Wiggins (in Class 2A), Dolores (2A), Bennett (3A), Evergreen (4A) and Rocky Mountain (5A) have each joined their respective volleyball rankings this week.
The rankings, voted upon by coaches and select media members, are the official polls of the Association. Polls are released each Monday.
Voted upon by coaches and 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
Castle View (9)
10-1
99
1
2-0
2
Mountain Vista
8-2
85
3
0-1
3
Rock Canyon
8-3
59
4
1-1
4
Chatfield
9-2
49
6
5-0
5
Fossil Ridge (1)
7-3
48
2
1-1
6
Highlands Ranch
10-1
47
5
2-0
7
Rocky Mountain (1)
10-1
45
–
1-1
8
Fort Collins
7-1
42
7
2-0
9
Fruita Monument
10-1
36
9
2-0
10
Cherry Creek
9-2
31
8
2-0
Others receiving votes:
Chaparral 21, Coronado 13, Denver East 11, Eaglecrest 6, Legacy 5, Dakota Ridge 3, Legend 2, Regis Jesuit 2, Pine Creek 1.
Dropped out
Chaparral (10).
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Lewis-Palmer (10)
11-0
109
1
3-0
2
Niwot
9-1
83
4
2-0
3
Valor Christian
6-3
78
5
2-1
4
Pueblo West (1)
7-1
71
3
2-0
5
Holy Family
11-2
60
2
2-0
6
Palmer Ridge
10-1
48
9
1-0
7
Longmont
9-2
33
8
1-1
8
Thomas Jefferson
8-3
30
7
0-1
9
D’Evelyn
9-0
19
10
5-0
10
Evergreen
7-3
18
–
2-0
Others receiving votes:
Durango 14, Ponderosa 9, Windsor 9, Silver Creek 6, Eagle Valley 4, Cheyenne Mountain 3, Mountain View 3, Glenwood Springs 2, Mullen 2, Palisade 2, Pueblo County 2.
Dropped out
Cheyenne Mountain (6).
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Eaton (13)
10-1
130
1
2-1
2
University
9-2
103
2
2-0
3
Resurrection Christian
10-2
96
3
2-0
4
Lutheran (1)
10-2
60
7
1-0
5
Faith Christian
7-3
58
4
1-1
6
Lamar
11-1
56
8
2-0
7
Bayfield
7-3
54
6
1-1
8
Valley
8-4
40
5
1-1
9
Bishop Machebeuf
10-2
35
10
2-1
10
Bennett
9-1
27
–
1-0
Others receiving votes:
Middle Park 21, Coal Ridge 18, Centauri 11, Platte Valley 9, The Academy 8, Sterling 7, Colorado Springs Christian 6, Frontier Academy 6, Aspen 5, Colorado Academy 5, Pagosa Springs 5, Weld Central 5, Jefferson Academy 4, The Vanguard 4, Manitou Springs 1.
Dropped out
Middle Park (9).
Class 2A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Yuma (7)
8-1
88
1
2-0
2
Lyons
9-4
55
2
1-2
3
Dayspring Christian
9-1
53
3
4-0
4
Simla
10-2
47
5
4-0
5
Swink
7-1
45
6
1-0
6
Paonia (2)
8-1
42
4
1-0
7
Denver Christian
9-1
37
7
2-0
8
Dolores
8-1
30
–
2-0
9
Hoehne
8-3
28
8
4-1
10
Wiggins
12-1
21
–
5-0
Others receiving votes:
Meeker 10, Dawson School 7, Fowler 6, Ignacio 6, John Mall 6, Union Colony 6, Rocky Ford 5, Wray 2, Telluride 1.
Dropped out
Meeker (9), Fowler (10).
