CHSAANow

Tag: D’Evelyn

  • Rangeview, Fossil Ridge move up in 5A boys basketball ranking

    (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
    (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    Rangeview and Fossil Ridge both made big jumps in this week’s CHSAANow.com 5A boys basketball poll.

    Rangeview, ranked fifth last week, is up to No. 3 following a 2-0 week. Included was a 74-70 win over then-No. 9 Chaparral.

    Fossil Ridge, meanwhile, went from sixth to fourth after going 3-0 last week. The standout win was a 58-51 win over then-No. 3 Eaglecrest.

    The 5A ranking continued to be led by Denver East, which has also started 3-0 at the Great Western Shootout in Utah. Overland remained in the No. 2 spot despite going 1-2 at the same tournament.

    Highlands Ranch rounds out the 5A top 5.

    The other No. 1 teams also stayed the same this week: Valor Christian (4A), Holy Family (3A), Sanford (2A) and Caliche (1A).

    Complete rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Boys Basketball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | 1A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Denver East (18) 3-0 180 1 3-0
    2 Overland 1-2 137 2 1-2
    3 Rangeview 2-0 125 5 2-0
    4 Fossil Ridge 3-0 124 6 3-0
    5 Highlands Ranch 1-0 95 4 1-0
    6 Regis Jesuit 2-0 84 7 2-0
    7 Eaglecrest 3-1 59 3 3-1
    8 Mountain Vista 1-0 58 8 1-0
    9 Legend 2-0 30 10 2-0
    10 Chaparral 1-1 27 9 1-1
    Others receiving votes:
    ThunderRidge 23, Arapahoe 18, Cherry Creek 7, Fort Collins 6, Grandview 6, Monarch 6, Grand Junction 3, Chatfield 2.
    Dropped out
    None.

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Valor Christian (11) 2-0 119 1 2-0
    2 Cheyenne Mountain (1) 1-0 96 3 1-0
    3 Thomas Jefferson 0-0 78 5 0-0
    4 Pueblo East 2-1 76 2 2-1
    5 Thompson Valley 3-0 58 8 3-0
    6 Longmont 2-0 57 7 2-0
    7 Sand Creek 2-0 51 9 2-0
    8 Denver South 1-2 44 4 1-2
    9 D’Evelyn 2-1 28 6 2-1
    10 Golden 3-0 25 – 3-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Falcon 16, Ponderosa 7, Air Academy 3, Mesa Ridge 3, Lewis-Palmer 2, Greeley Central 1, Palmer Ridge 1, Pueblo West 1.
    Dropped out
    Lewis-Palmer (10).

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Holy Family (7) 3-0 96 1 3-0
    2 Brush (3) 1-0 90 2 1-0
    3 Colorado Academy 2-0 73 3 2-0
    4 Faith Christian 1-2 61 4 1-2
    5 Colorado Springs Christian 0-0 55 5 0-0
    6 Bishop Machebeuf 1-0 34 – 1-0
    7 Moffat County 0-0 28 7 0-0
    8 Aspen 0-0 23 10 0–1
    9 Jefferson Academy 0-0 19 9 0-0
    10 Kent Denver 1-1 16 6 1-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Sterling 11, Denver Science & Tech 10, Valley 8, Pagosa Springs 7, Eaton 6, The Pinnacle 4, Centauri 3, University 3, Platte Valley 2, Grand Valley 1.
    Dropped out
    Eaton (8).

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Sanford (9) 0-0 108 1 0-0
    2 Yuma (2) 1-0 93 5 1-0
    3 Lutheran 1-1 81 2 1-1
    4 Akron 1-0 74 7 1-0
    5 Ignacio 3-0 67 6 3-0
    6 Resurrection Christian 1-2 41 4 1-2
    7 Denver Christian (1) 0-2 35 3 0-2
    8 Peyton 1-0 34 – 1-0
    9 Limon 1-1 24 8 1-1
    10 Simla 1-1 22 9 1-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Swink 16, Rye 13, Haxtun 11, Sedgwick County 6, Alexander Dawson 5, Byers 5, Heritage Christian 5, Meeker 5, Paonia 5, Crowley County 4, Hayden 3, Dayspring Christian 2, Sangre de Cristo 1.
    Dropped out
    Swink (10).

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Caliche (6) 2-0 69 1 2-0
    2 Hi-Plains (1) 2-0 63 2 2-0
    3 McClave 2-0 53 5 2-0
    4 Norwood 1-1 48 3 1-1
    5 Shining Mountain 2-0 32 4 2-0
    6 Vail Christian 1-1 29 8 1-1
    7 Prairie 1-1 17 – 1-1
    8 Holly 1-1 13 6 1-1
    9 Jim Elliot Christian 1-0 12 – 1-0
    10 Granada 0-0 10 10 0-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Walsh 9, Fleming 8, Cheyenne Wells 6, Denver Jewish Day 5, Ouray 3, Primero 3, Stratton 3, Arickaree 1, Pawnee 1.
    Dropped out
    Fleming (7), Otis (9).

