Jeffco Stadium and North Area Athletic Complex turned on its lights last week to recognize the Colorado High Schools Activities Association’s state track meet and honor the Class of 2020 and student-athletes across the state.
Jeffco Stadium would have hosted all-classifications of the state track meet May 21-23. NAAC’s soccer and football fields would have hosted girls soccer, along with boys and girls lacrosse games this spring.
LAKEWOOD — Jeffco Stadium and the North Area Athletic Complex will turn on their stadium lights this week.
Jeffco Stadium (6th Ave. and Kipling St., Lakewood) would have hosted the three-day, all-classification state track meets starting Thursday, May 21. The spring sports season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 61-year-old stadium will turn on its stadium lights at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday (May 21-23) to honor the state track meet, graduating Class of 2020 and student-athletes who missed out on the spring athletics season.
The North Area Athletic Complex (HWY 93 and 64th Pkwy., Arvada) will also join the statewide Be The Light campaign by turning on its lights at 8:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday (May 21 and 22).
Jeffco Preps With Pleuss is a monthly roundup of Jeffco prep highlights hosted by Dennis Pleuss, Jeffco Public Schools’ sports information director. This month’s edition features the girls swimming state championship at VMAC in Thornton. Evergreen captured another Class 3A team title. Ralston Valley diver Izzy Gregersen won the 5A diving state championship and Chatfield junior Kathryn Shanley swam to two individual titles. Ralston Valley and Columbine locked up in a big Class 5A Jeffco boys basketball game that came down to the wire. Before the postseason started, Wheat Ridge took a non-league victory over Bear Creek on the hardwood. Green Mountain’s girls basketball continued its historic season. The big National Letter of Intent Signing Day on Feb. 5 was celebrated by several Jeffco schools.
No. 5 Ralston Valley boys basketball beat Bear Creek on Friday.
With regionals quickly approaching, Golden wrestling hosted Bear Creek and Wheat Ridge in a Jeffco showdown.
JEFFERSON COUNTY — It was a day for celebrations across Jeffco on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
Nearly 100 student-athletes from 11 different schools across the school district signed their National Letter of Intent on Wednesday. Feb. 5 marked the start of the Division I and II, along with the football regular signing period.
There is still one more signing period ahead that begins on April 15.
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Arvada West High School
Conner Bickford, soccer, Northeast Community College
Shayla Erickson, softball, Otero Junior College
Olivia Henkel, volleyball, Cornell College
Jay Lambert, baseball, Midland University
Justin Lepke, football, Western Colorado University
Noah McCandless, baseball, Garden City Community College
Nicholas Nuher, track, University of Colorado
Shelby Robb, softball, Metro State University
Isabelle Schwein, softball, Friends University
Addison Southwick, baseball, Augustana College
Braden Thomson, baseball, Feather River College
Josh Yago, lacrosse, Air Force Academy — Preparatory School
Bear Creek High School
Jose Ramos, football, Colorado State University-Pueblo
Josh Alejo, football, Harding University
Chatfield High School
Daniel Moore, baseball, University of Dubuque
Hayden Cross, baseball, McCook Community College
Cole Nash, cross country & track, University of Alaska-Anchorage
Abby Wilkinson, soccer, North Dakota State
Jacob Roybal, baseball, Mesa Community College
Jordan Ramirez, baseball, Northeastern Junior College
Garrick Levesque, baseball, Ventura Community College
Kyle Koppelmaa, baseball, Orange Coast College
Columbine High School
Ally Distler, softball, Colorado Mesa University
Annika Schooler, golf, South Dakota School of Mines
Makenna Riotte, lacrosse, Adams State University
Jackie Mudd, swimming, Biola University
Aden Sievert, lacrosse, Hood College
Adam Harrington, football, Middlebury College
