FORT COLLINS — No. 20 Poudre got a 35-27 win over No. 45 Prairie View in the first round of the Class 5A girls basketball state tournament.
Tag: Prairie View
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4A & 5A wrestling: Schultz brothers aiming for repeat titles — at different schools
Ponderosa’s Cohl Schultz. (Ryan Csaey/CHSAANow.com) DENVER — Trent Shultz used to be protective of his little brother. Because that’s the way things are supposed to work.
But since Cohl put on 40 pounds, he’s no longer had to worry about that.
Trent, a senior at Mountain Vista, is searching for his second Class 5A state wrestling championship. Cohl is looking to match that accomplish. He’s just a sophomore, but he attends Ponderosa rather than Mountain Vista.
But there are no hard feelings. No sense of competition between the two. They wrestle at different weight classes – Tent at 195 and Cohl at 220 – so rather than having to one-up each other, they get to stand behind one another in support.
“It’s pretty cool,” Cohl said. “I get to see him warming up and I get to see him wrestle and it’s all awesome.”
Trent Schultz. (Ryan Csaey/CHSAANow.com) Trent has been at Mountain Vista since he started high school. Cohl was looking for something a little different in terms of social interaction and traveling for wrestling. So Ponderosa was the best fit.
Even if they aren’t at the same school, they got to share an accomplishment a year ago by standing at the top of the podium at Pepsi Center. And they get to lean on each other when looking to get better and reach that mountain top again.
“It’s big,” Trent said. “It’s weird to say, but he probably has more experience wrestling than both our coaches. He sees things other people don’t. He sees things I don’t see and my coaches don’t see.”
And it’s paying off early. Trent advanced to Friday’s quarterfinals with a fall over Arapahoe’s Gannon Gosselin in 38 seconds.
Cohl had similar success, pinning Doherty’s Siandre Agaali’I in 59 seconds.
If their success continues to play out this way, they’ll stand tall once again as champions. Brothers united, even if under different banners.
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Willits going for a fourth
Hunter Willits. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) Pueblo County senior Hunter Willits is aiming to become the 20th four-time state champion in Colorado high school wrestling history.
On Thursday, he opened his quest in the 4A 152-pound division with a pin of Grand Junction Central’s Shaun Stepisnik in 1:20.
Willits will face Justus Strand of Greeley Central in the quarterfinals on Friday.
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Pin stats
- Cherokee Trail’s Max Gonzales won his match in 14 seconds, making it the fastest pin of the evening session.
- Prairie View’s Noah Romero took his opponent in the 5A 138 division down in 17 seconds.
- Glenwood Springs’ Myles Wilson, a returning champ in the 4A 182-pound bracket, pinned his first-round opponent in 18 seconds. That was the fastest pin of the 4A prelims.
- Pueblo West’s Weston Junt won his match in 19 seconds.
- Grand Junction’s Josiah Rider, a returning champ in 5A 145, pinned his foe in 30 seconds.
- In the 4A tournament, there were 55 total pins, 10 of which came in a minute or fewer.
- The 5A field had 51 pins, of which 15 came in less than a minute.
- Brighton and Pueblo East each had six pins as a team.
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Notables
Pueblo East’s Jace Trujillo. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) - The loaded 113-pound bracket in 4A features three returning champions. Each of the three won in the first round via a pin. They are Pueblo County’s Josiah Nava (who won 4A’s 106-pound title in 2015); Windsor’s Will Vombaur (4A 106 title last season); and Jace Trujillo of Pueblo East (the defending 4A 113 champ). Nava and Vombaur will face one another in the second round. Trujillo is on the opposite side of the bracket.
- Grant Willits, Hunter’s twin brother who wrestles at 4A 132 for Pueblo County, won his first match as he tries to become a three-time champion.
- Poudre’s Jacob Greenwood, also seeking to become a three-time champ, pinned his first-round opponent in 3:47. He wrestles in 5A’s 138 division.
