Brian Mosley rushed for three touchdowns to help Doherty football pull off a big upset of previously unbeaten and sixth-ranked ThunderRidge on Friday night.
“We knew this was going to be a four-quarter fight, and it came down to the last minute of the game,” Doherty coach Jeff Krumlauf told CHSAANow. “ThunderRidge is truly a top-10 program in the state right now. They have some special kids and some great coaches. For us to be down by 14 and sustain a course was huge for us on a high level.”
The Spartans entered the week winless at 0-4, but had played the second-toughest schedule in the state according to the RPI, with losses to Cherry Creek, Mullen, Pine Creek and Fairview to open the season. All have been ranked in the top-10 at some point this season.
On Friday, Doherty rallied from down 14 to take a 21-14 lead at halftime, thanks to two scores from Mosley, and a defensive fumble return for a TD.
In the end, the Spartans were able to hold off a rally from ThunderRidge, which had started the season 4-0.
[divider]
Colorado PrepsCast
A recap of Friday’s games:
[divider]
1A: (2) Limon 36, (1) Strasburg 6
Limon led 21-0 early, taking that lead into the break, before Strasburg made it 21-6 after three. But the Badgers only added to the margin in the fourth quarter.
“I thought our kids were really ready to play; I think they were excited to play,” coach Mike O’Dwyer told the Colorado Preps Scoreboard Show. “With our win that we had last week against Meeker, our kids got a little bit of confidence playing against a really good team. And obviously Strasburg is also a great team, and I think they were really looking forward to the challenge.”
Hauk Hubbard led Limon with 111 yards rushing and two scores, while Celby Hollenbaugh also had a rushing touchdown. Cannan Bennett also threw a touchdown pass for Limon.
The game was briefly interrupted in the second half when the sprinklers came on.
“You don’t see it too often,” O’Dwyer said. “I think that was the second time in my career I’ve seen that happen.”
Limon limited Strasburg to just 15 yards rushing. Strasburg entered the game averaging close to 200 yards per game.
The Badgers rushed for 291 yards themselves.
[divider]
4A/3A: (4A 4) Montrose 21, (3A 2) Palisade 17
(Tom Hoganson)
MONTROSE — Fourth-ranked Montrose won 21-17 in front of a full house on Friday night.
The game went back-and-forth all night. Palisade grabbed a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but Montrose cut it to 10-7 on a 85-yard interception return for a touchdown from Cauy Boulder with 23 seconds left in the half.
Montrose grabbed its first lead when Cole Simmons scored on a two-yard run in the third quarter, but Palisade responded with a rushing score from quarterback Cam Tucker with 8:34 to play.
The ensuing kickoff went out-of-bounds, giving Montrose the ball at their own 35. They then used a clock-chewing drive to score the winning touchdown with 40 seconds left. Again, it was Simmons who scored, this time on a six-yard rush.
“We beat a good team,” Montrose coach Brett Mertens said afterward. “Cauy Boulden’s interception was big for us. We had some young kids step in and play the line and they did a great job.”
“We had some young kids fill in on the line and they open holes for me,” Simmons said.
— Tom Hoganson
[divider]
6-man: (1) Stratton/Liberty 77, (2) Otis 6
(Dustin Price/DustinPricePhotography.com)
The Knighted Eagles flexed their muscles in a matchup of 6-man’s top two teams.
5A No. 7 Eaglecrest quarterback Dylan James rushed for three touchdowns as his team cruised to a 5-0 start this season with a 50-14 win over No. 8 Arvada West.
Pueblo West led 4A No. 9 Pine Creek 9-0 at halftime, but the Eagles scored 21 unanswered points to win 21-9. The turning point was a muffed punt return in the third quarter that set Pine Creek up with a short field, and led to their first touchdown.
Alameda defeated Valley 51-43 to end an 18-game losing streak.
Fountain-Fort Carson sophomore Alexisius Jones Jr. rushed for 340 yards and four touchdowns in his team’s 58-18 win over Overland.
6-man: In a win over No.4 Flagler/Hi-Plains, freshman Yahir Enriquez rushed for six touchdowns and 292 yards on 22 carries for No. 8 Idalia. He also threw a touchdown pass, and caught another. He had 383 all-purpose yards. “Everything was clicking for us,” Idalia coach Colby Newton told the Scoreboard Show.