Andrew Gentry, football, University of Virginia
Andrew Lauritzen, football, Missouri Western State
Braeden Hogan, football, Western Colorado University
Justin Lohrenz, football, Washington State University
Justyn Classen, football, St. Olaf College
Tanner Hollens, football, Colorado State University
Stephen Hughes, football, Concordia University-Nebraska
Joel Basile, baseball, Scottsdale Community College
Evan Johnson, volleyball, Trinity Christian College
Mark Thurman, baseball, Northeastern Junior College
Erica Mock, tennis, Whitman College
Conifer High School
Josey Nichols, softball, West Texas A&M
Kassidy Butler, lacrosse, Florida Southern College
Jordyn West, soccer, University of Nebraska-Omaha
Adie Brake, softball, Vernon College
Megan Wilkins, swimming, Arcadia University
Denali Douglas, volleyball, Union College
Dakota Ridge High School
Caley Akiyama, softball, Cottey College
Brianna Binder, volleyball, McKendree University
Luke Brandt, football, Bethel University
Kyle Cannon, football & track, Dakota State University
Matthew Heitmann, football, Air Force Academy
James Hess, football, Colorado School of Mines
Tia Krats, lacrosse, Regis University
Faith Lawson, softball, Oklahoma Wesleyan
Izaak McWilliams, football, Bethel University
Madeleine Nightengale-Luhan, volleyball, Colorado School of Mines
Connor Ohlson, cross country & track, Air Force Academy
Adam Rodriguez, golf, Loras College
Samantha Schmidt, lacrosse, Colorado State University-Pueblo
Green Mountain High School
Hunter Grogan, fencing, Vassar College
Kasey Klocek, cross country & track, South Dakota State
Sofia Parisi, beach volleyball, Concordia University
Braydon Schulz, baseball, North Dakota University of Jamestown
Trey Towndrow, football, Colorado Mesa University
Lakewood High School
Josh Beattie, baseball, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Olivia Desso, tennis, Chapman University
Caden Link, baseball, Pacific University
Faith Zehnder, volleyball, Holy Family University
Pomona High School
Sanjay Strickland, football, Colorado State University
Garrett Bishop, football, New Mexico State University
Adam Karas, football, Air Force Academy
Kyle Moretti, football, Central Michigan University
Chase Lopez, football, University of South Dakota
Trevor Baskin, basketball, Colorado Mesa University
Zoe Hendrix, soccer, Doane University
Ashlyn Mathers, softball, Augustana-Illinois
Bethany Tiscareno, softball, Otero Junior College
Ralston Valley High School
Payton Roberts, diving, University of Idaho
Riley Dmytriw, cross country & track, Colorado Christian University
William Wall, baseball, Whitman College
Paul Stone, swimming, Midland College
Braden Siders, football, University of Wyoming
Chase Wilson, football, Colorado State University
Caleb Rillos, football, Air Force Academy
Alexandrya Jacobs, soccer, Hastings College
JJ Galbreath, football, University of South Dakota
Ben Lenahan, golf, Whitman College
Ben Takata, football, Colorado School of Mines
Mitchell Morehead, football, Colorado School of Mines
Tanner Lallman, volleyball, University of the Southwest
Elizabeth Schweiker, cross country & track, Rice University
Parker Dorrance, baseball, Northeastern Community College
Walker Brickle, football, Colorado State University
Kaleb Tischler, football, South Dakota School of Mines
Ben Sampson, swimming, Colorado Mesa University
Standley Lake High School
Julianne Pelletier, cross country, Regis University
Jaren Cosby, football, Western Colorado University
Kevin Starnes, football, Nebraska Wesleyan University
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Despite surrendering an early lead, Bear Creek boys basketball got a 69-63 overtime win over Chatfield on Saturday.
Cherry Creek won the League of Legends championship during the initial pilot season for esports on Saturday night at LocalHost Arena in Lakewood.
It is the first-ever esports championship in Colorado during this pilot program which is being run by PlayVs. The fall sports season crowed a champion in League of Legends. The spring season, which begins next month, will compete in Rocket League.