  • 5A girls basketball ranking adds Fossil Ridge, Ralston Valley

    Regis Jesuit continues to be atop the 5A girls basketball ranking. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
    Regis Jesuit continues to be atop the 5A girls basketball ranking. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    Fossil Ridge and Ralston Valley have joined this week’s CHSAANow.com 5A girls basketball poll.

    Fossil Ridge is off to a 4-0 start, including in-state wins over Chaparral and Fruita Monument, as well as a 2-0 showing in Wyoming. The SaberCats are No. 9 this week.

    Ralston Valley is No. 10 in the poll. The Mustangs went 2-1 last week with a loss to Rock Canyon, but beat Cherry Creek and then-No. 3 Arapahoe. Arapahoe dropped out this week.

    The No. 1 teams from last week all stayed put. So Regis Jesuit (5A), Broomfield (4A), Holy Family (3A), Yuma (2A) and Caliche (1A) all continue to lead their respective polls.

    Complete rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Girls Basketball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | 1A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Regis Jesuit (22) 2-0 220 1 2-0
    2 Highlands Ranch 4-1 181 2 4-1
    3 ThunderRidge 3-0 152 8 3-0
    4 Grandview 2-0 149 4 2-0
    5 Castle View 1-0 87 7 1-0
    6 Monarch 0-0 81 6 0-0
    7 Poudre 3-0 80 10 3-0
    8 Rock Canyon 2-1 78 5 2-1
    9 Fossil Ridge 4-0 45 – 4-0
    10 Ralston Valley 2-1 34 – 2-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Horizon 28, Lakewood 18, Cherry Creek 15, Arapahoe 14, Rampart 9, Chaparral 6, Bear Creek 4, Pine Creek 4, Denver East 3, Grand Junction 1, Palmer 1.
    Dropped out
    Arapahoe (3), Cherry Creek (9).

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Broomfield (10) 2-0 125 1 2-0
    2 Pueblo South (3) 1-0 118 2 1-0
    3 Mesa Ridge 2-0 106 4 2-0
    4 Pueblo West 3-0 63 6 3-0
    5 Palmer Ridge 3-0 50 8 3-0
    6 Sand Creek 1-1 48 5 1-1
    7 Valor Christian 3-0 45 – 3-0
    8 D’Evelyn 2-2 44 3 2-2
    9 Silver Creek 3-0 41 – 3-0
    10 Elizabeth 1-0 36 – 1-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Montrose 21, Conifer 4, Longmont 4, Pueblo County 4, Delta 2, Canon City 1, Mullen 1, Thompson Valley 1, Windsor 1.
    Dropped out
    Montrose (7), Canon City (9), Air Academy (10).

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Holy Family (13) 2-0 130 1 2-0
    2 Pagosa Springs 1-0 100 2 1-0
    3 Centauri 3-0 86 5 3-0
    4 Lamar 1-0 74 4 1-0
    5 Eaton 3-0 64 7 3-0
    6 St. Mary’s 0-0 56 6 0-0
    7 Peak to Peak 1-0 35 9 1-0
    8 Valley 0-0 34 8 0-0
    9 Kent Denver 3-0 33 – 3-0
    10 Sterling 2-1 24 10 2-1
    Others receiving votes:
    Bishop Machebeuf 23, Olathe 16, Faith Christian 7, Clear Creek 6, Grand Valley 5, Jefferson Academy 4, Manitou Springs 4, Estes Park 3, Coal Ridge 2, Denver Science & Tech 2, Platte Valley 2, Salida 2, Brush 1, Classical Academy 1, Trinidad 1.
    Dropped out
    Denver Science & Tech (3).

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Yuma (7) 2-0 88 1 2-0
    2 Akron (1) 1-0 76 2 1-0
    3 Peyton 1-0 63 4 1-0
    4 Lutheran (1) 1-0 57 3 1-0
    5 Holyoke 1-0 45 6 1-0
    6 Sangre de Cristo 3-0 37 5 3-0
    7 Meeker 1-0 25 10 1-0
    8 Paonia 1-1 20 7 1-1
    9 Simla 1-0 18 – 1-0
    10 Liberty Common 4-0 16 – 4-0
    Others receiving votes:
    The Vanguard 15, Wray 9, Highland 6, Hoehne 5, Del Norte 4, Limon 4, Rye 3, Heritage Christian 2, Kiowa 1, Springfield 1.
    Dropped out
    Rye (8), The Vanguard (9).

