THORNTON — Fairview won girls swimming’s annual Coaches Invite at VMAC on Saturday. The Knights’ 271 total team points bested second-place Cherry Creek (238) and third-place Regis Jesuit (217).
Colorado Academy is the No. 1 seed in this year’s state playoffs. (Courtesy photo)
This group leads by example, and if they have it there way, the number of girls following in their footsteps will continue to grow.
Now in its 16th season, field hockey has proven a popular sport among young women across thirteen state high schools. Recently, the sport has grown in Colorado schools — thanks to members of the class of 2013.
“Every summer there is a summer league where you can come back and play,” said Colorado Academy captain Mandy Weeks. “Alumni, current high schoolers, young kids and adults all come and play during the summer.”
In Colorado, there are three premier field hockey clubs that girls can get involved in: Denver Field Hockey Club, and Colorado Field Hockey Association and Club Lewy located in Colorado Springs. Weeks has gotten involved in Denver’s club, along with a handful of other girls from local high schools.
At Smoky Hill, Jessica Schnitzer first got involved in the game in middle school when the varsity team came down to promote their team.
“They came down and passed out flyers and taught us how to play,” said Schnitzer. “They kind of told us about the team.”
Now part of the varsity team, Schnitzer and her teammates have gotten involved in the community. Smoky Hill, along with a handful of other schools, have started programs that raise awareness about their teams at the seventh- and eighth-grade levels.
“I try to make sure the people at our school know about field hockey and what we’re all about,” Schnitzer said. “The team makes sure we get involved in school activities like participating in the homecoming parade and going down to the middle school and working with the younger kids.”
Kent Denver’s Chloe Dikeou. (Courtesy photo)
Players and coaches have both contributed to field hockey’s growth at Kent Denver.
“Field hockey wouldn’t be possible without our coach, Kathy James,” the Sun Devils’ Chloe Dikeou said. “She has helped develop our program tremendously. We have the second largest sports program at our school behind boys lacrosse.”
Some players have gotten so involved in the game that they hope to coach after graduating this summer. Bailey Taber of St. Mary’s Academy and Hannah Coburn of Mountain Vista plan to return as coaches.
“I want to come back next year and help coach — I love sports, encouraging my teammates and teaching the newbies,” Taber said. “At St. Mary’s, it’s very unique. We get to have a ton of fun while staying competitive. Our teammates become our family.”
Coburn has seen the program grow over her time at Mountain Vista.
“I am going to play field hockey in college and it would be my dream to coach when I come back during the summer at the middle school, high school or club level,” Coburn said. “I have been a part of Denver field hockey for four years but have been coaching and mentoring for two. I’m really proud of our school and the passion it has for the sport. I’m really excited to see where the program goes in the future.”
Taber has also helped the sport grow internationally. During a two-week service trip to Uganda last summer, she brought field hockey to an orphanage.
“We brought plastic field hockey sticks and taught some of the kids down there how to play,” Taber said. “I ran camps and we did a bunch of projects for the community on a two-week service trip to an orphanage. I hope to go back next summer with the same organization and help work with them some more.”
(Courtesy photo)
Kayla Wayne, of Grandview, has reached out to the athletic community through social media.
“I usually tell people to come out to our games over Facebook or Twitter, and talk to other friends who don’t play,” said Wayne. “A lot of my friends notice how close we are on and off the field and that brings them to games.”
In 2013, Daelynn Demello of Palmer Ridge leads the league in points (55) and goals (20), and is tied for first in assists with 15. She and her team lost to Colorado Academy in last season’s championship game.
“This year we’re hoping to make it to (the state final) again, it will help the sport continue to grow at our school,” Demello said.
This season’s state championship bracket was released Tuesday morning Colorado Academy once again claimed the top seed and will play Cheyenne Mountain in the first round.
The semifinals of will take place on Oct. 23, and a state champion will emerge on Oct. 28 in the finals at All-City stadium in Denver.
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.
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.
Aurora Central 19, Boulder 17, Arvada West 13, Highlands Ranch 8, Hinkley 8, Cherokee Trail 7, Ralston Valley 1.
Dropped out
Aurora Central (9), Highlands Ranch (10).
