The preseason softball rankings are out, and Cherokee Trail (5A), Holy Family (4A) and Strasburg (3A) lead their respective polls.
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
1
Cherokee Trail (4)
0-0-0
83
2
Legend (2)
0-0-0
71
3
Rock Canyon (2)
0-0-0
62
4
Loveland
0-0-0
59
5
Fossil Ridge
0-0-0
55
6
Legacy
0-0-0
54
7
Eaglecrest (2)
0-0-0
49
8
Cherry Creek
0-0-0
22
9
Broomfield
0-0-0
20
10
Columbine
0-0-0
19
Others receiving votes:
Ralston Valley 17, Regis Jesuit 15, Chatfield 13, Arapahoe 11, Smoky Hill 9, Arvada West 8, Grand Junction Central 7, Mountain Vista 6, Brighton 5, Valor Christian 5, Douglas County 4, Grandview 4, Castle View 3, Hinkley 3, ThunderRidge 1.
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
1
Holy Family (7)
0-0-0
106
2
Silver Creek (2)
0-0-0
75
3
Erie
0-0-0
65
4
Mountain View
0-0-0
61
5
Golden
0-0-0
39
6
Berthoud
0-0-0
32
7
Wheat Ridge (1)
0-0-0
31
8
Pueblo West
0-0-0
28
9
Pueblo South
0-0-0
24
10
Pueblo County
0-0-0
23
Others receiving votes:
Longmont 16, Mullen 13, Pueblo Central 13, Cheyenne Mountain 11, Windsor 11, Evergreen 10, Mead 10, Discovery Canyon 7, Niwot 7, Ponderosa 6, Pueblo East 5, Roosevelt 5, Weld Central 3, Conifer 2, Thomas Jefferson 2.
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
1
Strasburg (6)
0-0-0
85
2
University (2)
0-0-0
70
3
Eaton (1)
0-0-0
65
4
Delta
0-0-0
42
5
Sterling
0-0-0
40
6
Rocky Ford
0-0-0
36
7
Brush
0-0-0
33
8
Meeker
0-0-0
29
9
Lamar
0-0-0
27
10
Faith Christian
0-0-0
23
Others receiving votes:
The Academy 16, La Junta 7, Limon 7, Lyons 6, Basalt 3, Cedaredge 2.
If talent heading into 2019 is being judged on where volleyball players sat on the state stat leaders list, there are high-quality players returning this season.
The 2018 season saw players at all classifications put up impressive numbers throughout the year and in the case of some categories, overall leaders will be right back on the floor when things get rolling this fall.
Ahead is a look at some of the players that are looking at putting up solid stats once again when the 2019 Colorado volleyball begins next month.
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Kills
Silver Creek senior Caitlin Volkmann was a wrecking machine last year. She finished the season with the most kills in the state, recording 552 through the course of the season. She was one of just two players in Colorado to record more than 500 kills in 2018. The other was Fleming’s Whitney Chintala who cleared that mark as a freshman and should be one of the premier hitters in the state.
Eaglecrest’s Audrey Black led all Class 5A hitters with 442 kills and will be back for the Raptors this season. Lutheran’s Payton Brgoch led all 3A returners with 434 and Lyons’ Taylor Maguire had 481 to top all players returning at 2A.
Aces
The ability to score a point without the other team returning a serve can be vital to a team’s success. Pikes Peak Christian’s Kyler Sweat returns in 2019 having dished out 87 aces last year to lead players coming back this season. Dawson’s Angelina Sala was just five behind sweat with 82 aces to top the 2A field and she’ll be back as a junior.
Fossil Ridge’s Rachel Lambrecht recorded 73 aces, topping returning 5A players. In her first year of varsity volleyball, Lincoln’s Evelyn Montalvo-Lopez was tied for third in all of 4A with 70 aces. She’s hoping she can top the field in 2019 as just a sophomore.
The same can be said for DSST: College View’s Jandel Bracamontes. Her 80 aces were tied with Eagle Ridge Academy’s Emma Cable for second in all of 3A. Both players will be back and trying to strike off the serve for their teams.
Blocks
Ellicott’s Dalton Henderson was a nightmare for hitters trying to attack the net. The now-sophomore ranked second in the entire state with 159 blocks last year topping the list of players coming back this season.
She edged Horizon’s Lauren Strain who led all 5A returners with 157. If Grandview’s Addison O’Grady and Chaparral’s Julianna Dalton are factored in, 5A sees its top three blockers returning in 2019.
Alameda’s Felicity Trujillo Maldonado tops the returning 4A players with 112. Woodland Park’s Sarah Garner was right behind her with 111.
Soroco’s Tyla Johnson led 2A returners with 142 and La Veta’s Desi Ortivez led all of 1A 123 and will return as a senior.
Digs
Holy Family’s Peyton Frank doesn’t top the list of returning players with the most digs, she led the entire state in the category last year.