2A No. 10 Kent Denver scored a tying touchdown and two-point conversion with 1:42 to play in regulation, then went on to beat Pueblo Centennial in overtime, 34-28.
Hinkley football is now 4-0 after a 30-14 win over Sand Creek. Hinkley was 1-19 over the past two seasons, and has won more than three games in a season just once since 2004.
Steamboat Springs football cruised to a 40-7 win over Hotchkiss in their first game in their home stadium after it was renovated.
5A No. 5 Grandview had its way with Mullen, beating the Mustangs 56-3.
In 1A, No. 6 Centauri beat No. 10 Buena Vista 41-7.
In 8-man, No. 6 Holly edged No. 8 Fowler 29-28. “It was crazy,” coach Dayne Eaton told the Scoreboard Show. “I don’t know if I’ve seen a game where the kids were playing that hard against each other.”
Fort Collins beat Poudre in overtime, 20-14. The Lambkins had led 14-0 at halftime, and Poudre rallied to tie it and send it to OT.
Vista PEAK is now 4-0 in 4A after beating Aurora Central 30-14. This is the best start in the seven-year history of the program.
6-man: Granada and No. 5 Cheyenne Wells traded scores seemingly every other minute in a shootout, one that saw Granada ultimately pull off the upset win 74-64.
Emmanual Heurta rushed for three touchdowns to help 1A No. 5 Wray beat Brush 26-7.
Noah Roper scored three touchdowns on just seven carries as 3A No. 1 Erie topped Canon City 55-7. He also recovered a fumble.
Denver East quarterback Myles Patterson threw for 242 yards and three scores in a 44-6 win over Mountain Range. The Angels are now 4-1 after going 2-8 last season. It’s their best start since they opened 6-1 in 2014.
In a matchup of returning champions, 3A No. 6 Palmer Ridge beat Pueblo South 45-14.
Joshia Davis, a running back who missed the past three games with injury, made his return for Valor Christian in a 27-0 win over Menlo Atherton (Calif.). He had six carries, and scored a touchdown.
When Remington Ross steps up to the plate, don’t be surprised to see the entire infield tense up.
If the Eaton junior puts the ball into play, more often than not she’ll cover the 60 feet to first base while the throw is still in the air. Ross’ speed is such a factor that the Reds don’t even have signs for her – she can make her own decisions, at the plate and on the bases.
What has been Eaton’s good fortune is often a coaching nightmare for opposing teams. Reds coach Dale Hughes can relate – he remembers witnessing something similar at Sterling just a few years ago.
“Bob Knudson out at Sterling had a couple of girls – his daughter (Taylor) was one of them – that all they had to do was just bunt the ball on the ground and they were safe. There was no throwing them out,” Hughes said. “I used to just go, ‘Man, I wish someday I would ever get somebody like that.’”
Consider that wish granted. Midway through her junior season, Ross is hitting at a .652 clip (30-for-46), is among the state’s leaders with 26 runs scored, and has stolen 31 bases in 12 games.
Last week she topped 100 stolen bases for her prep career.
In a 6-4 victory last Friday over fifth-ranked Faith Christian, Ross had three hits, two stolen bases and two runs scored in the first four innings despite never hitting the ball out of the infield.
“I feel their energy,” Ross said of her teammates. “I’ve got to get on to help them and I know they’ll get me around. I’ve got to do my job, and I know they’ll do theirs.”
Second-ranked Eaton, which has reached the 3A semifinals in each of the past two years and was the runner-up in 2015, is off to a 9-3 start headed into the heart of play in District 3 – better known as the Patriot League.
After enduring a three-game skid in the second week of the season, Eaton has won six games in a row and is averaging 11 runs a game. Senior Allie Hobbs and sophomore Jennifer Jarnigan have combined for 23 extra-base hits and 48 RBIs, but Ross is the one who ignites the offense from the leadoff position. She’s the puzzle that pitchers must try to solve a handful of times each game.
“That’s the key word, is ‘Try,’” said Michelle Woodard, the longtime coach of defending champion and third-ranked Strasburg. “She’s very good at putting the bat on the ball no matter what you do. The strategy with Remington is to try not to pitch her anything that’s really easy to bunt.
