WESTMINSTER — Mountain Range’s girls tennis team earned their third dual victory of the season, defeating Poudre on Wednesday afternoon, 5-2.
Tag: Westminster
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Baseball’s Wild Card point standings, April 2
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Wild Card points help determine the postseason fields in 3A, 4A and 5A, with 4A and 5A also using them for seeding. Find a more detailed breakdown here.
Baseball’s Wild Card point standings for April 2 are below.
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Class 5A Rank School Points 1 Chatfield 109.429 2 Regis Jesuit 104.167 3 Fairview 104.000 4 ThunderRidge 103.286 5 Columbine 101.000 6 Dakota Ridge 97.125 7 Arapahoe 96.143 8 Douglas County 94.857 9 Rock Canyon 93.667 10 Monarch 92.800 11 Ralston Valley 92.714 12 Mountain Vista 92.500 13 Grand Junction Central 92.000 14 Fossil Ridge 91.857 15 Grand Junction 91.400 16 Fruita Monument 90.545 17 Chaparral 90.333 18 Prairie View 89.714 19 Brighton 87.875 20 Mullen 87.667 21 Arvada West 86.875 22 Rocky Mountain 86.400 23 Lakewood 86.000 24 Lincoln 85.667 25 Castle View 85.500 26 Cherry Creek 84.125 27 Pine Creek 82.625 28 Mountain Range 82.429 29 Standley Lake 81.625 30 Bear Creek 81.571 31 Doherty 81.000 32 Horizon 80.714 33 Highlands Ranch 80.714 34 Denver East 78.667 35 Northglenn 76.625 36 Grandview 76.400 37 Rangeview 76.333 38 Aurora Central 75.750 39 Legend 75.714 40 Greeley West 75.143 41 Eaglecrest 74.500 42 Boulder 73.857 43 Overland 73.667 44 Littleton 73.167 45 George Washington 72.636 46 Montbello 71.875 47 Palmer 71.286 48 Heritage 70.714 49 Liberty 69.857 50 Fountain-Fort Carson 69.714 51 Westminster 68.875 52 Pomona 67.429 53 Poudre 67.167 54 Legacy 64.333 55 Rampart 63.875 56 Cherokee Trail 63.400 57 Hinkley 61.889 58 Loveland 60.200 59 Fort Collins 60.000 60 Smoky Hill 59.429 61 Gateway 57.444 62 Adams City 51.111 63 Thornton 49.000 Class 4A Rank School Points 1 Evergreen 99.500 2 Niwot 99.250 3 Elizabeth 99.167 4 Ponderosa 95.000 5 Montrose 94.875 6 Lewis-Palmer 94.000 7 Wheat Ridge 93.250 8 Windsor 92.625 9 Green Mountain 92.600 10 Delta 91.222 11 Longmont 90.143 12 Skyview 88.143 13 Falcon 87.714 14 Palmer Ridge 86.857 15 Skyline 86.000 16 Air Academy 85.400 17 Valor Christian 84.625 18 Canon City 83.800 19 Durango 83.625 20 D’Evelyn 82.000 21 Palisade 81.625 22 Golden 80.200 23 Pueblo Centennial 79.333 24 Thomas Jefferson 79.250 25 Mesa Ridge 79.222 26 Northridge 77.833 27 Widefield 77.500 28 Mountain View 74.750 29 Rifle 74.429 30 Erie 74.333 31 Frederick 74.286 32 Denver North 74.250 33 Vista PEAK Prep 74.222 34 Conifer 74.000 35 Steamboat Springs 73.500 36 Kennedy 73.273 37 Montezuma-Cortez 72.750 38 Denver West 71.500 39 Battle Mountain 71.500 40 Alameda 71.000 41 Pueblo Central 70.667 42 Pueblo West 70.333 43 Greeley Central 70.222 44 Eagle Valley 69.500 45 Pueblo East 69.500 46 Silver Creek 69.375 47 Pueblo South 68.857 48 Mead 68.750 49 Thompson Valley 67.333 50 Berthoud 67.167 51 Discovery Canyon 66.571 52 Coronado 64.000 53 Vista Ridge 64.000 54 Pueblo County 62.833 55 Sand Creek 62.667 56 Arvada 62.000 57 Fort Morgan 60.333 58 Englewood 60.143 59 Cheyenne Mountain 60.000 60 