Greeley West football beat Longmont to move to 2-0 on Thursday night, taking down Class 3A’s top-ranked Trojans.
The game had a weird ending: It was called with 2:39 remaining after the stadium had to be evacuated, according to the Greeley Tribune, because of a gas leak near the stadium.
Afterward, Greeley West posted on its Facebook page that “small leak” had been capped.
“The site is now secure and safe, according to fire authorities,” the school posted. “Sorry for the inconvenience and interruption to tonight’s Greeley West game. The emergency response was quick and safety was secured.”
(greeleywestathletics.com)
This marked the first time since 2009 that Greeley West, which plays in 4A, had beat Longmont. The two teams play annually, and Longmont had won seven-straight games between the two teams.
Longmont actually led 14-0 in the first quarter before Greeley West rallied to tie the game at halftime.
The Trojans again took the lead at 20-14 in the third quarter, but the Spartans scored the game’s final 20 points.
The Spartans are now 2-0, while Longmont fell to 1-1.
[divider]
3A/4A: Palisade 28, Montrose 27
The Bulldogs scored 22 second-half points to rally from a 27-6 halftime hole and beat Montrose.
Montrose, which plays in 4A, jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the second quarter, but Palisade adjusted after the break. The rally started late in the third, with a rushing touchdown with 4 minutes to play in the frame.
The Bulldogs, a 3A program, got another rushing score early in the fourth, then took the lead three minutes later on yet another rushing touchdown and a two-point conversion.
[divider]
3A: (4) Silver Creek 45, Mountain View 33
Silver Creek exploded for 22 second-quarter points en route to the 45-33 win over Mountain View.
Andreik Knechtel and TJ Blazon each accounted for two touchdowns for the Raptors, according to the Loveland Reporter-Herald. Brandon Harper added a 98-yard kickoff return for a score.
[divider]
Notables
David O’Connell threw for 196 yards and four touchdowns as Golden beat Littleton 49-0. Colin Mulligan caught two of those touchdown passes.
Ho-hum, yet another high-scoring affair: Skyline beat Coronado 70-50. Jeremy Hollingsworth and Moses Rivera each had four touchdowns for Skyline, according to GazettePreps.com.
There were five shutouts on Thursday. Aside from Golden over Littleton, Thomas Jefferson beat Pueblo Central 68-0, Cherokee Trail beat Denver East 33-0, Horizon topped Overland 40-0, and Denver North beat Arvada 40-0.
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)
The 2016 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 then a vote of head coaches across the state.
Players were placed onto the first-team, second-team and honorable mention based upon the number of votes they received. In 5A-1A, spots were reserved for linemen and one kicker/punter, while 8-man reserved spots for linemen.
CHSAA does not determine who makes or doesn’t make the team; they are created entirely from the results of the coaches’ vote.
[divider]
Class 5A
(Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Player of the year: Dylan McCaffrey, Valor Christian
Wheat Ridge boys basketball coach Tommy Dowd (blue shirt) sits on the Farmers’ bench less than two months after a heart attack. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Public Schools)
WHEAT RIDGE — On the surface it looked like a normal boys basketball season opener at Wheat Ridge High School on Tuesday night.
The lower-level squads for the Farmers sat behind the varsity bench when Wheat Ridge tipped it off against Greeley West. The cheerleaders and poms were in full force. There was a solid Wheat Ridge student section that stood the entire game.
And of course, Tommy Dowd was on the Farmers’ bench where he has been every year since taking over the boys basketball program in the 1997-98 school year. However, just a few months ago a heart attack nearly took Dowd’s life.
“It really changed my perspective on what to worry about and what is important,” Dowd said after a 65-54 loss to Greeley West. “What is important is getting everyone squared away and giving kids opportunities.”
Wheat Ridge players are glad they still have the opportunity to be coached by Dowd.
“We are just kind of playing for him,” Wheat Ridge senior Travis Cowan said of Wheat Ridge’s longtime coach and teacher. “He has been through a lot. We just want to make him proud.”