Class 1A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
PVS
LW
1
Kit Carson (7)
11-0
95
1
3-0
2
Fleming (1)
10-1
78
2
1-0
3
Holly (2)
9-1
76
4
0-0
4
McClave
8-1
65
5
4-1
5
La Veta
9-0
61
3
1-0
6
Otis
8-3
48
6
0-2
7
Flagler/Hi-Plains
6-2
38
9
4-0
8
Briggsdale
10-2
30
8
3-0
9
Wiley
7-2
22
7
0-1
10
Belleview Christian
9-0
10
10
1-0
Others receiving votes:
Eads 8, Cheyenne Wells 6, Kim/Branson 4, Pikes Peak Christian 4, Weldon Valley 4, Dove Creek 1.
The 2017 all-state baseball 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.
[divider]
Class 5A
(Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
Player of the year: John Sorensen, Rocky Mountain
Coach of the year: Scott Bullock, Rocky Mountain
First Team
Name
School
Pos.
Year
Liam Eddy
Brighton
P/RF/3B
Senior
Matt Givin
Rock Canyon
RHP/SS/2B
Senior
Tyler Hyland
Rocky Mountain
OF/P
Senior
James Notary
Broomfield
P/INF
Senior
Casey Opitz
Heritage
C/INF
Senior
Tanner O’Tremba
Cherry Creek
OF
Junior
Caleb Sloan
Regis Jesuit
RHP
Senior
John Sorensen
Rocky Mountain
SS/P
Senior
Jordan Stubbings
Legend
3B/1B/C
Senior
Second Team
Name
School
Pos.
Year
Carter Akerfelds
Dakota Ridge
RHP
Senior
Jacob Arellano
Mountain Range
Senior
Tyler Carpenter
Fairview
1B/P
Senior
Drake Davis
Ralston Valley
RHP/OF
Senior
Kalen Hammer
Rocky Mountain
INF
Senior
Jacob Hilton
Heritage
RHP/INF
Senior
Jack Liffrig
Mountain Vista
LHP
Junior
Garrett Tisdall
Eaglecrest
RHP/C/3B
Senior
Jack Winkler
Chatfield
INF/P
Senior
Honorable mention:
Sean Arnold, Highlands Ranch, 1B/OF, Junior
Michael Baer, Regis Jesuit, 1B, Senior
Alex Bumpus, Coronado, CF/P, Senior
Kyle Cardona, Legend, SS/RHP, Senior
Joshua Chamberlain, Legacy, RHP/2B, Senior
Andrew Chavez, Cherry Creek, C, Senior
Riley Cornelio, Pine Creek, SS/RHP, Sophomore
Jeff Cyr, Ralston Valley, SS/RHP, Senior
Andrew Danko, Eaglecrest, SS/RHP, Junior
Colby Deaville, Legacy, SS, Senior
Moses Dokes, Denver East, Freshman
Spencer Gendreau, Rocky Mountain, 1B/OF, Senior
Mikey Griebel, Columbine, CF, Senior
Colton Hill, Rock Canyon, OF, Senior
Sam Ireland, Mountain Vista, 1B/RHP, Sophomore
Patrick Kauffmann, Denver East, Senior
Hunter Kelchner, Grand Junction Central, RHP/1B, Senior
Ryan Kirby, Grand Junction Central, INF, Sophomore
Cooper Legault, Dakota Ridge, OF/RHP, Junior
Jordan Medina, Highlands Ranch, UTIL/P, Junior
Mitch Morales, Broomfield, P/OF, Sophomore
Trey Morrill, Fruita Monument, P/OF, Junior
Conner Nantkes, Cherokee Trail, P/UTIL, Senior
Jakob Pigati, Bear Creek, CF/LF/RF, Senior
Jack Radford, Bear Creek, P, Senior
Cody Schultz, Cherry Creek, INF, Senior
Mason Speirs, Broomfield, C/C, Senior
Jose Treto, Brighton, P/SS/OF, Senior
Matt Turner, Broomfield, 1B, Senior
Jadon Uhrich, Rocky Mountain, C/INF/OF, Senior
Quincey Ulrich, ThunderRidge,
Jake Willemsen, Fairview, OF, Senior
[divider]
Class 4A
(Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)
Player of the year: Luke Ziegler, Valor Christian
Coach of the year: Steve Jones, Evergreen
First Team
Name
School
Pos.