Broomfield 59.600 61 Woodland Park 55.500 62 Centaurus 53.000 63 Summit 52.000 64 Glenwood Springs 51.000 65 Roosevelt 50.833 66 Denver South 48.909 67 Weld Central 45.833 68 Sierra 45.571 69 Mitchell 38.000 70 Harrison 34.000 Class 3A Rank School Points 1 Eaton 90.500 2 Valley 82.000 3 Kent Denver 82.000 4 Cedaredge 80.800 5 Holy Family 80.667 6 Gunnison 79.000 7 The Classical Academy 79.000 8 University 78.000 9 Lamar 77.167 10 Faith Christian 77.000 11 Arrupe Jesuit 75.333 12 Basalt 75.000 13 Brush 69.750 14 Fort Lupton 69.250 15 Centauri 67.000 16 Platte Valley 66.600 17 Florence 65.500 18 St. Mary’s 65.000 19 Olathe 63.111 20 Moffat County 61.286 21 Strasburg 61.000 22 Bennett 60.750 23 Sheridan 60.571 24 Manitou Springs 58.000 25 La Junta 57.125 26 Buena Vista 56.500 27 Bishop Machebeuf 54.429 28 Pagosa Springs 54.333 29 The Academy 53.200 30 Peak to Peak 53.000 31 Clear Creek/Gilpin County 51.667 32 Alamosa 51.333 33 Ellicott 51.250 34 Sterling 50.125 35 Trinidad 49.714 36 Roaring Fork 46.000 37 Colorado Springs Christian 45.500 38 Dolores Huerta Prep 44.143 39 Monte Vista 43.800 40 Jefferson Academy 42.000 41 Salida 41.000 42 Denver Science & Tech Stapleton 39.500 43 Coal Ridge 38.833 44 Grand Valley 38.750 45 Platte Canyon 38.600 46 Middle Park 36.250 47 Colorado Academy 36.000 48 Estes Park 35.571 49 Aspen 34.286 50 Manual 34.200 51 Bruce Randolph 33.250 52 Jefferson 28.333 53 KIPP Denver Collegiate 20.000 Class 2A Rank School Points 1 Rye 69.143 2 Peyton 69.143 3 Swink 67.333 4 Hotchkiss 65.000 5 Kiowa 65.000 6 Sedgwick County 63.000 7 Front Range Christian 62.500 8 Rangely 62.200 9 Denver Christian 59.500 10 Sierra Grande 59.333 11 Resurrection Christian 59.000 12 Springfield 59.000 13 Ignacio 58.667 14 Rocky Ford 58.143 15 Yuma 57.750 16 Fowler 57.400 17 Limon 56.429 18 Holyoke 55.667 19 Crowley County 54.200 20 Nucla 53.800 21 Burlington 53.667 22 Lyons 52.833 23 Dolores 52.714 24 Center 51.286 25 Lutheran 51.200 26 Alexander Dawson 49.714 27 Custer County 49.667 28 Haxtun 49.000 29 South Park 48.143 30 Paonia 47.167 31 Akron 45.000 32 Calhan 44.667 33 John Mall 44.000 34 Las Animas 42.000 35 Evangelical Christian 39.500 36 Wray 39.000 37 Dayspring Christian Academy 38.000 38 Merino 37.500 39 Longmont Christian 35.286 40 Sargent 33.000 41 Highland 32.750 42 Meeker 32.500 43 Simla 30.000 44 Sanford 27.500 45 Antonito 26.000 46 Wiggins 25.000 47 Denver Academy 20.000 48 County Line [Wiley/McClave] 15.750 49 Pikes Peak Christian 15.000 50 Cripple Creek-Victor 10.000 Class 1A Rank School Points 1 Stratton 62.333 2 Elbert 61.250 3 Weldon Valley 50.000 4 Granada 44.500 5 Dove Creek 44.500 6 Cotopaxi 40.250 7 Peetz 38.000 8 Community Christian 36.857 9 Manzanola 33.800 10 Eads 28.857 11 Caliche 28.286 12 Rocky Mountain Lutheran 25.750 13 Cheyenne Wells 23.333 14 Fleming 22.500 15 Cornerstone Christian Academy 22.000 16 Holly 13.333 17 Primero 11.667 18 Briggsdale 10.000 19 Denver Jewish Day 7.500 -
All-state football teams for 2013 season
Valor Christian running back Christian McCaffrey is the player of the year in Class 5A. (Mark Adams) The 2013 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 coaches, and then a vote of coaches. Find more information here.
