Denver East (in Class 5A) and Jefferson Academy (in 3A) are the new No. 1 tams in this week’s boys soccer 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
PVS
LW
1
Denver East (8)
7-0-0
98
2
2-0-0
2
Boulder (1)
5-1-1
82
1
1-1-0
3
Broomfield
5-1-0
71
3
2-0-0
4
Fort Collins
4-0-1
65
4
1-0-0
5
Fairview
5-1-0
53
6
2-0-0
6
Fossil Ridge
4-0-1
52
5
2-0-0
7
Grandview (1)
4-1-0
47
7
1-0-0
8
Monarch
5-0-1
25
–
2-0-0
9
Hinkley
4-1-0
11
–
2-0-0
10
Cherry Creek
3-2-0
9
8
0-1-0
Others receiving votes:
Arapahoe 8, Castle View 8, FNE Warriors 8, Legacy 7, Douglas County 2, Rangeview 2, Grand Junction 1, Regis Jesuit 1.
Dropped out
Douglas County (9), Arapahoe (10).
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Air Academy (8)
6-0-0
80
1
1-0-0
2
Niwot
6-0-1
52
4
2-0-0
3
The Classical Academy
4-1-0
50
3
2-0-0
4
Windsor
7-0-0
49
5
2-0-0
5
Durango
6-1-0
46
2
1-1-0
6
Sand Creek
6-0-0
30
–
2-0-0
7
Silver Creek
4-0-1
25
9
1-0-0
8
Littleton
7-0-1
23
–
3-0-0
9
Cheyenne Mountain
4-3-0
21
7
2-0-0
10
Montrose
5-2-0
17
8
1-1-0
Others receiving votes:
Denver North 13, Battle Mountain 10, Kennedy 9, Golden 8, Vista PEAK Prep 3, Pueblo Centennial 2, Northridge 1, Thomas Jefferson 1.
Dropped out
Battle Mountain (6), Kennedy (10).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Jefferson Academy (5)
5-0-1
95
2
1-0-1
2
Kent Denver (5)
5-0-1
86
1
2-0-1
3
Colorado Springs Christian
3-2-0
51
6
0-1-0
4
Colorado Academy
4-2-0
49
3
2-1-0
5
The Academy
5-0-2
40
7
2-0-0
6
DSST-Stapleton
5-1-0
39
4
2-1-0
7
KIPP Denver Collegiate
4-3-0
37
5
1-1-0
8
St. Mary’s
5-1-0
31
–
2-0-0
9
Liberty Common
4-0-0
28
8
2-0-0
10
The Pinnacle
5-2-0
17
10
1-1-0
Others receiving votes:
Peak to Peak 16, Faith Christian 10, Aurora West 9, Delta 8, Alamosa 7, Eagle Ridge Academy 6, Manitou Springs 6, James Irwin 3, Vail Mountain 3, Bruce Randolph 2, DSST-Green Valley Ranch 2, Salida 2, William Smith 2, Arrupe Jesuit 1.
It may not be the flashiest, but it’s arguably the most necessary.
No, they’re not going to rush for 1,800 yards or find a receiver that makes a tip-toe catch at the pylon. What they will do is make all that possible. They’ll create the hole, they’ll protect the pocket for the quarterback to make that throw.
They’re offensive linemen and the depth Colorado has at the position is unbelievable. And it will be for the foreseeable future.
“The talent this year is very deep in the younger ranks,” said former NFL offensive lineman Matt McChesney, owner of Six Zero Strength, which trains many of the top linemen in the state. “I think the state of Colorado is very deep with big guys, especially offensive linemen.”
Take the 1,590 yards Highlands Ranch’s Kobe Eller rushed for in 2016.
“Pretty much any running back in the state would love to run behind this line,” Highlands Ranch coach Mark Robinson said. “You’d have to be crazy not to want to run behind them.”
Eller had Austin Johnson, Drake Nugent and Jaden Walker creating holes and taking defenders multiple yards up the field.
“Austin Johnson might be the best player in the state of Colorado,” McChesney said. “He’s a fifteen-year-old grown man. He thinks differently, he acts differently. (Nugent) is the same way. They’re best friends, they feed off of each other.
“Both of those kids are absolute freaks, and the work ethic of both of them is just ridiculous. That’s what sets them apart.”
Robinson spoke on Walker and his role with the Falcons.
“Jaden Walker, he’s at center, guard combination,” Robinson said. “I don’t think there’s a better one in the state of Colorado.”
As for leadership, Robinson said Nugent is more of a vocal leader than Johnson and Walker.
“Drake is more of the vocal leader,” Robinson said. “Austin Johnson is a leader, just through his actions. They’re both very explosive off of the ball.”
Robinson added on the three linemen, “You put those three together, what it gives us is a lot of confidence having those guys in front of them.”
