Doherty’s Haleigh Washington, left, with coach Tara Hittle. (Courtesy @DHSAthletics on Twitter)
The 2013 all-state volleyball 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.
Valor Christian running back Christian McCaffrey is the player of the year in Class 5A. (Mark Adams)
The 2013 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 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.
The Broomfield High School wrestling program with Pat DeCamillis at the helm won three individual state championships to capture their second-consecutive Class 4A team title Saturday night at the Pepsi Center.
“It’s kind of the culmination of all their hard work right here,” said DeCamillis, a veteran figure in the Colorado prep wrestling community.
Broomfield finished with 127.50 points and Thompson Valley was second at 120. Windsor (112) was third and Pueblo County and Pueblo South tied for fourth at 106 points.
This was Broomfield’s fourth state wrestling team crown and fourth in the last six years. The Eagles have now won state titles in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2014.
Broomfield’s seniors Phil Downing (160) and Zach Stodden (182) walked away with gold medals.
Eagles’ junior Darek Huff (126) and seniors Jarod Albo (152) and heavyweight Austyn Harris also took second for the Eagles.
Downing (46-3) was the marquee winner for the Eagles as he became only the 17th wrestler in Colorado prep history to capture four state wrestling titles. Downing was named Class 4A’s outstanding wrestler.
Downing also clinched the team title for Broomfield when he scored an 11-2 major decision over Pueblo County High School’s Keenan Willits.
DeCamillis knew he was getting the keys to a Ferrari in the Broomfield program, and he was thrilled his team performed their best in the state’s biggest spotlight.
“The kids won state and it’s very gratifying,” DeCamillis said.
Since 2005, Broomfield has finished no worse than fourth in the Class 4A state team standings.
DeCamillis was a three-time state champ at Arvada West from 1988-90. Prior to taking over Broomfield, he spent nine seasons at Pomona.
“This feels good, it was a long time coming,” said DeCamillis about capturing his first state championship as a head coach.
Thompson Valley had two wrestlers in the state finals – Ben Hewson (138) and Parker Simington (145) – and Simington claimed a championship.
“This feels awesome,” said Simington after beating Mountain Vista’s Matt Combs 7-0. “I can’t wipe the smile off my face.”
Hewson was defeated by Berthoud’s Jimmy Fate.
WONDER TWIN POWERS: Freshmen Grant Willits and Hunter Willits of Pueblo County High School made Pueblo history Saturday night.
Grant (106) and Hunter (132), fraternal twins, both won state, and in the process they became the only twins from Pueblo to win state.
In Class 5A, Cherry Creek’s Mitch (126 pounds) and and Zach (138 pounds), who are also fraternal twins, won state as well Saturday night.
Grant pinned Palisade’s Randen Espinoza with eight seconds left in the third period. Hunter muscled past Pueblo South’s Marcus Martinez 10-3.
“This feels amazing, and it really hasn’t hit me yet,” Grant said. “I’m so excited right now. I just wanted to win this for my family and my brother.”
Only one other freshman – Isaac Naro of Pueblo South at 132 pounds in 2013 – ever won a state wrestling championship in Pueblo history before this year. Naro upended Pueblo Central senior Sonny Espinoza 5-2 to take state last season. Naro finished third at 138 pounds this season.
Grant actually added another line to Pueblo’s wrestling record book as he is the only freshman to capture a state wrestling title by pin.
“That’s pretty awesome,” Grant said. “I just had to stay in good position on top and get hand control and work from there. Before the season started, I couldn’t imagine being a state champion. To have this happen is just incredible.”
JUST LIKE MY BROTHER: For the second time in seven days, Discovery Canyon sophomore Sam Turner beat Pueblo County’s Chris Sandoval.
The win Saturday night was extra special for Turner as he beat Sandoval 5-3 to take state at 120 pounds.
“This is very satisfying and the best feeling in the world to know your hard work has paid off,” said Sam, who pinned Sandoval in the regional finals in the final seconds of their match after trailing 3-1. “I’m so happy.”
In 2012, as a senior Steve Turner, Sam’s brother, also won a Class 4A state crown at 120 pounds.
“This is just great that my brother and I won state at 120 pounds,” Sam said.