The players who received the most votes in their classification were selected as the player of the year in their class.
Go to: 5A | 4A | 3A | 2A | 1A | 8-man | 6-man
Class 5A
Player of the year: Christian McCaffrey, Valor Christian
First Team Name School Year Pos. Ethan Brunhofer Arapahoe Senior TE Elijah Cherrington Legend Senior WR Austin Conway Overland Senior QB, Ath. Ryan Cummings Valor Christian Senior OL Cameron Frazier Fairview Senior WR, Ret. Terran Hasselbach Regis Jesuit Senior DL Anders Hill Fairview Senior QB Isaiah Holland Valor Christian Senior OL Mark Hopper ThunderRidge Senior WR, S, K Sam Jones ThunderRidge Senior OL Carlo Kemp Fairview Sophomore DL Jacob Knipp Ralston Valley Senior QB Eric Lee Valor Christian Junior DB Chris Marquez Pomona Senior RB Sam Martin Fairview Senior WR Jacob Martin Cherokee Trail Senior DL Christian McCaffrey Valor Christian Senior RB Bernard McDondle Columbine Senior RB Alec Ruth Valor Christian Junior OL JK Scott Mullen Senior K, P Connor Spencer Fairview Senior DL, OL Tre Thomas Overland Senior LB Brody Westmoreland ThunderRidge Senior QB Evan White Cherokee Trail Senior DB Marcus Wilson Valor Christian Junior DB Zach Young Doherty Senior RB Second Team Name School Year Pos. Jeremy Aparicio Columbine Senior RB, LB Jostin Barron Legend Senior DL Ryan Belearde Westminster Senior RB, DB Ben Burnett Prairie View Senior DL Connor Cain Heritage Senior OL, DL AJ Cecil Valor Christian Senior QB Gabe Civerlo Grandview Senior OL Stanford Cooper Cherry Creek Senior LB Cody Dengal Legend Senior WR Chance Drake Hinkley Senior WR Justin Falls Valor Christian Senior LB Keenan Foshe Chaparral Senior LB Gabe Gillespie Mountain Range Senior RB, LB Jaeden Grahm Cherry Creek Senior DB Tanner Griffin Grand Junction Senior LB Austin Hall Gateway Senior S Aric Johnson Cherokee Trail Senior QB Anisoni Kami Rangeview Senior LB Alex Kinney Rocky Mountain Junior K Cameron Knight Grandview Junior DB Spencer Long Poudre Senior WR, DB Grant McConnell Mountain Range Senior OL, DL Chukwuma Obinnah Grandview Junior RB RJ Ramirez Prairie View Junior RB Matt Rindal Cherry Creek Junior LB Austin Ruiz Hinkley Senior QB Jack Sale Pomona Senior DB Jonah Seng Poudre Senior OL, DL Jamin Smith Douglas County Senior OL Cameron Smith Cherokee Trail Junior RB Trey Smith Douglas County Senior RB Jonathan Swartzwelter Fairview Senior K Theron Verna Grand Junction Senior TE, LB Quinton Walton Grand Junction Senior OL, DL Jacen White Columbine Senior DL, TE Class 4A
Player of the year: Kalen Ballage, Falcon
First Team Name School Year Pos. Kalen Ballage Falcon Senior RB, WR, Ath. Ethan Marks Monarch Senior RB Jay MacIntyre Monarch Senior Ath., DB, QB Josh Gehring Pine Creek Senior DL Matt List Pine Creek Senior LB Brant Seeley Dakota Ridge Senior OL Justin Barron Falcon Senior P Angelo Youngren Montrose Senior RB, FS Erik Eaton Pine Creek Senior OL Nathan Spinuzzi Pueblo South Junior QB, K Zach Peck Windsor Senior DL Zac Lindsay Denver South Senior RB, LB John Freismith Loveland