- Brighton leads the 5A team race after the first day with 31 points. Defending champion Pomona is second with 28.5 points, followed by Poudre (26), Grand Junction (25.5) and Coronado (18).
- Reigning champion Pueblo County is on top of the 4A team leaderboard with 36 points. Pueblo East sits in second with 29, Greeley Central (27.5) is third, Cheyenne Mountain (25) is fourth, and Windsor (20.5) rounds out the top five.
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State wrestling quarterfinals: Pueblo County’s Nava advances in tough 113-pound bracket
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) DENVER — Pueblo County’s Josiah Nava won a huge quarterfinal match during the state wrestling tournament on Friday, edging Windsor sophomore Will Vombaur.
It was a match that easily could have been contested in the finals, or at least the semifinals. But, as it was, the two met up in Friday’s quarterfinals in the Class 4A 113-pound bracket.
Nava, who won the 4A 106 title in 2015, beat a fellow returning champion in Vombaur, who won 4A’s 106 title last season. He advances to face Shane Coffey of Canon City in Friday evening’s semifinals.
The 113-pound bracket in 4A is one of the toughest in the entire tournament. In addition to Nava and Vombaur is Pueblo East sophomore Jace Trujillo, the reigning champion in the bracket.
Trujillo pinned Air Academy’s James Benson in 58 seconds in his quarterfinal match.
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Willits through to the semifinals
(Katie Pickrell/CHSAANow.com) Hunter Willits, who is seeking to become CHSAA’s 20th four-time state champion, beat Greeley Central’s Justus Strand in the quarterfinals.
Willits pinned Strand in 1:47. He will face Cheyenne Mountain senior Luke White in the semifinals later Friday.
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2A & 3A notes
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) - Meeker heads the 2A team race with 72 points, with Rocky Ford (70.5) sitting in second. John Mall (60) and Hotchkiss (52) are also in contention.
- The 3A team race is tight, with Alamosa heading the way with 49 points, and Valley just behind with 48.5. Jefferson (39), Centauri (37), La Junta (35), Sheridan (35), Lamar (33) and Platte Valley (32) are all close.
- Delta’s Logan Church upset Mullen’s Sam Deseriere, the top seed in 3A 285 pounds, via an ultimate tiebreaker, 3-2. Deseriere had been undefeated this season, and was the reigning champion in the classification.
- Elsewhere in the 3A 285 bracket, which is loaded, returning champion Ricky Ayala of Sheridan and unbeaten Sam Westbrook of Bayfield both advanced out of the quarterfinals and will meet in the semifinals.
- Casey Turner of Meeker upset the top seed in the 2A 170 bracket, pinning Diego Reyes of Rocky Ford. Turner, though, is the defending champion in the division. He finished second at his regional, and thus could not be seeded in the top four of the bracket.
- Rocky Ford’s Jacob Rodriguez had a 14-second pin in the first round of the 2A 106 division on Thursday. Friday, he did more of the same, pinning Wray’s Cole Rockwell in 45 seconds. Rodriguez is on a quest for his third state title.
- John Mall’s Jonathan Andreatta escaped an upset in the 2A 126 quarterfinals. He led Wiggins’ Cameron Holm 4-3 late in the third period, and held on for a 5-3 win. Andreatta is a two-time champion.
- Two other two-time returning champions advanced to the semifinals: Alamosa’s Isaiah Delacerda (3A 126) and Fort Lupton’s Jody Sandoval (3A 132).
- Kolton Dickinson of Sedgwick County/Fleming won his first-round bout in 45 seconds. Friday, he won his quarterfinal in 44. Dickison moves to the semifinals in 2A 113.
- Centauri’s Joe Chavez advanced to the 3A 120 semis by pinning Platte Valley’s Varrion Ciddio in 34 seconds.
- Highland freshman Logan Lewis earned a hard-fought place in the 2A 106 semifinals. He beat Holly’s Austin Crum, 10-8, in sudden victory.
