, Fossil Ridge; John Colvin, Senior, Mountain Range; Shaun Cox, Senior, Fountain-Fort Carson; Kylan Crafts-Thimmig, Senior, Liberty; Connor Crookham, Senior, Arapahoe; Mark Day, Senior, Brighton; Kevin De Anda Rodriguez, Senior, Westminster; Noah Drummond, Senior, Doherty; Will Durbin, Senior, Rock Canyon; Ian Elliott, Senior, Cherry Creek; Carter Esterle, Senior, Pine Creek; David Evans, Senior, Lakewood; Enzo Ewari, Senior, Legend; Cole Frederick, Senior, Cherry Creek; Andy Galvan, Junior, Adams City; Javier Garcia, Senior, Aurora Central; Arnold Gutierrez, Senior, Eaglecrest; Dani Haddad, Senior, Rock Canyon; AJ Heber, Senior, Eaglecrest; Enrique Hernandez, Senior, Grand Junction; Adan Herrera, Freshman, Greeley West; Will Johnson, Senior, Valor Christian; Judah Johnston, Senior, Arvada West; Eyobel Kahsay, Senior, Denver South; Jeff Koch, Junior, Liberty; John Krupanszky, Senior, Regis Jesuit; Brady Kuzinski, Senior, Castle View; Parker Landry, Senior, Castle View; Jason Leavitt, Senior, Bear Creek; Luis Marquez, Senior, Gateway; Gabriel Marti, Senior, Pomona; Sebastien Mazur, Junior, Fairview; Ryan McCloskey, Senior, Fruita Monument; Rudy Medina, Junior, Hinkley; Zach Miller, Senior, Arapahoe; Liam Milton, Senior, Rampart; Mark Nicolosi, Senior, Mountain Vista; Braidon Nourse, Senior, Rangeview; Alex Ortiz, Senior, Far Northeast Warriors; Cerim Palislamovic, Senior, Columbine; Emerson Robles, Senior, Westminster; Carlos Rodriguez, Senior, Prairie View; Dante Russo-Delee, Junior, Poudre; Nolan Schroeder, Junior, Highlands Ranch; Pablo Sisneros, Senior, Smoky Hill; Kyler Tate, Junior, Arvada West; Jackson Thelen, Senior, Chatfield; Nathan Thomas, Senior, Valor Christian; Maddox Tinjum, Junior, Douglas County; Justice Tyler, Senior, Cherokee Trail.

    [divider]

    Class 4A

    Air Academy Pine Creek boys soccer
    (Chris Fehrm/Chris Fehrm Photography)

    Player of the year: Thaddaeus Dewing, Air Academy

    Coach of the year: Justin Thomas, Skyview

    First Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Danny Barajas Battle Mountain FORW Senior
    Thaddaeus Dewing Air Academy FORW Senior
    Brian Fierro Skyview GK Senior
    Bryan Fuentes Denver North FORW Senior
    Roger Ibarra Skyview MF Senior
    Aidan McGonagle Lewis-Palmer GK Senior
    Christian Nunez Centaurus STRK Senior
    Tyler Prichard Lewis-Palmer D Junior
    Jared Ramos Skyview FORW Senior
    luis Reyes Skyview FORW Junior
    Adin Schwenke Air Academy D/MF Senior
    Second Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Kevin Barone Discovery Canyon MF Senior
    Mitchell Burt Glenwood Springs D/FB Senior
    Francisco Chavez Pueblo Centennial FORW Senior
    Josh Colin Golden – Senior
    Chris Cornn Ponderosa FORW Senior
    Jonathan Gonzalez Denver North MF/D/FB Senior
    Kelton Hooker Air Academy MF Senior
    Sam Markovich Golden – Senior
    Dylan McIntosh Holy Family MF/FORW/STRK Junior
    Quinn Patrick Mitchell Battle Mountain D Senior
    Jacob Van Ens Silver Creek D Senior

    Honorable mention: Benito Acoltzi, Junior, Regis Groff; Jadon Baros, Senior, Cheyenne Mountain; Jack Carpenter, Senior, The Classical Academy; Louis Castillo, Junior, Battle Mountain; Jesse Chavez, Senior, Pueblo Centennial; Pedro Cruz, Senior, George Washington; Bryan Delgado, Senior, Montrose; Caleb DesBouillons, Senior, Mesa Ridge; Caden Farmer, Senior, Elizabeth; Isaac Fentress, Senior, Denver North; Aron Flores, Sophomore, Widefield; AJ Gamueda, Junior, Mullen; Preston Gasperetti, Senior, Pueblo West; Cole Greany, Senior, Holy Family; Carlos Guardado, Senior, Glenwood Springs; Leland Heinicke, Senior, Durango; Jackson Hoosier, Senior, The Classical Academy; Evan Hutson, Sophomore, Erie; Junio Lang, Senior, Thompson Valley; Alexis Lopez jimenez, Senior, Rifle; Cole Manuel, Junior, Erie; Jose Martinez, Junior, Alameda; Caleb McGrath, Senior, Durango; Josh Meyers, Senior, Palisade; Luis Molina, Junior, Rifle; David Perez-Rubio, Senior, Pueblo East; Zach Pribyl, Senior, Palmer Ridge; Ebert Rascon, Junior, Northfield; John Roberts, Senior, Loveland; Issahia Rodriguez, Junior, Weld Central; Harrison Rubis, Senior, Battle Mountain; Fernando Ruiz, Senior, Centaurus; Ervin Salazar, Senior, Denver West; Wyatt Schroth, Junior, Frederick; Kyle Smith, Junior, Canon City; Gabriel Sosa, Senior, Skyline; Manuel Soto, Senior, Niwot; Keegan Stobbe, Junior, Niwot; Connor Taylor, Junior, Longmont; Trevino Twiss, Senior, Battle Mountain; Nathan Van Keulen, Junior, Discovery Canyon; Titus Von, Senior, Standley Lake; Dylan Weiss, Senior, Silver Creek.

