The preseason football rankings were released on Monday for all seven classifications. Leading their respective polls are: Stratton/Liberty (6-man), Sedgwick County (8-man), Limon (1A), Delta (2A), Pueblo South (3A), Pine Creek (4A), and Cherry Creek (5A).
The rankings, voted upon by coaches, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.
Evergreen senior Sarah Allen sprints toward the finish to win the Class 4A Jeffco League individual girls title Thursday in Arvada. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
ARVADA — Green Mountain senior Grahm Tuohy-Gaydos and Evergreen senior Sarah Allen have made the most of their opportunities so far this cross country season.
Tuohy-Gaydos and Allen claimed the individual titles at the Class 4A Jeffco League Cross Country Championships held Thursday at Standley Lake Basketball Barn in Arvada.
Golden sophomore Lily Mourer finished second to help the Demons to the girls conference team title. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“The course is deceitful,” Allen said after her time of 19 minutes, 35 seconds which was 15 seconds faster than Golden sophomore Lily Mourer who finished second. “You’ll think you’ll be going pretty fast because it is pretty flat, but with all the grass and uneven texture it’s pretty slow and hard.”
It has been a tough prep career for Allen. She didn’t make varsity her freshman year and then came down with bronchitis her sophomore year. Last year, she suffered stress fractures that prevented her from running for a second straight season.
“This is the first time of making it to this point,” Allen said, who has won all seven cross country races she has entered this season. “I’m really proud of it. Running is my favorite thing. Getting to this point feels so rewarding.”
Allen was able to pull away from Mourer and Standley Lake senior Sophia Abernethey — both returning first-time all-conference runners — to keep momentum heading into regionals next week.
“I really want to keep up with the faster girls,” Allen said of moving into regionals for the Cougars on Oct. 8 in Gypsum. “The girls at regionals are really good.”
Golden’s girls just edged D’Evelyn by two points to win the team title. Mourer and junior Meredith Overton finished in the Top-5 to pace the Demons.
On the boys side, Tuohy-Gaydos continued his extremely successful prep running career at Green Mountain. He will go down as one of the most decorated boys runners in 4A Jeffco history. He finished Top-10 at the league championships as a freshman before winning three straight individual conference titles.
Green Mountain senior Grahm Tuohy-Gaydos won his third straight Class 4A Jeffco League individual title with a sub-16 minute time Thursday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“It’s really rare and I’m really lucky to be able to do that,” Tuohy-Gaydos said of his three-peat.
Tuohy-Gaydos has won every race he has entered this Fall and continued his streak on Thursday. However, the senior is more focused on the team goals for the Rams.
“Really when it comes to these races it’s not really about getting a time. It’s about helping the team,” Tuohy-Gaydos said after his time of 15:59.7 claimed the 4A Jeffco boys individual championship. “My time was sub-16 which on a course like this with a lot of surface changes and hills, I’m pretty happy with it.”
Green Mountain was just edged out by Conifer for the team title. The Lobos were paced by seniors Zack Gacnik, Topi Alahuhta and junior Isaac Vanwestrienen. The Conifer trio all placed in the Top-5 to give the Lobos 38 team points. Green Mountain finished with 42.
“Our team goal this year is to qualify for state,” Grahm Tuohy-Gaydos said. “For me, my individual goals are all intertwined with that. Whatever I can do to help my team qualify for state and win races is my goal.”
The Jeffco League Cross Country Championships did look different with 4A teams competing Thursday and 5A teams running the same course coming up Friday afternoon. Normally both 5A and 4A run on the same day, but due to COVID guidelines the championships had to be split into two days.
Tuohy-Gaydos is extremely grateful of the cross country season during the current pandemic.
“I’m really appreciate CHSAA for one, allowing us to race. That is first and foremost,” Tuohy-Gaydos said. “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to run this year as a senior. It makes me feel happy that people are following mask rules. I’m somebody who has family members that are high risk. I appreciate for what everyone is doing.”
D’Evelyn junior Mia Riebe slides back into second base ahead of a tag by Conifer sophomore Regan Pell during the 4A Jeffco League game Tuesday in Conifer. The Jaguars won 11-4 to remain tied for first in the competitive 4A Jeffco League. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
CONIFER — D’Evelyn softball closed out its regular season in style Tuesday.