Merino’s Faith Trenkle tops the field of returning 1A players with 642 and Fleming’s Whitney Chintala was also right there at 639. Both players joined Frank as three of the top four leaders across the state last year.
Rampart’s Grace Wilkinson is the 5A player coming back with the most kills (497) this fall while Sterling’s Jade Feather (571) holds that honor in 3A.
Highland’s Alyssa Winter led all 2A players with 552 digs last year and will be back as a senior in 2019.
LAKEWOOD — Luc Andrada saw a glimpse of the future.
“Before the 4×100, I swear I’ve never been more confident before a race,” Andrada said on the final day of the state track and field championships. “I had a weird gut feeling that we would PR by half a second and win it. That’s what we did.”
Andrada and his teammates capped off a terrific weekend for Pueblo East, claiming the 4A 400-meter relay title in a time of 42.40 seconds.
But, the victory did not come so easily. In the preliminary round, held on Friday, Pueblo East finished 4th with a time of 42.98. Only 0.17 of a second separated Windsor in 1st and Skyline in 5th though.
The senior sprinter knew how close Saturday’s final would be, but Pueblo East had a lightning rod in Andrada as the anchor leg. As long as he could get the baton relatively close to the leaders, he would have a chance of winning.
After all, he was the 4A king of the sprints this season, tallying gold medals in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. Andrada simply has next-level speed.
“We were thankful to be in lane three, so we could see our competition in front of us,” he said.
And, Kain Medrano, Joe Padula, and Marvin London gave Andrada a shot. They were in the thick of the race with one leg to go, but Skyline (42.54, 2nd place) and Canon City (42.63, 3rd) were ahead.
Andrada made it all up in the final 100 meters, causing the Jeffco Stadium crowd to buzz.
He had plenty of spectators chatting about him throughout the final day of competition. His winning times of 10.51 in the 100 and 21.21 in the 200 were slightly wind-aided but very swift.
The 4A 100 state record of 10.53, which Andrada would’ve beaten if his time was wind-legal, has been held since 2000 (Gregg Trigg of Fountain Fort-Carson).
Nevertheless, Andrada put the finishing touches on a memorable prep career, and with style, while also anchoring Pueblo East to a 4×200 relay state crown on Friday.
“They just gave me a chance,” he said of the 4×200. “With a team like that, how can you lose it?”
Medrano, Padula, and Oscar Flores were the other members of that relay as they gave Andrada the baton in a close battle with Pueblo West (runner-up).
For all of Andrada’s accomplishments in football, East was the state runner-up his senior year and the champion in 2016, Medrano has been a decorated athlete as well. He broke the 4A state meet record in discus on Thursday (188-6) and finished runner-up in shot put.
Medrano will soon be a football player for UCLA, while Andrada will compete at Brigham Young University in both football and track.
“He motivates me to be a better person day in and day out,” Andrada said of their friendship. “He’s always pushing me to be better. He deserves every accomplishment.”
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Class 5A
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
The Valor Christian boys won their first state championship as a track and field team with 90 points. They also won the girls title as Fort Collins (57 boys points) was the runner-up for both genders.
Cian Quiroga will bring a title back to Valor in the discus (182-4) and Cole Sprout won his second 1,600 crown (4A in 2018) in 4:13. They also earned gold in the 4×100 relay (42.46).
Fort Collins’ Joseph Maguire, the anchor of their 4×400 relay group, just barely edged out Arapahoe at the line as the teams ran 3:18.77 and 3:18.78.
A terrific 110 hurdles showdown between seniors Zion Gordon of Regis Jesuit and Cameron Harris of Brighton produced swift times of 13.85 and 14.03. Gordon, a University of Southern California recruit, won the 5A crown.
Gordon (10.67) got the better of Harris (10.72) again in the 100-meter dash, the next event on Saturday. Both will be competing at the collegiate level as Brighton’s super sprinter signed with Air Force.
Harris was also the runner-up in the 300 hurdles to Garrett Nelson of Poudre (37.16). Nelson’s time was sixth-fastest in Colorado prep history.
Eaglecrest’s Langston Williams will bring a gold medal back to Aurora with his 400 win (48.59).
Monarch’s Max Manson capped his storied career with three pole vault state titles. He cleared 16 feet, 8 inches in his prep finale.
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Class 4A
Niwot needed to finish at least fifth in the final event of the weekend, the 4×400 relay, to capture the team crown over Pueblo East but instead the Cougars won the event in a time of 3:22.86. Niwot bettered Pueblo East 66-60 in the final team standings. The Cougars also won the girls crown.
Zhaire Jackson (Northfield) topped the 110 hurdles field in 14.60 seconds.
Niwot junior Cruz Culpepper smoothly crossed the line in 4:16.69 to earn a 1,600 championship, adding to his 800 crown on Friday and helping Niwot earn a team trophy.
Brendan Young, the pride of Canon City, won a pair of jump titles this weekend (long and triple). He leapt 47 feet, 11 inches in triple jump Saturday.
