DENVER — Gov. Jared Polis made good on his pledge to attend the first day of high school sports competition.
Polis visited the DPS Invitational at Wellshire Golf Course on Thursday morning, a tournament that marked the first day high school sports competition in the state since the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic shut down athletics in mid-March.
“It’s great to have high school sports back,” Polis said. “High school sports are a big part of who we are, and it drives a lot of kids to be part of their school environment, to socialize, to learn those skills that are so important in the work force: being a member of a team, leadership, stepping up when you need to be part of the whole.
“It’s great that high school sports are back, really due to the hard work of Coloradans. The fact that Coloradans are being safe, they’re wearing masks, they’re staying six feet from others,” Polis continued. “We see that in having lower viral numbers than a lot of the other states that are hot spots. Part of that reward for that is that kids are going to have all of the different high school sports season that we have, and they’ll have an opportunity to participate in organized high school sports this year.”
The DPS Invitational included 15 teams: Denver North, Erie, Cherry Creek, Cheyenne Mountain, Arvada West, Regis Jesuit, Denver East, Lakewood, Denver South, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Rock Canyon, Boulder, Northfield and Conifer.
Through two rounds of the 2020 Colorado Open, the battle for low-amateur is shaping up to be a contest of the who’s who of Colorado high school boys golf alums.
And on his home course of the Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, Eaglecrest grad and former Class 5A boys state champion Davis Bryant is right in the mix. Bryant shot a 3-under-par 69 on Friday to make the cut and put himself in the mix for low-am honors on the course he grew up playing on. Bryant currently plays at Colorado State University.
The cut at the event came in at 4-under par at two alums in Cal McCoy (Regis Jesuit) and Brennan Dolan (Fairview) came in right at the number. They trail Palmer grad and current Doherty girls golf coach Colin Prater by four strokes.
Prater shot 71 in a weather delayed second round to enter the weekend as the low-amateur on the board at 8-under. Lakewood has a pair of contenders in Griffin Barela (7-under) and Jack Castiglia (5-under). Bryant’s college teammate AJ Ott shot a 68 on Friday to also get under the cutline. The teammates are paired together for Saturday’s round.
The overall lead in the tournament entering Saturday is Jared du Toit, a pro out of Kimberely, British Columbia.
Tee times for recent Colorado high school golf alums
Eaglecrest alum Davis Bryant is no stranger to Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. The 2017 Class 5A boys golf champion practically grew up on the course and even volunteered at the course during the annual Colorado Open Golf Tournament.
Now he’s poised to attack the course as a player in that very same tournament. Bryant is among several Colorado high school golf alums ready to take on the biggest annual tournament in Colorado. Like most golfers this summer, competitive tournaments have not been as plentiful as they have in years past.
Bryant is hoping to return to Colorado State with a competitive battle under his belt and the Colorado Open is the best level of competition that he’ll get to see.
“I obviously want to play well,” Bryant said. “I don’t want to go out there shoot 75 a couple of times and miss the cut. If I can use this right way and build off the people that are supporting I can take advantage of this.”
Each player in the field feels that way, especially the amateur players that grew up playing golf in Colorado.
Colin Prater. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Among the other Colorado high school alums playing in the Colorado Open are Griffin Barela (Lakewood), Jack Castiglia (Lakewood), Brennan Dolan (Fairview), Jackson Klutznick (Kent Denver), Joshua McLaughlin (Thompson Valley), AJ Ott (Fort Collins), Kyle Pearson (Highlands Ranch), Colin Prater (Palmer), Beau Schoolcraft (Kent Denver), Jackson Solem (Silver Creek), Marcus Tait (Columbine) and Dylan Wonnacott (Silver Creek).
The field is also packed with notable names around Colorado, especially within the golf world. Jefferson Academy alum Jennifer Kupcho will also be teeing it up and after conquering the boys’ club at Augusta National last spring, she’s embarked on a professional career. Her first professional win came earlier this summer at the Colorado Women’s Open.
Fort Collins resident Sam Saunders, the grandson of the late Arnold Palmer is in the field along with Denver Broncos kicker Brandon McManus.
The real key to the event are the older players that can inspire someone like a young Davis Bryant. He can remember working the event as a volunteer and being amazed when he saw what some of the players can do.