    [divider]

    Class 3A

    Salida Atlas Prep boys soccer
    (Ismael Gomez)

    Player of the year: Lamario Nisbeth, Atlas Prep

    Coach of the year: Nicholas Forbes, Roaring Fork

    First Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Quinn Bosanko Salida MF Senior
    Martin Corral Delta STRK/MF Senior
    Roberto Garcia Arrupe Jesuit FORW/MF Senior
    Liam Hall Colorado Academy – Senior
    Max Hewitt Kent Denver HB Senior
    Lamario Nisbeth Atlas Preparatory School F Senior
    Briallan Santiago Aurora West College Prep Academy FORW/MF/HB Senior
    Luis Vega Atlas Preparatory School – Sophomore
    Joey Waldbaum Kent Denver GK Senior
    Dylan Webster Roaring Fork – Senior
    Rawson Welch Kent Denver HB Senior
    Second Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Micah Allan Faith Christian MF Senior
    Luis Alvarado Salazar James Irwin – Senior
    Angelito Caballero Atlas Preparatory School – Senior
    Ethan Campagna Colorado Springs Christian – Senior
    Davis Evans Kent Denver HB Junior
    Cristian Gameros Lamar STRK Senior
    Daniel Garciacano DSST: College View – Senior
    Frankie Harrington Roaring Fork – Senior
    Jesus Rojas Bruce Randolph STRK/MF Senior
    James Spitz Jefferson Academy – Junior
    Yan Zambrano Lutheran – Senior

    Honorable mention: Jose Alva, Senior, Arrupe Jesuit; Tristen Bannasch, Sophomore, Ellicott; Wyatt Barton, Senior, St. Mary’s; Gaby Bonilla, Senior, Basalt; Peter Carpenter, Junior, Colorado Academy; Cullen Cote, Senior, Manitou Springs; Michael Cullis, Senior, Liberty Common; Aidan Dodson, Junior, Englewood; Jovani Esparza, Senior, Arrupe Jesuit; Patrick Grady, Junior, Peak to Peak; Jarett Hernandez, Senior, Delta; Josh Kurtz, Sophomore, Mead; Martin Maung, Senior, Bishop Machebeuf; Alex Medina, Senior, Sheridan; Benjamin Medina, Junior, DSST: College View; Jorge Meraz, Senior, Jefferson; Brandon Mercado, Senior, Eagle Ridge Academy; Decker Milroy, Senior, The Vanguard School; Pablo Navarro, Senior, Fort Lupton; Jesus Ochoa, Sophomore, Sterling; Edgar Perez, Senior, Valley; Jack Price, Junior, Coal Ridge; Say Reh, Junior, Aurora West College Prep Academy; Samuel Reyez-Lopez, Sophomore, Lamar; Jaime Rios, Senior, Middle Park; Bowman Russell, Senior, Salida; Sebastain Sanchez, Senior, Atlas Preparatory School; Lucas Schramer, Senior, Roaring Fork; Zach Shelest, Junior, Bennett; Seth Shepperd, Junior, Frontier Academy; Julio Sixtos, Junior, Fort Lupton; Noah Solomon, Senior, DSST: Byers; Zach Stockton, Senior, Vail Mountain; Johnny Vezzani, Senior, DSST: Byers; Arturo Villarreal, Senior, Strive Prep – Smart Academy; Nico Wilson, Senior, Salida.

    [divider]

    Class 2A

    Ridgway Dawson boys soccer
    (Tim Bourke/TimBourke.com)

    Player of the year: Robert Beserra, Ridgway

    Coach of the year: Jon Kornbluh, Ridgway

    First Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Ryan Beattie Denver Christian MF Senior
    Robert Beserra Ridgway – Senior
    Carlos Franco Crested Butte – Senior
    Mahad Haji Lotus School For Excellence – Senior
    Jesse Isenhart Dawson School – Senior
    Collin Kendall Ridgway – Senior
    Jonas Ricke Dawson School – Junior
    Caleb Riggs Denver Christian SWEP Junior
    Rio Sueyoshi Dawson School – Senior
    Will Taylor Fountain Valley MF/FORW Sophomore
    Tommy Wells Telluride GK Senior

    Honorable mention: Brayden Becker, Senior, Denver Christian; Owen Berv, Senior, Crested Butte; Michael Brophy, Sophomore, Thomas MacLaren School; Jonathan Chavez, Senior, Lake County; Enrique Flores, Junior, Dolores Huerta Prep; Bryant Garcia, Junior, Dolores Huerta Prep; Spencer Hamilton, Senior, Evangelical Christian; Nick Heinz, Junior, Fountain Valley; Dylan Hughes, Senior, Heritage Christian; Daniel Indjger, Junior, Rye; Jonah Jodlowski, Senior, Telluride; Kristoff Kerr, Senior, Denver Academy; Chance Maccagnan, Junior, Fountain Valley; Richard Mata, Freshman, Union Colony Prep; Kye Matlock, Senior, Crested Butte; William Shade, Sophomore, Rocky Mountain Lutheran; James Singleton, Senior, Evangelical Christian; Jake Vilhauer, Senior, Rocky Mountain Lutheran.

  • No. 2 Ralston Valley football grinds out victory over Arapahoe

    ARVADA — Ralston Valley quarterback Walker Brickle even got into the running game for the Mustangs late Friday night at the North Area Athletic Complex.

    Brickle’s 10-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter typified Ralston Valley’s 42-21 victory over No. 15-seeded Arapahoe in the Class 5A football second-round state playoff game. Brickle muscled his way in for the touchdown behind his offensive line as the No. 2 Mustangs went to their ground game to advance to host No. 10 Eaglecrest next week in the state quarterfinals.

    Ralston Valley senior JJ Galbreath (8) celebrates a fumble recovery by sophomore Zach Friedman in the second quarter Friday at the NAAC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    “We are trying to take what teams will give us,” Ralston Valley coach Matt Loyd said of going to the ground game. “We were able to move the ball and we stayed with it.”

    Senior Chase Wilson and junior Tyler Roybal carried the load on the ground. Wilson was the workhorse and had a key 6-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter that pushed the Ralston Valley lead to 28-14.

    “We persevered really well,” Wilson said. “I got some great blocks up front. Our tight ends played great. (Arapahoe) did take away our passing game. We changed it really quick and went to the run.”

    Arapahoe (7-5 record) made a game of it in the fourth quarter. A 1-yard touchdown run by sophomore quarterback Cole Hansen after a trick play put the Warriors just 1-score down at 28-21 with 10:47 left in the fourth quarter.

    However, Ralston Valley had an impressive 80-yard drive that included a 13-yard run by Wilson on a fourth-and-1 play to wrap up the victory. Brickle hit senior Caleb Rillos with a 14-yard touchdown with 4:27 left to play to push the lead to 35-21.

    “It was definitely a relief,” Brickle said of the touchdown pass to Rillos that pretty much sealed the victory.

    A fumble recovery by Ralston Valley junior Will Lester allowed Ralston Valley (11-0) to put in another late score on the second touchdown run of the night by Roybal.

    Ralston Valley senior Chase Wilson, left, cuts back against the grain during a run in the first half Friday night against Arapahoe. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    “We are happy that we survived to the next round, but we know there is a lot we need to clean up after this week,” Wilson said. “Eaglecrest has a really great team with a lot of good athletes. We’ll get back at it tomorrow.”