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS PVS LW
    1 Caliche (5) 2-0 67 1 2-0
    2 Eads 1-0 57 2 1-0
    3 Norwood (2) 2-0 55 5 2-0
    4 Idalia 2-0 43 4 2-0
    5 Stratton 0-0 41 3 0-0
    6 Kit Carson 0-0 34 6 0-0
    7 Dove Creek 2-0 23 – 2-0
    8 Hi-Plains 0-0 15 7 0-0
    9 Belleview Christian 3-0 14 – 3-0
    10 Holly 2-0 9 – 2-0
    Others receiving votes:
    Wiley 6, Briggsdale 5, Prairie 5, Walsh 4, McClave 3, Centennial 2, Jim Elliot Christian 1, South Baca 1.
    Dropped out
    Kim (8), Pawnee (9), Walsh (10).

  • Denver East leads preseason 5A boys basketball poll

    (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
    Denver East begins the season ranked atop the 5A poll. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    Denver East, Valor Christian, Holy Family, Sanford and Caliche are the preseason boys basketball favorites in their respective classifications.

    Those teams were the No. 1 picks in the 5A through 1A CHSAANow.com rankings released Monday morning.

    Denver East received 19 of 20 first-place votes in the 5A poll. The Angels return their top five scorers from last season’s runner-up squad, including University of Colorado commit Dominique Collier and his 20.1 points per game.

    Overland is No. 2 in the 5A ranking, and is following by defending champion Eaglecrest at No. 3. Highlands Ranch is fourth, and Rangeview rounds out the top 5.

    Fossil Ridge is sixth in the 5A poll, Regis Jesuit is seventh, Mountain Vista is eighth, Chaparral is ninth and Legend is tenth. Monarch narrowly missed the top-10.

    A total of 23 teams appeared on preseason ballots in the 5A ranking.

    (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
    Valor Christian is 4A’s preseason No. 1 team. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    Another runner-up from a season ago, Valor Christian, heads the 4A preseason ranking. The Eagles return their top eight scorers from last season. That includes Chase Foster, who averaged 20.0 points per game last season.

    Pueblo East is second in the 4A ranking, and is followed by No. 3 Cheyenne Mountain, No. 4 Denver South and No. 5 Thomas Jefferson. Two-time defending champion Lewis-Palmer is ranked 10th to begin the 2013-14 season.

    Holy Family heads the 3A poll, though No. 2 Brush received an equal amount of first-place votes (five). The Tigers reached the Great 8 last season.

    Defending 3A champion Pagosa Springs is unranked to begin the year.

    In 2A, Sanford is the No. 1 pick. The Indians reached the Final 4 last season. Denver Christian, last season’s champion, is ranked third.

    Caliche heads the preseason 1A poll. The Buffaloes were in last season’s semifinals. Defending champion McClave is ranked fifth.

    Complete rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Boys Basketball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | 1A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Denver East (19) 0-0 199
    2 Overland 0-0 148
    3 Eaglecrest (1) 0-0 106
    4 Highlands Ranch 0-0 100
    5 Rangeview 0-0 87
    6 Fossil Ridge 0-0 79
    7 Regis Jesuit 0-0 72
    8 Mountain Vista 0-0 52
    9 Chaparral 0-0 51
    10 Legend 0-0 44
    Others receiving votes:
    Monarch 41, Chatfield 22, Fort Collins 19, Cherokee Trail 17, ThunderRidge 11, Montbello 10, Abraham Lincoln 9, Grandview 9, Fairview 7, Cherry Creek 6, Dakota Ridge 5, Grand Junction 5, Arapahoe 1.

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Valor Christian (12) 0-0 151
    2 Pueblo East 0-0 101
    3 Cheyenne Mountain (2) 0-0 100
    4 Denver South (1) 0-0 87
    5 Thomas Jefferson 0-0 84
    6 D’Evelyn 0-0 63
    7 Longmont 0-0 59
    8 Thompson Valley 0-0 58
    9 Sand Creek (1) 0-0 48
    10 Lewis-Palmer 0-0 32
    Others receiving votes:
    Broomfield 25, Falcon 13, Ponderosa 9, Windsor 9, Mesa Ridge 8, Elizabeth 6, Sierra 5, Durango 4, Frederick 4, Pueblo West 4, Greeley Central 3, Pueblo South 3, Green Mountain 1, Kennedy 1, Palisade 1, Widefield 1.

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Holy Family (5) 0-0 100
    2 Brush (5) 0-0 85
    3 Colorado Academy (1) 0-0 84
    4 Faith Christian 0-0 66
    5 Colorado Springs Christian 0-0 54
    6 Kent Denver 0-0 32
    7 Moffat County 0-0 31
    8 Eaton 0-0 28
    9 Jefferson Academy 0-0 27
    10 Aspen 0-1 21
    Others receiving votes:
    Sterling 14, Denver Science & Tech 12, Manitou Springs 12, Pagosa Springs 12, The Pinnacle 12, Bishop Machebeuf 5, Centauri 5, Fort Lupton 2, Alamosa 1, Frontier Academy 1, Roaring Fork 1.