Senior WR, FS Cody Mommaerts Monarch Senior OL Mike Rocha Montrose Junior FB, DL Keith Hed Pueblo West Senior OL Connor Durant Standley Lake Junior S, WR Kidd Soole Monarch Junior SS Matt Maestas Montrose Junior OL, DL Cody Wilson Ponderosa Senior OL Trey Jarvis Standley Lake Senior TE. DL Pete Mitchell Monarch Senior LB Avery Anderson Pine Creek Junior FS Tommy Lazzaro Pine Creek Junior QB Aaron Nelson Dakota Ridge Senior RB Braxton Thais Dakota Ridge Junior QB Class 3A
Player of the year: Dallas Reins, Elizabeth
First Team Name School Year Pos. Andre Apodaca Silver Creek Senior LB Levi Cecil Silver Creek Junior OL, DL Ryan Charles Silver Creek Senior K Joe DeTello Pueblo East Senior S Tyler Dudden Holy Family Senior OL, DL Isaah Duvall Coronado Senior RB Jaseil Garcia Delta Senior OL Levi Hoagland Palisade Senior QB, S Joe Hunt Coronado Senior DL Jessy Jackson Arvada Senior WR, K Austin King Frederick Senior DL, OL Kellin Leigh Rifle Senior RB, DB Zane Lindsey Silver Creek Junior TE Joe Lopez Frederick Senior DL, FB Zack Marango Palisade Senior OL, DL Austin Micci Coronado Senior Ret., RB, SS Isaac Miller Silver Creek Senior OL Randy Molinar Roosevelt Senior RB Chase Nicholas Elizabeth Senior RB, LB Ouray Ocanas Fort Morgan Junior LB, OL Brody Oliver Elizabeth Senior QB Brandon Payer Conifer Senior LB Dallas Reins Elizabeth Senior OL, DL Austin Shepherd Rifle Senior LB Ben Sjobakken Silver Creek Senior QB Sam Smith Coronado Junior LB David Sommers Holy Family Senior QB, DB Ryan Whiteside Delta Senior WR Alec Wirtjes Discovery Canyon Senior RB Isaiah Young Vista Peak Junior WR, DB Class 2A
Player of the year: Lance Neuerburg, Platte Valley
First Team Name School Year Pos. Randy Baker Brush Senior RB, LB Caleb Creech Platte Valley Junior RB, LB Johnathan Cretti Bennett Junior RB Ryan Fitzgerald Aspen Junior RB Jaden Franklin Kent Denver Junior RB, Ret. Alejandro Garcia Bennett Senior DL, OL Trevon Hamlet Kent Denver Senior LB, Ret. Roice Hanks Strasburg Senior OL, DL Junior Ibarra Jefferson Senior OL, DL John Jordan Bennett Sophomore LB, TE Stefan Knoerr Faith Christian Senior K Bailey Landwehr Platte Valley Senior K, P Daniel Langewisch Faith Christian Senior RB Jovanni Lucero Jefferson Senior RB Joe Matarazzo Kent Denver Senior QB, DB Cameron Maxey Platte Valley Senior DB, WR Connor McCain Faith Christian Junior DL Jeff Merritt Fort Lupton Senior QB, S Josh Mihalchin Faith Christian Senior OL Vince Moquin Bennett Senior DL, OL Lance Neuerburg Platte Valley Senior OL, DL Nick Paradiso Trinidad Senior OL, DL Tex Ritter Faith Christian Senior TE Ethan Rose Sterling Junior WR, DB Kyle Rosenbrock Brush Junior QB, LB Maverick Seewald Brush Senior OL, DL Logan Sitzman Platte Valley Senior QB Jake Smith Platte Valley Senior LB, WB Jacob Smith Strasburg Junior RB, LB Jalen Vasquez Fort Lupton Senior WR DJ Vurciaga Fort Lupton Senior TE, LB Tanner Wineland Bennett Senior K, TE, DB Class 1A
Player of the year: Dalton Risner, Wiggins