Year
Mike Berg
Thompson Valley
C/OF/3B
Senior
Micah Bregard
Air Academy
INF/P
Junior
RJ Dabovich
Pueblo West
Senior
Noah Kuzma
Valor Christian
C
Junior
Ben Muscatello
Evergreen
P/SS/INF
Junior
JD Wadleigh
Green Mountain
RHP/OF
Junior
Judah Wilbur
Denver North
SS/2B/RHP
Senior
Cole Winn
Silver Creek
INF/P
Junior
Luke Ziegler
Valor Christian
3B/RHP
Junior
Second Team
Name
School
Pos.
Year
Josh Danyliw
Valor Christian
P/RF
Junior
Alan Garcia
Pueblo West
Senior
Trystan Kimmel
Thomas Jefferson
INF/RHP
Senior
Skyler Messinger
Niwot
P/INF
Senior
Dylan Norsen
Mountain View
P/INF
Senior
Joel Pierce
Valor Christian
LF/RF
Senior
Jose Robles
Denver North
RHP/C
Senior
Andrew Shaw
Summit
LHP/OF/1B
Senior
Corte Tapia
Windsor
Senior
Honorable mention:
Mason Bennett, Ponderosa,
Matt Berg, Thompson Valley, SS/2B/OF, Senior
Aaron Berkhoff, Cheyenne Mountain, 3B, Sophomore
Brody Bettis, Green Mountain, 2B, Senior
Dalton Bishop, Mesa Ridge, C/INF/SS, Senior
Nick Bowermaster, Thomas Jefferson, SS/RHP, Sophomore
LAKEWOOD — Jeffco Stadium is where it all began for Sarah Yocum, at least in the realm of track and field.
The sensational Faith Christian sprinter and hurdler will have fond memories of a stadium that has become hallowed ground for Colorado track.
“I actually ran my first high school race ever here,” the Baylor University recruit said. “I ran the 100-meter hurdles. I was playing soccer at the time too and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I came out and I finished my first race and my coach said, ‘Congratulations, you just qualified for state.’ One of my teammates was like, ‘You just set the school record!’”
What followed for Yocum was eight state championships in 3A — four in a row in the 300 hurdles, three in the 100 hurdles and one in the 400-meter dash — in what added up to be one of the greatest careers in Colorado history.
On Sunday, the final day of the 2017 state track meet, she simply was putting the finishing touches on that career with titles No. 7 and No. 8 in the 100 hurdles (14.36) and 400 (56.92). She also claimed the 300 hurdle crown on Saturday in a time of 43.95 seconds.
“This was my last race of high school, so obviously I wanted to finish it with a title,” she said of the 400. “I had never earned a title outside of the hurdles. I just want to enjoy this. I am really thankful for the girls I got to do it with.”
Yocum was the runner-up in the 200-meter dash as well, finishing in 25.26 seconds. She capped off an illustrious four years with 16 individual state medals, four every year in the 200, 400, 100 hurdles, and 300 hurdles. Junior teammate Payton Walter (15.27) finished second in the 100 hurdles.
Yocum has a way of standing out, but at a meet with all five classifications competing on the same days at the same venue, Yocum’s victories weren’t the only highlights on Sunday.
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Isaac Green and his fellow Monarch Coyotes performed historically well in the distance events again. A day after Green, Charlie Perry and Zach Litoff swept the top three places in the 5A 3,200, with Green and Litoff teaming with William Dixon and Sean Gazarik to win the 3,200 relay for the second straight year, Green (4:21.98), Perry (4:22.44) and Litoff (4:22.70) swept the top places in the 1,600 in the same order.
Oh, and Cayce Reese also medaled for Monarch, placing eighth in 4:25.31.
In a dramatic 800 final, Denver East’s Hayelom Fitsum appeared poised to claim the crown with a lead throughout. But, a stumble and fall a few strides from the finish line allowed Green to sweep the distance events with a winning time of 1:52.92. Fitsum got up for sixth place in 1:56.43. Litoff placed fifth.