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Air Academy (12)
11-0-0
120
1
2-0-0
2
Broomfield
8-2-2
95
2
1-0-1
3
Evergreen
9-1-0
91
3
3-0-0
4
Cheyenne Mountain
8-3-0
71
5
1-1-0
5
Ponderosa
8-3-1
64
4
1-1-1
6
Valor Christian
9-3-0
60
7
1-0-0
7
Denver North
9-1-0
47
10
2-0-0
8
Golden
7-1-2
33
9
2-0-0
9
Battle Mountain
9-2-0
18
6
2-1-0
10
Niwot
5-3-1
11
8
1-1-0
Others receiving votes:
Englewood 8, Lewis-Palmer 7, Summit 6, Wheat Ridge 6, Pueblo Centennial 5, Pueblo South 5, Pueblo West 3, Silver Creek 3, Greeley Central 2, Skyline 2, Skyview 1.
Dropped out
None.
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Colorado Academy (10)
12-0-0
100
1
3-0-0
2
The Classical Academy
12-1-0
79
2
1-1-0
3
Salida
11-0-0
78
5
3-0-0
4
Coal Ridge
8-1-0
66
4
2-0-0
5
Kent Denver
9-2-0
53
8
3-0-0
6
Frontier Academy
10-0-0
43
7
2-0-0
7
Holy Family
8-2-0
41
3
1-2-0
8
Bruce Randolph
9-1-1
34
6
2-1-0
9
Manitou Springs
9-2-0
18
9
1-0-0
10
Roaring Fork
7-2-1
16
–
1-0-0
Others receiving votes:
Faith Christian 8, Machebeuf 5, Aurora West College Prep 4, Crested Butte 2, Telluride 2, KIPP 1.
Fairview is back in the boys soccer rankings, checking in at No. 7 in 5A. (Pam Wagner)
Rangeview is Class 5A soccer’s lone remaining unbeaten and untied team. And the Raiders (9-0-0) are now No. 1 in this week’s CHSAANow.com boys soccer poll.
Rangeview moved up from No. 4 to claim the top spot. Grandview is second this week, moving up from fifth following a 3-0-0 week which included a 4-1 win over the-No. 1 Cherry Creek.
The 5A poll added three new teams this week: No. 7 Fairview, No. 9 Aurora Central and No. 10 Highlands Ranch.
No. 7 Poudre, No. 9 Pine Creek and No. 10 Montbello all cracked the ranking this week.
"This," said one 5A voter, "is getting messy."
There’s also a new No. 1 team in 4A, where Air Academy takes over. That ranking added Valor Christian (No. 7) and Denver North (No. 10).
Likewise, Colorado Academy takes over atop the 3A poll this week.
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.
Arvada West 14, Cherokee Trail 12, Poudre 12, Standley Lake 12, Boulder 7, Ralston Valley 7, Fort Collins 6, Arapahoe 5, Abraham Lincoln 3, George Washington 3, Rocky Mountain 2, Fruita Monument 1.
Dropped out
Standley Lake (6), Poudre (7), Arapahoe (8).
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Air Academy (9)
9-0-0
117
3
2-0-0
2
Broomfield (2)
7-2-1
101
2
1-1-0
3
Evergreen
6-1-0
84
4
2-0-0
4
Ponderosa (1)
7-2-0
65
6
2-0-0
5
Cheyenne Mountain
7-2-0
61
7
3-0-0
6
Battle Mountain
7-1-0
59
1
0-1-0
7
Valor Christian
8-3-0
47
–
2-0-0
8
Niwot
4-2-1
30
5
1-1-0
9
Golden
5-1-2
22
10
1-0-0
10
Denver North
7-1-0
21
–
1-0-0
Others receiving votes:
Lewis-Palmer 15, Skyview 9, Pueblo West 6, Silver Creek 6, Summit 6, Wheat Ridge 6, Pueblo Centennial 3, Denver South 1, Greeley Central 1.
