LITTLETON — Through the first half of Tuesday’s girls Class 5A third round playoff game, Legacy had visions of pulling off its third upset of the tournament.
Then Lauren Wood took over.
Wood, one of six senior veterans on Dakota Ridge, found her place underneath the basket and the Eagles advanced to the Great 8 with a 60-46 victory.
As is often the case, the game was closer than that final 14-point margin indicated, due in large effect to Dakota Ridge’s 12-for-16 effort from the free throw line.
Legacy figured out how to break the Eagles’ full-court press and half-court trap in the second quarter. Behind junior post player Courtney Smith, the Lightning forged a 29-22 halftime lead.
Dakota Ridge coach Rich Gavelda emphasized two things at halftime.
“We don’t like to rely on those jump shots,” Gavelda said of the factor that led to his team’s shooting 2-of-12 in the second quarter. “We pride ourselves on making the extra pass.”
At the receiving end of most of those passes was Wood, who hit three quick baskets in the first minute and a half of the third.
The other change was to take the other senior post player, Jae Ferrin, off Smith defensively.
“We relied on her to help with the other four (players),” Gavelda said.
“When we adjusted we started scoring on their big girls,” Wood said.
She did most of it, with 19 of her game-high 29 points coming in the second half.
The Eagles advance to play No. 1 seed Fossil Ridge in Thursday’s round of eight at the Coliseum.
“We believe we can go far in this tournament,” Wood said.
“We have to do what got us here,” Gavelda said.
That’s pressure defense and moving the ball around on offense.
Wood said the team believes.
“We rise up to the challenge in every game,” she said. ”We just are making the nonbelievers believe.”
Mountain Vista won last season’s 5A girls soccer title. (CHSAA file photo)
Mountain Vista, coming off of its second championship in three years, leads the preseason CHSAANow.com girls soccer poll in 5A.
The Golden Eagles return a number of key pieces, including leading scorer Megan Massey (17 goals, nine assists) and sophomore Mallory Pugh (10 goals, three assists).
They are followed by No. 2 Rock Canyon, last season’s runner-up, No. 3 Fossil Ridge and No. 4 Legacy. No. 5 Fairview rounds out the top five.
Another defending champion, Cheyenne Mountain, heads the 4A poll. The Indians received 10 of the 12 first-place votes. They return their leading scorer, as well, in junior Hannah Gerdin. Starting goalie Hunter Peifer is also back.
Broomfield is No. 2 in the 4A ranking, and is followed by No. 3 Palmer Ridge, No. 4 Valor Christian and No. 5 Air Academy.
Colorado Academy is the preseason No. 1 in 3A.
Complete rankings for all classes are below. A state semifinals last season, the Mustangs return their two two scorers from last season, as well as their keeper.
The Classical Academy, last season’s runner-up, is No. 2. Defending champion Peak to Peak comes in at No. 3, Kent Denver is No. 4 and Holy Family is No. 5.
Haley Smith is the 5A softball player of the year. (Pam Wagner)
The 2013 all-state softball teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.
These team were created following a lengthy process which included nominations from leagues and coaches, and then a vote of coaches. Find more information here.
The players who received the most votes in their classification were selected as the player of the year in their class.
Scroll down to see the teams, or use the menu below to navigate to the class of your choosing.
More photos. (Tim Visser/TimVisserPhotography.com)
DENVER — It’s not exactly a common scenario for a defending state champion to be flying under the radar, but Coronado junior Jess Hankin may be doing exactly that.
One year after capturing the Class 5A state title at 113 pounds, Hankin is ranked third at 126 pounds, the only 5A division to feature another defending champion in Cherry Creek’s Mitch Finesilver.
That’s why Hankin, who kicked off his 2014 state tournament Thursday night at Pepsi Center by pinning Aurora Central’s Jonnathan Quijada in three minutes, 44 seconds, isn’t necessarily feeling the pressure that often comes with defending a title.
“It’s really more motivation, especially seeing as how I was ranked third all year,” Hankin said. “It gives me a goal to work up to. I’m not the No. 1 guy, so it takes a lot of the pressure off as well.”
Finesilver, who captured the 120-pound title as a junior, opened with an 11-1 major decision over Chaparral’s Dawson Cranmer. Ponderosa’s Kade Snider, the No. 2-ranked wrestler at 126, also advanced with a 7-2 decision over Fruita Monument’s Ian Konrad.
Hankin led 9-2 in the second period of his match before securing the fall.
“It’s not an ‘if-you-win.’ It’s a definite win,” Hankin said. “It’s not so much a confidence booster as it is just nice to get it out of the way.”