Monarch made a serious run at their first team title in boys track and field after winning 5A cross country in the fall as Monarch junior Cole Rowan (16-00) and sophomore Max Manson (15-01) finished first and second in pole vault. Nico Heineke also placed 4th in discus. The Coyotes tallied 101 points, but came up just short in the final standings to Fountain-Fort Carson (106).
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Fountain rode their usual firepower in sprints and jumps — Donovan Williams first in 100 and 200, Jequan Hogan first in triple jump and high jump, third in long jump and fifth in 110 hurdles, Jalen Lyon second in 400 and fourth in 200, Jason Farrell third in 300 hurdles — to their 18th state championship in boys track and field.
The Trojans won the title in dramatic fashion, clinching on the final event of the meet, with a second-place finish in the 4×400-meter relay.
They are now tied with Denver East for the second-most titles in boys track and field of any school in Colorado history, only trailing Fort Collins (20). The Trojans also won the 400-meter relay and placed second in the 800 relay. They were eighth in the 3,200 relay and Iosua Maika was fifth in the shot put. Fountain-Fort Carson has conquered 5A three of the past four years as a result.
Vista Ridge, a school that opened its doors in 2008, won their second state championship in boys track and field by claiming 4A. They also won in 2013. The Wolves were too tough to match this season as a group with relays that were fantastic, finishing first in the 400 relay (42.16), the 800 relay (1:29.14) and the 1,600 relay (3:19.92). They also scored a bundle of points in the field events.
The Lady Wolves of Vista Ridge also had a strong showing, winning the 800-meter sprint medley relay in 1:48.39 on Saturday. Alexis Dubiel was the discus champion as well.
Other highlights included:
Class 5A
Grandview won a girls track title for the first time with 120 points. The team crown never seemed in doubt after such a strong first day of competition. The Wolves won the 800 relay (1:41.12), the sprint medley relay (1:46.57) and the 1,600 relay (3:55). Freshman Lily Williams was runner-up in the 400, Kylee Harr won high jump (5-8), basketball star Michaela Onyenwere was 2nd in 100 and 3rd in 200, Brie Oakley shattered the Colorado record in the 3,200 (10:09), and the Wolves corralled plenty of other points in multiple events.
Rocky Mountain junior Gabriella McDonald swept the throws with marks of 42-3 in shot put and 154-3 in discus (new 5A state meet record).
Fort Collins senior Audra Koopman (Penn State recruit) defended her long jump crown by going 19 feet, one half inch.
Fellow Fort Collins senior Lauren Gregory (University of Arkansas) won a 5A double in the 800 (2:10.94) and 1,600 (4:50.77), overtaking Grandview standout Brie Oakley (4:51.01) by a slim margin in a fantastic race. Gregory finished her illustrious career with one title in the 800, one in the 1,600, two in the 3,200, and three in cross country.
Highlands Ranch (3:23.13) finished first in an entertaining 1,600 relay.
Rock Canyon junior Emily Sloan (13.58) blew away the field in the 100 hurdles while defending her championship from last year.
Rampart senior Xavier Bishop-falu (14.25) claimed the 110 hurdles crown.
For the second consecutive season, Denver East’s Arria Minor won the 100 (11.53), the 200 (23.57) and the 400 (53.30). She is already one of the premier sprinters in state history.
Hinkley senior Darrien Wells (47.62) won back-to-back titles in the 400. He was also runner-up in 100 and 200.
Fruita Monument senior Gunner Rigsby (22-10.50) claimed long jump.
Monarch freshman Mia Manson (12-6) won the pole vault. She has been the top freshman in America this spring in the event.
Cherokee Trail girls (Jaiden Paris, Taylor Watson, Chian Deloach, Sydnee Larkin) won the 400 relay in 47.48. Larkin (36-10.50) won back-to-back state titles in triple jump as well, holding off Loveland’s Tatum Rembao (36-8.25), a Creighton University basketball recruit.
