Vista Ridge is sending one of its best to the Pac 12.
Last month, soccer standout, Joel Walker, announced he would be continuing his soccer career with Oregon State University.
In his three years with the Wolves, Walker has scored 22 goals while assisting on 21 others.
In 2016, he’ll look to help Vista Ridge improve on their 8-6-1 record from last year. The Wolves missed out on the Class 4A state playoffs and will be playing at the 5A level this season.
Walker’s commitment has been updated in our recruiting database for the class of 2017.
Through all the moments that we saw, we complied a list of some of our favorites moments from the past year.
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Cherokee Trail overcomes tragedy to take Class 5A volleyball title
The Cherokee Trail volleyball team began the season dealing with something no high school kids should have to deal with. Before the season, a friend and teammate, Celeste James, passed away.
West Grand gives football coach Chris Brown 306th win
Chris Brown. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
Playing with heavy hearts following the death of a teammate earlier in the week, West Grand football gave coach Chris Brown career win No. 306 last fall to tie a state record.
The 8-man team played just three days after quarterback JD Guess was killed in a car accident while driving home from practice.
“The win tonight had little to do with me,” Brown wrote in an email afterward. “First, credit goes to Eric Guess [JD’s father] and Will [his brother, and a former player at West Grand], our amazing assistant coaches, an unbelievable crowd, and a tremendous effort from our kids.”
Christian McCaffrey finishes second in Heisman voting
Christian McCaffrey. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
A whirlwind of a regular season put Valor Christian alum Christian McCaffrey in the national spotlight. The Stanford star was named a finalist for the 2015 Heisman Trophy and finished as the runner-up to Alabama running back Derrick Henry.
McCaffrey was in the national spotlight again less than three weeks later as he helped the Cardinal roll to a 45-16 win in the Rose Bowl. The former Eagle record 368 all-purpose yards in the game and scored two touchdowns.
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Holy Family, Chris Helbig has record-setting start to football season
Chris Helbig. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
The start of the 2015 football season was a sprint, not a marathon for Holy Family quarterback Chris Helbig. The senior set a state record by throwing for 607 yards in the Tigers first game of the year in a win against Mountain View.
Helbig’s season came to a disappointing end as he tore his ACL and was unable to finish the football season or compete during the basketball season. Despite the injury, Helbig aims to continue his football career at the University of Colorado.
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Meeker’s T.J. Shelton win fourth wrestling title
Despite trailing early in his match, Meeker’s T.J. Shelton became the 19th wrestler in state history to win his fourth wrestling title.
Shelton accomplished the feat with a 16-7 major decision over Centauri’s Chris Martin.
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Houtsma recovers from crash to win nordic skate
Graham Houtsma. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Graham Houtsma took a nasty spill and lost one of his poles when he was leading the nordic skate at the 2016 state skiing championships.
He recovered, was a given a new pole by a teammate, and went on to win the race by one-tenth of a second.
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Kent Denver coach Scott Yates wins 300th game
Kent Denver’s Scott Yates. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Longtime Kent Denver football coach and athletic director Scott Yates won his 300th career game in October.
“It’s not a one-guy deal. That’s all there is to it,” Yates said after the game. “The school’s been great. The program has been a lot of fun. And the coaches and the kids that we’ve had the pleasure to work with is really what makes it.”
Yates was the fourth coach to reach the mark.
But like Brown’s 306th win, this milestone came in a wake of school tragedy. Kent Denver teacher Kristin Brown had passed away a week earlier, and the loss weighed heavy on the school.
“I don’t know if you heard him after the game, but after winning 300 games, he didn’t even talk about that,” said Kent Denver running back Will McKissick. “He talked about Ms. Brown, who we lost this week, and he talked about how there are more important things than football. I think that’s not your average guy.”
Kent Denver advanced to the 2A semfinals in the fall, which puts Yates’ career mark at 304-74. The state record, held by Brown and Pat Panek, is 306 wins.
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Regis Jesuit boys basketball coach Ken Shaw wins No. 700
Regis Jesuit players pose with coach Ken Shaw after he won his 700th game. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
The greens at the Pueblo Country Club are no joke. But with a championship on the line, Silver Creek senior Erin Sargent refused to let them stop her from claiming the 4A girls golf championship in May.
She sank a birdie putt on 18 to top Caroline Jordaan and end her high school career as the best 4A golfer in the state.