    Ralston Valley got out to a 21-7 lead at halftime. Brickle connected with junior Devin McNearny for a quick scoring strike to start the game. The Mustangs grabbed a 7-0 lead 90 seconds into the game.

    However, Arapahoe answered with a long touchdown strike on midway through the first quarter. Hansen hit senior Adam Bakke with a 61-yard touchdown pass to tie things up at 7-7

    The Mustangs really got their ground game going in the second quarter. Roybal had a 33-yard touchdown run with 5:09 left before halftime. A fumble recovery by Ralston Valley sophomore Zach Friedman set up the Mustangs’ on Arapahoe’s 14-yard line.

    “Our defense gives us turnovers every single game,” Brickle said. “I know they were coming.”

    Two plays later, Brickle muscled into the end zone from 10 yards out to push the Mustangs’ lead to 21-7 at halftime. Arapahoe had a big 95-yard scoring drive in the third quarter that took up nearly half of the quarter to cut the Mustangs’ lead to 21-14.

    “We had a little rust coming off the bye,” Brickle said. “It was more of a wake-up call game. We’ll be good next week. We just need to be more focused through the week.”

    Loyd was pleased with how his team handled the win.

    “We are advancing and happy about that, but the kids weren’t celebrating,” Loyd said. “The kids were already like, ‘We are going to be better.’ That is great as a coach. They weren’t satisfied.”

    Ralston Valley junior Tyler Roybal is pushed out of bounds by a host of Arapahoe defenders during the Class 5A second-round playoff game Friday night. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

  • All-state girls cross country teams for the 2019 season

    The 2019 all-state girls cross country teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.

    These teams were created based upon results at the state meet.

    The athletes who won championships at their classification were named runner of the year.

    [divider]

    Class 2A

    Lyons girls cross country Quin Gregg
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    Runner of the year: Quin Gregg, Lyons
    Coach of the year: Mark Roberts, Lyons

    First Team
    Name Year School
    Helen Cross Senior Nederland
    Katie Fankhouser Senior Lyons
    Quin Gregg Sophomore Lyons
    Jamieson Legh Freshman Lyons
    Audrey Maroney Sophomore Rye
    Mallory Salazar Sophomore Buena Vista
    Second Team
    Name Year School
    Emma Dikken Junior Platte Canyon
    Ashleigh Gardner Senior Caprock Academy
    Kate Griffin Senior The Colorado Springs
    Adele Horning Freshman Lake County
    Molly McMurry Sophomore Buena Vista
    Kendra Sears Senior Sargent

    Honorable mention: Eliana Caucutt, Sophomore, Golden View Classical Acad; Cecelia Davies, Sophomore, Clear Creek; Benisa Ellis, Senior, Springfield; Gretta Gavette, Junior, Colorado Rocky Mountain; Jaylene Gutierrez-Hermo, Freshman, Ellicott; Summer Hernandez, Freshman, Rocky Ford; Grace Manning, Junior, Mancos; Katie Preciado, Junior, Rocky Ford; Cecilia Richardson, Sophomore, Peyton; Katya Schwieterman, Senior, Paonia; Mary Scoggins, Sophomore, Rangley; Ruby Tanguay, Sophomore, Telluride; Hannah Thomas, Junior, Lyons; Charlize Valdez, Junior, Ignacio; Samantha Westfahl, Junior, West; Hannah Wilkie, Senior, Rangely.

    [divider]

    Class 3A

    Basalt girls cross country Sierra Bower
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    Runner of the year: Sierra Bower, Basalt
    Coach of the year: Alan Versaw, The Classical Academy

    First Team
    Name Year School
    Allison Beasley Junior Peak to Peak
    Sierra Bower Junior Basalt
    Shannon King Senior Faith Christian
    Lilly Lavier Senior Alamosa
    Kennedy McDonald Sophomore Classical Academy
    Kylie Simshauser Junior Florence
    Sawyer Wilson Freshman Classical Academy
    Second Team
    Name Year School
    Evelyn Boyd Sophomore Holy Family
    Julia Brown Senior Frontier Academy
    Leah Hill Sophomore DSST: Montview
    Ella Johnson Sophomore The Vanguard School
    Kylie Kenny Junior Aspen
    Katelyn Maley Freshman Basalt
    Audrey Orstead Junior Faith Christian

    Honorable mention: Madison Brosig, Freshman, Frontier Academy; Kendall Clark, Junior, Aspen; Madi Eggers, Freshman, Faith Christian; Katherine Heekin, Sophomore, Faith Christian; Hana Husmann, Freshman, St Mary’s Academy; Kylie Kravig, Junior, University; Emily Lavier, Junior, Alamosa; Sarah Levy, Freshman, Basalt; Madi Moen, Senior, The Vanguard School; Kotryna Obergfell, Senior, Classical Academy; Ally Padilla, Sophomore, Berthoud; Kyra Shaner, Freshman, Classical Academy; Quinn Smith, Freshman, Salida; Eliana Thompson, Sophomore, D’Evelyn; Rebecca Thompson, Senior, Classical Academy; Sophia Valentine, Sophomore, Classical Academy.

    [divider]

    Class 4A

    Niwot girls cross country Samrawit Dishon
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    Runner of the year: Samrawit Dishon, Niwot
    Coach of the year: Kelley Christensen, Niwot

    First Team
    Name Year School
    Joslin Blair Senior Eagle Valley
    Samantha Blair Freshman Eagle Valley
    Madeleine Burns Senior Durango
    Samrawit Dishon Senior Niwot
    Ella Johnson Sophomore Glenwood Springs
    Amelia Philofsky Sophomore Niwot
    Hope Stark Sophomore Cheyenne Mountain
    Second Team
    Name Year School
    Taylor James Junior Niwot
    Grace Johnson Junior Battle Mountain
    Joelle McDonald Senior Niwot
    Jocelyn Millican Freshman Palmer Ridge
    Elliot Pribramsky Sophomore Battle Mountain
    Madison Shults Freshman Niwot
    Tristian Spence Sophomore Central Grand Junction

    Honorable mention: Milaina Almonte, Freshman, Battle Mountain; Maren Busath, Junior, Palmer Ridge; Ella Chura, Sophomore, Air Academy; Sophia Connerton-Nevin, Freshman, Glenwood Springs; Aspen Fulbright, Sophomore, Pueblo West; Rachel Goodrich, Senior, Golden; Baylie Koonce, Senior, Ponderosa; Kenadi Krueger, Senior, Thompson Valley; Olivia Krueger, Sophomore, Thompson Valley; Willow Lott, Freshman, Durango; Lily Mourer, Freshman, Golden; Emma Reeder, Sophomore, Battle Mountain; Grace Staberg, Senior, Summit; Aubrey Surage, Junior, Lewis-Palmer; Dylan Teeples, Sophomore, Air Academy; Lily Whelan, Freshman, Battle Mountain.