Class 4A
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Air Academy won their first-ever state championship in 4A girls track. Senior Maria Mettler conquered the 800 and 3,200, while also finishing as the runner-up to Mountain View’s Lauren Offerman in the 1,600. Junior Olivia Whitaker won the 100 and was second in the 200.
Air Academy senior Nik Chapee also won the 200 (21.65) and 400 (47.90). Harrison freshman Tyrese Van Horne (47.95) was runner-up in the 400 in a time that ranks second out of all freshmen in America at the moment.
Niwot’s Alexis Carroll (long jump and triple jump champion) and Mary Gillett (200 and 400 champion, second in 100 and long jump) were fantastic for the Cougars, helping Niwot finish second as a team in 4A.
Valor Christian sophomore Anna Hall was the hurdle queen, topping all competitors in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles. She is a budding phenom nationally as a heptathlete, also finishing second in high jump (5-6). Valor’s Chase McLean won pole vault as well.
Silver Creek junior Rylee Anderson is three-for-three in high jump crowns as she cleared 5 feet, 8 inches.
Palisade senior Zaccre Kenward (48-9.50) dominated the triple jump.
Palmer Ridge’s Jeremy Meadows (4:15) ran away in the 1,600, while Silver Creek’s James Lee (1:54) did the same in the 800. Lee’s teammate, Brock Knechtel, tossed further than anyone in the discus throw (176-4).
Canon City senior Aaron McCoy (10.66) won the 100, while Thompson Valley’s Charlie Brunner (14.74) won the 110 hurdles.
Montrose senior Ian Meek was first in the 3,200 (9:23), second in the 1,600 (4:18), and ran on a winning 3,200 relay (7:58).
Pueblo South’s Jeremy Cody (6-9) was wildly impressive in winning high jump. Pueblo West’s Frank Nash the same in long jump (23-6.25).
Class 3A
The Classical Academy kept a proud tradition in track going, easily winning 3A girls with 101.5 points. Junior Erika Willis shattered the 3A state meet record, previously held by sister Andrea, in the pole vault with a mark of 12 feet, 5 inches. The record was 11-6 from 2014. Freshman sister Kristina Willis placed fifth and TCA won the 1,600 relay in 4:00.97. The Titans topped 4A last season and now have 10 state championships in girls track, only one less than Mullen with a state record 11.
Lutheran junior Maya Evans, one of the top long jumpers in the nation with a personal best of 20 feet, 10 inches, didn’t disappoint with 3A titles in the long jump, 100, 200, and 400 relay (48.95, 3A state meet record). Madi Bottin, Riley Darnell and Nyah Streib also ran on that relay. Evans is now a five-time state champion in individual events.
Lutheran boys also fared well, keeping a four-year team title streak alive with a dominant 104-point tally. They also won 3A in 2016 and 2015 and 2A in 2014. Adam Dawson (203-1 in discus) and Jacob Dack (51-6.50 in shot put) were individual champions for Lutheran. Several relays finished runner-up.
Sterling’s Austin Chavez (6-5, also fourth place in pole vault) and Jayson Frank (6-3) finished first and second in the 3A high jump as teammates Victor Zimmerman (second), Brady Krier (third) placed high in pole vault as well. Kylie Chavez was the triple jump champion (36-11.50).
Aspen senior Sunday Abarca broke his own 3A state meet record in the 400 with a time of 48.12, bettering his 48.54. He also won the 200 in 21.39 and was second (10.80) to Sierra’s Dante Thomas (10.71) in the 100.
Eaton senior Tarynn Sieg, a Colorado State recruit, not only broke her own 3A state meet record in shot put (45-5.50) but also won discus (143-4, nearly a record).
Peak to Peak broke the 3A state record in the 3,200 relay (9:12.44) with sophomores Tiana Bradfield, Quinn McConnell and Anna Shults, along with senior Rachael Metzler. Shults also finished first in the 3,200 (11:15) and the 1,600 (5:00.71). McConnell was second in the 800 and 1,600 and Bradfield was fourth in the 800 and third in the 1,600. Metzler finished sixth in the 1,600 as well.