“I remember I saw a guy from Arizona way back in the day, probably 10 years ago and he hit a golf shot on hole No. 13, the par 3, and I had no idea how he did what he did with a golf ball,” Bryant said. “Now I can hit a similar golf shot, maybe nothing that good, but I just remember picking up on things. Watching them and watching how they handled themselves.”
Everyone is looking to someone close to help them through the event. Each player might turn to a friend or family member to provide caddy support. Bryant is turning to his father, Matt, the general manager at GVR.
“He’s going to talk to me about some yardages,” Bryant said. “Not club choice per se but but he’s also going to help me on the mental side to keep my mind off golf.”
Bryant, Ott and the rest of the Colorado high school alums begin play at Green Valley Ranch on Thursday with the final round being played on Sunday.
Littleton graduate Susie Puchino holds the ‘Lil Mac Hustle & Heart Scholarship award during the presentation June 9 at the Gold Crown Field House. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
LAKEWOOD — Recent high school graduates Blake Schell (Green Mountain) and Susie Puchino (Littleton) received a pleasant surprise Tuesday afternoon.
Schell and Puchino were summoned to the Gold Crown Field House in Lakewood on June 9 where they both received the inaugural ‘Lil Mac Hustle & Heart Scholarship.
“It means the world to me,” said Schell after being awarded the $2,000 scholarship which he’ll have when he begins his college basketball career at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. “It’s an amazing award and being the first one. It’s incredible and an honor to have.”
Puchino will actually continue her academic and athlete career at Metro State University in Denver on the women’s soccer team.
(Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“I’m very excited and very honored to receive this,” Puchino said. “I’ve always tried to put a lot of hustle into my game.”
The scholarship is in the memory of Lakewood High School student-athlete Mackenzie Forrest. The four-year varsity basketball player for the Tigers tragically passed away after a car accident during her senior year in 2016.
Mackenzie’s parents — Holger and Denise Forrest — have been active to keep the spirit Mackenzie brought on and off the field alive. Jeffco League basketball coaches nominated players for the scholarship.
“We found these two (Schell and Puchino) with the passion and compassion on the basketball court and also off the basketball court, which was what Mackenzie was all about,” Holger Forrest said.
This was the third year the Forrest Family has partnered with the Gold Crown Foundation on raising money and then donating it. This was the first year of creating the two scholarships per year and awarded to a male and female who were selected to the Jeffco High School Senior Basketball Games at the end of each preps hoops season.
This year’s Jeffco seniors all-star basketball games were canceled this past March 19 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It definitely lessens the blow,” said Puchino, who missed out on the spring girls soccer season her senior year that was also canceled. “This (scholarship) gives me something to look back on for all the time I put in.”
Moving forward, Holger Forrest said the Jeffco Schools Foundation will get involved and help create a criteria for the scholarship. The plan is to also add a Foundation game before the start of the high school basketball season to raise money to fund the scholarship each year.
“Our hope is they continue to foster those traits of kindness and help their community,” Forrest said of Schell and Puchino.
Schell is actually friends with Mackenize’s younger bother Gavin, who graduated from Green Mountain in 2019.
“This was a great way to end high school basketball for me,” said Schell, who was a two-sport athlete in soccer and basketball for Green Mountain. “It looses up everything a little bit.”
Green Mountain graduate Blake Schell — two sport student-athlete for the Rams — will play basketball at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
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 (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
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).
Typically, the Colorado Athletic Directors Association announces their annual awards at their conference each year. However, with no conference this year, they are announcing the awards online.
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Annual Awards
CADA 1A Athletic Director of the Year: Brett Williams, Hanover JSHS School District 28
CADA 2A Athletic Director of the Year: David Schuessler, Clear Creek
CADA 3A Athletic Director of the Year: Jesse Shawcroft, Centauri High School
CADA 4A Athletic Director of the Year: Kris Roberts, Cheyenne Mountain HS
CADA 5A Athletic Director of the Year: Adam Kelsey, Denver South High School
CADA Administrative Assistant of the Year: Joyce Cunningham, Littleton High School
CADA Administrator of the Year: Diana Sirko, Mesa County Valley School District
CADA Board Member of the Year: Reynaldo “Chico” Garcia, St. Vrain
CADA Award for Distinguished Service: Sue Prahl, Niwot High School
CADA Media Representative of the Year: Dan Mohrmann, CHSAANow/Southern Colorado
CADA Middle School Athletic Director of the Year: Jeff Conway, Coal Ridge MS
CADA New Athletic Director of the Year: Jimmy Cottrell, Kiowa High School
CADA Retired Athletic Director of the Year: Frank Lee, Fairview High School
State Award of Merit: Denny Squibb, Fruita Monument High School
Student Athlete Scholar award:
Male: Elijah Meyers, Arickaree High School
Female: Susan Puchino, Littleton High School
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CADA Committee Awards
Kurby Lyle Service Award: Mike Jacobsma, Dawson High School
LAKEWOOD — Lakewood seniors Nadia Trevizo-Medina and Aaliyah Sabala would love to play one more game inside the Denver Coliseum.