The Jaguars — No. 3 in the Class 4A CHSAANow.com rankings — jumped out to an early double-digit lead on the road against No. 6 Conifer.
“We knew how good Conifer is and how good Cheyenne is,” D’Evelyn coach Dan Porreco said of facing the Lobos and their junior ace Cheyenne Prieto, who sported a 1.68 ERA heading into the game. “That first inning kind of set the tone. I think it shocked them a little bit.”
D’Evelyn (15-1, 7-1 in 4A Jeffco League) put up four runs in the top of the first inning and eventually finished with an 11-4 victory in the Jaguars’ conference finale.
D’Evelyn freshman Peyton Marvel races down the line during a bunt single during the Jaguars’ 4-run first inning against Conifer on Tuesday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Freshman Peyton Marvel set the table reaching on a bunt single to start the game. Junior Avery Garbarek drove in Marvel with an RBI single and senior Savannah Robberson added a 2-run single later in the inning.
“She (Prieto) is a great pitcher,” said Garbarek, who went 2-for-4 from the plate with 3 RBIs and a 2-run home run in the fourth inning. “I just told my team to get contact. See ball. Hit ball. We all contributed with the little things.”
Marvel scored again in the top of the second inning after a single. The freshman reached base four of her five at-bats, scoring three times.
“It’s really big. It’s my first year and I really want to win,” said Marvel, who in following in the footsteps of her two older sisters that played softball for the Jaguars.
D’Evelyn stretched its lead to 10-0 through four innings with a 5-run fourth inning. Senior Eve Dalla had a 2-run double before Garbarek belted her 2-run home run. The Jaguars managed 14 hits off Preto.
“We faced Izzy (Chatfield pitcher Izzy DiNapoli) and she was probably a little faster,” Marvel said. “I feel like we are better against faster pitchers.”
Garbarek pitched four shutout innings for the Jaguars, but the junior did have her struggles at times. She struck out 11 batters, but also walked nine.
D’Evelyn junior Avery Garbarek walked nine, but struck out 11 batters Tuesday at Conifer. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“We were not at ease the whole game because of the walks,” Porreco said. “We left her in there. She (Garbarek) gutted it out and got it done.”
Conifer got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning with a 2-run home run by sophomore Regan Pell. Prieto crushed a 2-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to make it an 11-4 final.
“It was frustrating,” Garbarek said of the walks. “I just had to adjust. I feel like I figured it out in the end.”
Conifer (12-3, 5-2) concludes its regular season with another big conference game. The Lobos travel to Bear Creek (11-3, 5-1) for a 4 p.m. game tomorrow (Wednesday, Sept. 30). Bear Creek, D’Evelyn and Wheat Ridge each have one league loss. There is a chance it could be a 3-way tie for the 4A Jeffco League title.
Tuesday was the regular-season finale for the Jaguars, who will now wait to see where D’Evelyn is placed in the 4A state tournament.
“Now we just have to focus on the next game which will hopefully be at state,” Garbarek said.
At the start of the day, Wheat Ridge and D’Evelyn were No. 1 and No. 2 in the 4A RPI standings. Conifer was No. 9 and Bear Creek sat at No. 10. Each 4A league champion will earn an automatic bid to the state tournament and the rest of the 16-team field will be filled out by RPI ranking.
CHSAA did make a significant announcement concerning softball. First, rosters were expanded from 12 to 15 immediately due to a variance granted by the Governor’s COVID Response Team.
Also, there was a change in the state tournament format that includes first-round (Oct. 6 or Oct. 7) and quarterfinal (Oct. 8) games being hosted by the higher seed. Semifinals and finals will be played Saturday, Oct. 10, at the Aurora Sports Complex.
“I’m so glad. I really like it,” Porreco said of the changes in the state tournament that originally was set as a one-day state tournament with the winner having to win four games in one day. “These great athletes can’t play four games in one day. It’s nice.”
Conifer junior Ashley Silvernale slides into second base ahead of a tag by D’Evelyn junior Izzy Mussara. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
This week’s softball rankings added three newcomers: Horizon (5A), Pueblo South (4A) and Fort Lupton (3A).
The polls, voted upon by head coaches around the state, will serve as part of the seeding criteria in softball this season. Polls are released each Monday during the regular season.