    [divider]

    Class 5A

    Riley Stewart Cherry Creek girls cross country
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    Runner of the year: Riley Stewart, Cherry Creek
    Coach of the year: Jeff Krause, Arapahoe

    First Team
    Name Year School
    Ava Escorcia Freshman Arapahoe
    Cameron McConnell Sophomore Cherokee Trail
    Ava Mitchell Freshman Arapahoe
    Riley Stewart Sophomore Cherry Creek
    Emma Stutzman Freshman Pomona
    Taylor Whitfield Junior Valor Christian
    Brooke Wilson Freshman Valor Christian
    Second Team
    Name Year School
    Megan Bergstrom Junior Arapahoe
    Isalina Colsman Senior Regis Jesuit
    Kinsey Hall Senior Fairview
    Ella Johns Freshman Fort Collins
    Addison Price Freshman Cherry Creek
    Elizabeth Schweiker Senior Ralston Valley
    Aidyn Woodall Sophomore Douglas County

    Honorable mention: Aloha Churchill, Senior, Fairview; Alexandra Collins, Freshman, Regis Jesuit;
    Jadyn Heil, Sophomore, Fruita Monument; Bryanna Hoffman, Freshman, Chaparral; Caitlin Hunt, Sophomore, Fossil Ridge; Emily Lamontagne, Freshman, Arapahoe; Cadence Lapp, Sophomore, Loveland; Lauren Lapporte, Senior, Cherry Creek; Kira MacGill, Senior, Arapahoe; Abigail Maclean, Sophomore, Cherry Creek; Sarah O’Sullivan, Senior, Mountain Vista; Sierra Parks, Sophomore, Broomfield; Laura Romero, Junior, Denver East; Anna Swanson, Senior, Grandview; Anna Wexler, Senior, Monarch; Shayda Zarrin, Sophomore, Mountain Vista.

  • All-state softball teams for the 2019 season

    The 2019 all-state softball teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.

    These team were created following a process where the coaches voted upon a list of nominees. Players who were named first-team all-league are eligible for the all-state ballot.

    Coaches also voted specifically for player and coach of the year.

    [divider]

    Class 5A

    (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    Player of the year: Korbe Otis, Columbine
    Coach of the year: Jim Santaniello, Columbine

    First Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Katie Dack Rock Canyon   Junior
    Isabelle DiNapoli Chatfield RHP/1B Junior
    Ally Distler Columbine    
    Laurin Krings Loveland P/OF/1B Senior
    Jayden Mercado Fossil Ridge 3B Senior
    Korbe Otis Columbine    
    Hadlee Reichert Broomfield SS/P Junior
    Ashley West Ralston Valley P/1B Sophomore
    Yasmine Ybarra Smoky Hill 3B/C/1B Senior
    Second Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Chloe Doyle Brighton C/3B Senior
    Hannah Farley Legacy P Senior
    Lauren Griggs Legend   Senior
    Tori Haug Brighton P/RF Senior
    Erin Keen Rock Canyon   Senior
    Kayleigh Krueger Arapahoe P/1B/SS Senior
    Nikki McGaffin Fossil Ridge P Sophomore
    Nevaeh Ramirez Prairie View OF/RHP Senior
    Jayda Randle Rampart CF/1B Junior

    Honorable mention: Kendall Aragon, Sophomore, Legacy; Hannah Bailey, Sophomore, Rocky Mountain; Brooke Ballard, Senior, ThunderRidge; Amrajie Bass, Sophomore, Smoky Hill; Torie Bass, Junior, Fountain-Fort Carson; Courtney Bidwell, Junior, Chatfield; Savannah Clausen, Junior, Arvada West; Katie Cummings, Junior, Denver East; Shaylyn Cutshall, Senior, Fruita Monument; Juliana Dickson, Junior, Denver South; McKenna Fitzgerald, Junior, Ralston Valley; Elana Gerhard, Senior, Loveland; Hunter Gilbreath, Senior, Cherokee Trail; Mia Glover, Senior, Arapahoe; Kami Grammerstorf, Senior, Mountain Vista; Kyra Grauberger, Senior, Greeley West; Taylor Griffin, Senior, Douglas County; Karlee Hagan, Senior, Mountain Range; Kylie Harpman, Junior, Rocky Mountain; Hannah Hollander, Senior, Valor Christian; Haley Hoy, Senior, Castle View; Brynn Jackson, Sophomore, Pine Creek; Brianna Jennings, Junior, Rampart; Jordyn Johnson, Junior, Bear Creek; Rachel Jones, Senior, Fort Collins; Bryna Kapelke, Junior, Broomfield; Katey Kelly, Senior, Vista Ridge; Sara Larson, Senior, Chaparral; Faith Lawson, Senior, Dakota Ridge; Trish Leins, Junior, Monarch; Jacquelin Ley, Senior, Grandview; Mariana Lopez, Senior, Far Northeast Warriors; Katie Maney, Junior, Arapahoe; Destiny Martinez, Sophomore, Lakewood; Lauryn McCollam, Senior, Thornton; Reagan Medina, Sophomore, Lakewood; Alexis Mohr, Sophomore, Horizon; Elena Montoya, Junior, Pomona; Mya Murdock, Junior, Grand Junction Central; Anna Reimers, Junior, Rock Canyon; Kori Rhoads, Senior, Westminster; Shelby Robb, Senior, Arvada West; Olivia Schramm, Freshman, Windsor; Kaylee Sheets, Sophomore, Rampart; Tiana Spangler, Senior, Windsor; Halie Stoneking, Senior, Prairie View; Mikayla Sturns, Senior, Grand Junction Central; Chloe Valdez, Junior, Regis Jesuit; Denise Villalba, Senior, Liberty; Vic Wharton, Junior, Legend; Katiana Williams, Senior, Rangeview; Sidney Wilson, Senior, Northglenn; Maddy Yeingst, Senior, Cherry Creek.