A year ago, Sam experienced the agony of defeat, losing to Weld Central’s Dalton Robertson 11-9 in the state finals.
TRYING TO REPEAT HISTORY: In addition to Broomfield’s Downing (160) and Stodden (182), Windsor’s Kennen Lanteri (152) and Mead’s Kyle Couch (195) also were repeat champs.
Lanteri, a senior, edged Broomfield’s Albo 4-2 in the finals.
“It’s kind of hard to describe right now,” said Lanteri, who also won state at 152 pounds last year. “I’m sure (Sunday) it will feel even better because it hasn’t really set in yet. The experience I got from being in the state finals last year really helped me this year. I was a lot more calm this year.”
Lanteri said he plans on continuing his wrestling career at Oregon State University.
A year ago as a junior Couch made history by winning the first state wrestling title in Mead’s history. On Saturday night, he became the school’s first back-to-back state winner with a 7-2 win over Discovery Canyon’s David Traynor.
“I wasn’t as nervous (Saturday night),” said the 6-foot-2 Couch, who signed to play linebacker for Colorado Mesa University. “It was just a great win.”
Last season Couch defeated Montezuma-Cortez’s Trenton Gustafson 4-2 at 182 pounds in the state finals.
Now, the program which is five years old, has two individual state champions and three state titles as junior Sage Budd was a gold medalist at 126 pounds Saturday night as he defeat Broomfield’s Huff.
“It is pretty special,” Mead coach Ty Tatham said about getting two state champs. “I’m not going to forget about this for a long time. Sage’s win was huge. In Kyle’s match, he just has a way of preparing and being ready to go and he just had a great tournament.”
Evergreen celebrates its team championship in 4A girls swimming. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
FORT COLLINS — Evergreen has been a power the last three seasons in Class 4A girls swimming and diving. The only thing missing was a title.
Not anymore.
The Cougars had placed second as a team in 2012 and third in 2013, but had never tasted a state title in the sport in school history. That changed Saturday afternoon at the Edora Pool Ice Center as Evergreen ran away and hid from the 4A field with 332.5 points, nearly 90 points ahead of their nearest competitor, Thompson Valley, which finished with 244.
“The past couple of years we’ve been on the cusp of having the potential to win and we just came into this meet knowing that it was going to be a race,” Evergreen star Lindsay Morrow said. “We all performed really well.
“This is the first time Evergreen’s ever won state in swimming, so that’s huge for us in making history. It was really fun that we were able to be a part of that and be a good showing for Evergreen.”
Morrow, a state champion in the 200-yard individual medley as a freshman, claimed her second state title in the event Saturday with a time of 2:05.29 and her first state title in the 100-yard backstroke. Her backstroke time of 55.69 was merely .06 seconds off her own 4A state record, set during prelims on Friday.
“It wasn’t a best time for me, but I’m really happy I got the record (Friday), which was kind of my goal going into it,” Morrow said.
Morrow also swam the first leg of the champion 200-yard medley relay that just held off Manitou Springs 1:48.28 to 1:48.88.
Evergreen coach Jeanne Godaire had high praise for her star junior.
“She’s the most determined swimmer I think I’ve ever met,” Godaire said. “She’s such a firecracker in the water and comes off the blocks and off the turns and is just such a persevering swimmer.”
Thompson Valley entered the weekend as the four time defending state champions, but Evergreen, which was expected to contend last season, too, had its 200-yard medley relay disqualified in that meet and had to settle for third as a team.
“It was the first event,” Godaire said. “It was tough on them knowing that we weren’t in contention for first after losing all those points. The girls really rallied, they showed a lot of character for our team, but this year we were definitely rooting for everyone to just get through the relays and place as high as they could.”
This season Evergreen, had enough firepower and depth to claim the title.
“It’s kind of hard to believe,” Godaire said. “It’s a victory so sweet for us. We were hoping for it, but we were waiting until the end to make sure that we had it.
“It’s so exciting for our team,” Godaire added. “I can’t express how excited the whole community is going to be in Evergreen for our victory.”
Evergreen won the state title in the 200-yard medley relay, placed third in the 400-yard freestyle relay, and fouth in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The win was a complete effort by the Cougars as they scored big points in everything from the 1-meter diving competition to the 100-yard freestyle to the 500-yard freestyle.