- Sky Carlson of Soroco, a former basketball player, is into the semifinals in 2A 195 following two consecutive pins. Friday morning, he pinned Crowley County’s Tristan Laver in 1:45.
- Del Norte’s Natalie Benavides, the lone girls to qualify for the state tournament this season, was eliminated in the 2A 138 consolation bracket by Crowley County’s Jarod Bauer.
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4A & 5A notes
- Defending champion Pueblo County leads the 4A race with 89 points. Cheyenne Mountain and Pueblo East are tied for second with 65.
- Pomona, the reigning 5A team champ, leads that race with 85.5 points. Brighton (61.5 is second), and Grand Junction (59.5) is third.
- The semifinal in 5A 132 should be a great one. It will match returning champions after both won in the quarterfinals: Arvada West’s Dayton Marvel vs. Pomona’s Theorius Robison.
- Pueblo County’s Grant Willits, who has won two previous state championships, pinned Greeley Central’s Zeke Alirez in 2:23 to reach the 4A 132 semifinals.
- Poudre’s Jacob Greenwood, another two-time champion, pinned ThunderRidge’s David Opheim in 5A 138 to advance.
- Three of the four quarterfinals in 4A’s 120 division ended in pins. Advancing were Pueblo County’s Nathan Bonham, Canon City’s James Ruona and Windsor’s Dominick Serrano. Pueblo East’s Andrew Lucero also won via a major decision, 9-0.
- Erie’s Ernie Quintana beat Discovery Canyon’s Jared Turner in sudden victory to reach the 4A 138 semifinals.
- As he tries to become the first individual champion from Niwot since 1993, senior Tommy Stager had a quick pin in the 4A 145 quarters. Stager beat Pueblo South’s Elias Espinoza in 59 seconds.
- Glenwood Springs’ Myles Wilson remain unbeaten, and he did it quickly in the quarterfinals. The senior, also a returning champion, beat Vista PEAK’s Jayden Smith in 43 seconds. He had an 18-second pin in the first round.
- Cheyenne Mountain’s Deonte Bridges pinned Dominic Knost of Lewis-Palmer in 33 seconds.
- Grand Junction’s Josiah Rider continued his torrid pace in the 5A 145 bracket. He won his match in 52 seconds, a day after a 30-second pin in the prelims.
- Mountain Vista’s Trent Schultz had a 42-second pin in the 5A 195 quarterfinals. He had a 38-second pin in the prelims. His brother, Cohl, of Ponderosa, also advanced in 5A 220.
- Prairie View’s Brendon Woolsey won an ultimate tiebreaker over Grandview’s Robert Woods in 5A 195 to reach the semifinals.
- Pomona’s Brandon Micale had the fastest pin of the quarterfinals, taking Smoky Hill’s Ryan Campbell down in 23 seconds.
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Jeffco continues to lead in Adapted Athletics program growth
Jeffco’s Bryan Wickoren, far right, organized the first Colorado High School Adapted Basketball Tournament on Thursday at Gold Crown Field House in Lakewood. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) LAKEWOOD — Jeffco Public Schools’ Adapted Athletics program made to quantum leap Thursday hosting the inaugural Colorado High School Adapted Basketball Tournament.
A total of 21 schools — 31 teams — took part in the tournament. Teams from school districts in Aurora, Boulder, Brighton, Denver, Colorado Springs, Frederick, Greeley, Littleton, Longmont and Jeffco gathered at Gold Crown Field House in Lakewood first state-wide basketball tournament of its kind in Colorado for students with special needs.
“We had a great response,” said event organizer Bryan Wickoren, Adapted Physical Education Coordinator for Jeffco Public Schools. “It’s a great representation of schools from the eastern side of the state. It’s a start.”
The event got such a great response that 10 schools were on a waiting list for the tournament. Wickoren, who is a part of the Department of Education adapted team advisory counsel, presented his idea last fall of having a state basketball tournament that Jeffco would host.