Dropped out
Lewis-Palmer (8), Silver Creek (9).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Colorado Academy (6)
9-0-0
114
2
1-0-0
2
The Classical Academy (6)
11-0-0
104
1
3-0-0
3
Holy Family
7-0-0
93
3
1-0-0
4
Coal Ridge
6-1-0
65
5
1-0-0
5
Salida
8-0-0
64
6
2-0-0
6
Bruce Randolph
7-0-1
53
8
2-0-0
7
Frontier Academy
8-0-0
50
10
3-0-0
8
Kent Denver
6-2-0
41
7
2-0-0
9
Manitou Springs
8-2-0
25
4
0-2-0
10
Faith Christian
4-5-1
20
9
1-1-0
Others receiving votes:
Roaring Fork 11, Aurora West College Prep 9, KIPP 3, Crested Butte 2, Jefferson 2, Vail Mountain 2, Basalt 1, Colorado Rocky Mountain 1, Telluride 1.
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.
Fairview 21, Aurora Central 10, Fossil Ridge 7, Highlands Ranch 7, Ralston Valley 7, Palmer 5, Denver East 4, Boulder 3, Fort Collins 3, Brighton 2, George Washington 2, Rocky Mountain 2, Abraham Lincoln 1, Cherokee Trail 1.
Dropped out
Ralston Valley (7), Fairview (9), Rocky Mountain (10).
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Battle Mountain (4)
7-0-0
92
1
3-0-0
2
Broomfield (4)
6-1-1
91
2
2-0-0
3
Air Academy (1)
7-0-0
85
3
1-0-0
4
Evergreen
4-1-0
63
5
1-0-0
5
Niwot
3-1-1
55
6
1-0-0
6
Ponderosa (1)
5-2-0
47
7
2-0-0
7
Cheyenne Mountain
4-2-0
31
4
1-1-0
8
Lewis-Palmer
6-1-1
30
9
2-0-0
9
Silver Creek
4-1-1
14
8
1-0-1
10
Golden
4-1-2
12
–
1-0-1
Others receiving votes:
Valor Christian 11, Denver North 10, Centaurus 4, Pueblo West 4, Summit 4.
Dropped out
Denver North (10).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
The Classical Academy (7)
8-0-0
123
1
2-0-0
2
Colorado Academy (5)
8-0-0
120
2
3-0-0
3
Holy Family
6-0-0
90
3
3-0-0
4
Manitou Springs
8-0-0
74
5
2-0-0
5
Coal Ridge (1)
5-1-0
70
4
2-1-0
6
Salida
6-0-0
55
6
1-0-0
7
Kent Denver
4-2-0
44
7
2-0-0
8
Bruce Randolph
5-0-1
34
10
2-0-0
9
Faith Christian
3-4-1
31
8
0-2-0
10
Frontier Academy
5-0-0
29
–
3-0-0
Others receiving votes:
Basalt 18, Colorado Rocky Mountain 7, KIPP 6, Denver Christian 4, Crested Butte 3, Roaring Fork 2, Aurora West College Prep 1, C.S. Christian 1, Machebeuf 1, Telluride 1, Vail Mountain 1.
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.
Boulder 21, Pine Creek 17, Poudre 17, Montbello 15, Palmer 11, Brighton 7, Denver East 7, Fort Collins 5, Eaglecrest 4, Highlands Ranch 4, Adams City 3, George Washington 3, Cherokee Trail 2, Heritage 1, Littleton 1.
Dropped out
Eaglecrest (7), Boulder (8).
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Battle Mountain (7)
4-0-0
111
1
1-0-0
2
Broomfield (3)
4-1-1
101
2
2-0-0
3
Air Academy (1)
6-0-0
98
4
2-0-0
4
Cheyenne Mountain (1)
3-1-0
93
3
1-1-0
5
Evergreen
3-1-0
67
6
0-0-0
6
Niwot
2-1-1
46
5
0-0-0
7
Ponderosa
3-2-0
38
7
1-1-0
8
Silver Creek
3-1-0
24
10
0-0-0
9
Lewis-Palmer
4-1-1
14
–
1-0-1
10
Denver North
4-0-0
12
–
1-0-0
Others receiving votes:
Pueblo West 10, Longmont 9, Golden 8, Wheat Ridge 8, Valor Christian 7, Pueblo South 4, Summit 4, Mullen 3, Denver West 2, Centaurus 1.