Wheat Ridge’s Payton Dietrich (2) is guarded by Greeley West’s Andre Sepeda on Tuesday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The heart attack hit Dowd while he was at home in mid-October. He hadn’t been feeling well for a couple of days, but had no idea it was so serious.
One way Dowd knew he was having a heart attack was the symptoms he was experiencing were similar to what Everett Middle School teacher Bill Gold, also a heart attack survivor, had described to Dowd.
Fortunately, Dowd’s youngest son Hank and his father-in-law was with him and were able to get him to Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge within five minutes. Soon after arriving at the hospital he had a stent put into the artery that had a 100 percent blockage.
“I’ve got a clean bill of health with the doctor. They don’t expect anything,” said Dowd, who has had his oldest son and junior varsity coach Vince Dowd run practices so far this season. “Everyone is watching me and making sure everything is OK. You just feel so lucky that you have so many people want to check on me — coaches, players and friends. It’s been awesome the outpouring of support.”
Dowd had former students, players and parents come up to him after Tuesday’s game to ask him how he was doing.
“The really nice part about my job is there are so many kids you know that you don’t know that you had an impact on,” Dowd said. “When something happens to you everyone is checking on you.
The game-plan is to have Vince continue to run things for the next few weeks. Assistant coaches Joe Wallin, Shaun Mulligan and Stacey Coryell have also stepped in while Dowd has done more evaluating and observing.
“I’m comfortable doing it basketball wise. I also know I’m never going to fill his shoes here,” said Vince Dowd, who also teaches at Wheat Ridge High School.
Tommy Dowd has been involved as an assistant football coach, along with head boys and girls golf coach to go along with running the boys basketball program for nearly two decades.
“I’m happy that I’m able to do this, but I’m going to do it in a different way. “I’m still competitive. I still want to win. I still get a little pissed off,” Tommy Dowd said with a laugh.
The positive thing is the heart condition is more hereditary with plaque build up in his arteries, according to Dowd. It’s something he is taking medication to control.
Greeley West’s Darren DeLaCroix, right, attempts to block the shot of Wheat Ridge’s Jack Marvel. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
On the court Tuesday, Wheat Ridge juniors Naishon Thomas (20 points) and Payton Dietrich (11 points) had strong games. Cowan hit four 3-pointer on his way to 14 points, but it wasn’t enough against Greeley West (3-1 record).
The Spartans trailed 12-11 after the first quarter, but seniors Santiago Zuniga-Hernandez and Darren DeLaCroix led the way scoring 15 points each. Sophomore Andre Sepeda finished with a game-high 17 points, including 10 points in the final quarter as Greeley West sealed the victory.
“It’s hard for us to score at times,” Tommy Dowd said. “We need to identify some roles of people who should be shooting and getting more touches. We are a little out of sync.”
Dowd added he is excited about the young talent in the program, which includes 6-foot-10 sophomore Zeke Van Tuyl.
The Farmers finished in the middle of the pack in the deep 4A Jeffco League last season with a 8-7 conference mark. Wheat Ridge nearly upset No. 2 seed Sierra in the opening round of the 32-team 4A state tournament last season after the Farmers just made the field as a No. 7 seed.
There will be a little bit more margin of error the season with 4A going to a 48-team state bracket. The nine conference champions will get automatic bids and the rest of the field will be determined by RPI standings.
Wheat Ridge as a busy remainder of the week playing three games in the Skyline Falcon Challenge at Skyline High School. The Farmers open the tournament at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, against Thornton.
Greeley West stays on the road, facing Windsor at 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10.
Wheat Ridge junior Naishon Thomas (3) is fouled by Greeley West’s Darren DeLaCroix (3) and Andre Sepeda on a drive to the basket Tuesday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
The 2016 all-state boys soccer teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.
These team were created following a lengthy process which included nominations from leagues, and then a vote of coaches.