Salida senior Taryn Ceglowski set a new standard in 3A in the 800 with a time of 2:09.19, bettering the previous record of 2:11.24 by Emily LaValley of The Classical Academy in 2010.
Tanner Norman of TCA won the 1,600 (4:16.85) and 3,200 (9:14, 3A state meet record). He signed with Iowa State University. Norman’s brother Mason, a freshman, placed fifth in the 3,200 in 9:45.
Faith Christian freshman Cole Sprout was the runner-up in the 1,600 (4:22) and 3,200 (9:28). He was also second at the 3A state cross country meet in the fall.
Class 2A
Paonia girls (110 points) joined The Classical Academy (3A champs from 2006-2010) and Mullen (4A champs from 1997-2003) as the only girls track and field programs in state history to win five championships in a row. Brianna Van Vleet defended her long jump crown successfully and Sophia Anderson and Mckenna Palmer finished first and second in triple jump. Anderson and Emily Pieper finished first and second in the 200.
Cedaredge boys (97 points) went back-to-back as a team, planting the seeds of a potential dynasty of their own. They ran away from everyone in the 800 and 3,200 relays and boasted depth that no team could counter.
Telluride junior Soleil Gaylord claimed the 1,600 (5:16) and 3,200 (11:25) crowns in back-to-back years. Sophomore teammate Maya Ordonez was runner-up in the 1,600. Gaylord was also second in the 800. Gaylord and Ordonez helped lead the 3,200 relay to a title as well.
Hayden freshman Hannah Wilkie (2:18.58) won the 800.
Burlington senior Ellie Berry swept the throws, winning shot put (40-11.75) and discus (133-5).
Shane Finegan won the 200 (22.53) and 400 (50.17) for Wiggins, and anchored the winning 1,600 relay in 3:30.44 with Tyler Hein, Teggan Freauff and Connor Kaufman. Finegan also anchored the winning 400 relay with the same group, except for Fukumaru Ogawa in place of Kaufman.
Meeker girls won the 400, sprint medley and 1,600 relays.
Soroco junior Ben Kelley swept the distance trio of 800 (1:54.75, bettering his own state meet record), 1,600 (4:22) and 3,200 (9:47). Sophomore teammate Grant Redmond (6-6) conquered high jump.
Hotchkiss sophomore Kaiya Firor claimed first in the 300 hurdles and 400.
Highland freshman Remington Ross won the girls 100 (12.28).
Class 1A
Heritage Christian boys (105 points) have been a recent powerhouse and nothing they did this weekend changed that. They conquered 1A for the second year in a row and the fourth time in five seasons. Josh Damir won the 300 hurdles and Seth Bruxvoort and Isaiah Bowsher placed first and second in the 3,200. The 800 relay of Jojo Bork, Jaden Johnson, Damir and Josiah Bowsher shattered the 1A state meet record of 1:33.25 with a time of 1:33.08.
Heather Graham of Genoa-Hugo (40-5) won the shot put with a great throw.
Shining Mountain junior Emma Schaefer claimed the 1,600 (5:32) and 3,200 crowns (12:24).
Erik Enriquez-Acosta, a senior from Idalia, won the 400 (50.05) and 800 (2:00.87). He finished first or second all four years at state in the two-lapper. His teammate, senior Alex Weyerman (9-8), claimed the girls pole vault crown.
Lake City swept the boys (8:39) and girls (10:49) 3,200 relays.
The Springfield girls claimed their first state championship in any girls sport with 73.5 points. They won both the sprint medley relay (1:54.59 with Julia Mondragon, Ally Loflin, Audrey Rau, and Tatelyn Lasley) and 800 relay (1:49.81 with Mondragon, Lasley, Rau, and Kylie Parks). Springfield has a youthful group that could make another run next season.
DeBeque junior Jentry Largent doubled up on crowns in the 100 and 200, while also anchoring a 400 relay that shattered the 1A record with a time of 51.41.
