AURORA — One would think having to go face the top-ranked team in the state in their home gym would be a daunting task. It may even be enough for a built-in justification should a team accept the challenge, but fall short.
Someone didn’t send that memo to Aurora Central on Tuesday night.
Going into Tuesday night’s contest, Rangeview reigned supreme above all other Class 5A schools in the state, while their counterparts in Aurora Central (9-4 overall) came in with bad intentions as they hoped to deliver the Raiders their first loss of the year.
For three quarters it looked as if the Trojans could pull it off, until Shawn Palmer’s Raiders proved to be too much as they overcame a nine-point halftime deficit helping lead them to a 68-56 win.
Led by senior Ladarius Thomas, the Trojans jumped on Rangeview (13-0) early in the first half with hot shooting from the perimeter, scoring 21 of their 39 first half points come from the 3-point line.
Thomas looked unguardable for the majority of the first half, as he notched 13 points in the first 16 minutes of regulation. At that point in the game, the only cheering that was heard non-stop was from Thomas’ mother in the stands, who made sure every spectator knew her son was a supreme talent.
Going into halftime, Palmer knew his team had to make adjustments to claw back into the game and it started on the defensive end.
“We changed things up defensively and started trapping, getting into our matchup zone just to make them uncomfortable because they were so good in the first half and were very well prepared,” Palmer said. “They’re a talented and well-coached team, but we didn’t expect them to shoot the ball like that and they shot lights out.”
As soon as the ball was inbounded to start the third quarter, the Raiders’ defensive intensity was prevalent and suffocating. Having thrown out an extended trap-zone defense mixed in with a full-court press after made baskets, Rangeview forced two quick turnovers within the first two minutes of the third quarter — one of which led to a highlight-reel poster dunk from Kris Hollins to shift the momentum.
Trojans coach Ian Calvert responded with a quick timeout to try and calm his team. Rangeview went on to force six turnovers in the third quarter alone, but the Trojans did just enough offensively to stay ahead going into the fourth quarter, 48-47.
At the start of the quarter, the game changed immensely as the hot shooting that guided Aurora Central much of the night seemingly fizzled. The raining and draining of jumpers from the Trojans turned into brick after brick.
When asked about the stark contrast between halves, Calvert noted the shooting was one of the main catalysts into the downfall of the Trojans Tuesday night.
“We made shots,” Calvert said when talking about the dominance his team displayed in the first half. “When we make shots, we’re a pretty good team. But the problem is, like you saw in the second half, we didn’t make shots and that always bites us in the butt.”
Calvert was noticeably disappointed after the game, as he realized how big of an opportunity just slipped away from his team’s grasp. Yet he wasn’t loss for hope as he knows that in three weeks his squad will get another crack at the top-ranked Raiders.
“We really built chemistry all week, we had a soul-searching conversation with the whole group and you could tell the energy has been much better than it has been all year,” Calvert said. “We just have to make some of those layups and some of those guys have to step up and make plays to take pressure off of our high scoring guys and in turn, build the trust and keep building our confidence.”
And while one side recovers from what could have been, the other celebrates in victory and acknowledges the adversity it took to remain unbeaten.
“They’re a great team. They hit shots and they get to the rim. It was a difficult run and we stepped it up in the second half,” said Elijah Reed, who had 22 points to lead his team. “We knew we were going to face adversity coming into the season, and this was one of those days, so we just focused and regrouped as a team to overcome the adversity.”
Although Palmer knows how great of a team-building victory this is, he knows his squad has to be prepared every week for similar obstacles if they want to achieve their goals.
“This has been a grind and this is the sixth-consecutive difficult opponent that we’ve played. It was good adversity for us,” he said. “Everybody’s going to give us their best shot and we’ve got to be ready and play four quarters of good basketball.”
For now, the Raiders can enjoy the glory of remaining atop of the rest, but Thursday they must prepare for another grind as they travel to Northglenn.
The 2015 football players of the year. From left: Dylan Dixon of Eads; Keegan Wentz of Buena Vista; JoJo Domann of Pine Creek; Dylan McCaffrey of Valor Christian; Daniel Martin of Pueblo East; Kelton McCoy of Bayfield; Trey Walter of Sedgwick County. (Photos: Jack Eberhard/JacksActoinShots.com; Bill Cronin; Matt Daniels/MattDanPhoto.com; Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com; Jeff Tucker; and Sedgwick County HS)
The 2015 all-state football teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.
These teams were created following a lengthy process which included nominations from leagues and then a vote of coaches.
AURORA – It was a sloppy, rainy night that would see an underdog advance to the Class 5A boys state soccer quarterfinals.
Mountain Vista senior midfielder Brent Lackey and junior midfielder Chase Pacheco helped lead their No. 28 Golden Eagles to a 2-1 victory over No. 12 Aurora Central. Lackey scored the first goal and in the second half, assisted on Pacheco’s winning goal.