Evergreen unseating Thompson Valley for the 4A crown wasn’t the only highlight of the afternoon in Fort Collins, though.
Alexa Beckwith, a senior at St. Mary’s Academy and a University of Missouri recruit, won her fourth state title in diving with a score of 479.75 points, more than 15 points ahead of Mullen’s Katie Russ. Beckwith is one of the top prep divers in the nation.
Valor Christian’s Brooke Stenstrom, a sophomore, won the 50-yard freestyle in 23.66 and the 100-yard freestyle by nearly a full second over the field in 51.70. The state championships were the first individual titles of Stenstrom’s career.
Cheyenne Mountain’s senior Sydney Buckley won her third consecutive 100-yard butterfly title in a near 4A record time of 55.85. The mark was only .21 seconds off the record held by Mackenzie Stein of Green Mountain in 2011. Stein now swims at Stanford.
Windsor’s superstar freshman, Morgan Friesen, set the 4A record in the 100-yard breaststroke during prelims on Friday with a time of 1:03.28. Saturday, Friesen blew that time out of the water and became the first 4A swimmer to ever go sub 1:03 in the event with a sizzling 1:02.73. The time was just a little short of the all-classification record of 1:02.47.
All of these performances were quite impressive, but Thompson Valley’s Eryn Eddy shined as bright as any star on Saturday. The junior, who came into the weekend with two individual state titles to her name, added to her already illustrious career with two more individual titles in the 200 and 500-yard freestyle races.
Eddy won the 200-yard freestyle by over five seconds over D’Evelyn’s Colleen Olson. Her time of 1:48.89 was just off her own 4A record of 1:48.34, set last season at state, and she repeated as the 200 freestyle champion.
She also tried the 500 freestyle for the first time at state and came close to the classification record in that event, as well, with a 4:56.03, 15 seconds clear of the field and only a second and a half off the record.
Eddy said she enjoyed both races on Saturday.
“200’s my baby and I love it, but I also really like the 500,” Eddy said. “I knew that I had to really focus on my tempo. I knew that I was going to have to race girls from a different perspective. Again, like the 200, I had to get into a different mental mode of how I was going to get out there and race, so I just really got out there and tried my best.”
The Thompson Valley junior anchored the winning 200 and 400-yard freestyle relays. The Eagles won their fifth consecutive 200 freestyle relay in a mark of 1:37.01, but the 400 freestyle relay was perhaps the most exciting race of the day.
D’Evelyn held the lead the first three legs of the event and still held a comfortable gap when Eryn Eddy dove in. Eddy made up a few-yards, then a few more-yards, then a few more-yards, before finally catching D’Evelyn’s Jacinda Whittenburg with 25 meters to go. Eddy closed hard the last 25 to lead Thompson Valley to the win 3:32.07 to 3:32.66.
“I asked to go last, because I love playing catch up,” Eddy said after the race. “I really just put it out for my girls today. We had a large amount of our team come back and cheer for us, so I just put it out there for my Lady Eagles.”
Fantastic individuals starred on Saturday in Fort Collins, but nothing could completely steal the spotlight from Evergreen’s team title. The scary part for the rest of the state is that the Cougars had zero seniors in the state finals.
“I think we’re going to come back with a strong team and I’m sure the other teams will get some new and great swimmers too, but we’re just really enjoying the moment right now,” Godaire said.
“All were doing is gaining next year,” added Morrow, “which is fun and everybody’s going to get a lot better, so I’m really excited for next year, as well.”
FORT COLLINS — Niwot’s Hannah Driscoll set a new Class 4A state record on Friday.
Driscoll went a blazing 23.60 in the 50-yard freestyle during the 4A state meet at the Edora Pool Ice Center (EPIC).
“I wasn’t as much looking at the time, I was just going out and having a solid swim tonight,” she said. “I didn’t really think during, I just wanted to hit the wall and have a solid swim.”
Driscoll, who appeared more focused on how Niwot performed as a team rather than individual pursuits, said her goal for Saturday’s finals competition is to enjoy it.
“I’ll be 100 percent honest: we’re going to have a ton of fun and we’re just going to go out and do our best,” she said.