Wickoren said there is already talk about adding a state-wide soccer tournament in the fall, along with state-wide track and field meet next spring to serve students with special needs.
Sand Creek senior D’Shawn Schwartz, left, served as a coach for the Adapted Basketball tournament. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) “I’m extremely proud,” Wickoren said of the growth of Adapted Athletics. “Eight years ago we had five schools doing a couple of athletic events. Now we are doing something every month in Jeffco. We are just building and growing. We have a solid foundation and base. We’ll keep going.”
Bringing in schools from outside Jeffco has been a goal for Wickoren.
“We want to offer this to more than just Jeffco schools,” said Wickoren, who added he hopes in the future Adapted Athletics will be sanctioned by the Colorado High School Activities Association like it is in Minnesota.
Bonnie Mendenhall, Adapted PE teacher for middle and high schools in Falcon School District 49 in Colorado Springs, jumped at the chance to get her students involved in Thursday’s basketball tournament. Sand Creek brought two teams to compete.
“We’ve always wanted to get involved in unified sport, but we just didn’t have anything going on in the Springs,” Mendenhall said. “Talking to Bryan (Wickoren) he told me all about it. We decided to come up. This is our first time and our two teams we have are really excited.”
Schools from across the state took part in the Adapted Basketball Tournament. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) Sand Creek also brought up a familiar face to Colorado prep basketball fans. Senior D’Shawn Schwartz, one of the top basketball recruits in the state that has committed to play at the University of Colorado next school year, was on hand as a coach for the Scorpions.
“This is my first time,” Schwartz said about helping with Adapted Athletics. “We had one practice and then came out here. It’s pretty fun. It’s cool.”
A couple of teachers at Sand Creek told Schwartz about the tournament and he decided to be apart of it. Schwartz has helped lead the Scorpions to a 13-1 record this season averaging more than 26 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game.
“It’s different, but it feels good to get away from competition,” Schwartz said about being a coach on the basketball court instead of facing a box-and-one defense. “I can just come out here and be loose.”
Arvada and Standley Lake high schools had members of its basketball teams on hand too as referees and scorers for games. Jeffco will hold its Adapted Athletics Basketball Day for Jeffco schools Friday, Jan. 20.
“We want to keep more kids involved in sports. It’s a win-win for everybody,” Mendenhall said. “They see the other kids in sports and it gives them the opportunity to be in sports. It gives them great self-esteem. They can be a part of a team.”
At the end of the day Thursday, Gateway lifted the first-place trophy.
Gateway was crowned the first-place champions in the first Colorado High School Adapted Basketball Tournament. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics) -
Photos: Brighton girls basketball tops Prairie View
HENDERSON — Sophomore Kaylah Lewis scored 21 points as Brighton girls basketball beat Prairie View 67-52 on Saturday.
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All-state softball teams for 2016 season
The 2016 all-state softball teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.
These team were created following a process where the coaches voted upon a list of nominees. Players were nominated by leagues.
Coaches also voted specifically for player and coach of the year.
Scroll down to see the teams.
