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.
COLORADO SPRINGS — Mullen’s boys golf team is poised to do something it hasn’t accomplished in 18 years: Win a state championship.
The Mustangs, paced by Mario Dino, Rhett Johnson and Andrew Brady, posted a score of 231 in the first round of the Class 4A state tournament Monday at the Country Club of Colorado.
Mullen leads Cheyenne Mountain (235) by four strokes and Pueblo West (238) by seven strokes heading into tomorrow’s final round. Three-time defending state champion Montrose is in fourth place with a score of 239.
“I’m very proud of what the guys did today,” said Mullen head coach Jerry Koehler. “We had some very strong play from our first two players (Mario and Rhett). They came out, played tremendously well and stayed patient. You’ve got to do that on this course. Our third man, Andrew, played well but had a tough finish.
“But we still got in with three really good scores on this course considering these greens and pin placements. So it was a job well done.”
The Mustangs have won seven boys golf state titles, with their last team victory coming in 2002.
“We’re not done. We’re not done by a long shot,” Koehler admitted. “We know nobody is going to give this to us, so we’ve gotta go out (tomorrow) and we gotta take it.”
(Paul Soriano)
Dino, a senior, shot a 74 to lead all players, while Johnson carded a 76 to finish the first round in a tie for second place. Brady double-bogeyed each of the last two holes and finished with a score of 81.
“It was a good round,” said Dino, who led Mullen to the Region 3 championship by winning the individual title at Quail Dunes on Sept. 22. “But it’s a really hard course. I’m happy with a 74. There were a few bumps in the road, but other than that, it was a great day.”
Johnson nailed three birdies on the day before finishing with three bogeys on the last three holes.
“I left a couple putts out there,” he revealed. “It was a tough course today with tough pin positions. Tomorrow will be the deciding day, but it will be a fun round to watch. We’re pretty excited to be leading after the first day.”
Noah Wagner and Toby Salinas of Pueblo West, Jordan Jennings of Montrose and Noah Keller of Coronado join Johnson in the logjam for second place, just two strokes off the lead.
“It was definitely a grind out there. It’s a great golf course, and it definitely tests your game,” said Jennings, who tied for 11th place at last year’s state tournament. “I made a few good putts early to stay even. One bad swing on No. 8 and another tough break cost me a few strokes, but I knew I just had to keep it together and not get down on myself.
“I’ve just got to go out tomorrow and post a good score and see where I fall.”
And how does he feel knowing that a fourth-straight title will be an uphill battle?
“We’ve had the pressure before so we know how to handle it,” Jennings said calmly. “Some of the younger guys struggled a bit today, but they’re good enough players and they’ll play better tomorrow. So I’m looking forward to it; it’s going to be good.”
State championship season rolls on as the boys golf tournaments are set to begin play on Monday. The Class 5A tournament will take place at Rolling Hills in Lakewood, the 4A tournament will be played at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs and the 3A tournament is at Dos Rios in Gunnison.
Each classification has several standout teams as well as multiple teams that can battle for a team state championship. Below is breakdown of what to expect at each tournament when the boys start launching them Monday morning.
Weather forecast: Sunny, temperatures in high 70’s (both days)
Outlook: The 5A tournament might have some of the best talent the state has on display. Cherry Creek sophomore Charlie Flaxbeard and teammate TJ Hicks both shot career rounds at regionals and will take a lot of momentum into state. Combined with the veteran presences that players like Kates and teammate Matthew Wilkinson bring and it could make for a fun two-day battle at Rolling Hills. The team race between Cherry Creek, Arapahoe, Lakewood and Ralston Valley should also be fun to track.
Others to watch: Ralston Valley’s Gage Messingham is the top-ranked 5A player according to iWanamker rankings, Lakewood’s Ryan Liao has finished in the top four in the last two years of the 5A tournament and Prairie View’s Jeff Nelson has put together some of the best rounds in the state during the course of the regular season.