First Team Name School Year Pos. Will Austin Paonia Senior RB Jareb Aziz Centauri Junior RB, LB Jacob Baca Cornerstone Christian Senior RB, DB Jordan Bobian John Mall Senior WR, K Jason Buhr Centauri Senior RB, LB Trevor Close Buena Vista Junior RB, S Alec Coscarella Salida Senior RB Jacob Crist Ellicott Junior WR Jonas Cure Wray Junior TE, DL Tony Darling Paonia Junior OL, DL Dylan Geisler Paonia Junior OL, DL Tony Gentile Salida Senior DL, TE KC Jarvies Centauri Senior QB, DB Adison Jones Ignacio Junior QB Josh Kimball Paonia Junior OL, DL Jaden Koenig Yuma Senior QB, LB Christian Krautschun Colorado Springs Christian Senior OL, DL Ryan Krogmeier Holyoke Senior OL Gavin Liggett Limon Senior QB Luis Mariscal Center Senior OL, DL Clay McCarroll Centauri Junior WR, DB Andy McFarland Buena Vista Senior WR, RB, DB Blake Paintin Limon Senior DL Corey Reynolds Cedaredge Junior OL, DL Dalton Risner Wiggins Senior OL, DL Corey Ritchey Wiggins Senior RB, DL Eloy Sandavol Burlington Junior RB, DB Michael Stevensen Resurrection Christian Freshman K, QB JaVonte’ Stewart Ellicott Senior QB TJ Stockton Colorado Springs Christian Senior QB, RB, LB Joseph Storrer Crowley County Senior DL Taylor Walters Paonia Senior QB, S Cole Watson Resurrection Christian Senior TE Keegan Wentz Buena Vista Senior QB 8-man
Player of the year: Ty Eichman, Daypsring Christian
First Team Name School Year Pos. Damian Bell Simla Senior RB, LB Mitch Davison Caliche Senior QB, DB Brody Donoho Dayspring Christian Junior OL, DL Ty Eichman Dayspring Christian Senior RB, DL, OL, S Bobby Handley Kiowa Senior OL, DL Blayde Harrigan Norwood Senior OL, DL Levi Hottinger Akron Senior RB, LB Kylar Mai Dayspring Christian Junior QB, LB Dominique Marquez Hoehne Senior DL Devan Mock Dayspring Christian Senior TE, DL Nate Ramirez Sargent Senior QB, LB Morgan Rummel Norwood Senior QB Sawyer Schafer Hoehne Senior QB Wyatt Schrepfer Hoehne Senior RB Iaac Torres Hoehne Senior OL, DL Jeff Williams Norwood Senior RB, LB Jon Wiseman Dayspring Christian Junior G, DL Austin Zink Caliche Senior LB, RB 6-man
Player of the year: Clay Cordell, Hi-Plains
First Team Name School Year Pos. Clay Cordell Hi-Plains Senior QB, DB Eli Palser Otis Senior RB, DB Kyle Loeffler Arickaree/Woodlin Senior RB, LB Kyle English Liberty/Stratton Junior TB, S MC Griffin Liberty/Stratton Senior LB, FB Alex Nelson Hi-Plains Junior RB, DB Dakota Will-Potter Briggsdale Senior QB, LB Trevor Thompson Liberty/Stratton Senior QB, LB Tyler Carmen Prairie Senior RB, MLB Garrett Shaffer Arickaree/Woodlin Senior WR, LB Avery Marzolf Hi-Plains Senior OL, NG, LB Brady Holtz Peetz Senior QB, DB Clay Corliss Liberty/Stratton Senior LB, TE Tyler Rouse Eads Senior QB, LB Tanner Pflager Otis Senior QB, DB -
Fairview grabs 5A’s top seed as football brackets are released
Fairview is the No. 1 seed in 5A. (Courtesy photo) The groundwork, as is so often the case, was laid four years ago. Tom McCartney saw it in his freshmen then. Those freshmen are now seniors, and that group has Fairview seeded No. 1 overall in the Class 5A football playoffs.