    [divider]

    Class 4A

    Kat Sackett Erie softball
    (Paul Soriano)

    Player of the year: Kat Sackett, Erie
    Coach of the year: Vanessa Smith, Erie

    First Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Maddie Kuehl Silver Creek P/1B/OF Junior
    Megan Loveland Erie   Senior
    Anna Martinez Holy Family CF Senior
    Makayla Middleton Golden   Senior
    Makenzie Middleton Golden   Senior
    Katrina Robertson Mesa Ridge C/1B Senior
    Madie Rosenthal Roosevelt   Senior
    Kat Sackett Erie   Senior
    Madysun Vaughan Erie   Senior
    Second Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Bella Archuletta Pueblo South SS/3B Senior
    Peyton Balbin D’Evelyn   Senior
    Ashlynn Balliet Berthoud   Senior
    Bailey Blanchard Elizabeth   Senior
    Cassidy Chvatal Holy Family RHP Junior
    Aiyana Cordero Northfield P Freshman
    Jocelyn Garcia Widefield   Senior
    Izzie Quezada Wheat Ridge 1B Senior
    Lee Quezada Wheat Ridge SS Junior
    Jenna Ruggaber Coronado P/1B/OF Senior

    Honorable mention: Emily Abraham, Freshman, Pueblo South; Isabel Alire, Senior, George Washington; Savannah Autobee, Sophomore, Pueblo Central; Breanna Baca, Senior, Pueblo Central; Cassie Bittner, Senior, Palisade; Jada Boddy, Senior, Woodland Park; Kylee Bunnell, Senior, Mesa Ridge; Carissa Cassidy, Senior, Eagle Valley; Nya Chacon, Senior, Mountain View; Eve Dalla, Junior, D’Evelyn; Isabelle Davis, Senior, The Classical Academy; Peyton Gale, Junior, Frederick; Avery Garbarek, Sophomore, D’Evelyn; Jasmine Garbiso, Senior, Pueblo West; Makayla Garcia, Senior, Silver Creek; Noelle Gardon, Senior, Holy Family; Marla Goodspeed, Junior, Golden; Emma Graham, Senior, Golden; Leslie Guiterrez, Senior, Skyview; Erin Hanafin, Senior, Mead; Lynia Henry, Senior, Coronado; Brooklyn Horn, Junior, Kennedy; Kaylin Mares, Senior, Pueblo County; Ayva McComas, Sophomore, Niwot; Cara McGeeney, Senior, Canon City; Kennedy Michnewicz, Senior, Northridge; Angeline Mitchell, Senior, Longmont; Hailey Neener, Junior, Discovery Canyon; Josey Nichols, Senior, Conifer; Charlotte Nuccio, Senior, Evergreen; Emma Osbourne, Sophomore, Erie; Kylie Pfannenstiel, Senior, Elizabeth; Jenna Pfenning, Junior, Holy Family; Delaney Phillips, Senior, Rifle; Samantha Powell, Senior, Skyline; Dekota Rojas, Senior, Pueblo West; Aliyah Rothstein, Junior, Wheat Ridge; Jacelynn Trujillo, Senior, Pueblo County; Elizabeth Vermeulen, Senior, Evergreen; Shannon Vivoda, Senior, Pueblo East; McKinzie Wade, Lewis-Palmer.

    [divider]

    Class 3A

    (Gabriel Christus/Denver Broncos)

    Player of the year: Remington Ross, Eaton
    Coach of the year: Rocky Byrd, University

    First Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Ashland Baca Strasburg OF/INF Senior
    Allie Christensen Brush   Senior
    Darby Hamilton Gunnison C/UTIL Senior
    Jenna Jaklich Limon   Senior
    Kyra McFarland University   Senior
    Rylyn Nelson Sterling SS Senior
    Mahalie Owens Limon   Senior
    Remington Ross Eaton OF Senior
    Delaney Wieneke University   Junior
    Second Team
    Name School Pos. Year
    Kiersten Bohler Sterling P Junior
    Emily Crowder Alamosa P/C Senior
    Abby McElroy Rocky Ford P/OF Sophomore
    Makenna Meyer Riverdale Ridge P/UTIL Junior
    Ashlyn Richardson Strasburg 1B/3B Senior
    Darian Riggs Strasburg OF Senior
    Hannah Schweiger Lyons C/3B Junior
    Morgan Trechter St. Mary’s P/SS Senior
    Zoe Vozick Basalt C/SS Senior

    Honorable mention: Alyssa Abitia, Senior, Lamar; Isa Alvarez, Senior, Burlington; Haylee Bowen, Junior, The Academy; Julia Coates, Senior, Peak to Peak; Alexa Deam-Nein, Senior, Wray; Graci Dietrich, Junior, Basalt; Jadin Dimeo, Senior, Platte Canyon; Brooklynn Donatone, Sophomore, Faith Christian; Alexis Dudley, Senior, Florence; Lexi Fernandez, Junior, Rocky Ford; Sierra Finn, Sophomore, James Irwin; Sydnee Fordham, Sophomore, Riverdale Ridge; Alizeh Fraizer, Freshman, La Junta; Grace Georgiou, Brush; Destiny Hackney, Junior, Riverdale Ridge;
    Lauren Herman, Sophomore, Holyoke; Jennifer Jarnagin, Junior, Eaton; Kiera Larson, Freshman, Basalt; Katlyn Long, Sophomore, St. Mary’s; Trista Marx, Sophomore, Limon; Andi Padilla, Junior, University; Hannah Paton, Senior, Lyons; Keeley Porter, Junior, Delta; Yaritza Puente, Junior, Eaton; Jamie Rader, Junior, Peak to Peak; Savanna Ramirez, Senior, The Academy; Damonyca Segura, Junior, Lamar; Shianne Willmon, Senior, Holyoke; Joy Ziegler, Sophomore, Faith Christian.

  • Football roundup: Smoky Hill wins first playoff game since 1991

    Smoky Hill Overland football
    More photos. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    Smoky Hill hill stormed through the regular season unbeaten for the second consecutive year. And now, the Buffaloes have their first playoff win since 1991.

    Smoky, the No. 11 seed in the Class 5A football playoffs, beat No. 22 Overland 48-6 behind a huge day from star running back Obasanjo Sanni, who had five touchdowns.

    “It was just a total team effort, all the way down to our kicker. Our defense played great,” said Smoky Hill coach Tom Thenell told the Scoreboard Show. “No. 44 (Sanni) was terrific early. The offensive line kind of knew that if 44 had a chance, some good things were going to happen.”

    It is Smoky Hill’s first postseason win since they beat Denver West in the 1991 6A playoffs.

    “It was a lot of fun for the school,” Thenell said. “These kids, a year ago we got respect in our own community and respect in our own hallways, and this year they were out to try to get the respect of people on the outside. I think after tonight, we have done that.”