That sentiment was a common one among the wrestlers Thursday. Each of the defending champions moved on to Friday morning’s quarterfinals, including two-time state champion P.T. Garcia at 132. The senior scored a technical fall of 22-7 over Liberty’s Grady Brewster.
Grand Junction’s Jacob Trujillo (160), Ponderosa’s Dylan Gab el (182) and Regis Jesuit’s Grant Neal (220) also moved forward. Mountain Range’s Jorge Rodriguez (285), a 2012 state champion, needed only 19 seconds to notch a pin and advance.
Arvada West sent eight of its 11 qualifiers into the quarterfinals to take the team lead with 24 points after the first day. Pine Creek, which advanced seven, is second with 21 points and Ponderosa is third with 19 points.
No Wildcat was happier to be moving on than Taylor Bergquist. The junior had lost his opening match at state in overtime in each of his first two years, but Bergquist handled Ponderosa’s Tyler Turco with a 10-2 major decision at 152 pounds.
“It was really disappointing. It’s heart-breaking,” he said of his previous state experiences. “It feels good this year to get the first one out of the way.”
Bergquist moves on to face Boulder’s Martin Selby on Friday morning. His major decision helped to give the Wildcats an edge, especially considering it came against Ponderosa, which also sent 11 to state.
“It’s a big boost. Any extra points you can get helps,” Bergquist said. “Ponderosa’s a tough team, and we’re tough too.”
Legacy’s Ryan Deakin, who is undefeated this season, kept his perfect record intact with a lightning-quick pin of Rangeview’s Dominic Wenger in 28 seconds at 113 pounds.
“It’s good to get that out of the way,” Deakin said, “but there’s still a lot of wrestling to be done.”
It seemed almost anticlimactic to wait all day to wrestle only to spend 28 seconds on the mat, but Deakin didn’t view it that way.
“Every time I go out there I’m just trying to go out there and dominate the kid,” Deakin said. “I turned him, so it worked out. Sometimes it doesn’t.”
Among the other highlights from the first round included Finesilver’s three brothers joining him in the quarterfinals. Zach Finesilver notched a victory by pin at 138 pounds, and sophomore twins Josh (106) and Matt (113) also advanced.
Bear Creek senior PT Garcia, right, measures up Greeley West senior Adrian Delacruz in the first period of the 132-pound championship Saturday night. Garica, two-time state champion, had the quickest pin (1:20) in the title bouts. (Dennis Pleuss)
ARVADA — The Arvada West Invitational has had the reputation of being a “mini-state” wrestling tournament with the high caliber of competition it assembles.
The 50th version of the annual tournament was no exception.
“It’s pretty deep,” Pomona senior Josh Rosales said after his 9-5 victory over Bear Creek senior Jaysen Yakobson in the 120-pound final. “There has always been a ton of talent here. The toughest teams and the toughest kids.”
Arvada West senior Tony Silva-Bussey gets up after pinning Cherry Creek senior Mason Harms in the 170-pound championship match Saturday night. A-West took three individual title, along with winning the team championship at the 50th annual Arvada West Invitational. (Dennis Pleuss)
This week’s On The Mat wrestling rankings provided by Tim Yount had Arvada West, Rocky Mountain, Ponderosa, Pomona and Cherry Creek as the top five in 5A. All were at Arvada West High School on Saturday, along with No. 7 Chaparral, No. 9 Fountain-Fort Carson and No. 10 Grand Junction from 5A. Not to mention the No. 2 team in 4A, Thompson Valley.
Top-ranked A-West will for sure keep its top ranking after pulling away from Thompson Valley late in the tournament. The Wildcats won three individual titles to overtake the Eagles for the tournament team title.
“Our goal was to win it, make a statement,” A-West senior Tony Silva-Bussey said after scoring a third-period pin of Cherry Creek senior Mason Harms in what was a bout between the No. 1 and 3 ranked wrestlers in 5A at 170 pounds. “We are showing we are one of the best in 5A.”
The Wildcats other two individual champions were junior Payton Tawater (145) and junior Devin Rothrock (195). A-West had a tournament-high nine wrestlers place in the top four.
“It’s one of those practice rooms that you dream about going into,” said Silva-Bussey about A-West’s team depth. “At every weight there is someone to challenge you.”
The top-ranked wrestlers were sure up to the challenge in the championship finals. All 10 wrestlers who were ranked No. 1 in 5A won their matches, including senior PT Garcia, a two-time state champion from Bear Creek.
In his final A-West Invitational, Garcia looked like a true seasoned veteran. The senior was loose and enjoying the moment, even helped out during a third-place match being the towel tapper to let the referee know the period was over.