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Class 3A
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Manitou Springs produced the 100 and 200 champion in Jayden Omi. His times were 10.97 and 22.14 seconds.
Nate Hanson of Lutheran (14.31) was the 110-hurdles champion as the Lions swept the boys (91.5 points) and girls team titles. Mike Ciccio was second in the 400 and Lutheran piled up points with great depth.
Lutheran has won six state titles in boys track and field.
Denver West, with brothers Yasin and Ahmed Sado finishing 1-2 in the 1,600, was the runner-up with 65 points.
Elizabeth’s Mason Anthony, the 3A state record holder in the 300 hurdles, didn’t quite top his best time but still finished 1st in 38.67.
Alamosa won the boys (3:23) and girls (3:58) 4×400 relays, while Ian Jackson and Lilly Lavier were individual 400 champions for Alamosa.
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Class 2A
Lyons boys (68 points) claimed their fifth team title in track and field, but first since 2015. Mancos was the runner-up with 57. Lyons excelled in distance events once again.
Both competitors, Grant Redmond of Soroco and and Jake Chrisman of Yuma, cleared 6 feet, 7 inches in the high jump but Redmond won with fewer attempts. Chrisman was the pole vault gold medal winner on Thursday.
David Trujillo of Rocky Ford was the champion in the 100 with a time of 11.19.
Clear Creek boys won the 4×100 relay (44.10).
Alex Ramos (Holly, 50.14) cruised in the 400.
Jaden Evans of Telluride (4:30.27) held off Isaac Roberts of Lyons (4:30.77) in the 1,600.
Victor Mendoza (20 feet, 10.5 inches) of Yuma was the long jump champion.
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Class 1A
The Heritage Christian boys scored points in bunches, securing the team title again with 148 points. They won in 2018 in much the same way with firepower in distance as Levi Kilian (4:28) and Seth Bruxvoort (4:32) both shattered the 1A State meet record in the 1,600 and were 1st and 2nd.
HCA tallied points in many other events, as well, including the 300 hurdles (Ryan Zrubek, champion) and the 200 (Jaden Johnson, 1st).
Arlo Garner of Cotopaxi (15.48) was the state champion in 110 hurdles.
Elton Yarger of Stratton/Liberty broke the triple jump state record yesterday and clinched the 400 title in 50.61 seconds today.
Pikes Peak Christian’s Tommy Harmon (12-10) climbed higher than anyone in pole vault.
Simla (3:37.82) won the 4×400 relay and finished runner-up in the team standings. Simla also claimed the 4×100 title and Darias Harms was the 100 champion in a new 1A State Meet record of 11.18.
COLORADO SPRINGS — Vista PEAK’s Kylie Severin had a three-stroke lead with two holes to go at Kissing Camels Golf Course. But after a frustrating bogey, double-bogey finish she went to playoff against Coronado’s Kate Griffin to determine the winner of Class 4A Region 1.
Severin and Griffin each shot a nine-over-par-80 on the day.
Both players made par on the first playoff hole and blasted drives down the fairway of the South course’s fourth hole. Severin found the green for an eagle putt while Griffin rolled off the back. She was unable to get up and down for birdie allowing Severin to two-putt for the win, which she successfully did.
Coronado won the team title and Vista PEAK came in second meaning both teams will head to Windsor in two weeks.
Other 4A individual regional winners from Monday included Holy Family’s Hailey Schalk and Mullen’s Sofia Choi.
Golden, Durango, Windsor and Niwot all qualified teams for the state tournament.
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Class 5A
Fossil Ridge’s Leigha Devine claimed a 5A regional title at Kennedy Golf Course by shooting a 74. Six players at the tournament finished within four strokes of each other.
Arapahoe won the team title with Fossil Ridge coming in second.
Defending 5A individual champion Emma Bryant won the Southern regional at Foothills Golf Course with a 74. The Northern region was won by Grandview’s Morgan Ryan.
Rock Canyon, Grandview, Cherry Creek and Highlands Ranch all qualified teams for the state tournament at Harmony Club.
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Class 3A
The only word to describe Kent Denver’s Charlotte Hillary’s round at regionals is dominant. Hillary shot shot a 64 to win 3A Region 2 by a staggering 16 strokes on Monday.
She finished third at last year’s 3A state tournament, falling short of Holy Family’s Hailey Schalk (who is playing in 4A this year) and Colorado Academy’s Caroline Jordaan.
The Sun Devils also came away with the team title as Northfield came in second. Both teams will head to the 3A tournament at Eagle Ranch.
Jefferson Academy’s Aubri Braecklein won Region 3. She made par on three of her last four holes to end the day with a 78.
The Jaguars won the team title with Resurrection Christian coming in second.
Regional play for all golf classes will conclude on Tuesday.
LITTLETON — Jake Hall paced his team with three goals and two assists to help top-ranked Arapahoe boys lacrosse roll to a 15-1 win over Eaglecrest on Monday.