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Mountain Range wins 5A softball title
Mountain Range won the 5A softball championship. (Tim Visser/TimVisserPhotography.com)
The 5A softball title went to a team that had never even reached the state tournament before. Mountain Range started play in 2009 and made the state tournament for the first time in 2015.
The Mustangs made the most out of the opportunity, coming away with the 5A championship with a 12-2 win over Pomona. It was only the second overall state championship in school history.
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Valor Christian avenges early-season loss to claim 5A football title
Pomona was good enough to beat Valor Christian in the regular season. But the Eagles proved to be tougher to handle with gold on the line.
Valor forced a turnover with less than three minutes left and was able to capitalize on it to come away with its sixth championship in seven seasons.
“In our program, we don’t want to focus too much on peaks and valleys,” Valor coach Rod Sherman said. “We lost a close game like this last year and tried not to be too devastated about it, and this year we’ll try not to be too over the moon.”
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Castle View’s co-ed spirit title felt like a win for all
In perhaps the year’s best example of all for one and one for all, the Denver Coliseum exploded with cheers for Castle View when it was announced the Sabercats had won the 4A/5A co-ed title.
The reason was easy, coach Heather Acampora has become known for actively rooting on all teams at the event, competition or not. With Acampora’s desire to see all teams succeed at the highest level, it was easy to be happy for her own team’s victory.
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Rainsberger caps incredible career
Katie Rainsberger. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
The 2016 state track meet proved to be the perfect sendoff for Air Academy senior Katie Rainsberger. After bringing home the cross country title in the fall, the Oregon commit swept the 800, 1,600, 3,200 and 3,200 relay to end her high school career as one of the top runners the state has ever seen.
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Sanford ties record for winning streak
Sanford won the 2A boys basketball title. (Jeff Tucker/jefferywtucker.zenfolio.com)
Sanford boys basketball won its third-consecutive 2A championship in March, and in the process extended its winning streak to 73 games. That ties the state record held by Ridway in 1993-96.
The winning streak dates to the middle of the 2013-14 season.
Sanford beat Resurrection Christian 63-58 in dramatic fashion to win the 2A title.
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Oliana Squires ties state tournament scoring record
Sand Creek’s Oliana Squires. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Oliana Squires put on an historic performance during the 4A girls basketball Final 4. The Sand Creek senior tied a state tournament record by scoring 43 points in the Scorpions loss to Evergreen.
Valor Christian went on to win the girls 4A title, but the scoring effort by Squires in the semifinals was the standout performance of the tournament.
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Gifs used to help pass time for 5A basketball bracket release
I might be tough to recall games off the tops of our heads, but the fun we all had while waiting for the basketball selection committee to release the 5A boys basketball was definitely one of the top moments of the year.
Vista Ridge, Sand Creek produce wild ending in boys hoops
In one of the craziest endings all year, in any sport, Sand Creek battled back from a 20-point deficit in the second half to take its first lead of the game on a Jordan Phillips 3-pointer (video above).
The Scorpions forced a turnover and possessed the ball with 10 seconds remaining, but a steal led to an open shot for Raymon Harper who would knock it down, giving the Wolves a huge win over their district rivals.
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Juarez throws a gem to give Holly first baseball title
Seven innings of dominance on the mound gave Holly its first baseball championship in school history, as the Wildcats came away with the 1A crown.
Ricardo Juarez threw seven innings, allowing only four hits while striking out six Fleming hitters in the win.
“Ricardo’s been our guys since he was a freshman,” Holly coach Dayne Eaton said. “We’ve been so close. Two years ago we knocked off a great Stratton team and then last year we tried to save Ricardo and got beat by Dove Creek and they went on to win it.”
Holly had fallen to Fleming in the 2013 1A title game.
The Lewis-Palmer girls soccer team finally got the state championship that barely eluded them a year ago. After falling to Cheyenne Mountain in penalty kicks in 2015, the Rangers needed to find the back of the net only once in 2016.
Annica Fletemeyer scored the only of goal of the game as the Rangers topped Valor Christian 1-0.
“I didn’t want to miss it, that’s what was going through my mind,” Fletemeyer said. “It was a great ball by Brianna (Alger). I didn’t want to miss it because I didn’t want to let my team down. It was just such a rushing feeling of emotion, so I’m just really glad I could put it away.”
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Colorado Academy wins fourth-consecutive field hockey title
Colorado Academy field hockey has won 70-straight games. (Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)
For the seniors on Colorado Academy’s field hockey team, the feeling of not winning a state championship will never be felt.