Johnson, Nugent and Walker lead in a different way. They lead in the weight room, they lead with their work ethic.
(Renee Bourcier/CHSAANow.com)
“What they really do is they push you in the weight room. They’re great weight room leaders,” Robinson said. “It pushes the rest of the team. They just go to work. I call them ‘bring your lunch pale’ type guys.”
For No. 9-ranked Highlands Ranch, the strength of the team lies in that offensive line.
“As far as our biggest strength, I would say, definitely our offensive line,” Robinson said. “You can break it right down and pinpoint it to that. A really solid offensive line.”
The athletes at offensive line across the state span from Mullen’s Florian McCann III, a CSU committ, to Air Force committ Blake Carrette.
“(Carrette) is a very multidimensional player that plays tackle for Mike Campbell at Arapahoe,” McChesney said. “He’s one of my guys in here that’s been grinding for almost three years for his opportunity.”
Said McChesney on McCann III: “He’s really a damn fine player, big body.”
McChesney, an alum of Niwot High School who played at CU, is excited about this wealth of talent, which should say a lot coming from a former NFL offensive lineman.
“Gavin Singer is a big tackle at Columbine,” McChesney said. “He might be the nastiest guy in the state. Very versatile, he can play right tackle, guard, center. It’s just a matter of time before the Mountain West or a Power 5 school gets a hold of him.”
Eaglecrest has a 6-foot-6, 265-pound lineman in Barrett Miller.
“(Miller) is very fluid, heavy hands, good feet, super athlete and great hips,” McChesney said. “He’s a huge prospect at Eaglecrest. He’s another nasty one. I always have to tell him we can’t hurt people in the gym, and to back off.”
McChesney spoke on the offensive line talent that Cherry Creek has with Mike Lynn and Carson Lee.
“(Lynn has) an extremely good punch, violent hands,” McChesney said on the six-foot-seven, 300 pound tackle. “He works five days religiously on top of what he does at Cherry Creek.”
“(Lee) is just born nasty. He’s got three more years to develop. The sky is the limit for Carson, he’s got big legs, broad shoulders.”
There’s returning first team all-stater Max Bruner at Ponderosa, Jacob Wilton at Brighton and many more.
McChesney builds a family with these big linemen and often utilizes the phrase, “Dungeon Family.”
“When I say Dungeon Family, it’s truly a family,” McChesney said. “I have your back, you have my back. You’re going to sell out for me, I’m going to sell out for you.
“Family holds eachother accountable, family helps eachother, family has eachother’s back.”
These linemen will be able to showcase their true talent on the field starting on Thursday, the beginning of Zero Week.
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Big-school football preview
Important dates
Regular season begins: Aug. 24 (Zero Week); Aug. 31 (Week 1)
First team: Max Borghi, Pomona, RB/CB, Sr.; Victor Garnes, Eaglecrest, RB/CB, Sr.; Jake Heimlicher, Regis Jesuit, DE, Sr.; Dimitri Stanley, Cherry Creek, WR/CB, Sr.; A jon Vivens, Mullen, WR/CB, Sr.
Second team: Gunner Gentry, Grandview, WR, Sr.; Luke McCaffrey Valor Christian, QB/DB, Jr.; Barrett Miller, Eaglecrest, DE/OT, Jr.
4A:
First team: Marcell Barbee, Pueblo South, Sr.; Maxwell Bruner, Ponderosa, G/NG, Sr.; Griffin Moss, Chatfield, DT/DE, Sr.; Brandon Ramirez, Windsor, WB/KR, Sr.; Isaak Rolfe, Pine Creek, DE, Sr.
Second team: Jesse Bridge, Sand Creek, K/P, Sr.; Steve Brock, Pueblo South, RB, Sr.; Payton Dietrich, Wheat Ridge, RB/LB; Mason Knighton, Ponderosa, OT/DE, Sr. Christion Louis, Pine Creek, DT, Sr.; Jayden Manu, Loveland, OL, Sr.; Devyn Morgan, Pueblo West, RB; Quinton Ostdahl, Ponderosa, RB/LB; Sterling Ostdahl, Ponderosa, QB, Sr.; Zach Watts, Windsor, DT/OT
3A:
First team: Nathan Mackey, Mead, RB, Sr.; Trey McBride, Fort Morgan, TE/DE, Sr.
Second team: Ty Evans, Palmer Ridge, QB/FS, Jr.; Austin Hassler, Longmont, LB, Sr.; Gavin Mestas, Durango, WR/FS, Sr.; Stone Samaras, Holy Family, QB, Jr.; Derrick Smashum, Vista Peak Prep, QB, Sr.; Sean Willden, Holy Family, OL/DL, Sr.
LAKEWOOD — Athletes from 30 schools participated in the Colorado High School Soccer Coaches Association’s all-state boys and girls soccer games on Tuesday.