“Even letting her get on is dangerous. She’s probably one of the quickest runners I’ve seen in a long time. She’s very efficient and a player we think about a lot.”
With the non-league portion of the schedule pretty much wrapping up last weekend, the next month is all about making moves in the league standings. In the Patriot League, that’s easier said than done. The top three teams in the most recent CHSAANow.com 3A softball poll reside in District 3, and a league team has accounted for six of the previous eight state championships.
In the two years that another team won the title, Strasburg – which has reached six consecutive title games – was the runner-up.
Valley won the crown in 2010 and 2011.
“The Patriot League is one of the best leagues in 3A, so you’re coming up against tough opponents every single week,” Woodard said. “Last year if you look at the final four, three of the four are out of our league, and that’s been a consistent thing. I think that’s what prepares us so well for the state tournament, is playing each other.”
Strasburg rolled past Brush in the 2017 championship game, just a few short hours after needing to rally past Eaton 10-9 in the semis behind three Dakota Stotyn home runs.
The Indians (7-4) are coming off a 2-2 showing in the Berthoud Tournament that included losses to a pair of 4A squads, but the team has one of the state’s elite pitchers in senior Alexis Rayburn (5-1, 0.83 ERA with 79 strikeouts in 42 innings pitched).
Strasburg has three league games this week, matching up against No. 1 University on Thursday and Eaton on Saturday.
“I tell our girls this is where we work and try to get better and see what needs to be done so we can be in that championship game,” Woodard said. “Even though it’s such a tough league, I think all the coaches have a lot of respect for each other, and I think that makes it such a wonderful league.”
While Strasburg continues to the be the team to beat, Hughes understands it’s the constant challenge from game-to-game that gets programs ready for the postseason.
A 10-win University team is currently ranked No. 1. Sophomores Andi Padilla and Delaney Wieneke each have 28 hits, and junior Kyra McFarland has scored 26 runs, ripped 11 extra-base hits and stolen 26 bases.
“University’s program has really come along, and Rocky (Byrd) has done a great job building that up. Now they’re a force to be reckoned with,” Hughes said. “Sterling is always Sterling – Bob out there has a good program in the summer, and if they lose one they just bring in the next group.
“(Bob) Odle at Brush, once again, it’s just the consistency in the programs, and I’m hoping that we’re kind of at the same area.”
Eaton already owns a victory over University, and seniors Melanie Fye and Lauren Frink have pitched well as of late. The Reds have four games in the next eight days before starting their second loop through the league.
Ross said the focus needs to be on not letting names be a cause for intimidation, and that matching up against such high-level competition should be something to enjoy.
“It’s so much fun,” Ross said. “We’re more of a family than a team, and it’s just even more fun competing against great competitors.”
Eaton returned seven starters from last year’s semifinal run, and the seniors have now made deep runs three years in a row. Hughes is hoping that translates to more success this fall should Eaton get back to Aurora Sports Park next month.
“It’s that confidence. When we walk on that field, those seniors are teaching those young ones – no, we expect to win,” Hughes said. “We’re here to play a softball game, and we expect to win. We’re going to play it the right way, and that confidence has just been building over the years.
“It started with that group four years ago to what we’re doing now.”
Loveland (in 5A) and Holy Family (4A) have taken over atop their respective softball rankings this week.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday during the regular season.
Voted upon by coaches and select media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.
Class 5A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Loveland (5)
10-0-1
83
9
4-0-1
2
Eaglecrest (1)
9-2-0
81
1
4-1-0
3
Cherokee Trail (2)
9-0-0
75
5
2-0-0
4
Legacy
5-2-0
60
3
2-0-0
5
Fossil Ridge (1)
8-2-0
56
2
2-0-0
6
Douglas County
7-2-0
55
4
2-1-0
7
Rock Canyon (1)
6-2-0
39
8
1-2-0
8
Columbine (1)
6-1-0
34
–
2-0-0
9
Brighton
6-3-1
28
6
2-1-1
10
ThunderRidge
7-1-0
22
–
3-1-0
Others receiving votes:
Valor Christian 21, Ralston Valley 15, Castle View 11, Hinkley 7, Legend 5, Prairie View 4, Chatfield 3, Grandview 2, Broomfield 1, Grand Junction Central 1, Mountain Vista 1, Regis Jesuit 1.
Dropped out
Valor Christian (7), Legend (10).