The Mustangs increased their winning streak to 70 games and captured their fourth state field hockey title in as many years.
“It’s definitely not routine,” Colorado Academy coach Veronica Scott said. “It’s beautiful for the seniors because there’s eight girls here who have not lost a game in four years. It’s their fourth championship. For them, that’s extra special.”
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Pueblo West finishes quest for first boys basketball title
Pueblo West was not among the early favorites to come away with the 4A boys basketball title. But that didn’t stop the Cyclones from storming through the bracket.
The win gave the Cyclones their first boys basketball championship in school history.
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Fairview girls tennis ends Cherry Creek’s 19-year state title run
Fairview girls tennis won this year’s 5A championship. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
For 19 straight years, Cherry Creek was the talk of 5A girls tennis. That run ended in may as Fairview became the first team since the Bill Clinton administration to best the Bruins for the team title.
Thanks to Sophie Pearson’s win in No. 3 singles, the Knights edged Cherry Creek by three points. But it took some time for the feat to sink in for Fairview coach Susan Stensrud.
“I’m not one hundred percent,” she said. “I don’t believe it one hundred percent. It hasn’t sunk in, but I’m so glad it’s this team of girls.”
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Valor Christian wins twice on a Sunday to capture 4A baseball
Valor Christian baseball won 4A. (Tom Robinson/CHSAANow.com)
Weather (shockingly) pushed the completion of the 2016 baseball championships back one day. So it was on a Sunday that Valor Christian was able to beat Pueblo West twice to come away with its first baseball championship.
It was the seventh team championship on the year for the Eagles which led all schools.
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Limon’s sportsmanship helps Rocky Ford en route to softball tourney
The Rocky Ford softball team returned to Limon in May to thank the community for its sportsmanship. (Tom Robinson/CHSAANow.com)
Rocky Ford softball was on the way to the 3A state tournament last fall, and when it passed through Limon, the team was met with a road block — and a banner directing the team to a parking lot.
The Rocky Ford team had two players who recently lost their parents, and the tragedies were “widely and deeply felt,” according to coach JC Carrica.
Limon’s community rose up. They prepared goody bags for each player, took the time to talk with the players who recently lost their parents, and then sent Rocky Ford off with honking horns and more banners.
“The girls were hanging their heads out of the bus window, yelling, smiling, of course taking pictures and selfies,” Carrica said. “It was just the encouragement and lift we needed. As we left Limon and entered the interstate, there was not a dry eye on the bus.”
Loveland ends Pine Creek football’s 37-game winning streak
(Josh Watt/CHSAANow.com)
Pine Creek football was a juggernaut this season, storming it was through the 4A ranks.
But then the Eagles ran into Loveland, a No. 13 seed which stunned Pine Creek with a 26-14 win in the semifinals. The loss ended a 37-game winning streak for Pine Creek, which spanned two championships.
Loveland advanced to the 4A title game, where it lost to Windsor.
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Regis Jesuit stuns Monarch to win hockey’s championship
Regis Jesuit won hockey’s championship in the winter. (Ray Chen/ArrayPhoto.com)
Monarch was the team in Colorado hockey this season, entering with a 21-0 record, and beating teams by a combined score of 20-4 on its way to the championship game.
The Coyotes even took a 1-0 lead 13 seconds into that championship game, against Regis Jesuit in March.
Oh, but. The Raiders stormed back with six unanswered goals to stun Monarch and win the title, 6-1.
Blessed and proud to announce that I have verbally committed to play Basketball at The University of Wyoming #gowyopic.twitter.com/LHmQy5asf4
— Hunter Maldonado (@therealhunter24) June 7, 2016
Maldonado, a 6-foot-6 forward, led Vista Ridge in scoring as a junior with 22.6 points per game — which ranked fourth in all of Class 4A — and also topped the team with 6.9 rebounds per game. He had three double-doubles, two of which came as the Wolves made a run to the 4A Final 4.
Maldonado scored 29 points and had 11 rebounds in an upset of No. 1 seed Lewis-Palmer in the Great 8, then dropped 37 points (to go along with 12 rebounds) in a Final 4 loss to eventual champion Pueblo West.
“Hunter is a great kid that is going to have an immediate impact on the Wyoming program,” Vista Ridge athletic director Sam Baldwin told CHSAANow.com via text message. “You couldn’t ask for a better teammate or student-athlete. Wyoming got a gem of a young man.”