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Sanford (8) 0-0 130
    2 Lutheran (1) 0-0 124
    3 Denver Christian (3) 0-0 110
    4 Resurrection Christian (1) 0-0 77
    5 Yuma (1) 0-0 74
    6 Ignacio 0-0 69
    7 Akron (1) 0-0 59
    8 Limon 0-0 50
    9 Simla 0-0 34
    10 Swink 0-0 30
    Others receiving votes:
    Peyton 18, Paonia 9, Crowley County 6, Rocky Ford 6, Meeker 5, Rye 5, Byers 4, Hayden 4, Sierra Grande 4, Haxtun 3, Heritage Christian 3, Sangre de Cristo 1.

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Caliche (3) 0-0 48
    2 Hi-Plains (1) 0-0 39
    3 Norwood 0-0 34
    4 Shining Mountain 0-0 30
    5 McClave (2) 0-0 26
    6 Holly 0-0 25
    7 Fleming 0-0 23
    8 Vail Christian 0-0 22
    9 Otis 0-0 19
    10 Granada 0-0 18
    Others receiving votes:
    Prairie 8, Denver Jewish Day 6, Pawnee 6, Elbert 5, Primero 5, Jim Elliot Christian 4, La Veta 4, Bethune 3, Stratton 3, Deer Trail 2.

  • Regis Jesuit on top of 5A girls basketball’s preseason ranking

    (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
    Regis Jesuit begins 2013-14 atop the 5A girls basketball poll. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    Regis Jesuit is the unanimous No. 1 selection in CHSAANow.com’s preseason girls basketball ranking in 5A.

    The poll, released on Monday, featured 18 first-place votes. The Raiders received each one. And it makes sense: Regis Jesuit did not graduate any players from last year’s team which won the title. The squad also has six seniors committed to Division I schools, including Diani Akigbogun (Texas) and Justine Hall (Purdue).

    Highlands Ranch, last season’s 5A runner-up, is No. 2 in the preseason ranking. Arapahoe is third, Grandview is fourth and Rock Canyon rounds out the top-5.

    Monarch, with coach Gail Hook returning from a one-year hiatus, is sixth. Castle View is seventh, ThunderRidge is eighth, Cherry Creek is ninth and Poudre is tenth.

    (Pam Wagner)
    Holy Family is ranked No. 1 in 3A girls basketball. Broomfield is No. 1 in 4A. (Pam Wagner)

    In 4A, Broomfield heads the preseason poll. The Eagles reached last year’s semifinals, where they lost to eventual champion Pueblo South by three points. Pueblo South begins the season ranked No. 2.

    Holy Family is on top of the 3A ranking. The Tigers won last year’s championship.

    The 2A poll is headed by Yuma, even though the Indians received three first-place votes to Akron’s four. Akron beat Yuma in last season’s title game, and is ranked second.

    Caliche is the preseason No. 1 team in 1A. The Buffaloes lost in last season’s quarterfinals. Defending champion Wiley is unranked to begin the season.

    Complete rankings for all classes are below.

    [divider]

    CHSAANow.com Girls Basketball Polls

    Voted upon by coaches and media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.

    Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.

    Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | 1A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Regis Jesuit (18) 0-0 180
    2 Highlands Ranch 0-0 145
    3 Arapahoe 0-0 115
    4 Grandview 0-0 85
    5 Rock Canyon 0-0 75
    6 Monarch 0-0 69
    7 Castle View 0-0 53
    8 ThunderRidge 0-0 51
    9 Cherry Creek 0-0 41
    10 Poudre 0-0 34
    Others receiving votes:
    Horizon 30, Chaparral 22, Denver East 21, Lakewood 18, Ralston Valley 16, Palmer 14, Fossil Ridge 10, Rampart 8, Legacy 2, Heritage 1.

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Broomfield (8) 0-0 137
    2 Pueblo South (5) 0-0 123
    3 D’Evelyn (2) 0-0 119
    4 Mesa Ridge 0-0 109
    5 Sand Creek 0-0 74
    6 Pueblo West 0-0 44
    7 Montrose 0-0 42
    8 Palmer Ridge 0-0 28
    9 Canon City 0-0 19
    10 Air Academy 0-0 17
    Others receiving votes:
    Silver Creek 16, Windsor 15, Mullen 14, Valor Christian 14, Elizabeth 12, Pueblo County 9, Centaurus 8, Golden 5, Rifle 5, Evergreen 4, Greeley Central 4, Glenwood Springs 3, Thompson Valley 2, Berthoud 1, Conifer 1.