[divider]
Class 5A
(Derek Regensburger/MaxPreps)
Player of the year: Tajon Buchanan, Legacy
Coach of the year: Hardy Kalisher, Boulder
First Team
Name
School
Year
Pos.
Tajon Buchanan
Legacy
Senior
FORW
Evan Bunch
Arapahoe
Senior
D
Sam Carson
Denver East
Junior
FORW
Omar Castruita
Boulder
Sophomore
FORW
Djibril Doumbia
Boulder
Sophomore
GK
Max Gottesfeld
Denver East
Senior
FORW
Ryan Houseman
Fairview
Senior
MF
Grant Martinez
Fossil Ridge
Senior
–
Armando Ocampo
Broomfield
Senior
–
Riley Shea
Broomfield
Senior
–
Blaise Werner
Boulder
Senior
FORW
Second Team
Name
School
Year
Pos.
Josh Alpert
Cherry Creek
Senior
MF
Mitchell Graesser
Boulder
Senior
D
Simon Julian
Boulder
Senior
D
Daulton Logan
Broomfield
Senior
–
Abraham Lopez
Boulder
Senior
MF
Chase Pacheco
Mountain Vista
Senior
MF
Mathew Rhoads
Fort Collins
Junior
D
Alex Ruiz
Grandview
Senior
MF
Jack Schulze
Heritage
Senior
GK
Jamie Soto
Fossil Ridge
Senior
–
Eric Thompson
Fort Collins
Junior
MF
Andrew Turk
Pine Creek
Senior
FORW
Honorable mention: Matt Behnke, Rock Canyon, Senior, FORW; Braden Bloom, Castle View, Senior, D; Cameron Broadhurst, Broomfield, Junior; Luke Drumright, Arvada West, Senior, MF/FORW; Miguel Garcia, Far Northeast Warriors, Senior, GK; Andrew Hansen, Grand Junction, Senior, D/MF/FORW; Joey Hussey, Rangeview, Senior, D; Jackson Myers, ThunderRidge, Senior, D; Phillip Pedler, Lakewood, Junior, STRK/D; Erik Plascencia, Bear Creek, Junior, MF; Jacob Roldan, Smoky Hill, Senior, MF; Abram Sanchez, Grand Junction, Junior, STRK; Edgar Sepulveda, Westminster, Senior, MF; Stone Streeter, Fairview, Senior, MF; Raghav Thapa, Cherokee Trail, Senior; Brandon Valladares, Greeley West, Senior, GK; Roberto Vasquez, Denver East, Senior, MF; Miguel Veloz, Bear Creek, Junior, FORW; Joel Walker, Vista Ridge, Senior, MF/FORW; Kevin Yevak, Ralston Valley, Senior, D; Miguel Zambrano, Gateway, Senior, MF.
[divider]
Class 4A
(Michael Hankins/TGWstudios.com)
Player of the year: Titus Grant, The Classical Academy
Coach of the year: Blake Galvin, The Classical Academy
First Team
Name
School
Year
Pos.
Jeremy Baldes
The Classical Academy
Senior
–
Jaden Borja
The Classical Academy
Senior
–
Cody Brazelton
Mullen
Senior
FORW
Titus Grant
The Classical Academy
Senior
FORW
Andrew Hiester
Air Academy
Senior
D/MF/STRK
Juan Macias
Battle Mountain
Junior
FORW
Jackson Neal
Lewis-Palmer
Senior
MF
Michael Peters
Pueblo West
Senior
MF/FORW
Wesley Tedstrom
D’Evelyn
Senior
–
Karlo Terrazas
Greeley Central
Senior
GK
Luke White
Cheyenne Mountain
Senior
FORW
Second Team
Name
School
Year
Pos.