“We came back from giving up a penalty kick,” said Pacheco. “We really fought back and changed the momentum. Giving up penalty kicks is the hardiest things to change the momentum and comeback from and we did it.”
Mountain Vista controlled the ball for the first 15 minutes of the game. Sophomore defender Cray Cordero got an early penalty kick to try and get his team an early edge, but his shot barley missed the goal.
Early on, it seemed like the Golden Eagles looked like they were bound to score and eventually, that’s exactly what they did. Lackey scored the first goal of the game with a power kick straight into the net giving his team a 1-0 lead.
“I think we were really resilient,” said Lackey. “Weather and everything just being slick, not really the greatest conditions to be playing in. We kept the ball on the floor and played really well. I enjoyed it.”
Aurora Central picked up the pace once Mountain Vista put themselves on the scoreboard. The Trojans were on the verge of scoring with a lot of activity around the goal, leading to a Mountain Vista penalty which set up a penalty kick for junior defender Jesus Dorado. He easily scored to tie the game up with 20 minutes remaining in the half.
The Trojans used their momentum to contain the ball in Golden Eagles territory for last 10 minutes of the half, getting multiple looks at the net before time expired.
To start the second half, both teams traded possessions with neither able to gain an early edge. Mountain Vista took plenty of shots at the goal, but Aurora Central goalie junior Ulysis Cosme Garcia was making impressive saves that could have easily been goals. On offense, the Trojans were able to get chances of their own, but none of their shots found the net.
Just when it looked like game was destined for overtime, Lackey passed the ball to Pacheco setting him up for the game winner with just five minutes left in regulation.
“We played fantastic,” Golden Eagles coach Theresa Echtermeyer said. “Considering the conditions we did a great job possessing. Trying to keep the ball, working it into the final third and connecting passes. Our pace was good and our composure was good. Playing against extremely strong team. Defiantly could have gone either way and that’s what you love about the playoffs.”
The Golden Eagles are confident in their chances to win as they prepare to play Arapahoe on Saturday in the quarterfinals.
“We stumbled a little bit in the beginning of the season,” said Lackey. “We caught our stride and we know that we can compete with any team out here.”
“I got to say were probably the most dangerous 28th seed the tournament has ever seen,” Pacheco added. “I wouldn’t want to play us.”
LAKEWOOD — The Wheat Ridge Farmers handed Aurora Central its first loss of the season on Friday, ending their seven-game win steak.
Wheat Ridge beat No. 8 Aurora Central 37-14 in a Class 4A football game.
“I am excited for them (Aurora Central) as far as the things they have done and turned around,” said Wheat Ridge coach Stacy Coryell. “Coach (Travis Peeples) is doing a great job over there. You can’t take 7-0 lightly.”
Wheat Ridge running back Payton Dietrich helped his team win big with an impressive game on the ground. He scored his team’s first touchdown of the game that helped provide an offensive spark.
“We started off a little slow but we got our stuff together and we played better in the second half and even in the second quarter,” Dietrich said. “It was a good way to win and it felt good too.”
Aurora Central looked like it was going to put up big numbers against Wheat Ridge judging by their first drive of the game. Trojans quarterback Jalil Grimes helped take his team down the field, setting up six-yard rushing touchdown from running back Fransicos Aranda. That gave the Trojans an early 8-0 lead.
Wheat Ridge had a slow start with its first two drives ending in punts. Dietrich was finally able to break out for a 22-yard rushing touchdown and cut the lead to 8-7. On the next drive, quarterback Gino Tate provided the spark, including a 14-yard touchdown pass from Tate to Carl Vecciarelli taking the lead at 14-8.
“We were looking for cutbacks and our offensive line played big today, so we got a good push and that’s what helped,” Dietrich said.
The Trojans could not get anything flowing on offense after their first drive. Meanwhile, Wheat Ridge was clicking on both sides of the ball.
Dietrich was able to reach the sidelines with a strong stiff arm that allowed him to make room for 54-yard run. Then running back Xavier Dreiling scored on a 27-yard run to make it 20-8.
Aurora Central punted the ball five times without another score by halftime.
Aurora Central started the half with what looked to be an accidental onside kick that it was able to recover at midfield. The Trojans finally got the break they needed — but still couldn’t put points on the board.
Grimes threw an interception to Nicco Young, who returned it to the 1-yard-line. Dietrich made an easy catch for the touchdown to extend Wheat Ridge’s lead to 27-8.
The Farmers were able to put the game out of reach after Dreiling returned a fumble for a 33-yard touchdown.
“We didn’t play our best game, but we’re not going take anything away from that team,” said Aurora Central coach Travis Peeples. “They were tough and physical and they were who we thought they were. They were a very well coached team and I just didn’t coach my best tonight. I didn’t have my guys prepared but well go back to the drawing boards.”