    Smoky has finished each of the past two seasons 10-0 under Tom Thenell, who is now in his second year at the school.

    “People knew that when two years ago we first showed up over here, we were ranked 40th out of 40 in MaxPreps,” Thenell said. “And that’s no longer the case.”

    [divider]

    3A: (2) Mead 27, (6) Frederick 20

    In perhaps the game of the night which was a battle of unbeaten teams, Mead rallied from down 17-12 at half to get the win and secure the Northern Metro League title.

    “That was the No. 1 atmosphere that I’ve ever been a part of,” Mead coach Jason Klatt told the Scoreboard Show. “Just a fun night. Two communities coming together.”

    Both teams entered 9-0, and 4-0 in the Northern Metro.

    The game featured three lead changes in the first half, and then Mead took a 20-17 lead in the third quarter when Brady Veltien found Brayden Keys for a touchdown on fourth down.

    Frederick tied the game at 20 with a field goal, but Mead drove down and scored early in the fourth to go ahead for good.

    “Just a ton of resolve a group of Mavericks, and I’m proud to be a part of it,” Klatt said.

    Mead, No. 2 in the coaches poll, is likely to earn the No. 1 seed in the 3A playoffs when the brackets are unveiled on Sunday after this week’s No. 1 Palmer Ridge lost Discovery Canyon on Thursday.

    “We don’t care,” Klatt said of seeding. “If they get us in the tourney, we’ll take it. We don’t care about rankings or any of that stuff. There’s a lot of good teams out there, and we’re fortunate to be a part of that mix.”

    [divider]

    5A: (15) Arapahoe 17, (18) Castle View 7

    Arapahoe Castle View football
    More photos. (Matt Minton)

    Arapahoe avenged a loss in the regular season to advance to the second round of the 5A playoffs.

    “It was much-improved from where we were earlier this season,” Arapahoe coach Rod Sherman told the Scoreboard Show. “We played them earlier, and we gave up 400-plus yards of offense, and our guys have improved. Playing in the gauntlet of the Centennial League exposes your weaknesses and gives you a chance to improve.” 

    Arapahoe is now 7-4, the program’s highest win total since 2015.

    “I think we’ve just grown up a little bit,” said Sherman, now in his second year helming the Warriors. “Last year was our first year at Arapahoe. There was some culture change that was necessary. Our kids really bought in last year, but they needed an offseason.”

    The game was a rematch of a Week 2 meeting between the teams, which Castle View won 23-13.

    [divider]

    4A: (3) Vista PEAK 35, Fruita Monument 21

    Vista PEAK rallied from down 21-15 at the half to score 20 unanswered points and finish off its first undefeated regular season in school history.

    Ja’derris Carr-Kersh led the way with four rushing touchdowns, including a 71-yarder. Monty Hamrick also had rushing score for the Bison as they clinched the Pioneer League title.

    “We came out and shut them out the second half, and the offense kind of got rolling,” Vista PEAK coach John Sullivan told the Scoreboard Show. “We wore them down a little bit.”

    Of the rushing attack, Sullivan added: “We have a pretty good trio in the backfield with our No. 1 Ja’derris Carr, who’s really fast, and we have a couple of bruisers back there who love to block, and when they get the ball in their hands, they also can do some damage. But it all starts with our hogs up front, that took it to heart that this game was on them — both sides of the ball, actually. Our D-Line, as well.”

    Vista PEAK, now 10-0, awaits seeding on Sunday.

    “Last year, we started a ton of sophomores that were very talented, and we knew that if we had a great summer, and hit the weight room like we did, that we could do some damage in our league for sure,” Sullivan said. “It was one of our goals to go 10-0 and win the league, for sure, but I think we can do a little bit more, too.”

    [divider]

    5A: (13) Highlands Ranch 59, (20) Doherty 7

    Highlands Ranch cruised into the second round with a big offensive performance.

    “Our kids played exceptionally well,” Highlands Ranch coach TJ Rubley told the Scoreboard Show. “It was truly one of those all-cylinder type games on offense for us.”

    [divider]

    4A: (9) Ponderosa 26, (10) Heritage 14

    Heritage Ponderosa football
    More photos. (PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)

    Ponderosa won the Metro League title with come-from-behind win where the Mustangs went ahead late in the fourth quarter.

    “Tonight was a prime example of we’re not going to quit when we get some adversity, and we’re just going to keep fighting,” coach Jaron Cohen told the Scoreboard Show.

    [divider]

    5A: (19) Mountain Vista 24, (14) Mullen 16

    Mountain Vista trailed 6-0 early, but after taking a 7-6 lead in the first quarter, didn’t trail again.

    Grant Shells had an interception return for a touchdown, Jacob Barrett threw a TD to Carter Ortega, and Mountain Vista’s defense held firm to pull off the upset.

    [divider]

    Notables:

    • In the 6-man quarterfinals, Fleming rolled to a 66-6 win over Prairie.
    • Skyline beat No. 7 Loveland 20-15 to win the 4A Longs Peak title. “It was a little too close for comfort, but they found a way and played hard,” coach Michael Silva told the Scoreboard Show.
    • Thomas Jefferson knocked off 3A No. 9 Lutheran, 27-13.
    • Erie upset 3A No. 10 Fort Morgan, 30-27. “We have talent, we have great coaches, and we were able to figure some stuff out there after a rocky start,” coach Chad Cooper told the Scoreboard Show.

    [divider]

    More coverage:

  • Photos: Arapahoe football beats Castle View in 5A’s first round

    Arapahoe football advanced to the second round of the Class 5A football playoffs with a 17-7 win over Castle View on Friday.

  • Photos: Arapahoe football hangs on to beat Overland

    Arapahoe football concluded its regular season with a 14-7 win against Overland. The Warriors finished the regular season with a 6-4 record.

  • Semifinals set for the state softball tournaments

    Golden softball
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    AURORA — The semifinals are set for the 2019 state softball tournaments after two rounds were played on Friday.

    All games will be played at Aurora Sports Park.

    Updated brackets are available here:

    We also had complete coverage of the first day as it unfolded.