In a 4A state meet where teams are trying to unseat the four-time defending state champion Thompson Valley Eagles, individuals stole the show during Friday’s prelims.
Driscoll bettered the previous 4A state record in the 50-yard free, set by Evergreen’s Lexie Malazdrewicz last season, by .03 seconds and also placed second in the 100-yard breaststroke prelims (1:04.36). She swam the anchor leg of the fourth-place 400-yard freestyle relay (3:42.52) and the lead leg of the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:40.7).
(Brock Laue)
Windsor’s star freshman Morgan Friesen set a new 4A record of her own with a 1:03.28 100-yard breaststroke, a race she was the top seed in entering the state meet. She also placed second in the 200-yard individual medley at 2:08.42.
Several of 4A’s other premier swimmers displayed their talent Friday night, as well, with Thompson Valley’s Eryn Eddy, a sophomore, swimming sizzling times of 1:52.59 in the 200-yard freestyle and 5:00.08 in the 500-yard freestyle, both top times in prelims. She also anchored the 200 (1:37.74) and 400 (3:35.27) freestyle relays to victories in prelims.
Eddy will look to repeat as the 200-yard freestyle champion and perhaps break her own 4A record, set last year, of 1:48.34 in finals Saturday. The Eagles will be swimming for their fifth consecutive 200 freestyle relay title, a race they hold the classification record in, and their second straight 400 freestyle relay title.
Evergreen, the favorites to claim the 4A crown this season, was led by junior Lindsay Morrow on Friday. Morrow won the 200 IM prelim by over three seconds with a 2:05.1 and the 100 yard backstroke by over two seconds with a speedy 55.63, as Thompson Valley’s Kelly Sheldon came in second at 57.80. Morrow also swam on the Cougars’ third-place 400 freestyle relay and fourth place 200 freestyle relay and will play a prominent role in Evergreen’s quest for the team title.
Cheyenne Mountain’s Sydney Buckley held off Brenna Bushley of D’Evelyn to win the 100-yard butterfly prelims 56.55 to 56.66. Buckley is the defending champion in the event.
Valor Christian’s Brooke Stenstrom claimed the win in the 100-yard freestyle prelims and was third in the 50-yard freestyle.
As for teams, the favorites, Evergreen, Cheyenne Mountain, and Thompson Valley, all had strong days and positioned themselves for a battle tomorrow.
First year Thompson Valley coach Dale Leonhart, the longtime coach at Grand Junction, was pleased with his squad’s performance Friday.
“We had a pretty good prelim meet,” he said. “Everybody that was top 8, stayed top 8. Our medley relay was a pleasant surprise, because we loaded the two freestyle relays and we placed 6th (in the medley relay).
“We swam very well. We had some good splits in the relays and there’s more there, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Leonhart laid out some of the goals for his team on Saturday.
“We would like Eryn (Eddy) to win both her individuals, Kelly (Sheldon) has her eye on an individual, and we would like to knock both freestyle relays out with automatic-all Americans,” he said.
Saturday promises to be an interesting fight for the team crown, but Friday had plenty of intrigue from great swims by a talented field of individuals.
Tim Yount of On The Mat provides weekly wrestling rankings for teams and individuals in all weight classes. To see individual rankings, you can subscribe to On The Mat’s full rankings.
To subscribe via PayPal, choose your subscription option on this page click on the corresponding PayPal button. To subscribe by mail or fax and pay by personal check, click here for a printable subscription form. Email Tim Yount at tim@onthematrankings.com with questions.
To purchase individual weeks of the rankings (as opposed to the entire season), you will need to use the printable subscription form and pay by check. The season ranking subscriptions are offered at a discounted rate.
Wrestling’s regular season is rapidly winding down — the final day is Saturday. With regionals set for Feb. 14-15, the picture in terms of team rankings seems clear at the moment.
The latest On The Mat wrestling rankings were released this morning, with few changes. The most notable movement was Pine Creek going from No. 5 to No. 3 in 5A.
Tim Yount of On The Mat provides weekly wrestling rankings for teams and individuals in all weight classes. To see individual rankings, you can subscribe to On The Mat’s full rankings.