[divider]
Class 4A
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Course: Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs
Weather forecast: Sunny, temperatures in mid-to-high 70’s (both days)
Outlook: After winning the last three team championships, Montrose is going to have its work cut out for it this year. Micah Stangebye is gone but Jordan Jennings has done a great job of leading the team as a senior. The individual race should be an intriguing one as Discovery Canyon’s Kaden Ford and Northfield’s Hunter Swanson return after tying for second place. Lewis-Palmer’s Greg Lewis was right there as a sophomore and has only gotten better in the last year. The team race could come down to host Cheyenne Mountain battling it out with the likes of Mullen, Pueblo West and Windsor.
Others to watchk: Falcon’s Reese Knox has been on fire lately as has Coronado’s Noah Keller. Frederick’s Jake Chesler has been steady all year and Durango junior Levi Tichi has found himself under par on several occasions.
Weather forecast: Sunny, temperatures in low 70’s (both days)
Outlook: The 3A tournament certainly brings the most collective talent from the widest range across the state. Aspen’s Nic Pevny finished with in a three-way tie for third with Kent Denver’s Jeffrey Zhou and Stering’s Tayleb Schaefer at the end of last year’s tournament. All three competitors are back which means the second day of the tournament could look more like a men’s club Friday night shootout than a final round of stroke play. Aspen, Kent Denver, St. Mary’s, Sterling and Vail Christian will all have a shot to make a run at a team title and it could be the results on the first day that could put either of those teams in the driver seat.
Others to watchk: Montezuma-Cortez’s Thayer Plewe has more poise on a golf course as a sophomore than most men have in their 30’s. He’s looking to keep his hand steady and play his way into contention. Primero’s Lance Peters has shown no fear when feeling the need to pull driver out of his bag. The narrow fairways of Dos Rios might give some players pause before going for the big dog, but if Peters has a spot in mind and needs driver to get there, he’ll waste no time swinging away.
PUEBLO WEST — As Falcon’s Reese Knox walked off the ninth green at Desert Hawk golf course, he looked to his dad and complained about his putting.
So on the back nine, he decided to hole shots out rather than putt them. In a two-hole span he hit one fairway, one green in regulation and just a single putt while shaving three strokes of his score. By the time he got to the clubhouse he had carded a 3-under-par 69 to claim the Class 4A Region 1 title.
A big piece of that round came as he chipped in for eagle at the par-5 12th and holed out from a greenside bunker on 13. That stretched helped him fall back to around even where Coronado’s Noah Keller lingered most of the day.
“On the front I was lipping (putts) out a bit,” Knox said. “By the time I got to the back I just decided I was going to play golf and not worry about the score. I started playing and just fell into the moment. I started chipping in and getting some lucky breaks.”
His approach shot from the rough on No. 2 landed inches from the hole for his first birdie of the day, but his ensuing tee shot was out of bounds resulting in a double-bogey. He bogeyed No. 4 before making a birdie on the par-3 fifth and eventually made the turn at 1-over. He played the first six holes on the back at 4-under with a par and a bogey before coasting to three pars in the final three holes.
Pueblo West held off Falcon by three strokes to claim the team regional championship. The Cyclones got solid performances from Toby Sailnas and Noah Wagner at last year’s 4A tournament at the Bridges. They’ll head to the Country Club of Colorado looking to make another run at a state title and coach Dan Sanchez thinks the experience from last year is key.
“In all high school sports, if you’ve been in those pressure situations and you’ve felt the struggle, to me that’s what it’s all about,” Sanchez said.
It was announced last week that the 4A state tournament was moving to the Country Club of Colorado but for several players from all around the state, there is a feeling of excitement when it comes to qualifying for the tournament and getting a chance to play a new venue with new players to compete with.
“Today was fun, I had never really met these guys,” Durango junior Levi Tichi said. “I had played (Eisenhower) once or twice, it was my freshman year regional course. I was happy to hear about the change to the Country Club of Colorado because I’ve been struggling with putting all year.”