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Holy Family (3)
5-0-0
100
3
1-0-0
2
Silver Creek (3)
10-2-0
96
2
4-1-0
3
Erie (5)
7-2-0
88
1
4-2-0
4
Mountain View
5-4-2
62
4
1-2-1
5
Wheat Ridge
7-2-0
39
6
3-1-0
6
Pueblo South
6-2-0
38
7
2-2-0
7
Pueblo County
4-0-0
29
8
0-0-0
8
Mullen
2-6-0
28
5
1-4-0
9
Pueblo East
7-0-0
19
–
2-0-0
10
Northridge
6-2-0
18
–
2-0-0
Others receiving votes:
Thomas Jefferson 17, Conifer 13, Longmont 12, Berthoud 6, Pueblo Centennial 6, Rifle 5, Golden 4, Northfield 4, Pueblo Central 4, Frederick 3, Evergreen 2, Ponderosa 1.
Dropped out
Conifer (9), Frederick (10).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Strasburg (5)
4-2-0
87
1
2-0-0
2
University (2)
8-2-0
86
2
1-1-0
3
Lamar
6-3-0
65
4
3-0-0
4
Eaton (1)
6-3-0
59
3
2-0-0
5
Faith Christian (1)
4-2-0
51
5
2-0-0
6
Delta
4-2-0
43
–
3-1-0
7
St. Mary’s (1)
8-2-0
32
10
3-0-0
8
Rocky Ford
2-4-0
28
7
0-1-0
9
Brush
5-3-0
23
6
1-1-0
10
Basalt
3-0-0
20
–
2-0-0
Others receiving votes:
The Academy 16, Meeker 15, La Junta 7, Limon 5, Peak to Peak 5, Sterling 4, Aspen 2, Burlington 2.
Eaglecrest (5A) and Erie (4A) have taken over the top spots in their respective softball rankings this week.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday during the regular season.
Voted upon by coaches and select media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.
Class 5A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Eaglecrest (3)
5-1-0
61
3
5-1-0
2
Fossil Ridge (1)
6-2-0
52
2
6-2-0
3
Legacy
3-2-0
49
4
3-2-0
4
Douglas County
5-1-0
44
10
5-1-0
5
Cherokee Trail (3)
7-0-0
41
–
7-0-0
6
Brighton
4-2-0
29
5
4-2-0
7
Valor Christian
5-1-0
28
9
5-1-0
8
Rock Canyon
5-0-0
26
–
5-0-0
9
Loveland (2)
6-0-0
24
6
6-0-0
10
Legend
1-4-0
22
1
1-4-0
Others receiving votes:
Columbine 21, Arvada West 10, Prairie View 7, ThunderRidge 7, Hinkley 5, Castle View 4, Chatfield 3, Grandview 2, Mountain Vista 2, Ralston Valley 2, Broomfield 1.
Dropped out
Columbine (7), Arvada West (8).
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Erie (5)
3-0-0
84
3
3-0-0
2
Silver Creek
6-1-0
67
4
6-1-0
3
Holy Family (1)
4-0-0
63
6
4-0-0
4
Mountain View (1)
4-2-1
58
1
4-2-1
5
Mullen
1-2-0
32
5
1-2-0
6
Wheat Ridge (1)
4-1-0
25
–
4-1-0
7
Pueblo South (1)
4-0-0
23
9
4-0-0
8
Pueblo County
4-0-0
19
–
4-0-0
9
Conifer
2-1-0
17
7
2-1-0
10
Frederick
3-2-0
16
–
3-2-0
Others receiving votes:
Pueblo Central 15, Pueblo Centennial 14, Golden 13, Thomas Jefferson 13, Longmont 8, Discovery Canyon 6, Pueblo West 5, Roosevelt 5, Windsor 4, Berthoud 3.
Dropped out
Golden (2), Pueblo Central (8), Thomas Jefferson (10).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Strasburg (4)
2-2-0
70
1
2-2-0
2
University (3)
7-1-0
63
6
7-1-0
3
Eaton
4-3-0
56
2
4-3-0
4
Lamar
3-3-0
44
7
3-3-0
5
Faith Christian
2-2-0
38
3
2-2-0
6
Brush
4-2-0
37
5
4-2-0
7
Rocky Ford
2-3-0
25
9
2-3-0
8
Sterling
3-2-1
24
–
3-2-1
9
La Junta
1-5-0
19
4
1-5-0
10
St. Mary’s (1)
5-2-0
15
–
5-2-0
Others receiving votes:
Limon 11, Meeker 11, Burlington 8, Delta 6, The Academy 5, Basalt 3, Peak to Peak 3, Holyoke 1, Valley 1.