Sam Alvares
Cheyenne Mountain
Senior
D
Cristian Catalan
Denver West
Senior
MF/FORW
Chris Chasteen
The Classical Academy
Senior
D
Nico Denton
D’Evelyn
Senior
–
Eli Fenton
Durango
Junior
FORW/MF
Miles Joersz
Battle Mountain
Senior
D
Seth Legan
Pueblo Centennial
Senior
MF
Patrick O’Neil
Evergreen
Senior
D/MF
Ryan Pierce
Valor Christian
Sophomore
GK
Dylan Stanley
Pueblo West
Junior
MF
Brandon Staple
Longmont
Junior
STRK
Honorable mention: Brandon Archuleta, Pueblo West, Senior, MF; Alex Arnold, Niwot, Senior, FORW; Carlos Bahena, Denver West, Senior, MF/HB/FORW; Jorge Baranda, Wheat Ridge, Sophomore, MF/FORW; Richard Benson, Evergreen, Senior, FB/D; Will Beurskens, Steamboat Springs, Junior, MF; Nick Boldvich, Palmer Ridge, Junior; Chris Chasteen, The Classical Academy, Senior, D; Spencer Condon, Mountain View, Senior, STRK/MF; Ture Elamo, Skyview, Senior, GK; Danny Gallardo, Mitchell, Senior, MF; Camden Garland, Durango, Senior, D/MF; Josh Griffin, Standley Lake, Senior; Connor Henry, Durango, Senior, MF; Christopher Himel, Centaurus, Junior, D/FORW; Kristian Hooker, Air Academy, Junior, FORW/MF; Michael Jimenez, Mullen, Junior, FORW/MF; Creek Kamby, Battle Mountain, Senior; Parker Klein, Ponderosa, Senior, MF; Hayden MacPherson, Lewis-Palmer, Senior, GK; Dawson McCawley, Skyline, Senior, MF/FORW/D; Sergio Mendoza, Pueblo South, Senior, GK; Landen Nau, Pueblo West, Senior, D; Brandon Rodriguez, Battle Mountain, Senior, MF; Nikylas Roitsch, The Classical Academy, Senior, D/MF; Jonny Stephens, The Classical Academy, Junior, D/MF; Miguel Toledo, Silver Creek, Senior, STRK.
[divider]
Class 3A
(Michael Hankins/TGWstudios.com)
Player of the year: Max Mehlman, Kent Denver
Coach of the year: Matt Cassell, Jefferson Academy
First Team
Name
School
Year
Pos.
Mohamud Ahmed
Bruce Randolph
Senior
STRK/MF
Lucas Almeida
Jefferson Academy
Senior
–
AJ Arroyo
Jefferson Academy
Junior
–
Larson Baker
Colorado Academy
Junior
–
Evan Coit
Salida
Senior
–
David Felman
Kent Denver
Senior
FORW
Roger Hernandez
KIPP Denver
Senior
–
Brendan Lefkowicz
Peak to Peak
Junior
FORW/D
Max Mehlman
Kent Denver
Senior
HB
Ross Rainaldi
Kent Denver
Senior
GK
Gabe Sherwood
Colorado Springs Christian
Senior
MF/FORW
Ian Strine
Fountain Valley
Senior
–
Second Team
Name
School
Year
Pos.