To subscribe via PayPal, choose your subscription option on this page click on the corresponding PayPal button. To subscribe by mail or fax and pay by personal check, click here for a printable subscription form. Email Tim Yount at tim@onthematrankings.com with questions.
To purchase individual weeks of the rankings (as opposed to the entire season), you will need to use the printable subscription form and pay by check. The season ranking subscriptions are offered at a discounted rate.
Tim Yount of On The Mat provides weekly wrestling rankings for teams and individuals in all weight classes. To see individual rankings, you can subscribe to On The Mat’s full rankings.
To subscribe via PayPal, choose your subscription option on this page click on the corresponding PayPal button. To subscribe by mail or fax and pay by personal check, click here for a printable subscription form. Email Tim Yount at tim@onthematrankings.com with questions.
To purchase individual weeks of the rankings (as opposed to the entire season), you will need to use the printable subscription form and pay by check. The season ranking subscriptions are offered at a discounted rate.
As Signing Day draws increasingly near, seniors continue to make their college decisions.
A host of Colorado kids made their decisions over the weekend, including Overland linebacker Tre Thomas, who committed to Colorado State, and Windsor lineman Trenton Noller, who committed to the Naval Academy.
Thomas is the fifth in-state senior to pick CSU this cycle, following Loveland athlete John Freismuth, Douglas County running back Trey Smith, Pomona lineman Zach Stefo and Valor Christian defensive back Marcus Wilson. He chose the Rams over offers from New Mexico, San Jose State, UTEP, Wyoming and Northern Colorado, according to his Rivals.com profile.
Thomas, 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, had 219 total tackles last season, a figure that led the state across all classifications. He also had four sacks and 16 hurries, along with two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, and two blocked kicks.
“It’s a great school, a great community,” Thomas told GreenandGoldNews.com. “The players are good. I like the players, I like the coaches, and it’s in my home state, not too far from my family. So it seemed like the perfect fit for me.”
The 6-foot-4, 300-pound Noller also had offers from Arizona, Army, Georgia Tech, New Mexico State, Wyoming and Northern Colorado, according to Rivals.com. He announced his commitment over Twitter on Sunday morning:
“It’s a huge weight off my shoulders,” Noller told the Fort Collins Coloradoan. “I love it here. They told me straight up that it will be hard, but I can get through it, and it will be more rewarding than if I go anywhere else.”
Additionally, Fairview lineman Connor Spencer announced his commitment to San Diego, an FCS program.
I've committed to play football at University of San Diego. Thanks to everyone that helped make this happen. Couldn't be happier #GoToreros
With the three new commits, Colorado now has 35 players committed to Division I football programs — 25 to FBS schools and 10 to FCS. The 35 total is the most since the class of 2008, according to a search of the Rivals.com database. That year, the state produced 38 Division I recruits.
The 25 FBS commits are also the most since 2008, when the state had 33.
A few locals also declared their intention to head to Division II programs.
Included are Legend wide receiver/defensive back Elijah Cherrington (CSU-Pueblo), Smoky Hill quarterback Trent Clay (Black Hills State), ThunderRidge wide receiver Mark Hopper (Colorado School of Mines), Poudre quarterback Cody Limmer (Colorado School of Mines), Clear Creek wide receiver/defensive back Tevin Lucas (Sioux Falls), Lakewood quarterback Casey Nicholls (Sioux Falls), Dakota Ridge lineman Brant Seeley (Adams State), and Regis Jesuit linebacker Quinn Vandekoppel (CSU-Pueblo).
Elsehwere, Monarch’s Parker Sitton committed to Arkansas State for track, and Legend’s Peyton Remy committed to New Mexico for baseball. Remy’s commitment means Colorado now has 29 Division I baseball recruits this class.
Tim Yount of On The Mat provides weekly wrestling rankings for teams and individuals in all weight classes. To see individual rankings, you can subscribe to On The Mat’s full rankings.
To subscribe via PayPal, choose your subscription option on this page click on the corresponding PayPal button. To subscribe by mail or fax and pay by personal check, click here for a printable subscription form. Email Tim Yount at tim@onthematrankings.com with questions.
To purchase individual weeks of the rankings (as opposed to the entire season), you will need to use the printable subscription form and pay by check. The season ranking subscriptions are offered at a discounted rate.