    [divider]

    Class 3A

    Strasburg softball
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    In first round games:

    • No. 1 University 12, No. 16 Lamar 2. Kyra McFarland and Tayler Frank hit home runs for the Bulldogs.
    • No. 8 Limon 8, No. 9 Lyons 7. Limon walked it off with an extra-inning win in the eighth.
    • No. 4 Strasburg 14, No. 13 Fort Lupton 2. Strasburg broke up a game that was 3-2 in the fourth to advance. Jodie Archuleta hit a three-run homer in the win.
    • No. 5 Riverdale Ridge 7, No. 12 The Academy 2. Sienna Mullin homered as Riverdale Ridge won a state tournament game for the first time in school history.
    • No. 3 Brush 11, No. 14 Cedaredge 1. Brush jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the second inning en route to the win.
    • No. 6 Eaton 8, No. 11 Rocky Ford 2. Jennifer Jarnagin homered and Alexis Schmitt allowed just one earned run in the win.
    • No. 2 Basalt 13, No. 15 La Junta 12. In a wild game, Basalt scored eight runs in the the first inning, then La Junta came storming back to go ahead 12-11 in the top of the sixth. Basalt tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, and won it in the seventh.
    • No. 7 Sterling 10, No. 10 Montezuma Cortez 5. Sterling rallied from down 2-1 through three innings to go ahead 6-3 after four, and pushed its lead to 9-4 after five in the win.

    In quarterfinal games:

    • No. 1 University 12, No. 8 Limon 3. Andi Padilla and Kyra McFarland each homered for the Bulldogs, who led 9-3 after five innings.
    • No. 4 Strasburg 6, No. 5 Riverdale Ridge 5. Strasburg used a two-run home run to take a 4-3 lead, then held on for the 6-5 win over the Ravens.
    • No. 3 Brush 12, No. 6 Eaton 2. Allie Christensen homered, and Brooke Rule drove in four runs for the Beetdiggers.
    • No. 7 Sterling 10, No. 2 Basalt 0. Emi Reeves homered, and the Tigers scored four runs in both the fourth and sixth innings.

    Semifinals (10 a.m. Saturday, Complex A):

    • No. 1 University vs. No. 4 Strasburg
    • No. 3 Brush vs. No. 7 Sterling

    [divider]

    Class 4A

    Silver Creek softball
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    In first round games:

    • No. 1 Golden 4, No. 16 Evergreen 3. Marla Goodspeed and Molly Hord each had two RBIs in the extra-inning win.
    • No. 8 Roosevelt 9, No. 9 Pueblo County 1. Marin Lovern hit a three-run home run to help the Roughriders advance.
    • No. 4 Wheat Ridge 15, No. 13 Rifle 4. Izzie Quezada and Cassandra Uhl both went deep for the Farmers.
    • No. 5 Silver Creek 1, No. 12 Coronado 0. Ashley Gaccetta hit a walk-off home run to lift the Raptors.
    • No. 14 Erie 18, No. 3 Pueblo South 14. In a marathon game with a number of twists and turns, Jen Williams drove in five runs.
    • No. 11 D’Evelyn 16, No. 6 Mead 1. Kylee Ornstein and Aubrey Garabeck each homered in the big win.
    • No. 2 Holy Family 19, No. 15 Mesa Ridge 0. Holy Family plated 13 runs in the first inning as the Tigers rolled.
    • No. 10 Pueblo Central 7, No. 7 Elizabeth 5. Thalia Amaro hit a three-run home run to help Central advance.

    In quarterfinal games:

    • No. 1 Golden 14, No. 8 Roosevelt 5. Kayla Middleton went 3-for-4 with four RBI’s and she scored four runs for the Demons.
    • No. 5 Silver Creek 9, No. 4 Wheat Ridge 4. Down 1-0 in the second, Silver Creek tied the game, then went ahead with three runs in the third. The Raptors added four more in the fourth and another in the sixth.
    • No. 14 Erie 10, No. 11 D’Evelyn 4. Lauren Russel’s home run to start the third inning gave the Tigers some breathing room. They held on despite a late rally attempt from the Jags.
    • No. 2 Holy Family 5, No. 10 Pueblo Central 3. Annika Manzanares homered and drove in two runs for the Tigers.

    Semifinals (10 a.m. Saturday, Complex B):

    • No. 1 Golden vs. No. 5 Silver Creek
    • No. 14 Erie vs. No. 2 Holy Family

    [divider]

    Class 5A

    More photos. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    In first round games:

    • No. 16 Ralston Valley 6, No. 1 Rock Canyon 3. In a game that was the talk of the morning, Sydney Wilken hit a three-run home run to tie the game in the top of the fourth, and then Ralston Valley went ahead for good with a double from Ashley West later in the inning. Photos from the game are available here.
    • No. 9 Loveland 7, No. 8 Brighton 1. Loveland went ahead 3-0 after the first inning, tacked on two more on a home from Allison Westbrook, and secured a spot in the quarters.
    • No. 4 Broomfield 13, No. 13 Legend 5. Broomfield raced out to a 5-0 lead in the first, held on as Legend cut it to 5-4, and then went back up 8-4 after four in the win.
    • No. 5 Fossil Ridge 9, No. 12 Lakewood 5. Katelyn Hays went deep and drove in two runs for the Sabercats.
    • No. 3 Rocky Mountain 5, No. 14 Ralston Valley 4. Kaia Cobb homered and the Lobos edged out the close win.
    • No. 6 Arapahoe 12, No. 11 Smoky Hill 1. Down 1-0, Arapahoe exploded for 12 runs in the bottom of the sixth as they won.
    • No. 2 Columbine 10, No. 15 Valor Christian 0. Ally Distler doubled, homered and drove in three runs for the Rebels. Find a photo gallery from the game here.
    • No. 7 Legacy 3, No. 10 Chatfield 2. Legacy walked it off in the bottom of the eighth with a bases-loaded wild pitch.

    In quarterfinal games:

    Rocky Mountain Arapahoe softball
    More photos. (PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)
    • No. 16 Ralston Valley 4, No. 9 Loveland 1. The Mustangs continued their tear through the 5A tournament with another big upset. RV jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the first inning, and pushed it to 4-0 after four.
    • No. 5 Fossil Ridge 6, No. 4 Broomfield 4. Fossil Ridge jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning, and went up 4-1 after two, but Broomfield battled back to tie it at 4in the third. Fossil Ridge played two in the top of the seventh to win.
    • No. 3 Rocky Mountain 11, No. 6 Arapahoe 1. Chloe Pentico hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first, Cora Aguirres homered twice, and Brooklyn Himmelberg drove in three runs for the Lobos. Photos from the game are available here.
    • No. 2 Columbine 7, No. 7 Legacy 5. Ally Dister’s 3-run home run capped a four-run fourth inning for the Rebels. Korbe Otis scored twice in the win.

    Semifinals (10 a.m., Complex B):

    • No. 16 Ralston Valley vs. No. 5 Fossil Ridge
    • No. 3 Rocky Mountain vs. No. 2 Columbine

  • Photos from the first day of the state softball tournament

    The first day of the state softball tournament was on Friday, and the semifinals are set.