Rory Buck
Kent Denver
Senior
HB
Jonathan Espinoza
Coal Ridge
Senior
–
Jorge Gurrola
KIPP Denver
Junior
–
Kile Kelley
Jefferson Academy
Senior
–
Galen Kelly
Fountain Valley
Junior
–
Brandon Leeper
Jefferson Academy
Senior
–
Ross Norwood
Colorado Springs Christian
Senior
GK
Victor Ponce de Leon
Arrupe Jesuit
Junior
FB
Lookens Smith
Colorado Springs Christian
Sophomore
FORW/MF
Miguel Vargas
Jefferson
Senior
–
Kolin Whisler
Bennett
Senior
–
Honorable mention: Paul Boehner, Liberty Common, Senior, MF/D; Javier De La Cruz, Basalt, Senior; Conor Findley, DSST-Stapleton, Junior, GK; Josh Fulk, Coal Ridge, Junior; Kevin Garcia, Vail Mountain, Senior; Jacob Gonzalez, St. Mary’s, Senior, MF; Sebastian Grigore, Dawson School, Senior; Irvin Guaderrama, Lake County, Senior, FORW; Brandon Harper, Delta, Junior; Hajrudin Karasalihovic, William Smith, Junior, MF; Braedan Krier, Sterling, Senior; Zion Lander, DSST-Green Valley Ranch, Senior, STRK; Michael Longtine, The Academy, Senior, MF/D; Tanner MacKay, Colorado Springs Christian, Junior, MF/STRK; Nestor Perez, Valley, Senior, FORW; Mike Rutledge, Frontier Academy, Senior, MF; Kyle Shaffer, Rye, Senior, STRK/MF; Elliot Shaw, Middle Park, Senior, MF/D/FORW; Eric Strauss, Jefferson Academy, Junior; Edgar Torres, Aurora West College Prep, Senior, MF/D; Juan Torres, The Pinnacle, Senior; Alec Vega, DSST-Green Valley Ranch, Senior, MF; Ted Weiss, Manitou Springs, Senior, MF; Amos Westley, Estes Park, Junior, GK/D.
GREELEY — 4A football’s No. 3-seeded Pine Creek defeated No. 11-seeded Greeley West 28-9 Friday night at District 6 Stadium in the 2016 state quarterfinals.
Windsor is ranked No. 9 in 4A football this week. (Josh Watt/CHSAANow.com)
Heading into the last week of the regular season, Windsor is back in the Class 4A CHSAANow.com football rankings.
The Wizards found themselves trailing Skyline 13-0 after the first quarter on Friday, but scored 28 points in the second and went on to win the game 35-27.
They reenter the rankings at No. 9 this week and are the only new team to break into the 4A top 10.
Denver South held on to the No. 1 spot this week thanks to a 49-0 win over Standley Lake.
In fact, the top eight teams from last week’s rankings all held their ground going into the final week of the regular season.
Sedgwick County is now No. 1 in 8-man football. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
Heading into the final week of regular season play at the 8-man level, there is a new No. 1 team in the CHSAANow.com football rankings.
Sedgwick County has taken over the top spot in the 8-man poll ahead of its showdown with No. 7 Dayspring Christian on Saturday.
Sargent, which stood tall in last week’s rankings, dropped only one spot to No. 2 and remains undefeated on the year.
Fresh off a win over Justice, Pikes Peak Christian jumped two spots to land at No. 8 this week.
There were no new teams in the 8-man rankings.
Pomona continues to hold a strong grip on the No. 1 spot in the 5A rankings and is continuing to beat every team that the state of Colorado can throw its way.
Chaparral has joined the 5A football rankings. (Kevin Keyser/KeyserImages.com)
The majority of the 5A poll did remain consistent from last week’s rankings except that Chaparral joins the poll at No. 10.
In 4A, Denver South is still the top team while Chatfield (No. 2), Pine Creek (No. 3) and Ponderosa (No. 4) all held their spots from last week’s rankings.
Greeley West jumped two spots to No. 7 while two Pueblo-area teams climbed back into the poll as Pueblo South comes in at No. 9 and Pueblo West lands at No. 10.
Thanks to a thrilling win over Canon City on Friday, Discovery Canyon is still the top team in the 3A poll with Pueblo East jumping one spot to land at No. 2.
At No. 10, Conifer is the only new team in the 3A poll.
As La Junta continues to win, it continues to hold its spot as the unanimous No. 1 team in 2A.
Defending 2A champ, Bayfield, jumps two spots to No. 5 and Sterling makes a three-spot jump to come in at No. 6.
There were no new teams in the 2A rankings.
With a win over Cornerstone Christian, Strasburg still sits atop the 1A poll, but has a new team on its heels as Meeker jumps one spot to No. 2.
Bennett (No. 3) and Cedaredge (No. 7) each jumped two spots this week.
No new teams broke into the 1A rankings.
There were no 6-man rankings this week as regular season play concluded over the weekend and the state playoff bracket was released on Sunday.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.