Strasburg (3A), Mountain View (4A) and Legend (5A) are on top of the 2018 preseason softball rankings.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday during the regular season.
Voted upon by coaches and select media members around the state. New voters can sign up by emailing rcasey@chsaa.org. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.
Class 5A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
1
Legend (8)
0-0-0
93
2
Fossil Ridge
0-0-0
68
3
Eaglecrest
0-0-0
62
4
Legacy
0-0-0
60
5
Brighton (1)
0-0-0
40
6
Loveland
0-0-0
36
7
Columbine
0-0-0
33
8
Arvada West
0-0-0
26
9
Valor Christian (1)
0-0-0
25
10
Douglas County
0-0-0
20
Others receiving votes:
Cherry Creek 12, Cherokee Trail 11, Mountain Vista 11, ThunderRidge 11, Broomfield 10, Ralston Valley 7, Rock Canyon 6, Grandview 5, Prairie View 4, Pomona 3, Vista Ridge 3, Chatfield 2, Hinkley 2.
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
1
Mountain View (6)
0-0-0
90
2
Golden (1)
0-0-0
73
3
Erie (1)
0-0-0
68
4
Silver Creek (1)
0-0-0
63
5
Mullen
0-0-0
51
6
Holy Family
0-0-0
47
7
Conifer
0-0-0
38
8
Pueblo Central
0-0-0
36
9
Pueblo South (1)
0-0-0
17
10
Thomas Jefferson
0-0-0
15
Others receiving votes:
Pueblo County 14, Frederick 11, Discovery Canyon 10, D’Evelyn 4, Elizabeth 4, Ponderosa 3, Pueblo West 2, Windsor 2, Mesa Ridge 1, Wheat Ridge 1.
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
1
Strasburg (7)
0-0-0
97
2
Eaton (3)
0-0-0
92
3
Faith Christian
0-0-0
66
4
La Junta
0-0-0
47
5
Brush
0-0-0
44
6
University
0-0-0
43
7
Lamar
0-0-0
40
8
Meeker
0-0-0
34
9
Rocky Ford
0-0-0
32
10
Limon
0-0-0
20
Others receiving votes:
Delta 9, Sterling 9, St. Mary’s 7, Burlington 3, Cedaredge 3, Fort Lupton 3, The Academy 1.
The 2018 all-state baseball teams honor the best players in the sport as judged by the leagues and coaches. They are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.
These teams were created following a lengthy process which included nominations from leagues, and then a vote of head coaches.
Player and coach of the year was also selected by a vote of the coaches.
[divider]
Class 5A
Mountain Vista’s Sam Ireland. (Tim Bourke/MaxPreps)
Player of the year: Sam Ireland, Mountain Vista
Coach of the year: Ron Quintana, Mountain Vista
First Team
Name
School
Pos.
Year
Brayden Brooks
Mountain Range
Senior
Garrett Declue
Arapahoe
LHP/CF
Senior
Riley Egloff
Heritage
RHP/3B
Senior
Sam Ireland
Mountain Vista
RHP/3B/1B
Junior
Niklavs Levensteins
Ralston Valley
3B/2B
Senior
Jack Liffrig
Mountain Vista
LHP
Senior
Justin Olson
Pine Creek
1B/LHP
Senior
Tanner O’Tremba
Cherry Creek
Zach Paschke
Mountain Vista
INF
Senior
Second Team
Name
School
Pos.