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Class 5A
Emily Bell (center) is the 5A player of the year. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com) Player of the year: Emily Bell, Cherokee Trail
Coach of the year: Caley Mitchell, Cherokee TrailFirst Team Name School Pos. Year Jordan Acosta Douglas County CF Senior Emily Bell Cherokee Trail P/OF Senior Taylor Gilmore Broomfield P/3B/1B Senior Chloe Knapp Cherokee Trail CF Senior Lindsey Malkin Broomfield 3B/C Senior Tatum Rembao Loveland CF Senior Rachel Sabourin Eaglecrest – Sophomore Sloane Stewartson Rock Canyon C Senior Emily Taggart Legacy – Senior Rheanna Will Fossil Ridge – Junior Second Team Name School Pos. Year Avery Bohn Broomfield P/1B/OF Senior Ciana Curran Fort Collins P Senior Melissa Gellerman Grand Junction Central P/OF Senior Hunter Huser Mountain Range P Senior Aubrea Leikam Cherry Creek 2B Junior Caryle Levy Dakota Ridge P/SS Senior Zoe Mihalicz Legend C/1B Senior Sara Mitchell Arvada West SS/UTIL Senior Cheyenne Padilla Lakewood OF/2B/UTIL Senior Alyssa Pinto Cherokee Trail OF Junior Jesse Smith Legend OF Senior Honorable mention:
Christaana Angelopulos, Ralston Valley, SS, Sophomore; Sierra Batchelor, Grand Junction Central, SS/P/OF, Senior; Sara Breckbill, Chaparral, C/OF, Senior; Terran Caldwell, Grandview, CF/LF, Senior; Gracie Cordova, Pomona, INF, Senior; Braelyn Crenshaw, Eaglecrest; Camille Gardner, Pine Creek; Rebecca Gonzales, Mountain Vista, Junior; Allie Helton, Liberty, 3B/SS/OF, Senior; Megan Jamison, Fossil Ridge, Senior; Alley Kim, Douglas County, 3B/C, Sophomore; Katelyn Kubitschek, Legacy, Senior; Taylor Laing, Fruita Monument, P/1B, Senior; Halie Litwin, Brighton, P, Sophomore; Shea Mauser, Arvada West, P/1B, Junior; Abbey Montoya, Douglas County, 2B/C, Junior; Emily Morris, ThunderRidge, RHP/1B, Senior; Jazmin Neal, Prairie View, 3B, Senior; Corrina Porras, Fountain-Fort Carson, P/INF, Senior; Rylie Schemh, Brighton, OF, Senior; Shelby Shepherd, Rampart, Junior; Lauren Strathearn, Legacy, Sophomore.[divider]
Class 4A
Ali Kilponen is the 4A player of the year. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com) Player of the year: Alexandria Kilponen, Valor Christian
Coach of the year: Dave Atencio, Valor ChristianFirst Team Name School Pos. Year Lauren Foster Valor Christian SS/2B Senior Jade Garbiso Pueblo West P/OF/SS Junior Alexandria Kilponen Valor Christian P/1B Junior Jetta Nannen Silver Creek P/1B/3B Sophomore Taylor Puga Pueblo Central P/1B Junior Allie Reynolds Mullen P/INF Senior Payton Romines Air Academy – Senior Rio Sanchez Erie – Senior Tara Shadowen Mountain View OF Senior Paris Woods Frederick OF Senior Second Team Name School Pos. Year Lynsey Bauchert Erie – Senior CharliRose Davis Mullen INF Senior Julia Elbert Air Academy – Senior Hannah Hackney Erie – Junior Sevi Harden Thomas Jefferson 1B/C/OF Junior Annika Hildebrand Canon City C/P/SS Senior Makayla Keck Pueblo South P/1B Sophomore Erica Mann Valor Christian C/RF Senior Mikayla Marquez Kennedy – Junior Brandy Trengove Wheat Ridge 1B/P/OF Senior Honorable mention:
Jessica Bellatti, Evergreen, SS, Senior; Andi Brown, Golden, Senior; Makaila Bueno, Pueblo County, SS/OF, Junior; Janae Cameron, Windsor, C, Junior; Maddie Dewey, Discovery Canyon, Senior; Chayanna Gallardo, Pueblo East, C, Senior; Sarah Geislinger, Elizabeth, Sophomore; Izzy Griego, Mountain View, SS, Junior; Tracy Harris, George Washington, P/1B, Junior; Denae Howes, Arvada, Senior; Sarah Jorissen, Berthoud, P/SS, Sophomore; Jayllan Krause, Woodland Park, 2B/SS/INF, Senior; Grace Ladd, Niwot, LHP/1B, Senior; Hannah Langer, Berthoud, C/OF, Senior; Maya Liester, Palmer Ridge, Junior; Larissa Lum, Discovery Canyon, Senior; Anna Martinez, Holy Family, OF, Freshman; Bailey Marvel, D’Evelyn, Junior; Tierney Norris, Falcon, 2B/P, Senior; Corah Price, Discovery Canyon, Junior; Zoya Robbins, Thomas Jefferson, P/OF, Junior; Julia Wyatt, Frederick, OF, Senior; Abby Zuschlag, Valor Christian, 2B/P, Senior.[divider]
Class 3A
Selena Medina is the 3A player of the year. (Ray Chen/ArrayPhoto.com) Player of the year: Selena Medina, Rocky Ford
Coach of the year: JC Carrica, Rocky FordFirst Team Name School Pos. Year Haley Bender Lamar – Senior McKenna Gubanich Faith Christian SS/UTIL Senior Karissa Hatchell Eaton C/OF Senior Feliciti Jaramillo Rocky Ford 3B/1B Senior Taylor Knudson Sterling – Senior Kamryn Leoffler Brush – Lily Lockhart Delta P/1B Senior Priscilla Lozoya Valley – Junior Selena Medina Rocky Ford P/INF Senior Abby Mussman Brush – Dakota Stotyn Strasburg P/3B Junior Second Team Name School Pos. Year Morgan Brantmeyer Peak to Peak C/OF Junior Jolene Carrica Rocky Ford C/3B/2B Junior McKenzie Connor Faith Christian P/1B Sophomore Cordelia Hanger The Academy P/INF Freshman Liz Jonjak Lyons SS Senior Alex Lovato Gunnison P/INF/OF Senior Whitney Nelson Rocky Ford 2B/SS/C Senior Lindsay Niederkorn Platte Valley P/SS Senior Sieara Price Eaton DP/OF Senior Lexi Smith La Junta P/SS Junior Honorable mention:
Julie Aguirre, Lamar, Junior; Katie Arnold, Akron, Junior; Shayna Dale, Cedaredge, SS, Senior; Celsi Jurgensmeier, Eaton, SS/2B, Junior; Hayley Keck, La Junta, C/LF, Junior; Haley Mavis, Holyoke, C/INF, Sophomore; Abrianah McGaw, Faith Christian, C/1B, Sophomore; Megan Nieslanik, Basalt, 1B/P/INF, Junior; Sydney Odle, Brush; Carly Powley, Weld Central, SS/C/INF, Sophomore; Alexis Rayburn, Strasburg, P/1B, Sophomore; Morgan Reed, Lamar, Junior; Peyton Richter, St. Mary’s, P/OF, Sophomore; Remington Ross, Eaton, OF/OF, Freshman; Maddy Rule, Brush; Megan Sandoval, Delta, C, Senior; Megan Shelton, Meeker, C/SS/P, Sophomore; Brooke Smith, Limon; Jenna Sutliff, Delta, SS, Sophomore; Sierra Williams, Meeker, SS/C/UTIL, Junior; Peyton Zamora, The Academy, SS, Senior. -
Photos: Cherry Creek football beats Prairie View
HENDERSON — Cherry Creek football, ranked No. 8 in Class 5A, beat Prairie View 44-13 on Friday night.
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Video: Prairie View, Cherry Creek come together as senior with cerebral palsy scores TD
(Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com) There are moments in sport that transcend competition. We were again reminded of this last night at the Cherry Creek-Prairie View football game.
Prairie View senior Patrick McKinney, who has cerebral palsy and is bound to a wheelchair, scored the game’s final touchdown. Everyone in the stadium cheered McKinney as he cross the goal line, including the Bruins’ players on the field.
After he scored, both benches emptied and surrounded McKinney in celebration.