Cherokee Trail 35, Columbine 25, Douglas County 21, Rocky Mountain 16, Ralston Valley 11, Dakota Ridge 9, Castle View 8, Regis Jesuit 8, Brighton 6, Grand Junction 6, Fountain-Fort Carson 5, Pomona 4, Rampart 3, Chaparral 2, Eaglecrest 2, Fort Collins 2, Prairie View 2, Arvada West 1, ThunderRidge 1.
Dropped out
Cherokee Trail (8).
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Wheat Ridge (9)
13-1-0
148
1
3-0-0
2
Mead (6)
14-0-0
146
2
2-0-0
3
D’Evelyn
14-1-0
113
3
2-1-0
4
Holy Family
11-2-0
102
4
3-0-0
5
Riverdale Ridge
13-1-0
64
7
2-0-0
6
Conifer
12-2-0
62
6
2-1-0
7
Silver Creek
9-4-0
50
5
2-0-0
8
Roosevelt
12-2-0
36
10
2-0-0
9
Frederick
9-5-0
32
9
0-2-0
10
Pueblo South (1)
10-3-0
28
–
2-0-0
Others receiving votes:
Erie 21, Pueblo West 9, Northfield 9, Air Academy 8, Elizabeth 8, Bear Creek 7, Mesa Ridge 7, Mullen 7, Northridge 5, Pueblo Centennial 5, Palisade 4, Windsor 4, Discovery Canyon 3, Coronado 1, Pueblo County 1.
Dropped out
Erie (8).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Eaton (8)
11-2-0
122
1
1-1-0
2
University (1)
11-2-0
107
2
3-0-0
3
Rocky Ford
13-1-0
78
3
4-1-0
4
Lyons (1)
8-3-0
68
4
2-1-0
5
Lutheran (2)
12-1-0
66
5
3-0-0
6
Limon
11-3-0
53
6
3-1-0
7
Fort Lupton
12-1-0
40
–
4-0-0
8
Burlington
7-3-0
38
9
2-0-0
9
Strasburg
7-6-0
34
7
2-1-0
10
Sterling
7-6-0
22
8
1-2-0
Others receiving votes:
La Junta 21, Brush 17, Delta 17, Basalt 9, Montezuma-Cortez 6, Cedaredge 5, Lamar 4, The Academy 4, Weld Central 4.
Wheat Ridge has moved up to No. 1 in this week’s Class 4A softball rankings.
The polls, voted upon by head coaches around the state, will serve as part of the seeding criteria in softball this season. Polls are released each Monday during the regular season.
Douglas County 29, Castle View 22, Rocky Mountain 22, Columbine 13, Ralston Valley 10, Valor Christian 8, Horizon 7, Brighton 6, Hinkley 6, ThunderRidge 5, Fountain-Fort Carson 4, Rampart 4, Denver East 3, Fort Collins 3, Pomona 3, Arapahoe 2, Arvada West 2, Chaparral 2, Eaglecrest 2, Cherry Creek 1, Prairie View 1.
Dropped out
None.
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
1
Wheat Ridge (7)
10-1-0
145
2
2
Mead (7)
12-0-0
144
1
3
D’Evelyn (3)
12-0-0
123
4
4
Holy Family
8-2-0
113
3
5
Silver Creek
7-4-0
64
5
6
Conifer
10-1-0
54
8
7
Riverdale Ridge
11-1-0
52
7
8
Erie
8-3-0
44
6
9
Frederick
9-3-0
42
9
10
Roosevelt
10-2-0
27
–
Others receiving votes:
Pueblo South 21, Pueblo West 21, Pueblo Central 14, Windsor 11, Bear Creek 10, Mullen 8, Air Academy 6, Coronado 6, Falcon 5, Discovery Canyon 4, Pueblo Centennial 4, Northfield 4, Golden 3, Mesa Ridge 3, Palisade 2, Ponderosa 2, Durango 1, Niwot 1, Pueblo County 1.