No. 3 Valor Christian beat No. 2 Cherry Creek in a big 5A game on Friday. Complete recap. (Photos: Ray Chen/ArrayPhoto.com; JackEberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
A complete schedule and scoreboard for football’s top-10 teams during Week 8 in the 2015 season.
Columbine football is the new No. 1 in Class 5A football. (Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)
Following a 42-35 win over Pomona Friday night, combined with Cherry Creek’s 28-20 loss to Grandview, Columbine takes over the top spot in this week’s Class 5A CHSAANow.com football rankings.
Cherry Creek falls to No. 2 as a result of their loss to the Wolves. This week, they square off against No. 3 Valor Christian in a rematch of last year’s 5A state championship game. The Bruins walked away with a 25-24 win. Cherry Creek also won last year’s regular season meeting 33-17, a game in which the Bruins didn’t allow a single point in the second half.
No new teams were added to the 5A poll this week, but with its upset win over Cherry Creek, Grandview jumped from No. 9 to No. 4.
Like they have all season long, the Pine Creek Eagles firmly held on to the No. 1 spot in 4A. Like the 5A poll, no new teams were added in 4A.
Durango was able to beat Palmer Ridge 48-35, helping them jump up to No. 5 in the rankings. The Demons travel to Colorado Springs this week for a league game against the No. 1 Eagles.
This will be the fourth time this season that Pine Creek will be facing a team also ranked in 4A’s top five. They won the three previous games by a combined score of 107-38.
Pueblo East remains a strong favorite in 3A and is still ranked as the top team in that class. Both Roosevelt and Rifle garnered first place votes thanks to weekend wins over other top 10 teams. Roosevelt topped Holy Family in a shootout, 64-63 and Rifle edged Palisade 13-7.
No new teams broke into the 3A poll this week.
Kent Denver remains No. 1 in 2A. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
A great week for Kent Denver continues in this week’s 2A poll. After Scott Yates recorded his 300th win, the Sun Devils held on to the No. 1 spot in 2A.
There were two new additions to this week’s 2A rankings as Moffat County comes in at No. 9 and Bennett breaks in at No. 10.
Buena Vista is still holding on to the top spot of the 1A rankings, but Resurrection Christian is nipping on their heels, trailing by only two points.
Meeker, who dropped out of the 1A poll last week, returns at No. 8.
Sedgwick County is still the top team in the 8-man rankings. There was little movement in that poll, but undefeated Vail Christian did make it’s way into the top 10, landing at No. 9.
Although Fleming is still the No. 1 team in 6-man, there was movement near the top of that poll. Kit Carson topped Eads 22-8 Friday night causing those two teams to swap places.
Kit Carson now sits at No. 2 while Eads fell only one spot to No. 3.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.
DENVER — Jalil Grimes had two passing touchdowns, both to Tarrell Gissendanner Jr., as ninth-ranked Aurora Central beat George Washington 34-6 on Saturday.
Pomona has a big game with Columbine on Friday. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)
Colorado Preps‘ Kevin Shaffer looks at Week 7’s big football matchups around the state.
This week, the show includes comments from Aurora Central vs. George Washington, Fort Morgan vs. Vista PEAK, Sterling vs. Eaton, and previews of many others in all classes.
We’ll be following Week 7 action on Friday night, including our live coverage.
With few upsets happening over the weekend, the CHSAANow.com football rankings didn’t see too much movement, although a few new teams did manage to break in.
Cherry Creek remained atop the Class 5A rankings after taking care of business against Overland Friday night. Pine Creek received all 16 first place votes in 4A after cruising to another victory, this one over Air Academy.
The story remained the same for the other classes with Pueblo East (3A), Kent Denver (2A), Buena Vista (1A), Sedgwick County (8-man) and Felming (6-man) all hanging on to their places at No. 1.
Fairview football is No. 10 in Class 5A this week. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
In 5A, Fairview returned to the top-10 for the first time since falling out back on Sept. 21. A 47-46 double-overtime victory against Rocky Mountain helped get the Knights back into the polls.
No new teams entered the 4A ranking, but Dakota Ridge did leap two spots to No. 5 after a last-second field goal got them a win over this week’s No. 10-ranked Ponderosa Mustangs. Greeley West fell three spots to No. 8 after a tough loss to No. 3 Windsor.
The Classical Academy joins the 3A ranking at No. 9. This is the first time the Titans, winners of five-straight games, have been ranked in the top-10 this season.
After falling out of the rankings three weeks ago, Faith Christian rejoins the 2A poll at No. 10. The Eagles looked impressive in their 44-0 win over Bishop Machebeuf Friday night.
Wiggins and Crowley County join the 1A polls at No. 8 and No. 9, respectively. It’s the second time this season that each team has made into the top-10.
Akron made the biggest jump in the 8-man rankings, going from No. 4 to No. 2. The Rams beat Dayspring Christian 30-7 Saturday to earn the boost.
No new teams joined the 6-man poll and the order of the team remained unchanged for the most part.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.