“We knew that it was a special group,” McCartney, Fairview’s coach, said Sunday morning. “We also knew that for them to do the things and reach some of the goals they’ve set, you’ve got to have junior compliments. You want to know that your juniors are also part of that.
“We’ve been kind of waiting on this group of seniors for a while, and a lot of them have gotten a lot of playing time as sophomores and juniors,” he continued. “When you get in those kinds of battles against teams like Pomona and Ralston Valley, and Legacy and Arvada West and Boulder — and Grandview in the playoffs last year, and Regis the year before — all of those experiences help. So, yes, to be honest with you, we’ve seen this coming from this particular group. We knew this was a talented group.”
The Knights were the lone 5A team to finish the regular season unbeaten (9-0). They were ranked No. 2 in the CHSAANow.com football poll in recent weeks, but were No. 1 in Wild Card points during that stretch, and finished atop the final Wild Card standings released Sunday morning.
And so, when the 5A bracket was unveiled, it was Fairview in the No. 1 spot. (See the full bracket.)
“It feels awesome,” McCartney said. “It’s playoff football. We’re just going to prepare. We understand that if you win you move on, and if you don’t you’re done. We want to keep playing. The best way to keep playing is to be prepared and to improve.”
Fairview draws No. 32 Mountain Vista (3-6) in the first round. The two teams played in 2010 and 2011, both Mountain Vista wins.
“Our seniors, when they were freshmen, played them. And so we know a little bit about them,” McCartney said. “We’ve got a ton of respect for coach (Ric) Cash. His teams are always prepared. They’re always hard-nosed.”
Rounding out the top-5 seeds in 5A were No. 2 Valor Christian, No. 3 Cherry Creek, No. 4 Regis Jesuit and No. 5 ThunderRidge.
The top 16 seeds host in the first round, meaning No. 6 Cherokee Trail, No. 7 Columbine, No. 8 Pomona, No. 9 Chatfield, No. 10 Grand Junction, No. 11 Mountain Range, No. 12 Doherty, No. 13 Prairie View, No. 14 Rangeview, No. 15 Ralston Valley and No. 16 Douglas County will get home games.
Other qualifiers were No. 17 Legend, No. 18 Arapahoe, No. 19 Overland, No. 20 Grandview, No. 21 Gateway, No. 22 Heritage, No. 23 Westminster, No. 24 Rocky Mountain, No. 25 Fountain-Fort Carson, No. 26 Hinkley, No. 27 Arvada West, No. 28 Castle View, No. 29 Fort Collins, No. 30 Lakewood and No. 31 Eaglecrest.
The 2A, 1A, 8-man and 6-man brackets were also released on Sunday.
Brush is 2A’s top seed. As the top-8 host in the first round, No. 2 Manitou Springs, No. 3 Platte Valley, No. 4 Faith Christian, No. 5 Gunnison, No. 6 Bennett, No. 7 Kent Denver and No. 8 Florence will all get home games.
Also qualifying in 2A were No. 9 Strasburg, No. 10 Lamar, No. 11 Olathe, No. 12 Fort Lupton, No. 13 Aspen, No. 14 Ridge View Academy, No. 15 Jefferson and No. 16 The Academy.
In 1A, Buena Vista got the top seed. No. 2 Limon, No. 3 Centauri, No. 4 Paonia, No. 5 Monte Vista, No. 6 Hotchkiss, No. 7 Yuma and No. 8 Platte Canyon will also host first-round games.