Year
Justin Boyd
Legend
SS/CF
Junior
Matthew Boyd
Regis Jesuit
Senior
Riley Cornelio
Pine Creek
SS/RHP
Junior
Brandon Dryer
Arapahoe
LF/RHP/2B
Senior
Hayden Heinze
Rocky Mountain
OF
Senior
AJ Jergensen
Ralston Valley
OF
Junior
Arian Jimenez-Quezada
Heritage
SS/3B/RHP
Senior
Kasey Koppelmaa
Chatfield
LHP/OF
Senior
Andrew Morris
Monarch
2B/P
Senior
Josh Thompson
Highlands Ranch
P
Senior
Honorable mention:
Luke Bailey, Chaparral, OF, Senior
Jake Barber, Cherokee Trail, Senior
Simon Baumgardt, Lakewood, P/SS, Junior
Tyler Boggs, Fruita Monument, C, Senior
Alex Champagne, Heritage, SS/2B, Freshman
Colten Chase, Cherokee Trail, Senior
Dorsey Chatham, Boulder,
Pete Chronowski, Heritage, LHP/1B, Junior
Benjamin Derosiers, Castle View, LHP/1B/CF, Senior
Ozzie Dominguez, Aurora Central, P/1B, Senior
John Emerson, Denver East, Junior
Tanner Garner, Broomfield, Senior
Zach Goodman, Arapahoe, C/OF/UTIL, Senior
Jake Greiving, Legend, C/OF/3B, Junior
Zach Harstad, Loveland, 1B/LHP/OF, Junior
Calvin Hunt, Ralston Valley, RHP, Junior
Jenner Kehe, Lakewood, P/OF/SS, Sophomore
Cam Kennedy, Smoky Hill, CF/3B/2B, Junior
Reese Lansville, ThunderRidge, RHP/INF, Senior
Cale Lansville, ThunderRidge, RHP/INF, Freshman
Grant Magill, Mountain Vista, C, Junior
Jayden Martinez, Grandview, OF/DH, Junior
Nick Merone, Rock Canyon,
Trey Morrill, Fruita Monument, P/OF, Senior
Cade Nelson, Rocky Mountain, INF/P, Junior
Drew Norsen, Fort Collins, OF/LHP, Sophomore
Jay Onken, Pine Creek, OF/RHP, Senior
Ryan Overboe, Legacy, LHP/1B/RF, Senior
Quentin Parr, Cherry Creek,
Mike Polson, Mountain Range, Senior
Henry Rock, Fairview, Junior
Tyler Schultz, Cherry Creek,
Frankie Shearn, Columbine, OF, Senior
Ross Smith, Legacy, RHP/RF, Senior
Drew Stahl, Mountain Vista, INF, Junior
Ryan Stohr, Dakota Ridge, RHP/1B, Junior
Zach Sulyma, Eaglecrest, 3B/C, Senior
David Velasquez, Brighton, SS/P/3B, Senior
Wyatt Wendell, Rock Canyon,
Reggie Williams, Douglas County, Senior
Kevin Zapanta, Overland, 2B/1B/RHP, Senior
[divider]
Class 4A
Valor Christian’s Josh Danyliw. (Paul DiSalvo/MaxPreps)
The 2017-18 all-state wrestling teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.
These teams were created based upon results at the state meet. Coaches and wrestlers of the year were selected by the Colorado High School Coaches Association at the state meet.
Scroll down to see the teams, or use the menu below to navigate to the class of your choosing.
[divider]
Class 5A
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Wrestler of the year: Jacob Greenwood, Poudre
Coach of the year: Cole Allison, Grand Junction
First team
Name
Year
School
Weight
Dawson Collins
Sophomore
Grand Junction
113
Vince Cornella
Freshman
Monarch
106
Gabe Dinette
Senior
Lakewood
160
Jacob Greenwood
Senior
Poudre
145
Malik Heinselman
Senior
Castle View
120
Josiah Rider
Senior
Grand Junction
152
Theorius Robison
Junior
Pomona
132
Christian Rowell
Senior
Adams City
170
Tate Samuelson
Senior
Castle View
182
Fabian Santillan
Junior
Grandview
126
Cohlton Schultz
Junior
Ponderosa
285
Mason Watt
Senior
Broomfield
220
Jayden Woodruff
Senior
Ponderosa
195
Colton Yapoujian
Junior
Pomona
138
Second team
Name
Year
School
Weight
Josh Betts
Senior
Rocky Mountain
160
Gavin Deaguero
Senior
Adams City
152
Aidan Funk
Senior
Legacy
170
Nicholas Gonzales
Senior
Adams City
126
Job Greenwood
Junior
Poudre
132
Alec Hargreaves
Sophomore
Rocky Mountain
195
Brody Lamb
Senior
Poudre
138
Seth Latham
Senior
Grand Junction
182
Adrian Marquez
Junior
Castle View
113
Dylan Martinez
Senior
Grand Junction
145
Weston Mayer
Senior
Poudre
285
Justin Pacheco
Junior
Pomona
120
Hunter Tobiasson
Junior
Grand Junction
220
Wyatt Yapoujian
Sophomore
Pomona
106
[divider]
Class 4A
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Wrestler of the year: Andrew Alirez, Greeley Central
DENVER — Another chapter has been added to the legacy of Alamosa’s wrestling program.