    Photos from some of the games are below.

    [divider]

    Columbine vs. Valor Christian

    By Paul DiSalvo

    Valor Christian Columbine softball
    (PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)

    [divider]

    Pueblo Central vs. Elizabeth

    By Lisa Hayes and Tim Bourke

    Pueblo Central Elizabeth softball
    (Lisa Hayes/StillOfTheMomentPhotography.com)

    [divider]

    Ralston Valley vs. Rock Canyon

    By Tim Bourke

    (Tim Bourke/TimBourke.com)

    [divider]

    Loveland vs. Brighton

    By Tim Bourke

    Loveland Brighton softball
    (Tim Bourke/TimBourke.com)

    [divider]

    Erie vs. Pueblo South

    By Tim Bourke

    Erie Pueblo South softball
    (Tim Bourke/TimBourke.com)

    [divider]

    D’Evelyn vs. Mead softball

    By Tim Bourke

    D'Evelyn Mead softball
    (Tim Bourke/TimBourke.com)

    [divider]

    Silver Creek vs. Wheat Ridge

    By Tim Bourke

    Silver Creek Wheat Ridge softball
    (Tim Bourke/TimBourke.com)

    [divider]

    Rocky Mountain vs. Arapahoe

    By Paul DiSalvo

    Rocky Mountain Arapahoe softball
    (PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)

  • Girls cross country: Basalt’s Sierra Bower completes amazing year with title run

    Basalt girls cross country Sierra Bower
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    COLORADO SPRINGS — Saturday, as Basalt High School junior Sierra Bower looked into the stands of the Norris Penrose Events Center following her Class 3A state cross country championship, she couldn’t wipe the smile off of her face.

    She had plenty to he happy about, even beyond the fact that she was a brand spanking new state champion, the first state cross country champ in Basalt High School history.

    She crossed the finish line at an unbelievable pace, besting the 3A state course record by an amazing 20 seconds at nearly 18 minutes flat, even claiming the fastest girls time at Saturday’s state meet regardless of classification.

    “I’m just so shocked,” Bower said. “My freshman and sophomore year, I wasn’t even in the top 20, so I just feel thankful to be out here with my team and I’m so excited.”

    That’s right, Bower wasn’t even in the top 20 last season.

    She finished 24th overall in the 2018 state championships with a mark of 20:12, nearly two minutes off the state title pace.

    Then in a remarkable jump, Bower cut more than two minutes from that state mark in one season. In fact, she was two-tenths of a second away from an exclusive club, as her 18:00.1 mark was tantalizingly close to the sub-18-minute club, which had only been accomplished by seven runners in the history of the state meet.

    She felt every bit of that yearlong whirlwind throughout the race Saturday, as everybody along the track knew what was happening.

    “I obviously knew what the record was and had my sights set on it,” Bower said, “but it definitely was not my main concern coming into the race. I heard people yelling ‘course record’ along the course, and I definitely tried to keep that pace up.”

    She set that pace immediately, trying take it coast-to-coast as the leader. She took that approach by knowing her own limitations.

    “For my race plan, I was just hoping to go crazy right from the get-go,” Bower said. “I’m not so strong in the kicking department, so I definitely knew that I had to build my lead from the beginning.”

    In the team competition, The Classical Academy put together its first back-to-back state crown since rattling off eight straight from 2003-10. The Titans boasted two top-five finishers, Sawyer Wilson (2nd) and Kennedy McDondald (4th).

    TCA girls cross country
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    [divider]

    Class 2A: Lyons’ lions good enough for title

    Lyons girls cross country Quin Gregg
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    Katie Fankhouser was gunning for her second straight state championship Saturday.

    The Lyons High School senior certainly had a wide smile on her face after the 2A race concluded, but it wasn’t because she ascended to the top of the podium. She looked up at her teammate, sophomore Quin Gregg, at the top of the podium, and it filled her with just as much happiness.

    “I could not be prouder of this girl,” Fankhouser said of Gregg. “She was amazing.”

    Gregg’s excellence was on display with the way she pushed across the finish line, collapsing as she crossed, cramps and the joy of winning overwhelmed her.

    “I was wondering how much I actually had left,” Gregg said. “Then I started cramping, wondering if I could even do this.”

    But she did it, as Gregg, freshman Jamieson Legh, and Fankhouser finished first, third, and fifth, respectively to deliver a second straight 2A team title for Lyons.

    Fankhouser said it was a great way to go out.

    “This one was really important to me because I actually got to run with (Gregg and Legh),” Fankhouser said. “It’s something I’ve been looking forward to all season.”

    [divider]

    Class 4A: Niwot gets a clean sweep

    Niwot girls cross country
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    Don’t get her wrong, Niwot senior Samrawit Dishon was thrilled to cross the finish line as the 4A state champion Saturday, barely outlasting Eagle Valley’s Samantha Blair by just over three seconds.

    But it was the team title – the second straight state crown for Niwot – that thrilled Dishon the most.

    “It feels awesome (to win the individual title),” Dishon said, “but I think the best feeling was seeing my teammates when I turned around, seeing all five of them. It was an incredible feeling.”

    Niwot placed five on the top 12, Dishon joined by Amelia Philofsky (5th), Madison Shultz (9th), Taylor James (10th) and Joelle McDonald (13th). It was the definite highlight, Dishon said, as Niwot ran as a team the whole way, relying on pack running before Dishon kicked at the end.

    “I really like pack running,” Dishon said, “because it’s so fun to listen to everybody’s footsteps and breathing, feeling that emotion next to you. Nobody’s speaking, but everyone is one the same page.”

    [divider]

    Class 5A: Stewart finishes dominant campaign with state title

    Riley Stewart Cherry Creek girls cross country
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

    For most of the season, Cherry Creek’s Riley Stewart was the clear-cut top girls cross country runner in 5A.

    Saturday, Stewart proved it once and for all with an impressive race, getting a mark of 18:12, 12 seconds faster then her closest competition in Cherokee Trail’s Cameron McConnell, to win her first state title and the second ever in Cherry Creek history.

    Last season as a freshman, Stewart finished fifth, coming back to best her 2018 state mark by 30 seconds.

    “It feels really good because last year, I didn’t have my best race here,” Stewart said. “It’s great to come back and win it. Just an amazing feeling.”

    With three top-12 finishes, Arapahoe stepped up to win its first ever cross country state title and just its fourth top-five state finish in school history.

    Freshmen Ava Escorcia and Ava Mitchell duked it out down the stretch, Escorcia edging her teammate by just 0.3 seconds to highlight the team state title run.

    Arapahoe girls cross country
    (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)