As a sophomore, Maldonado averaged 18.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
Maldonado is the first boys basketball player in Colorado’s 2017 class to announce his college decision. He continues a recent trend of Colorado players heading to Wyoming’s basketball program.
The Cowboys will have four players from Colorado on their 2017-16 team, which includes 2016 ThunderRidge grad Austin Mueller.
The seven titles are the most since Regis Jesuit and Cheyenne Mountain each won seven in 2010-11.
Five teams tied for second place in the state with three team championships this season: Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Academy, Kent Denver, Pomona and Regis Jesuit.
Colorado Academy and Valor Christian each had a state-best three girls championships, while Valor’s four titles were the most on the boys’ side.
In all, 67 different teams won a team championship in 2015-16, including 16 teams which won multiple championships.
A breakdown of team championships is below.
Rank
Team
Girls
Boys
Co-Ed
Total
1
Valor Christian
3
4
0
7
2
Cheyenne Mountain
2
1
0
3
2
Colorado Academy
3
0
0
3
2
Kent Denver
1
2
0
3
2
Pomona
1
2
0
3
2
Regis Jesuit
0
3
0
3
7
Broomfield
1
1
0
2
7
Cherokee Trail
1
1
0
2
7
Cherry Creek
1
1
0
2
7
Eaton
2
0
0
2
7
Fairview
2
0
0
2
7
Grandview
2
0
0
2
7
Heritage Christian
1
1
0
2
7
Lutheran
1
1
0
2
7
Mountain Vista
1
1
0
2
7
Yuma
2
0
0
2
17
Air Academy
1
0
0
1
17
Alamosa
0
1
0
1
17
Aspen
1
0
0
1
17
Battle Mountain
0
1
0
1
17
Bayfield
0
1
0
1
17
Bennett
1
0
0
1
17
Buena Vista
0
1
0
1
17
Castle View
0
0
1
1
17
Cedaredge
0
1
0
1
17
Cheyenne Wells
1
0
0
1
17
Colorado Springs Christian
0
1
0
1
17
Dawson School
0
1
0
1
17
Durango
0
1
0
1
17
Eads
0
1
0
1
17
Eaglecrest
1
0
0
1
17
Evergreen
0
1
0
1
17
Faith Christian
0
1
0
1
17
Fleming
0
1
0
1
17
Fort Collins
1
0
0
1
17
Fossil Ridge
0
1
0
1
17
Holly
0
1
0
1
17
Idalia
1
0
0
1
17
Lewis-Palmer
1
0
0
1
17
Lyons
0
1
0
1
17
Meeker
0
1
0
1
17
Monarch
1
0
0
1
17
Mountain Range
1
0
0
1
17
Mountain View
0
1
0
1
17
Niwot
1
0
0
1
17
Otis
1
0
0
1
17
Overland
0
1
0
1
17
Palmer Ridge
1
0
0
1
17
Paonia
1
0
0
1
17
Peak to Peak
0
1
0
1
17
Ponderosa
1
0
0
1
17
Pueblo County
0
1
0
1
17
Pueblo East
0
1
0
1
17
Pueblo West
0
1
0
1
17
Salida
1
0
0
1
17
Sanford
0
1
0
1
17
Sedgwick County
0
1
0
1
17
St. Mary’s
0
0
1
1
17
Strasburg
1
0
0
1
17
Telluride
1
0
0
1
17
The Classical Academy
1
0
0
1
17
ThunderRidge
1
0
0
1
17
University
1
0
0
1
17
Vail Christian
1
0
0
1
17
Vail Mountain
1
0
0
1
17
Valley
0
1
0
1
17
Windsor
0
1
0
1
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Individual Championships
Cheyenne Mountain had a state-best 11 individual champions in 2015-16. (Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
Cheyenne Mountain also had an outstanding year in terms of individual titles, leading the state with 11 championships. The program was well balanced: Six championships came from its girls teams, and five came from the boys.
Lutheran’s 10 individual championships were the second-most in the state, including a state-best nine boys titles. Regis Jesuit was third with nine individual titles, and Air Academy and Pomona tied for fourth with eight apiece.
A total of 135 schools had at least one individual champion, and 82 had multiple champions. Of those, 21 schools had at least five individual champions.
At Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood during the first day of the track and field state championships, the Grandview newcomer shattered a 26-year-old Class 5A state meet record in the 3,200-meter run.
After finishing as the state runner-up to Lauren Gregory of Fort Collins during her first-ever cross country season last fall, Oakley’s torrid early pace — 2:30 through 800 meters, 5:09 through 1,600 — dropped the field and rewrote a long-standing record held by legendary Boulder High runner Melody Fairchild. Her time of 10:33.16 seconds clipped Fairchild’s 10:34.09 from 1990. She also easily outdistanced second-place finisher Megan Mooney of Horizon (11:09.34), a Florida State recruit.
“It was just so surreal with this being my first track season,” Oakley said. “I just wanted to go out fast and not look back.”
From a newcomer to a champion and record holder in the state’s highest classification, Oakley also ran the anchor leg of a 3,200 relay that placed fifth in 9:32.21. She is the No. 12 seed for the 800 on Friday and the No. 1 seed with a time of 4:57.91 in the 1,600 on Saturday.
“I originally played soccer, but got kind of burned out,” she said. “One of my friends was on the cross country team and she always talked about it. I had run some 5k’s before, so I figured I would try it out. I just fell in love with running.”
With only 3,200 relays and 5A 3,200s as finals on the track during Thursday’s morning session for the bigger schools, distance runners took center stage.
Poudre senior Henry Raymond. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Poudre senior Henry Raymond, appearing in his first-ever individual events at state after coming off an injury-riddled junior track season, entered the weekend in an unfamiliar position. As the No. 1 seed in all three distance disciplines — the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 — he is a potential rare threat to sweep the trio.
In the 3,200, Raymond conserved energy for his later events during a tactical early pace. Then, after breaking away with Regis Jesuit’s Jack Davidson and Mountain Vista’s Paxton Smith, he scorched a 58-second last quarter to win with a time of 9:25.21. Davidson was second in 9:27.51, while Smith was third in 9:30.50.
During the weekend’s first foursome finals, Cherry Creek (9:23.64) successfully defended their 5A girls 3,200 relay crown. Lisa Swartz, Jordan McCurdy, Jamie Johnson and Devon Peterson kept Fairview (9:25) and Rocky Mountain (9:29) at bay.
In the 5A boys 3,200 relay, Monarch’s Ben Hogan, William Dixon, Zach Litoff and Isaac Green pulled away with a winning time of 7:51.57, as Green pushed the Coyotes from a close third, behind Boulder and Mountain Vista, to a win on the anchor leg. The Panthers (7:53.97) and Golden Eagles (7:57.50) both broke eight minutes as well.
The Air Academy girls had a wire-to-wire victory in the 4A 3,200 relay, with super talent Katie Rainsberger on the fourth leg, during an 18-second win over Niwot in 9:14.28. The Kadets had Kayla Wiitala, Lilliana Hamilton and Maria Mettler as the other baton-carriers.
David Moenning, in a style reminiscent to Green’s, went from third to first while slipping past Mountain View and Palmer Ridge with a winning 7:53.60 to the Bears’ 7:54.37. Palmer Ridge, after their third consecutive team title, was the defending champion in the event.
In 5A field event action, Jacob Condill of Chaparral (157-3) and Gina Coleman of Fountain-Fort Carson (145-9) were the winners of the discus throw, while Regis Jesuit’s Austin Campbell (6-9) claimed the 5A high jump.
Cherry Creek senior Connor Roberts (15-10) held off Monarch freshman phenom Max Manson (15-7) in the pole vault, while Fossil Ridge senior Chloe West was the girls champion with a mark of 12 feet, 2 inches. Audra Koopman of Fort Collins (19-5) won the girls long jump.
In other notable 4A action from Friday, Anthony Peters of Vista Ridge beat a field of three 46-plus triple jumpers with a mark of 46 feet, 11.5 inches. Depree Kimber of Pueblo South (46-7) and Breon Michel of Vista Ridge (46-3) finished in second and third, respectively.
Silver Creek sophomore Rylee Anderson, after winning the high jump at 5 feet, 5 inches a season ago, raised her level to 5 feet, 7 inches and another championship.
The state track and field championships resume on Friday at 8:20 am with the 2A 3,200-meter finals for boys and girls.
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Lutheran’s Kharon Hall making his own name
Kharon Hall wanted to see his name etched into the record books. After all, his sister was already firmly in there and he figured she could use a little company.