Watch the moment here:
It was also filmed by the Bruins:
Congrats Prairie View on exciting final touchdown of game. pic.twitter.com/F7ry2FWaV9
— CherryCreek Football (@CreekFB) October 29, 2016
(Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com) -
Photos: Brighton softball scores 13 in win over rival Prairie View
BRIGHTON — Brighton softball jumped out to a fast lead over Prairie View and came away with a 13-2 win on Saturday.
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Legacy football wins important homecoming game less than one week after bus crash
WESTMINSTER — As the North Stadium scoreboard clock dipped below the 2-minute mark, the dark navy Friday night sky was suddenly sliced in half by a brilliant bolt of white lightning. It kept flickering in the waning minutes of the game, celebrating in the sky until time expired and the score was final: Legacy 29, Prairie View 6.
In a very important homecoming football game, the Legacy Lightning varsity team rallied behind interim head coach Matt Craddock and played its heart out in victorious fashion for the entire student body and school community.
Less than one week ago, the Legacy JV team and some varsity coaches were involved in a bus crash at Denver International Airport. The bus driver, 43-year-old Kari Chopper, died. 15 football players were injured and three coaches — head coach Wayne Voorhees, offensive coordinator Matt Kroupa and assistant Kyle Rider — were in critical condition after the crash and hospitalized.
It was a devastating start to Legacy’s homecoming week, and the JV game was canceled. But the varsity football team decided to suit up and become #LegacyStrong.
(Morgan Dzak/CHSAANow.com) “One of our athletes, center Seth Hill, said it best,” Craddock, the team’s defensive coordinator, said. “In our meeting, one of the first questions we asked was, ‘Guys, this is a tough week. Should we play this? What are the pros and cons?’
“One of the things Seth, a senior leader, got up and said to us was, ‘Coach V has always talked to us about reloading, not about who we lost or what we couldn’t do. Coach, there’s no way you’re going to keep us off that field.’”
The Legacy community started pouring into North Stadium at least an hour and a half before kickoff. The game appeared standard at first glance: students dressed up in school colors and costumes; decorated cars; kids throwing around footballs in the parking lot; stadium food; tailgating; the typical “Friday Night Lights” excitement.
But this wasn’t a typical high school game. The homemade cards hung all over the front gate fence with “get well soon” messages spoke loud and clear: this game is much bigger than a winner and loser after 48 minutes on the gridiron.
(Morgan Dzak/CHSAANow.com) People piled in, filling up the entire home bleacher section then spilling onto the grass hill behind an end zone. Maybe it’s too early to say this is the biggest game of the year for the Lightning, but it’s safe to say this will be the most important.
It was a very sensitive environment, and the Legacy administration made sure to keep everything closely monitored. But it was filled with the strength and support of not only the Legacy community, but the entire Colorado prep community.
Before the game, senior student body president Clarissa Shelley and Josh Chamberlain, a senior member of the Olympians, a Legacy spirit team at games, came out to speak to the media about the support the school had received during such a difficult week.
“It’s been a tough week, and Monday was the hardest,” Chamberlain said. “We’ve gotten posters all over the Front Range, and schools reaching out on Twitter with #LegacyStrong took us by surprise.”
Shelley added: “The fact the football team decided to come together and play for the coaches and school is incredible.”
Kari Chopper was honored with a moment of silence before kickoff.
(Morgan Dzak/CHSAANow.com) In the first half, Legacy scored touchdowns on the first two drives. Anthony Lyle scored both, running in the second on a 58-yard punt return. At halftime, the Lightning was up on Prairie View 14-0.
Prairie View managed to score in the second half, but then the Lightning piled on another two touchdowns with a PAT and 2-point conversion and sealed the game.
The Legacy players and administration were unavailable for comment after the game and many parents and fans weren’t interested in speaking with media about the game.
But it was evident how much playing this football game meant for the community.
“It was one of those weeks that really tests you,” Craddock said. “You have a choice: you can either let that test pull you apart, or come together. Not only our community, team, administration, teachers — it was a beautiful thing to see how that came together tonight and how well those kids played.”
(Morgan Dzak/CHSAANow.com)