Dropped out
Pueblo West (8), Denver South (9).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
The Classical Academy (5)
6-0-0
110
1
2-0-0
2
Colorado Academy (4)
5-0-0
106
2
2-0-0
3
Holy Family
3-0-0
71
3
0-0-0
4
Coal Ridge (1)
3-0-0
70
4
0-0-0
5
Manitou Springs (1)
6-0-0
66
6
2-0-0
6
Salida
5-0-0
41
9
2-0-0
7
Kent Denver (1)
2-2-0
38
7
1-0-0
8
Faith Christian
3-2-1
37
8
1-0-0
9
Basalt
3-2-0
23
5
0-1-0
10
Bruce Randolph
3-0-1
19
–
1-0-0
Others receiving votes:
Roaring Fork 14, Jefferson Academy 12, Peak to Peak 10, C.S. Christian 9, Denver Christian 7, Frontier Academy 7, Fountain Valley 6, Liberty Common 5, Colorado Rocky Mountain 4, Sheridan 3, Vail Mountain 2, Lutheran 1.
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.
Rangeview 25, Denver East 24, Standley Lake 20, Poudre 18, Fossil Ridge 16, Montbello 14, Arvada West 11, Aurora Central 8, Abraham Lincoln 7, Adams City 6, Heritage 4, Palmer 4, Brighton 2, Fort Collins 2.
Dropped out
Denver East (5), Fossil Ridge (7), Heritage (8).
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Battle Mountain (8)
3-0-0
121
1
2-0-0
2
Broomfield (3)
2-1-1
107
2
2-1-0
3
Cheyenne Mountain (1)
2-0-0
104
4
2-0-0
4
Air Academy (1)
4-0-0
93
5
3-0-0
5
Niwot
2-1-1
65
3
1-1-1
6
Evergreen
3-1-0
57
7
3-0-0
7
Ponderosa
2-1-0
41
8
1-1-0
8
Pueblo West
2-0-0
21
–
1-0-0
9
Denver South
1-1-0
17
6
0-1-0
10
Silver Creek
3-1-0
14
–
2-0-0
Others receiving votes:
Longmont 11, Denver North 10, Valor Christian 10, Lewis-Palmer 9, Windsor 9, Golden 6, Sand Creek 3, Denver West 2, Mullen 2, Summit 2, Wheat Ridge 2, Montrose 1, Steamboat Springs 1.
Dropped out
Sand Creek (9), Valor Christian (10).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
The Classical Academy (6)
4-0-0
111
2
1-0-0
2
Colorado Academy (4)
3-0-0
104
1
2-0-0
3
Holy Family
3-0-0
77
4
2-0-0
4
Coal Ridge (1)
3-0-0
72
6
3-0-0
5
Basalt
3-1-0
63
3
1-1-0
6
Manitou Springs
4-0-0
40
–
2-0-0
7
Kent Denver (1)
1-2-0
37
5
0-1-0
8
Faith Christian
2-2-1
35
7
1-1-1
9
Salida
3-0-0
33
9
1-0-0
10
Jefferson Academy
3-1-0
16
–
3-1-0
Others receiving votes:
Peak to Peak 10, Bruce Randolph 9, Fountain Valley 7, Machebeuf 7, Denver Christian 6, Jefferson 6, Lake County 6, Frontier Academy 5, Roaring Fork 5, Liberty Common 4, C.S. Christian 3, Aurora West 2, Lutheran 2.
Grandview 14, Pine Creek 10, Arvada West 6, Legend 6, Abraham Lincoln 5, Highlands Ranch 5, Mountain Vista 4, Adams City 3, Chatfield 2, Cherokee Trail 2, Liberty 1, Rangeview 1.
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Battle Mountain (7)
1-0-0
88
1
1-0-0
2
Broomfield (2)
0-0-1
80
3
0-0-1
3
Niwot
1-0-0
55
7
1-0-0
4
Cheyenne Mountain
0-0-0
49
8
0-0-0
5
Air Academy
1-0-0
43
–
1-0-0
6
Denver South
1-0-0
42
5
1-0-0
7
Evergreen
0-1-0
32
6
0-1-0
8
Ponderosa
1-0-0
29
9
1-0-0
9
Sand Creek
1-0-0
20
10
1-0-0
10
Valor Christian
2-0-0
19
–
2-0-0
Others receiving votes:
Pueblo West 12, Palmer Ridge 6, Silver Creek 4, Windsor 4, Denver North 3, Wheat Ridge 3, Longmont 2, Mullen 2, Golden 1, Lewis-Palmer 1.