Dior Hall, the Colorado record holder in the 100 hurdles at George Washington in 2014 with a time of 13.09, not to mention a star at the University of Southern California, has a brother who is making a name all his own.
A defending state champion in the triple jump, Hall had gone 45 feet, 3.5 inches in 2015 to win Class 3A. But the Lutheran senior wanted more.
“Ever since I was a little kid my sister has been the star,” he said. “Everybody would know who she was and they would know me as, ‘Dior’s little brother.’ Now that I’m at this platform and setting records, everybody knows me as myself.”
After a winning mark and new personal best of 46-2.25 at the St. Vrain Invite last week, Hall leapt a monstrous 48 feet, 1.75 inches on Thursday, passing the previous 3A record of 47 feet, 5 inches by Marcus Brown of La Junta in 1999.
“I would like to give all glory to God, my family and my coaches,” he said. “They’ve pushed me and kept me motivated. I trusted in my training.”
For a Lutheran program in search of their third boys team title in a row (3A in 2015, 2A in 2014), the Lions had a promising opening day for the boys and the girls. Adam Dawson, a junior, claimed the discus crown with a toss of 173 feet, 1 inch. Fellow junior Morgan Barone won the high jump by clearing 5 feet, 5 inches. The Lions also had their usual dominating sprint crew in qualifying heaps of athletes into Friday and Saturday’s finals on the track.
Among other champions during the small-school portion of Thursday, John Mall senior Garrett Quintana (54-2) won the 2A shot put, Paonia senior Ashley Van Vleet (5-4) won the 2A high jump, and Sterling junior Victor Zimmerman (14-6) won the 3A pole vault.
The 1A girls discus state record of 117-00 was smashed by three competitors — Sangre de Cristo’s Jenna McKinley (131-6) and the Eads tandem of Brooke Lenox (124-6) and Mariah Smith (118-8). Flagler junior Cameron Klann set a new 1A record in the long jump by leaping 21-11.75, inching past Stratton’s Kyle English (21-10.5, 2014).
Rachel (12:16) and Rebekah Rairdon (12:24), senior sisters for Heritage Christian, won gold and silver in the 1A 3,200. Fellow senior and teammate Luke Gilliland won the boys 3,200 in 10:30.
Estes Park junior Lily Tomasula-Martin pulled away from Peak to Peak freshman Anna Shults to win the 3A 3,200 11:16-11:25. She defended her 2015 title. Skyview Academy senior Ben Butler went back-to-back in the 3,200 as well with a winning time of 9:22.27 to 9:30.60 by Taylor Stack of Salida.
Stephen Dimit will head both the boys and the girls soccer programs at Niwot. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Stephen Dimit will take over as coach of both the boys and the girls soccer programs at Niwot.
The school announced his hired late Thursday night.
Dimit will head both programs starting with the 2016-17 school year, taking over both roles from Rob Johnson. Johnson is set to resign after the current girls season as he has agreed to become the head boys soccer coach at Silver Creek.
Dimit has been the head boys soccer coach at Vista Ridge since 2011. He has also been an assistant with the girls team since 2013.
“Coach Dimit has developed the Vista Ridge program to a playoff-caliber team,” Niwot athletic director Chase McBride said in a statement. “He builds his programs emphasizing a positive soccer culture that highlights attitude, character and effort. Priding himself in developing the whole person, he relishes the opportunity to mentor student-athletes to pursue greatness both on and off of the field.”
Prior to Dimit’s arrival in 2011, Vista Ridge’s boys program had just four wins in its first two seasons of existence. He’s since led the Wolves to three winning seasons, including a mark of 19-11-1 over the past two. Vista Ridge made the state tournament in 2011 and 2014.
Vista Ridge’s girls team has also had a lot of recent success with Dimit on staff. The Wolves went 9-6-0 in 2015, the program’s first winning season, and are off to a 3-0-0 start this season.
Dimit will be taking over equally successful programs at Niwot.
Niwot’s boys team went 15-2 last fall, falling to Standley Lake in overtime of the second round at the Class 4A state tournament. The boys have had a lot of recent success under Johnson, going 81-19-5 since 2010.
They reached the 4A quarterfinals in 2014, 2012, and the semifinals in 2011.
The Cougars’ girls program, meanwhile, is 1-2-0 to start the 2016 campaign. They went 8-4-3 last season, and 13-4-0 in 2014 — Johnson’s first year as girls coach.