    Class 3A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Holy Family (14) 0-0 140
    2 Pagosa Springs 0-0 107
    3 Denver Science & Tech 0-0 101
    4 Lamar 0-0 70
    5 Centauri 0-0 68
    6 St. Mary’s 0-0 63
    7 Eaton 0-0 42
    8 Valley 0-0 35
    9 Peak to Peak 0-0 30
    10 Sterling 0-0 26
    Others receiving votes:
    Bishop Machebeuf 21, Kent Denver 15, Manitou Springs 11, Olathe 8, Coal Ridge 7, Grand Valley 7, Clear Creek 6, Platte Valley 4, Salida 3, Trinidad 3, Moffat County 2, Buena Vista 1.

    Class 2A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Yuma (3) 0-0 82
    2 Akron (4) 0-0 74
    3 Lutheran (2) 0-0 67
    4 Peyton 0-0 66
    5 Sangre de Cristo 0-0 33
    6 Holyoke 0-0 27
    7 Paonia 0-0 26
    8 Rye 0-0 18
    9 The Vanguard 0-0 17
    10 Meeker 0-0 16
    Others receiving votes:
    Ignacio 11, Del Norte 9, Hoehne 9, Simla 8, Las Animas 5, Liberty Common 5, Swink 5, Limon 4, Sanford 4, Burlington 3, Calhan 3, Heritage Christian 2, Springfield 2, Center 1, Highland 1.

    Class 1A
    RK TEAM W-L PTS
    1 Caliche (4) 0-0 57
    2 Eads 0-0 56
    3 Stratton 0-0 40
    4 Idalia 0-0 39
    5 Norwood (2) 0-0 35
    6 Kit Carson 0-0 31
    7 Hi-Plains 0-0 30
    8 Kim 0-0 23
    9 Pawnee 0-0 19
    10 Walsh (1) 0-0 18
    Others receiving votes:
    Dove Creek 13, Wiley 9, Belleview Christian 4, Prairie 4, Cheraw 3, Otis 3, McClave 2, Jim Elliot Christian 1.

  • Softball roundup: Fossil Ridge scores a semifinal ticket

    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
    Aurora Sports Park sits quiet prior to Saturday’s action. More photos. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    A roundup of Saturday’s action at the state softball tournaments at Aurora Sports Park.

    Class 5A

    Bracket

    State softball
    Fossil Ridge. More photos. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    AURORA — Fossil Ridge won its first two games at Saturday’s opening rounds of the 5A state softball tournament by a combined score of 29-7. It now finds itself in the semifinals for the first time in school history.

    In fact, Fossil Ridge had never even won a game at the state tournament before Saturday.

    The third-seeded SaberCats beat No. 14 Pine Creek in the opening round, 10-3, then followed with a 19-4 mercy-rule-shortened win over No. 6 Eaglecrest which ended on Haley Donaldson’s walk-off three-run home run.

    Legacy softball coach Dawn Gaffin goes over instructions between innings Saturday afternoon during the Lightning's 8-1 quarterfinal victory against Dakota Ridge. Legacy, 5-time Class 5A state champion, will face Brighton in the 5A state semifinals 10 a.m. Sunday at Aurora Sports Park. (Dennis Pleuss)
    Legacy softball coach Dawn Gaffin goes over instructions between innings Saturday afternoon during the Lightning’s 8-1 quarterfinal victory against Dakota Ridge. Legacy, 5-time Class 5A state champion, will face Brighton in the 5A state semifinals 10 a.m. Sunday at Aurora Sports Park. More photos. (Dennis Pleuss)

    Fossil Ridge is 22-1 in 2013. The SaberCats’ lone loss this season came to Legacy on Sept. 16. They could get a rematch on Saturday — but first they’ll need to get past No. 7 Legend, another first-timer in the semis.

    Legend (19-5) dispatched No. 10 Grandview 13-8 to open the tournament, then beat No. 2 Rock Canyon 6-1 in the quartefinals.

    No. 9 Brighton was the lone team to knock off a No. 1 seed on Saturday. The Bulldogs, now 22-2, beat No. 1 Douglas County 8-4 in the quarterfinals. That followed an 11-1 win over No. 8 Loveland, the defending champion.

    In the semis, Brighton will get No. 5 Legacy, which beat a pair of Jeffco squads (Chatfield and Dakota Ridge) to earn its seventh consecutive berth into the state tournament semifinals.

    No. 12 Chatfield gave Legacy a tough test before the Lightning pulled away in the late innings for a 6-2 win.

    “I think we kind of learned from it,” Legacy senior pitcher Haley Smith said. “Our bats were kind of cold at first, but we had everybody set up.”

    Legacy used some “small ball” tactics in the third inning against No. 4 Dakota Ridge to score four runs on the way to an 8-1 victory.

    Despite the rich tradition of winning five straight 5A state crowns from 2007 to 2011, Smith doesn’t believe Legacy will be nervous going into the semifinals.

    “If anything I think there is less pressure because everyone thinks we can’t do it,” Smith said. “We are the underdogs.”