Prairie senior Emily Kaiser was tremendous in the long jump (first) and triple jump (34-8.50, 1A state meet record).
Bowman Ellis, a senior for Springfield, won the 100 (11.34) and 200 (22.94).
Kiowa senior Melanie Deering ran away with titles in the 400 (59.23) and 800 (2:22).
Pawnee teammates Drew Ellis (20-5) and Bryce Schnug (19-9) swept gold and silver in long jump.
DENVER — Pueblo County’s Josiah Nava won a huge quarterfinal match during the state wrestling tournament on Friday, edging Windsor sophomore Will Vombaur.
It was a match that easily could have been contested in the finals, or at least the semifinals. But, as it was, the two met up in Friday’s quarterfinals in the Class 4A 113-pound bracket.
Nava, who won the 4A 106 title in 2015, beat a fellow returning champion in Vombaur, who won 4A’s 106 title last season. He advances to face Shane Coffey of Canon City in Friday evening’s semifinals.
The 113-pound bracket in 4A is one of the toughest in the entire tournament. In addition to Nava and Vombaur is Pueblo East sophomore Jace Trujillo, the reigning champion in the bracket.
Trujillo pinned Air Academy’s James Benson in 58 seconds in his quarterfinal match.
[divider]
Willits through to the semifinals
(Katie Pickrell/CHSAANow.com)
Hunter Willits, who is seeking to become CHSAA’s 20th four-time state champion, beat Greeley Central’s Justus Strand in the quarterfinals.
Willits pinned Strand in 1:47. He will face Cheyenne Mountain senior Luke White in the semifinals later Friday.
[divider]
2A & 3A notes
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
Meeker heads the 2A team race with 72 points, with Rocky Ford (70.5) sitting in second. John Mall (60) and Hotchkiss (52) are also in contention.
The 3A team race is tight, with Alamosa heading the way with 49 points, and Valley just behind with 48.5. Jefferson (39), Centauri (37), La Junta (35), Sheridan (35), Lamar (33) and Platte Valley (32) are all close.
Delta’s Logan Church upset Mullen’s Sam Deseriere, the top seed in 3A 285 pounds, via an ultimate tiebreaker, 3-2. Deseriere had been undefeated this season, and was the reigning champion in the classification.
Elsewhere in the 3A 285 bracket, which is loaded, returning champion Ricky Ayala of Sheridan and unbeaten Sam Westbrook of Bayfield both advanced out of the quarterfinals and will meet in the semifinals.
Casey Turner of Meeker upset the top seed in the 2A 170 bracket, pinning Diego Reyes of Rocky Ford. Turner, though, is the defending champion in the division. He finished second at his regional, and thus could not be seeded in the top four of the bracket.
Rocky Ford’s Jacob Rodriguez had a 14-second pin in the first round of the 2A 106 division on Thursday. Friday, he did more of the same, pinning Wray’s Cole Rockwell in 45 seconds. Rodriguez is on a quest for his third state title.
John Mall’s Jonathan Andreatta escaped an upset in the 2A 126 quarterfinals. He led Wiggins’ Cameron Holm 4-3 late in the third period, and held on for a 5-3 win. Andreatta is a two-time champion.
Two other two-time returning champions advanced to the semifinals: Alamosa’s Isaiah Delacerda (3A 126) and Fort Lupton’s Jody Sandoval (3A 132).
Centauri’s Joe Chavez advanced to the 3A 120 semis by pinning Platte Valley’s Varrion Ciddio in 34 seconds.
Highland freshman Logan Lewis earned a hard-fought place in the 2A 106 semifinals. He beat Holly’s Austin Crum, 10-8, in sudden victory.
Sky Carlson of Soroco, a former basketball player, is into the semifinals in 2A 195 following two consecutive pins. Friday morning, he pinned Crowley County’s Tristan Laver in 1:45.
Del Norte’s Natalie Benavides, the lone girls to qualify for the state tournament this season, was eliminated in the 2A 138 consolation bracket by Crowley County’s Jarod Bauer.