Not that the greens at CC of C are a cakewalk, but Eisenhower has proven to be one of the toughest putting courses in all of the front range. Regardless of the venue, the qualifiers from the Desert Hawk regional will get back to work on Tuesday with an eye on competing at state.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
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Regionals elsewhere:
St. Mary’s claims team title at 3A Region 2
With two players finishing in the top three, St. Mary’s came away with a regional team title at Murphy Creek. Kent Denver’s Jeffrey Zhou shot 73 to claim medalist honors.
Sterling and Eaton send teams to Dos Rios
Sterling and Eaton each grabbed a pair of top 10 finishers at 3A Region 3 at Boomerang Golf Links. The Tigers won the team title as senior Trey Kuntz finished second overall with a 73. Strasburg’s Jacob Gilbert won the individual title.
Ford tames Country Club of Colorado
Discovery Canyon’s Kaden Ford was laughing the last time he played the Country Club of Colorado, calling it the “worst ball-striking day of my life.”
The result was much better at regionals. Ford claimed the individual championship at the Country Club of Colorado. Cheyenne Mountain won the team title as Ponderosa took second.
Rock Canyon’s team finishes under par at Raccoon Creek
Nick Fallin led the way with a 65 as Rock Canyon grabbed the individual and team regional titles at Raccoon Creek. Overall, five players shot under par at the tournament.
Ralston Valley’s Gage Messingham led Ralston Valley with a 67 and the Mustangs finished second to get their team to state.
Fossil Ridge edges Pine Creek at Hyland Hills
Lengend’s Ryan Parker claimed the 5A Northern regional title at Hyland Hills with a 71. Pine Creek’s Wesley Erling matched him, but ultimately finished second.
Fossil Ridge claimed the team title by beating out Pine Creek by just two strokes.
Rock Canyon has moved up to the No. 1 spot in this week’s Class 5A softball rankings
Each poll was released on Monday.
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.
Arvada West 21, Ralston Valley 19, Cherokee Trail 15, Mountain Vista 13, Grand Junction Central 12, Valor Christian 12, Cherry Creek 11, Eaglecrest 11, Brighton 10, Hinkley 10, Castle View 9, Fort Collins 8, Pomona 8, Vista Ridge 6, Fairview 5, Arapahoe 3, Douglas County 1, Fruita Monument 1, ThunderRidge 1.
Dropped out
Ralston Valley (10).
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Holy Family (10)
2-0-0
106
1
2-0-0
2
Erie
0-1-0
69
2
0-1-0
3
Wheat Ridge
2-0-0
65
5
2-0-0
4
Silver Creek
0-1-0
58
3
0-1-0
5
Pueblo South
1-1-0
47
4
1-1-0
6
Riverdale Ridge
2-0-0
36
–
2-0-0
7
Pueblo West
1-0-0
30
–
1-0-0
8
Frederick
3-0-0
24
–
3-0-0
9
Mead
2-0-0
23
6
2-0-0
10
Air Academy
1-0-0
19
–
1-0-0
Others receiving votes:
Mullen 16, Pueblo County 15, Pueblo Central 10, Pueblo East 10, Roosevelt 10, Discovery Canyon 8, Bear Creek 7, Conifer 7, Elizabeth 7, Mountain View 7, Windsor 7, Golden 5, Mesa Ridge 4, Pueblo Centennial 4, Berthoud 3, Longmont 3, D’Evelyn 2, Evergreen 2, Rifle 1.
Dropped out
Mountain View (7), Golden (8), Pueblo County (9), Mullen (10).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
University (10)
1-0-0
124
1
1-0-0
2
Eaton (1)
2-0-0
106
2
2-0-0
3
Strasburg (1)
1-1-0
76
3
1-1-0
4
Sterling
2-0-0
67
6
2-0-0
5
Rocky Ford
1-0-0
62
7
1-0-0
6
Brush
1-1-0
45
4
1-1-0
7
Limon
1-0-0
40
5
1-0-0
8
Lutheran (1)
4-0-0
38
–
4-0-0
9
Lamar
1-0-0
28
–
1-0-0
10
La Junta
0-1-0
23
10
0-1-0
Others receiving votes:
Montezuma-Cortez 19, Basalt 17, Lyons 15, Fort Lupton 12, Peak to Peak 11, Resurrection Christian 7, The Academy 7, Weld Central 6, Alamosa 4, Faith Christian 4, Burlington 2, Cedaredge 1, The Classical Academy 1.