The South boys beat the North 5-1 while the North girls edged the South 1-0.
Three local players were selected during the second day of the MLB Draft on Thursday, bringing the early total to four Colorado products selected.
Lucas Gilbreath, a Legacy alum, Columbine graduate Blake Weiman, and Sand Creek grad Josh Keaton all had their names called. In Keaton’s case, he made school history by becoming the first player from Sand Creek ever selected in the MLB Draft.
Gilbreath, a 2014 graduate of Legacy who just finished his junior season at the University of Minnesota, was selected by the hometown Colorado Rockies in the seventh round with the No. 206 overall pick.
The left-handed starter went 5-2 with a 2.66 ERA this spring, striking out a team-high 92 batters against 32 walks in 81.1 innings. He was a first team All-Big Ten honoree.
In high school, Gilbreath led Class 5A in strikeouts as both a junior and a senior. He was named to the all-state teams as a senior.
Then, in the eighth round, Weiman was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates at No. 238 overall. Weiman, a 2014 graduate of Columbine, recently finished his junior season as a relief pitcher for the Jayhawks.
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound lefty threw 45 innings, striking out 55 against just five walks. He finished the year 5-1 with a 2.80 ERA.
Weiman, who was not drafted out of high school, marks the 16th selection in Rebels’ history. At Columbine, Weiman finished his career with an 11-1 record and a 2.38 ERA.
In the 10th round, Josh Keaton became the first Sand Creek player ever drafted when the Baltimore Orioles took him at No. 308 overall. The school opened in 1997.
Keaton, who graduated from Sand Creek in 2012, was a senior at Adams State this spring. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound right-handed pitcher was 4-5 with a 5.52 ERA in 11 starts and a team-high 75 innings pitched this season.
Tuesday’s selections followed that of Regis Jesuit grad David Peterson (now at Oregon), who went in the first round on Monday.
The MLB Draft concludes with rounds 11-40 on Wednesday.
The 2017 all-state girls soccer 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.
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Class 5A
(Matt Daniels/MattDanPhoto.com)
Player of the year: Haley Schueppert, Mountain Vista
Jared Felice started his teaching and coaching career at Fountain-Fort Carson. The 2001 graduate of Mesa Ridge High School became a social studies teacher, the dean of students and also worked on the varsity football coaching staff under Mitch Johnson.
Now he’s headed back there to oversee the athletic department.
After two years as the athletic director at Sand Creek, Felice is returning to his roots to take the athletic director position that was vacated by Chris James.
James is returning to his hometown of Pueblo as the new principal at Pueblo West. He served as the AD for the Trojans for one year.
That left the door open for Felice who jumped at the opportunity to get back to his hometown.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to return to my roots at Fountain-Fort Carson HS and once again serve this special community,” he said. “I am fully committed to upholding the mission and vision of the district and high school in driving the athletics program in a new direction that advances our coaches and student-athletes toward success.”
The Trojans boast a standout track and field team and will head into the football season under the second year of new coach Jake Novotny.
Felice will have to jump right into the decision making process as the school is without a boys basketball coach. Gregory Williams will not be returning to the program.
Felice is unsure if he will make a hire, but says he may be a part of the process.
He will finish out the school year at Sand Creek and start as the FFC athletic director at the start of the next school year.
The 2016-17 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 of the year were selected by team performance at the state meet, as well.
Wrestlers of the year were determined by a formula which took the following information into account: season record; season winning percentage; type of wins at state (pin, tech fall, major decision); strength of a weight classification’s bracket; and multiple championships.
Scroll down to see the teams, or use the menu below to navigate to the class of your choosing.
Valor Christian boys basketball is the new No. 1 in Class 4A. The Eagles escaped Evergreen in a 54-53 win last week.
The previous top team in the CHSAANow.com 4A rankings, Pueblo West, wasn’t so lucky. The Cyclones lost to Pueblo South 67-64 after being down 34-19 at halftime. Pueblo West didn’t fall too far however, sliding to the No. 2 spot.
That Pueblo South team got some recognition for the upset as they joined the 4A poll at No. 8.
3A also added a new team to the rankings. Manual came in at No. 10 in this week’s CHSAANow.com rankings.
In 5A, Doherty and Grandview swapped places, with the Spartans rising from No. 7 to No. 5. Doherty won its second-straight league title after beating Rampart. Grandview dropped after its loss to No. 4 Eaglecrest.
Dawson received one first place vote as they rose from No. 9 to No. 6 in the 2A poll. The top three teams remained the same in 2A.
Crowley County entered the 2A rankings at No. 8.
In 1A, Longmont Christian moved from No. 6 to No. 4, swapping with Flagler.
Weldon Valley dropped out, making room for Primero to jump into the rankings at No. 10.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. These are the final rankings of the regular season.