    Semifinal games:

    • (9) Brighton vs. (5) Legacy, 10 a.m.
    • (3) Fossil Ridge vs. (7) Legend, 10 a.m.

    [divider]

    4A state softball
    Broomfield is headed to the semifinals. More photos. (Pam Wagner)

    Class 4A

    Bracket

    Fifth-seeded Broomfield narrowly survived being No. 13 D’Evelyn’s second upset victim of the day. But the Eagles did survive, and advance, to the 4A semifinals on Sunday.

    Broomfield rallied from 2-0 and 4-2 holes to hold on and beat D’Evelyn 7-6 on Saturday. The Eagles had a four-run fifth-inning which led to the win. They will face top-seeded Wheat Ridge in the semifinals.

    Wheat Ridge junior Erin Dalton connects with a pitch during the Farmers' 5-0 win against Roosevelt in the opening round of the Class 4A state softball tournament Saturday at Aurora Sports Park. (Dennis Pleuss)
    Wheat Ridge junior Erin Dalton connects with a pitch during the Farmers’ 5-0 win against Roosevelt in the opening round of the Class 4A state softball tournament Saturday at Aurora Sports Park. More photos. (Dennis Pleuss)

    Wheat Ridge didn’t have much problem advancing.

    The Farmers shut out No. 16 Roosevelt by a 5-0 score in the opening round and cranked out 11 hits in a 9-4 quarterfinal victory against No. 8 Mountain View. Still, Wheat Ridge coach Marty Stricklett said there is “some improving to do” going into the final day of the season.

    The Farmers edged Broomfield 2-0 earlier this season. Sophomore Christina Nelson hit a two-run home run in the first inning and senior pitcher Jessica Salbato pitched a shutout against Broomfield back on Aug. 30.

    A 1-0 loss to Niwot in the 4A semifinals last year still motivates the Farmers heading into their eighth straight trip to the state semifinals.

    “Tomorrow we are still going off what happened last year,” Stricklett said. “We’ve got to show up and play our game. The name of our game is hitting. We’ve got to hit the ball.”

    On the other side of the bracket, No. 6 Erie beat No. 11 Silver Creek 11-1 and No. 3 Pueblo East 7-1 to advance to Sunday. The Tigers will face No. 2 Ponderosa, which escaped No. 15 Palmer Ridge’s upset bid, 5-4, to open the tournament, then beat No. 7 Berthoud 6-0 in the quarters.

    Semifinal games:

    • (1) Wheat Ridge vs. (5) Broomfield, 10 a.m.
    • (6) Erie vs. (2) Ponderosa, 10 a.m.

    [divider]

    Class 3A

    Bracket

    The four semifinalists at the 3A level each only played one game on Saturday. That’s because Strasburg, Sterling, Holy Family and Valley all had opening-round byes as seeds Nos. 1-4.

    Top-seeded Strasburg beat No. 9 Basalt 11-0, and will meet No. 4 Valley, which eeked past No. 5 Eaton 1-0.

    In the other semifinal, No. 2 Sterling will meet No. 3 Holy Family. Sterling beat No. 7 Lamar 5-0 and Holy Family beat No. 11 Dolores Huerta 3-0.

    Semifinal games:

    • (1) Strasburg vs. (4) Valley, 10 a.m.
    • (3) Holy Family vs. (2) Sterling, 10 a.m.

    — Reporting from Dennis Pleuss and Ryan Casey.

  • 4A softball state championship bracket

    The 2013 state softball bracket for Class 4A.

    2013 CHSAA State Softball Championships 2013 4A Bracket

  • No. 7 Evergreen football tops D’Evelyn for first time since 2004

    Evergreen football players (from left to right) Jake Lankutis, Keenan O'Hearn and Joe Danni celebrate after a 16-yard touchdown run by Danni in the first half Saturday afternoon at Trailblazer Stadium in Lakewood. The No. 7-ranked Cougars defeated D'Evelyn 20-14. (Dennis Pleuss)
    Evergreen football players (from left to right) Jake Lankutis, Keenan O’Hearn and Joe Danni celebrate after a 16-yard touchdown run by Danni in the first half Saturday afternoon at Trailblazer Stadium in Lakewood. The No. 7-ranked Cougars defeated D’Evelyn 20-14. (Dennis Pleuss)

    LAKEWOOD — Junior Keenan O’Hearn was thrust into the role of starting quarterback for Class 3A’s No. 7-ranked Evergreen Cougars on Saturday and he proved up to the task.

    Evergreen edged rival D’Evelyn for the first time since 2004 with a 20-14 victory at Trailblazer Stadium. O’Hearn replaced senior Jack Curtis under center after the Cougars’ starting quarterback suffered a concussion last week against Lutheran.

    O’Hearn completed just one pass Saturday afternoon, but it came in a critical situation. With the game tied at 14, Evergreen faced third-and-10 from D’Evelyn’s 45-yard line. O’Hearn connected with junior Marcus Cassin for a 24-yard gain.