Dropped out
Ponderosa (10).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
1
Eaton (7)
10-1-0
129
1
2
University (5)
8-2-0
114
2
3
Rocky Ford
9-0-0
92
3
4
Lyons
6-2-0
75
4
5
Lutheran (1)
9-1-0
73
7
6
Limon
8-2-0
44
6
7
Strasburg
5-5-0
41
5
8
Sterling
6-4-0
35
10
9
Burlington
5-3-0
31
–
10
La Junta
6-4-0
29
8
Others receiving votes:
Fort Lupton 27, Brush 26, Basalt 15, Montezuma-Cortez 15, Delta 10, The Academy 4, Cedaredge 3, Weld Central 3, Holyoke 2, Gunnison 1, Lamar 1.
Ralston Valley’s boys golf team captured the Class 5A Jeffco League title Monday at West Woods Golf Club in Arvada. The Mustangs will host the Western Regional on Monday, Sept. 21, at Raccoon Creek Golf Course in Littleton. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
ARVADA — The final Jeffco League boys golf tournament of the season had a very different feel than normal Monday afternoon at West Woods Golf Club in Arvada.
There was no final gathering of Class 5A and 4A Jeffco teams to hand out individual all-conference awards and league team titles due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, golfers were able to successfully finish off the final Jeffco League tournament of the season.
“I’m very pleased with how it turned out,” Ralston Valley boys golf coach Jeff Wasinger said. “There is a little letdown at the end of the tournament, even today. You finish your round, turn in your scorecard electrically and then go home. But we were allowed to play and actually had a season.”
Ralston Valley junior Gage Messingham hits his approach shot on No. 1 Monday morning at West Woods GC. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Ralston Valley wrapped up the 5A Jeffco League team title with the strong team of seniors Jack Larson, Trey Kirschner, junior Gage Messingham, along with sophomores Jordan McCaslin and Logan Forister. Messingham clinched the overall individual medalist title with a 4-under-par, 68.
Messingham edged Lakewood senior Ryan Liao by two strokes over the five league tournaments.
“It means a lot,” Messingham said of the Mustangs winning the league title. “Last year we couldn’t do it, but this year our team played really well throughout the season and pulled it off.”
The Mustangs were able to hold off Lakewood thanks to Messingham and Kirschner both finishing in a three-way tie for second with round of 68. Liao also shot a 68. Larson fired an even-par, 72 to finished tied for sixth.
“It’s a feel good thing. We set that out as a goal,” Wasinger said of Ralston Valley winning the league team title. “We knew we had a good team and it was kind of building over the years.”
The 5A Jeffco League proved to be one of the strongest conferences in the state. In fact, a round in the 60s was shot during each of the five league tournaments. Arvada West senior Tyler Tyson, Columbine senior Drex Duffy, Lakewood junior Max Lange, Liao Messingham, Larson and Kirschner were the seven individuals who all had at least one round in the 60s this season during league play.
“They are opening peoples’ eyes,” Wasinger said of the play of the top 5A Jeffco players this Fall. “Jeffco golf really has some powerful teams and impressive players. Going into regionals there is no reason to fear anybody.”
Ralston Valley will host the 5A Western Regional on Monday, Sept. 21, at Raccoon Creek Golf Course in Littleton.
“Of course we have to focus on regionals and qualifying as a team,” Messingham said. “Hopefully we win state. It is at a course we all know. Hopefully we can pull it off.”
The 5A state tournament will be Oct. 5 and 6 at The Club in Rolling Hills in Golden.
Lange — last year’s 5A Jeffco individual medalist — won the final league tournament with a 5-under-par, 67 at West Woods. The Lakewood junior will enter the 5A Central Regionals at Overland Golf Course on Wednesday, Sept. 23, coming off back-to-back tournament wins with rounds of 68 and 67 to close out league play.
“I didn’t have the greatest league season,” admitted Lange, who shot a 75 and 77 in his first two league tournaments. “I wish I would have shot 10-under today, but I’m not too disappointed with 5-under.”
Lange is excited about the location of the 5A state tournament in three weeks.
Lakewood junior Max Lange head to regionals next week after back-to-back rounds in the 60s to close out conference play. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“I’m going to try to finish (regionals and state) how I finished my league season,” Lange said. “State will be at my home course at Rolling Hills. I play there every day.”
Liao — 5A Jeffco individual medalist as a freshman and sophomore — finished just behind Messingham for the title this season. The Lakewood senior has had back-to-back Top-4 finishes at the state tournament that past two years.
With Liao’s history, he is very capable of contending with a number of other strong Jeffco players at state coming up the first week of October.