“Before the game I went into the mindset that this wasn’t going to be my last game of my senior year,” Trevizo-Medina said after she scored a game-high 22 points Tuesday night in Lakewood’s first-round playoff victory against Rock Canyon. “I’m pushing to make it back to the Coliseum again.”
Trevio-Medina and Sabala are some of the last reminisce from the Tigers’ back-to-back trips to the Final 4 of the Class 5A girls basketball state tournament. Lakewood advanced to the state championship game in 2017 and made it back to the semifinals in 2018 at the Denver Coliseum.
Lakewood sophomore Logan Watson (2) works her way around Rock Canyon junior Madeleine LeGrande (33) during the first half Tuesday night at Lakewood High School. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“Nadia and Aaliyah has meant so much and been through so much with state championship games and Final 4s,” Lakewood coach Chris Poisson said. “This year we are giving them everything we can and see what happens.”
It was a little dicey early in the opening round of the state tournament Tuesday night for the No. 18-seeded Tigers (13-11 record) hosting No. 47 Rock Canyon. The Jaguars actually jumped out to a 14-10 lead after the first quarter.
Lakewood made just three field goal in the opening quarter.
“We were stuck on 10 points for a long time,” Poisson said of the Tigers’ poor shooting early on. “We were taking good shots that were open. They just weren’t falling.”
Shots started hitting the bottom of the net in the second quarter. Sophomore Logan Watson poured in all of her eight points in the key second quarter for the Tigers. Lakewood outscored Rock Canyon 21-7 in the second quarter.
“I knew I had to shoot them if I was open,” Watson said of her offensive output in that helped Lakewood push out to a double-digit lead at halftime. “Those felt good.”
Rock Canyon senior Halle Hamilton (10) drives on Lakewood sophomore Amanda Archuletta (3) during the second half Tuesday night. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Sophomores Amanda Archuletta and Haven Kutch hit a 3-pointer each before halftime. Junior Mariah Ramos had a pair of buckets during the Tigers’ 18-2 run.
“I was a bit nervous just because our energy seemed a bit off,” Watson said of the rough start. “We weren’t shooting well at all. We just never quit.”
Trevizo-Medina took over in the second half. She drained a trio of 3-pointers and even had a 3-point play in old-school fashion with a drive to the basket and getting fouled. She had a dozen point in the third quarter.
Lakewood finished the game with a dozen 3-pointers made by six different players. Trevizo-Medina led the way with four 3-pointers.
“We had to work around our strengths,” Trevizo-Medina said. “That’s shooting the ball and feeding the ball into the bigs we do have.”
While the Tigers’ offense got going, the defense locked down Rock Canyon in the second half. The Jaguars (9-15) was held to 21 points in the second half.
“We are playing our best right now,” Poisson said. “It just took us a long time for us to find the combination of executing and making shots.”
The Tigers had a quick first-round exit last year with a road loss to Liberty. The young squad got back above .500 during the regular season this year and finished third in the 5A Jeffco League behind No. 1-seeded Valor Christian and No. 7 Ralston Valley.
With Poisson playing six sophomores on varsity this season, he talked about how important it is to get some postseason experience for the future. The Tigers will get a big playoff road test against No. 15 Cherokee Trail on Friday night in the second round.
Lakewood senior Nadia Trevizo-Medina (23) scored a game-high 22 points in the Tigers’ 70-42 win over Rock Canyon on Tuesday night. The Tigers hit the road for the second round of the 5A state tournament. Lakewood faces No. 15 Cherokee Trail on Friday night. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