    “God bless Keenan O’Hearn,” Evergreen coach Rob Molholm said. “He got put into a tough spot. Keenan came in and all we asked him to do was facilitate the offense. That first complete pass was a big gain.”

    D'Evelyn senior Dalton Hooks (3) finds himself in the middle of things during the end of a kickoff return Saturday at Trailblazer Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss)
    D’Evelyn senior Dalton Hooks (3) finds himself in the middle of things during the end of a kickoff return Saturday at Trailblazer Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss)

    Seven plays later, Evergreen senior Jake Lankutis capped off the go-ahead scoring drive with a 1-yard touchdown on fourth down.

    D’Evelyn had two more possessions to attempt a fourth-quarter comeback, but both drives ended in Jaguars’ quarterback Connor Mateer being intercepted. O’Hearn came up big on the defensive end with one of the late picks. Junior Brian Reed sealed the victory with an interception with a minute to play.

    The win moved the Cougars (6-1, 4-0 in league) one step closer to claiming the 3A Metro-West League title. It was also the fifth straight win for Evergreen in another close game. Four of the Cougars’ past five wins have been games decided by seven points or less.

    “(D’Evelyn) is a very good football team,” Molholm said. “They are very well coached and another very good football team. We’ve played a lot of those this year.”

    Evergreen’s ground attack pounded out 213 yards on the ground. Senior Joe Danni led the way with 10 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown. Senior Kipp Nilson added 37 yards and a touchdown. Junior Tanner Cassin racked up 39 yards on the ground. On top of scoring the eventual game-winning touchdown, Lankutis ended with 57 yards rushing.

    “Coming off a big win last week (23-20 win against Lutheran) and to come out and pretty much clinch league is great,” Danni said.

    D'Evelyn senior quarterback Connor Mateer rolls out of the pocket as Evergreen senior Erik Hooks gives chase Saturday at Trailblazer Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss)
    D’Evelyn senior quarterback Connor Mateer rolls out of the pocket as Evergreen senior Erik Hooks gives chase Saturday at Trailblazer Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss)

    Evergreen has a non-league game at Glenwood Springs next Friday night before closing the regular season with back-to-back conference games against Alameda and Summit. One win in their final two games will officially wrap up a league championship for the Cougars.

    Curtis said he plans on being back on the field for the Cougars before the start of the playoffs. He also has full confidence in O’Hearn as he keeps the quarterback position warm for him.

    “I had no doubt in my mind (O’Hearn) could do it,” Curtis said. “He is a great quarterback and next year he can take over and do a great job.”

    D’Evelyn (5-3, 2-2) will need to close strong to earn a postseason berth after its second straight setback.

    Mateer finished the game 13-for-32 passing for 251 yards and a touchdown. His 58-yard touchdown pass to senior Ty McGee gave the Jaguars an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter. McGee ended with seven catches for 128 yards on the afternoon.

    D’Evelyn’s next game is against Lutheran (5-2, 2-2) in a conference game at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at Trailblazer Stadium.

    Evergreen junior Keenan O'Hearn, far left, heads up field while getting blocks from teammates Tanner Cassin (1) and Greysen Lincoln (47) during the Class 3A Metro-West League game Saturday. (Dennis Pleuss)
    Evergreen junior Keenan O’Hearn, far left, heads up field while getting blocks from teammates Tanner Cassin (1) and Greysen Lincoln (47) during the Class 3A Metro-West League game Saturday. (Dennis Pleuss)

  • 4A softball regional tournament brackets

    A complete schedule for the Class 4A regional softball playoffs. All games are Oct. 12, unless noted.

    Printable bracket: 4A softball regionals

    Go to region: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

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  • Wheat Ridge claims Jeffco softball title with win over D’Evelyn

    D'Evelyn senior Cameryn Porter slides safely into second base while the ball skips past Wheat Ridge sophomores Ann Marie Torres, left, and Christina Nelson. The Farmers rallied with four runs in the final two innings to pull off a 4-2 victory Monday to claim their sixth straight Class 4A Jeffco League title. (Dennis Pleuss)
    D’Evelyn senior Cameryn Porter slides safely into second base while the ball skips past Wheat Ridge sophomores Ann Marie Torres, left, and Christina Nelson. The Farmers rallied with four runs in the final two innings to pull off a 4-2 victory Monday to claim their sixth straight Class 4A Jeffco League title. (Dennis Pleuss)

    It was anything but easy for Wheat Ridge softball to claim its sixth straight Class 4A Jeffco League title Monday afternoon.

    The top-ranked 4A team in the CHSAANow.com poll needed to rally against conference rival and No. 7-ranked D’Evelyn (12-6, 6-1 in league) in the final two innings. Eventually, Wheat Ridge (16-1, 6-0) pulled out a 4-2 victory to clinch another league title.