The Bruins, who finished the season undefeated at 21-0, beat Gateway in the finals, 2-0. Cherry Creek won the first match with seven towers to Gateway’s none and a 27-9 advantage in eliminations.
The second game was much closer, with Gateway (20-1 overall) holding a narrow advantage right up until Cherry Creek broke through at the end. Cherry Creek held a narrow 329-315 gold per minute advantage, and took eight towers compared to Gateway’s three. Gateway led in eliminations, 26-20, and in dragons, 4-2.
Cherry Creek was led by Vlad Dolzhenko, who dealt 56,327 damage and had a 13-4 kill/death ratio, and 28 assists. Mergen Enhbold had 44,671 damage and a KDA line of 15/7/19. Matthew Collins had 38,320 damage and went 7/9/23.
Gateway was led by Kevin Tran in the finals, with 45,050 damage and a 9/11/18 KDA line. Sungwoon Kim (42,270, 11/8/13) and Leonid Chyzhykov (39,623, 8/10/14) also had great matches.
A total of 56 teams competed in League of Legends during the fall season, and 16 qualified for the playoffs. Four of those advanced to Saturday’s in person Final 4 at the largest esports arena in the state: Bear Creek, Cherry Creek, Gateway and Highlands Ranch.
The Bruins beat Highlands Ranch in the semifinals, 2-0. They captured 18 towers and nine dragons to Highlands Ranch’s one tower and no dragons. They also led in eliminations, 58-30.
Cherry Creek was again led by Dolzhenko, who dealt 37,554 damage and had a 19-4 kill/death ratio, along with 21 assists. Enhbold (36,528 damage, 16/7/17 KDA), Collins (32,617 damage, 11/5/24) and Avery Lovell (24,406, 10/4/8) also had a great match.
Robin Luo led Highlands Ranch with 43,344 damage and a 18-14 kill/death ratio.
Gateway swept Bear Creek in the semifinals with an impressive performance that saw them hold big advantages in eliminations (50-12), towers (17-0), dragons (7-0) and gold per minute (2,000-1,000).
Chyzhykov paced Gateway with a jaw-dropping 18/2/11 KDA line, and 32,110 damage. Kevin Tran (27,709 damage, 14/4/11 KDA) and Kim (21,197, 10/2/11) also stood out.
Bear Creek’s Austin Yee (13,238 damage) and Christopher Nguyen (12,780) led their team.
Schools looking to create an esports program should visit the esports page for more information, or PlayVs.com.
The League of Legends championships were on Saturday at LocalHost Arena.
As the initial esports pilot season culminates, the first League of Legends championship will be held this Saturday.
The competitive activity’s semifinals and championship rounds will be held at LocalHost in Lakewood (1882 S. Wadsworth Blvd). Semifinals begin at 3 p.m., and the championship match will be held at 7 p.m. LocalHost is the largest esports arena in Colorado.
The venue’s main stage will play host to matches, giving fans an easy way to follow the action.
“This is the culmination of our first pilot season in League of Legends, and we are really looking forward to a great event at a great venue,” said CHSAA Director of Digital Media Ryan Casey, who oversees esports. “LocalHost is one of a handful of esports-only arenas around the country, so this setting is an excellent way to showcase esports and give the participants and schools a top-level championship event.”
Said CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green: “The engagement of gaming has changed from a pastime to a competitive activity, and the opportunity to provide an inclusive connection to the school culture is what CHSAA is meant to do. We are excited about supporting this grassroots initiative with our national partner, PlayVs.”
The semifinals will feature Cherry Creek facing Highlands Ranch, and Gateway playing Bear Creek.
In addition to the matches, the Denver Taco Truck will be on-site to help create a championship atmosphere.
Admission to the event, including entrance to all matches all day, is $7. Purchase tickets at GoFan.co.
The championship match will be streamed live on Twitch.