Additional 1A qualifiers were No. 9 Resurrection Christian, No. 10 Rye, No. 11 Burlington, No. 12 Cedaredge, No. 13 Colorado Springs Christian, No. 14 Wray, No. 15 Lyons and No. 16 Front Range Christian.
Hoehne is 8-man’s top seed. Also hosting in the first round will be No. 2 Dayspring Christian, No. 3 Norwood, No. 4 Simla, No. 5 Caliche, No. 6 Kiowa, No. 7 Sargent and No. 8 Dove Creek. Also qualifying were No. 9 Sanford, No. 10 Vail Christian, No. 11 Merino, No. 12 Walsh, No. 13 Akron, No. 14 West Grand, No. 15 Fowler and No. 16 Granada.
Liberty/Stratton grabbed 6-man’s top seed. Also qualifying were No. 2 Hi-Plains, No. 3 Eads, No. 4 Prairie, No. 5 Otis, No. 6 Peetz, No. 7 Hanover and No. 8 Flagler
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5A football playoff bracket
Football’s 2013 state playoff bracket for Class 5A.
2013 CHSAA State Football Championships CHSAA 5A Football Championship
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After 20 years, Westminster boys soccer back in playoffs
Westminster’s boys soccer team, pictured after a senior night win over Northglenn. (Courtesy photo) Westminster’s boys soccer team started the 2013 campaign 0-5-0. They’d hired their head coach one week before the season, and won a total of five games over the previous four seasons.
Yet, Thursday night, the Wolves will play in the Class 5A playoffs for the first time in at least 20 seasons. How? Well, for starters, they found a formation to their liking. And then they started winning.
Sercan Fenerci is the head boys basketball coach at Thornton, and was actually named the coach of the year by the EMAC last season. Originally from Turkey, he played college basketball at Angelo State in Texas, and was a collegiate coach at a Division III school in the Boston area. He started with basketball there, but eventually helped start a men’s soccer program, and coached that, too.
“I grew up playing soccer,” Fenerci said. “I was like, ‘Oh, I’m really tall.’ And my dad’s like, ‘Oh, you should play basketball.’ I ended up doing that, and I played college ball here (in the U.S.), in basketball, but the soccer never left. I would always watch soccer on the weekend, the Premier League, just to keep up with it.”
In May, Westminster’s boys soccer job opened.
“I applied,” Fenerci said, “but I was like, ‘I’m not sure if I want to take on another coaching job, because I’m already coaching basketball.’”
Westminster had another coach in place, but it fell through.
“Then I got the call literally a week before and interviewed,” Fenerci said. “They hired me in the afternoon and we started the very next day. So it was a very quick transition.”
There were no time for tryouts, no time for any real preparation for the season. And the schedule wasn’t very forgiving. Westminster opened with Arvada West, the eventual Jeffco Champions, and George Washington, which won the Denver Prep League.
“It was very challenging the first couple of games, I can tell you that,” Fenerci said. “Especially the first four or five games, we told the kids those were our scrimmages — because we didn’t know about formations we could play, we didn’t know who can play what position. So basically, the first month of my job was figuring out who we have, who can play better in what position.”The Wolves tried four different formations during the first five games, eventually settling on a 4-4-2. But, “being a basketball coach,” Fenerci said, “I was having calls during a game to change the formation. We had some names for different formations, and when I called that, they would change into that just to catch the other teams off-guard. It worked in several games.”
Westminster’s first win? Thornton, in overtime.
“That made it little more interesting,” the coach said. “I told the kids, ‘You’ve got to win this for me.’”
Westminster finished the season by going 6-3-1 to end 6-8-1. Mind you, this team had been 5-48-3 from 2009-12.
The Wolves are the No. 32 seed in the playoffs. It means they face No. 1 overall Smoky Hill on Thursday night.
“Smoky Hill is a very powerful school. They’re a powerhouse,” Fenerci said. “They have been winning a lot of games the past few years. Our thing is, we are the underdogs, we’re going to play relaxed soccer. They must beat us. They are the heavy favorites; for them, it’s a must. For us, you know what? We’re just going to go out there and give it our best and see what happens.”