“I was actually honestly expecting this low of golf scores last year,” Liao said of Jeffco. “Everyone had the talent last year. No one was really playing that well. Now this year everyone is playing to what they are supposed to and it’s looking good.”
Liao is one of the longest hitting players in the state and he has some wishes for the setup at Rolling Hills in a few weeks.
“I hope they play it longer to make it a little tougher,” Liao said. “I know the greens will be tough. Overall it’s a great course.”
On the 4A Jeffco side, Evergreen captured the team title. Senior Jack Mitchell led the Cougars winning the final 4A Jeffco League tournament with a 2-over-par, 74.
Green Mountain senior Oliver Gibbons is this year’s 4A Jeffco League individual champion. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Green Mountain senior Oliver Gibbons just edged Conifer senior Dakota Dolph for the overall individual medalist title by a single stroke over the five tournaments. Gibbons shot a 76 and Dolph had a 77 on Monday at West Woods. Gibbons and Dolph entered the final conference tournament with identical 9-hole averages of 37.83 strokes.
No matter what happens at regionals and state. Jeffco can say it completed a success conference season that might have looked a bit different.
“We’ve got to be grateful that CHSAA gave this opportunity to us and we’ve had to adhere to the safety protocols that have been set. We didn’t want to mess it up,” Wasinger said. “CHSAA gave us a gift and we took it as a privilege.”
Eaton’s softball team, now 7-1-0, has moved up to the No. 1 spot in this week’s Class 3A rankings.
The polls, voted upon by head coaches around the state, will serve as part of the seeding criteria in softball this season. Polls are released each Monday during the regular season.
Columbine 29, Castle View 23, Rocky Mountain 19, Arvada West 16, Douglas County 16, Horizon 15, Hinkley 10, Fruita Monument 8, Highlands Ranch 7, Brighton 6, Ralston Valley 6, Cherry Creek 5, Fort Collins 5, ThunderRidge 5, Valor Christian 5, Denver East 3, Fountain-Fort Carson 3, Mountain Range 3, Rampart 3, Eaglecrest 2, Arapahoe 1, Pomona 1, Regis Jesuit 1.
Dropped out
None.
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Mead (7)
8-0-0
129
1
1-0-0
2
Wheat Ridge (6)
7-0-0
122
2
2-0-0
3
Holy Family
6-2-0
96
3
3-0-0
4
D’Evelyn (1)
8-0-0
67
–
5-0-0
5
Silver Creek
5-4-0
55
7
3-0-0
6
Erie
5-3-0
46
4
1-1-0
7
Riverdale Ridge
9-1-0
38
5
4-0-0
8
Conifer
6-1-0
37
–
3-0-0
9
Frederick
8-2-0
28
6
3-1-0
10
Ponderosa
5-2-0
18
9
3-2-0
Others receiving votes:
Pueblo Central 17, Mesa Ridge 15, Pueblo West 14, Windsor 14, Roosevelt 12, Pueblo South 9, Northfield 9, Mullen 8, Pueblo Centennial 8, Bear Creek 6, Air Academy 5, Discovery Canyon 5, Falcon 5, Golden 3, Palisade 2, Niwot 1, Pueblo County 1.
Dropped out
Air Academy (8), Mesa Ridge (10).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Eaton (6)
7-1-0
101
2
2-0-0
2
University (5)
6-2-0
98
1
1-1-0
3
Rocky Ford
6-0-0
74
3
1-0-0
4
Lyons
5-2-0
66
5
2-0-0
5
Strasburg
4-3-0
59
8
0-0-0
6
Limon
6-2-0
55
4
1-1-0
7
Lutheran (1)
6-1-0
43
9
1-0-0
8
La Junta
4-3-0
40
10
2-2-0
9
Brush
4-4-0
35
7
1-1-0
10
Sterling
5-3-0
29
6
1-1-0
Others receiving votes:
Fort Lupton 15, Delta 10, Alamosa 9, Basalt 8, Denver West 8, The Academy 8, Aspen 7, Burlington 7, Montezuma-Cortez 7, Weld Central 7, Faith Christian 6, Holyoke 6, Lamar 6, Yuma 4, Jefferson 3, Sheridan 2, Cedaredge 1, Harrison 1.