If there’s one thing that former Pueblo West pitcher RJ Dabovich learned the last couple months, it’s that there is no one way to achieve an ultimate goal.
His ultimate goal was to get to the professional baseball level. His path involved betting on himself and taking the right steps to make it happen, not necessarily the biggest steps.
Dabovich had Division I plans after high school. He had initially committed to Wichita State to continue his baseball career. A coaching change halted those plans as he didn’t feel the same connection with the new staff as he did the one that recruited him.
A change had to be made and a guy that had proven he could generate the interest of D-1 level schools made a decision that on the surface looked like a step backwards.
The reality is it was anything but.
“I didn’t really have any big-time offers or any schools that I was comfortable going to,” Dabovich said. “One because I wasn’t good enough and two, it was so late (in the process). So I sat down with my parents and coaches and people I really trusted and talked about going the (junior college) route and what it meant for me.”
He knew one thing that it was going to mean. He was going to have to put his head down and work. His path was only just the beginning. For a lot of high school recruits, the post-high school aim is to head at a Division I school.
For Dabovich, he was going to use the benefits that the JuCo route offered to improve his game and get the next step in the process.
“There are no restrictions on how many practices you can get in baseball,” West coach Dan Sanchez said. “For any kid that has a ton of potential, it’s a great route. Knowing that he was going to figure that out and grow into that body, I think it was a great decision.”
Dabovich made his way to Central Arizona College and finished his freshman year with a 9-3 record and a 1.81 ERA. The Division I calls came quick and the very next year Dabovich was suiting up for the Arizona State Sun Devils.
But he had the option to skip that step all together. He was taken by the Kansas City Royals in the 18th round of the MLB Draft, but opted to go to Tempe instead.
“My goal, my dream was right there in front of me,” Dabovich said. “It was a hard decision to make and it actually took me a while. I talked with my family and advisors and we decided that I should bet on myself again so I went to Arizona State.”
The decision paid off.
Last month he was taken by the San Francisco Giants in the fourth round of the MLB Draft. He was taken just four picks after Douglas County senior Case Williams.
Dabovich signed his contract with the Giants organization and is now officially a Major League Baseball prospect. But his journey is far from over. And if he’s learned anything in the last three years, it’s that there is no one way to get to his desired location.
The important part is knowing how to navigate the trail and he’s done fine with it so far.
Pueblo West has hired Valerie Stambersky as the school’s next girls basketball coach, athletic director Zach Odell announced on Tuesday night.
She will take over one of southern Colorado’s top programs, a team that has reached the Final 4 four times since 2012, and made another two appearances in the Great 8, including this past season. Pueblo West has won the past three South-Central League titles.
The Cyclones will be moving from Class 4A to 5A beginning next season.
“It’s not very often we’re able to hire someone with the experience and success of coach Stambersky,” Odell said. “She is an ideal coach to lead our basketball team into the 5A ranks in 2020-2021 and continue the sustained success of the program. I can’t wait for her to get started. She’s a perfect fit for the program. We’re quite fortunate to have her on board.”
Stambersky most recently was the head coach at Warrensburg High School in Missouri since 2017. Her team was 16-10 in Class 4 this past season.
Prior to that, she was the head coach at Kansas City Kansas Community College from 1999-2015. She was the winningest coach in program history there, amassing 221 wins.
“I am honored and excited to work with a high-caliber program such as Pueblo West and continue in its winning traditions,” Stambersky said. “I look forward to helping these young ladies grow both on and off the court and having a lot of fun along the way.”