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Colorado Academy (6)
1-0-0
73
1
1-0-0
2
The Classical Academy (2)
3-0-0
72
3
3-0-0
3
Basalt
2-0-0
55
9
2-0-0
4
Holy Family
1-0-0
45
6
1-0-0
5
Kent Denver
1-1-0
39
2
1-1-0
6
Coal Ridge
0-0-0
38
5
0-0-0
7
Faith Christian
1-1-0
34
4
1-1-0
8
Jefferson
1-0-0
20
8
1-0-0
9
Salida
2-0-0
14
–
2-0-0
10
Peak to Peak
2-1-0
13
–
2-1-0
Others receiving votes:
Manitou Springs 9, Lake County 8, Frontier Academy 7, St. Mary’s 6, Denver Christian 2, Heritage Christian 2, Roaring Fork 2, Machebeuf 1.
AURORA — Emotions tend to run high before the first game of the season. For players and fans alike, the start of a season holds untold promises, dreams and hopes. It is a time unlike no other in a high school athlete’s life. It’s the same for coaches, too.
For Smoky Hill’s first-year head coach Justin Hoffman, the gamut of feelings had to be extreme Friday as his young Buffs took the field to play Gateway, a team that Hoffman coached for the past six years, and a school where he was also the athletic director.
Hoffman was standing across the field from his former team. Prior to the game, Hoffman greeted new GHS head coach Ashour Peera and a few of his former players. But, once the game started, any reminiscing took a backseat.
Gateway set out to establish the run and it piled up the yards in the game. But it took late defensive stand to hold off the Buffs 28-25 in the season opener for both teams.
After the teams traded fumbles to start the game, Gateway started on a sustained drive that was interrupted for 30 minutes by a lightning delay. The Olys’ quarterback Lance Savage capped off a 50-yard drive with a one-yard plunge and John Oquendo added the kick to put GHS up 7-0. Gateway would never trail.
Smoky Hill got on the board in the first as quarterback Trent Clay ran in from six yards out. The extra point missed and the Buffs trailed 7-6 after one.
(Bert Borgmann/CHSAANow.com)
At 8:48 in the second Calvin Weber took the ball off the left side for 27 yards and another Oquendo PAT made the score 14-6 Gateway. With just 16 seconds left, Isaac Fuqua capped a long Olympians’ drive and Oquendo’s third PAT of the game gave GHS a 21-6 lead at halftime.
Not to be outdone, Smoky Hill took the opening kickoff to near midfield. On the third play of the quarter, Isaiah Alexander took a pitch from Clay around the right side for 49 yards and a score. A two-point attempt failed, but Smoky Hill had cut into the Gateway lead 28-12.
Gateway’s Fuqua answered for the Olympians on the next drive scoring from 15 yards out. Oquendo’s PAT made it 28-12 Gateway with 5:29 left in the third.
After the kick and on the first play of the next possession, Alexander took another pitch, this time on the left side, for 75 yards and another score. After another failed two-point conversion, Gateway still led 28-18 with 5:08 remaining in the third quarter.
The teams traded scoring chances in the fourth quarter, but until the 39-second mark, neither team could capitalize on its opponent’s mistakes. Finally, Alexander took a pass from Clay through the Oly defense for 27 yards and Annika Edginton added the PAT to bring the Buffs to within 28-25.
Two attempts at an onside kick failed and Gateway left the field 1-0. Fuqua had 162 yards on 19 carries and the two TDs, while Savage was 16-93 with a score, Weber 19-61 and a touchdown, and Quintavis Styles 8-81. Savage was 1 of 5 passing for 22 yards.
For Smoky Hill, Alexander had 147 yards on six carries and the two TDs, while Clay added 23 yards on 9 carries and a score, and Tylor Brown added 12 yards on six carries. Clay was 15 of 22 for 190 yards, a score and an interception. Frank Thomas had 5 catches for 70 yards to lead all receivers.