The Mean Moose dominated the Class 3A state tournament in winning their 11th state championship with 164 points Saturday night at the Pepsi Center.
The Mean Moose, who sent 11 wrestlers into the tournament, put away the championship earlier in the evening and won their first state title since they won three in a row in Class 3A from 2011-2013.
Alamosa is now third all time for the most wrestling state championships in Colorado history behind only Rocky Ford and Wray, which have 12 each. All the Mean Moose’s state crowns have come with head coach Gary Ramstetter, who just completed his 37th season as the boss of the program. Eaton finished second in the team race with 145 points, followed by Lamar at 100 points.
“This feels great,” Ramstetter said. “This is what we work for. I have a good group of guys. I still like doing this. I’ve been doing it my whole life.”
The Mean Moose also won state championships in 1988 (AA), and 1992, 1995, 1998-99, and 2006-2007 all in Class 4A.
Alamosa’s latest title run was powered by cousins, Davion Chavez (106 pounds), and Joe Chavez (126) captured gold medals. The Mean Moose’s individual winners was increased to 58.
Reis Martinez also was a runner-up at 152 pounds as was heavyweight Preston Duran.
Joe Chavez won in dramatic fashion, leading 5-4 late in the match and then pinning Brush’s Caleb Cox with eight seconds remaining.
“I just stayed low and I knew I had to keep wrestling,” said Chavez, who finished the season with a 42-6 record. “I kept moving and he kind of got high and I just stacked him over his own head to get the pin. It feels great to win with my cousin because we have put in so much work together. Winning the team title is great because that’s what we were striving for all year.”
Chavez, a junior, has now won back-to-back state championships as he won at 120 pounds in 2017.
Davion Chavez, a freshman, concurred with his cousin.
“It’s amazing to win state,” he said. “I’ve been working for over 10 years for this and it finally all paid off. It’s great to know that I contributed to our team state championship and helped my team reach that goal. It just feels awesome.”
Chavez (36-8) beat Trinidad’s Alberto Felthager (36-6), 6-2.
The Mean Moose’s latest title run also was boosted by 113-pound Elijah DeLaCerda (third place), 132-pound Tyler Kenison (fourth), 145-pound Kolten Hillis (fifth), and 220-pound Logan Thompson (fourth).
Inspired wrestler
When La Junta’s Isaiah Gamez muscled past Berthoud’s Kolten Strait 6-2 in the 113-pound finals, one thought immediately came to his mind – his late great grandmother Rosemary Gamez. Gamez passed away Nov. 22 at the age of 84.
“This just feels great,” Isaiah said. “I wanted to control the match the whole time, make it my match not his. Ever since my great grandma passed away everything I’ve done is for her. She was my rock. I never thought I could do this and she always believed I could do it.”
The sophomore finished the season with a 36-5 record.
Third time is a charm
(Marlee Smith/CHSAANow.com)
For the last two years, Valley’s Brandon Damian came up short falling in the state finals.
The senior wasn’t about to be denied Saturday night and he came through with a 3-1 decision over Centauri’s Brandon Buhr. Damian clinched the victory with a takedown with 22 seconds to go in the third period.
“I have been working so hard this whole season and in practice we do those situations where it is 1-1 with 20 seconds left in the third period and you have to get that takedown,” Damian said. “I knew I had to go, I couldn’t wait. I had to shoot, and when I got the takedown I secured it all.”
As a freshman, Damian took third at 120 pounds, and he was second as a sophomore and junior at 132 pounds.
“I have been working to win state ever since my freshman year and I finally got over that hump, and it feels so good,” said Damian, who capped his season at 34-2. “This is the best feeling in the world.”
Damian also was chosen top wrestler in the state 3A tournament.