    “It was a great game and we expected that,” D’Evelyn coach Dan Porreco said. “Obviously, we wanted to be on top. A few things just didn’t go our way.”

    The Farmers faced a 2-0 deficit on the Jaguars’ home field going to the top of the sixth inning.

    Wheat Ridge junior Jessica Salbato racked up her 13th victory on the hill for the Farmers. (Dennis Pleuss)
    Wheat Ridge junior Jessica Salbato racked up her 13th victory on the hill for the Farmers. (Dennis Pleuss)

    D’Evelyn senior Beth Wilson scored on an RBI single by senior Cameryn Porter in third inning to give the Jaguars a 1-0 lead. It was the first run Wheat Ridge had given up in league play this season. The Farmers had outscored conference opponents 63-0 heading into the showdown with D’Evelyn, who had outscored its league foes 80-11.

    D’Evelyn extended the lead to 2-0 on an RBI single by senior Allison Heitsman in the bottom of the fifth inning that scored junior Erica Tilden.

    Down to its final six outs and down two runs, Wheat Ridge coach Marty Stricklett gave some simple advice to his squad.

    “I told them it was time to relax,” said Stricklett, who coached the Farmers to 4A state titles in 2008, 2010 and 2011. “We were too nervous and pressing. We were trying to do things we aren’t trained to do.”

    Sophomore Christina Nelson took the advice and pounded a double off the wall to lead off the top of the sixth inning. Nelson scored on an RBI single by junior Grace White to get the Farmers on the board. White would later score on an RBI single by junior Erin Dalton to tie the game at 2.

    “I always know my team is there to back me up 100 percent,” Wheat Ridge junior pitcher Jessica Salbato said. “I knew our offense would come through in the end.”

    Sophomore Ann Marie Torres drove a rise ball that was at eye level by D’Evelyn junior pitcher Nicole Masters with one out in the top of the seventh.

    “I just had to do my job and get a hit,” Torres said. “Thankfully it was a triple.”

    D'Evelyn junior Nicole Masters had a strong outing for the Jaguars against 4A's top-ranked Wheat Ridge. Masters had eight strikeouts in the loss. (Dennis Pleuss)
    D’Evelyn junior Nicole Masters had a strong outing for the Jaguars against 4A’s top-ranked Wheat Ridge. Masters had eight strikeouts in the loss. (Dennis Pleuss)

    Torres scored on an error when a fly ball to left field by junior Analece Apodaca was dropped. Salbato helped out her own cause driving home Apodaca for the final run of the game.

    Salbato picked up her 13th victory on the mound this season. She struck out six and retired D’Evelyn in order in the final two innings. Masters was solid for the Jaguars striking out eight while holding the Farmers’ bats in check until the final two innings.

    “(Masters) kept us off balance,” Stricklett said. “She did a great job.”

    Wheat Ridge will close out its regular season at home against Alameda at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, before a non-league game against Ralston Valley at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3.

    D’Evelyn has a non-league tilt at home against Denver East at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, before preparing for the regional/state qualifying tournaments scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 12.

    Wheat Ridge sophomore Ann Marie Torres watches the flight of the ball Monday during the Farmers' 4-2 victory against D'Evelyn. Torres had a key triple in the seventh inning and scored the eventual game-winning run. (Dennis Pleuss)
    Wheat Ridge sophomore Ann Marie Torres watches the flight of the ball Monday during the Farmers’ 4-2 victory against D’Evelyn. Torres had a key triple in the seventh inning and scored the eventual game-winning run. (Dennis Pleuss)

  • Boys tennis polls go largely unchanged ahead of regionals

    There wasn’t much change to either boys tennis poll as regional play gets set to start this week.

    Complete rankings for both classes are below.

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    CHSAANow.com Boys Tennis Polls

    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.

    Go to: 5A | 4A

    Class 5A
    RK TEAM PTS PVS
    1 Cherry Creek (11) 110 1
    2 Fairview 97 2
    3 Regis Jesuit 78 3
    4 Mountain Vista 69 4
    5 Fossil Ridge 66 6
    6 Arapahoe 62 5
    7 Grand Junction 44 7
    8 Denver East 31 8
    9 Boulder 28 9
    10 Chatfield 11 10
    Others receiving votes:
    Chaparral 5, Fort Collins 4.
    Dropped out
    None.

    Class 4A
    RK TEAM PTS PVS
    1 Kent Denver (5) 50 1
    2 Niwot 44 2
    3 Colorado Academy 40 4
    4 Cheyenne Mountain 36 3
    5 Mullen 30 5
    6 Air Academy 25 6
    7 D’Evelyn 20 7
    8 Discovery Canyon 15 8
    9 Greeley Central 10 9
    10 Valor Christian 5 10
    Others receiving votes:
    None.
    Dropped out
    None.