Thompson Valley sophomore Parker Simington, left, tries to break the grip of Arvada West junior Payton Tawater during the 145-pound championship bout Saturday. Tawater took a 8-4 decision. (Dennis Pleuss)
“I’ve definitely matured,” said Garcia, who scored the quickest pin (1:20) in the title matches. “When I was a freshman in this tournament I remembered I was really nervous. I didn’t perform my best. I eventually learned to go out relaxed, calm, focused and have fun.”
Legacy sophomore Ryan Deakin had a blast staying undefeated with a 27-0 record, while defending a tough opponent in Thompson Valley sophomore Vladyslav Kazakov in the 113 final. Deakin, who placed third at state last year at 106, was one of five unbeaten wrestlers who left A-West with their unblemished records intact.
The other four undefeated wrestlers are Garcia (21-0) and Rothrock (13-0), along with two Rocky Mountain grapplers — 138-pounder Danny Murphy (21-0) and 152-pounder Roman Oritz (21-0).
“I’m just focused on the wrestling,” Deakin said about not focusing on staying undefeated. “The wins and losses will take care of themselves.”
Ortiz, a junior, stayed undefeated after a tight match against Fountain-Fort Carson senior Rashawn Benford. The No. 1 and 2 ranked wrestlers at 152 pounds in 5A had already faced off once this season. Ortiz got the better of Benford again with a 3-1 decision.
“This time both were trying to figure out each other’s weakest spots. I knew (Benford) was going to come back with fire wanting to beat me this time,” Ortiz said. “I just kept my ground and did good against him. I’ll probably meet him in the state final.”
In the final championship match, Coronado senior Joe Hunt nearly pulled off the biggest upset of the night. Hunt had No. 1 ranked Dane Drimmer almost pinned in the first period. Drimmer was able to get the better of Hunt, pinning him midway through the third period.
[divider]
Results
Team:
1. Arvada West 193.5
2. Thompson Valley 179
3. Rocky Mountain 150.5
4. Cherry Creek 105.5
5. Coronado 98
6. Ponderosa 91.5
T7. Chaparral 82
T7. Pomona 82
9. Grand Junction 62
10. Greeley West 61.5
T11. Bear Creek 51
T11. Central Grand Junction 51
T13. Grandview 43
T13. Legacy 43
15. Fountain-Fort Carson 42
16. Brighton 32
Championship matches:
106: Hunter Matney, Ponderosa, dec. Cody Fatzinger, Arvada West, 6-4
113: Ryan Deakin, Legacy, dec. Vladyslav Kazakov, Thompson Valley, 5-1
120: Josh Rosales, Pomona, dec. Jaysen Yakobson, Bear Creek, 9-5
126: Mitch Finesilver, Cherry Creek, major dec. Vincent Casados, Arvada West, 15-1
132: PT Garcia, Bear Creek, fall Adrain Delacruz, Greeley West, 1:20
138: Danny Murphy, Rocky Mountain, dec. Zach Finesilver, Cherry Creek, 6-2
145: Payton Tawater, Arvada West, dec. Parker Simington, Thompson Valley, 8-4
152: Roman Ortiz, Rocky Mountain, dec. Rashawn Benford, Fountain-Fort Carson, 3-1
160: Jacob Trujillo, Grand Junction, dec. Konnor Schmidt, Rocky Mountain, 8-1
170: Tony Silva-Bussey, Arvada West, fall Mason Harms, Cherry Creek, 5:08
182: Dylan Gabel, Ponderosa, fall David Eusea, Thompson Valley, 3:20
195: Devin Rothrock, Arvada West, tech-fall Luiz Perez, Rocky Mountain, 20-4
220: Dan Macoubrie, Rocky Mountain, dec. Daniel Chavez, Pomona, 7-0
285: Dane Drimmer, Chaparral, fall Joe Hunt, Coronado, 5:03
Arvada West freshman Cody Fatzinger, top, works on turnover over Ponderosa freshman Hunter Matney during the 106-pound championship match Saturday night at the 50th Arvada West Invitational. (Dennis Pleuss)Legacy sophomore Ryan Deakin takes a look at the clock while staying on top of Thompson Valley sophomore Vladyslav Kazakov in the 113-pound championship match Saturday. Deakin was one of five wrestlers to leave the Arvada West Invitational with their undefeated record intact. (Dennis Pleuss)Pomona senior Josh Rosales, left, takes a look up to the clock during his 120-pound championship match against Bear Creek senior Jaysen Yakobson on Saturday night. Rosales won a 9-5 decision. (Dennis Pleuss)
BROOMFIELD — Ben Egan had 15 points, Tyler Sullivan added 12 and Mountain Range boys basketball beat Legacy 53-49 on Friday. Egan also had six rebounds, five assists and four steals.
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).