Centauri’s Brandon Buhr, a fellow senior, finished the season with a 46-4 record.
The wait is over for Johns
(Marlee Smith/CHSAANow.com)
Junior Nathan Johns of The Classical Academy doesn’t have to wait any longer for a state wrestling title.
Johns edged Valley’s Josh Flanigan 3-2 with an escape in the ultimate overtime tiebreaker at 182 pounds. The same Flanigan who lost to in overtime in a match earlier this season.
“These two guys are so evenly matched that neither guy really wanted to commit,” said TCA coach Sean Collins. “It was a very tactical match and we were able to make it where he couldn’t score with phenomenal defense and we capitalized when we need to.”
Johns couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as he was being congratulated by his teammates. He finished the season with a 34-3 record.
“This is incredible,” said Johns, who lost in the state finals at 182 pounds a year ago. “I’m so happy. This is just amazing.”
Johns is the second state wrestling champion in TCA’s history. Andrew Register won the Titans inaugural title on the mat in 2014 at 135 pounds.
Eaton moves up
Eaton High School’s wrestling team had a strong showing finishing second to Alamosa. Eaton’s is coached by Tony Mustari. Mustari was a three-time state champion at Greeley Central.
The Reds lone finalist was Ariel Rodriguez (46-10), and the senior dropped an 8-4 decision to Berthoud’s Austyn Binkly (38-5).
Weld Central doubles up
The Rebels of Weld Central flexed their muscles with back-to-back state crowns.
Weld Central’s Jimmy LaConte (39-2) def. Steamboat Springs’ Hayden Johnson (32-4), 7-6. LaConte’s teammate, Quentin Jiner (32-5) followed that up with a 7-5 decision over Moffat County’s Mikinzie Klimper.
Other winners grabbing gold
During a night filled with emotion, there were several other grapplers basking in championship glory. Grand Valley’s A.J. Serna (120 pounds), Buena Vista’s Anthony Quintana (132), Sheridan’s Faustin Lopez (195), Lamar’s Bart Gruenloh (220) and Delta heavyweight Logan Church. Quintana (40-0) and Church (35-0) finished their state-winning seasons with perfect records.
DENVER — To say Fowler’s Dahlton McGhee is having a career year would be a bit of an understatement.
After failing to qualify for the state wrestling tournament as a freshman and not placing as a sophomore and junior, McGhee is one win away from one of the most remarkable turnarounds in state history.
After his win over Wray’s Jayce Reser in the Class 2A 195-pound semifinals, he’s just one match away from claiming his first state championship and also running the table for the 2017-18.
McGhee improved his record to 41-0. Not bad for a guy who wrestled at 152 as a freshman and 160 as a sophomore and junior.
He’ll take the mat at Pepsi Center with the rest of the finalists on Saturday. The Parade of Championship is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. and championship matches will begin at 7.
[divider]
Wray has a big lead in the 2A title quest:
Wray is closing in on its first state wrestling championship since 1988. The Eagles, who have won 11 in their history, lead the 2A team race with 134.5 points.
Rocky Ford, the defending champion, sits in second with 105.5 points. Cedaredge is third with 94.5, just ahead of Paonia (94). Fowler is fifth with 75.5.
[divider]
Alamosa heads the 3A team chase:
Alamosa is on top of the race for the 3A team championship. The Mean Moose are way out in front with 120 points. Eaton and Lamar are tied for second with 85 points.
Berthoud (70 points) is fourth, while Pagosa Springs (69) is fifth.
[divider]
Notables:
Wray’s Cade Rockwell knocked out defending 2A 113 champion Dillon Jaramillo of Rocky Ford with a pin in overtime of their semifinal match.
Brush junior Wyatt Pfau handed Valley sophomore Jaziah Whaley (42-1) his first loss of the season in advancing to the 3A 152 final.
Javier Gonzalez of Valley knocked off a returning champ in the 3A 120 quarterfinals, beating Jacob Duran of Fort Lupton with a 5-3 decision. He fell to Ethan Andrade of Lamar in the semifinals.
Conifer freshman Cayden Condit, the lone female qualifier, advanced to the second round of the consolations after defeating The Classical Academy junior Brendan Johnston via forfeit. She battled in the second-round consolation, tying the match up late, but ultimately lost a 6-4 decision.