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4A & 5A notes
Defending champion Pueblo County leads the 4A race with 89 points. Cheyenne Mountain and Pueblo East are tied for second with 65.
Pomona, the reigning 5A team champ, leads that race with 85.5 points. Brighton (61.5 is second), and Grand Junction (59.5) is third.
The semifinal in 5A 132 should be a great one. It will match returning champions after both won in the quarterfinals: Arvada West’s Dayton Marvel vs. Pomona’s Theorius Robison.
Pueblo County’s Grant Willits, who has won two previous state championships, pinned Greeley Central’s Zeke Alirez in 2:23 to reach the 4A 132 semifinals.
Poudre’s Jacob Greenwood, another two-time champion, pinned ThunderRidge’s David Opheim in 5A 138 to advance.
Three of the four quarterfinals in 4A’s 120 division ended in pins. Advancing were Pueblo County’s Nathan Bonham, Canon City’s James Ruona and Windsor’s Dominick Serrano. Pueblo East’s Andrew Lucero also won via a major decision, 9-0.
Erie’s Ernie Quintana beat Discovery Canyon’s Jared Turner in sudden victory to reach the 4A 138 semifinals.
As he tries to become the first individual champion from Niwot since 1993, senior Tommy Stager had a quick pin in the 4A 145 quarters. Stager beat Pueblo South’s Elias Espinoza in 59 seconds.
Glenwood Springs’ Myles Wilson remain unbeaten, and he did it quickly in the quarterfinals. The senior, also a returning champion, beat Vista PEAK’s Jayden Smith in 43 seconds. He had an 18-second pin in the first round.
Cheyenne Mountain’s Deonte Bridges pinned Dominic Knost of Lewis-Palmer in 33 seconds.
Grand Junction’s Josiah Rider continued his torrid pace in the 5A 145 bracket. He won his match in 52 seconds, a day after a 30-second pin in the prelims.
Mountain Vista’s Trent Schultz had a 42-second pin in the 5A 195 quarterfinals. He had a 38-second pin in the prelims. His brother, Cohl, of Ponderosa, also advanced in 5A 220.
Prairie View’s Brendon Woolsey won an ultimate tiebreaker over Grandview’s Robert Woods in 5A 195 to reach the semifinals.
Pomona’s Brandon Micale had the fastest pin of the quarterfinals, taking Smoky Hill’s Ryan Campbell down in 23 seconds.
The 2015 football players of the year. From left: Dylan Dixon of Eads; Keegan Wentz of Buena Vista; JoJo Domann of Pine Creek; Dylan McCaffrey of Valor Christian; Daniel Martin of Pueblo East; Kelton McCoy of Bayfield; Trey Walter of Sedgwick County. (Photos: Jack Eberhard/JacksActoinShots.com; Bill Cronin; Matt Daniels/MattDanPhoto.com; Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com; Jeff Tucker; and Sedgwick County HS)
The 2015 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 coaches.
Columbine is one of four No. 1 seeds in the Class 5A football playoffs. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)
AURORA — The state playoff brackets for five classifications — 5A, 2A, 1A, 8-man and 6-man — were released on Sunday. Postseason play in each class begins this week.
The 5A bracket, a 32-team field, is the only playoff of the bunch that does not feature a No. 1 overall seed. Instead, it seeds teams Nos. 1-8 into one of four quadrants. The four No. 1 seeds are Columbine (9-0), Valor Christian (7-2), Grandview (7-2) and defending champion Cherry Creek (7-2).
No. 2 seeds, who are also hosting first-round games, include Regis Jesuit (7-2), Arapahoe (9-0), Pomona (6-3), and Westminster (9-0).
There were some questions as to why Arapahoe got a No. 2 seed behind Grandview, who the Warriors beat this season. Asked about that specific situation, the 5A committee said it “was due to the quality of (Grandview’s) wins late, how early Arapahoe and Grandview played, and overall strength of Arapahoe’s schedule.”
Also hosting first round games in 5A are No. 3 seeds — Legacy, Ralston Valley, Horizon, and Fountain-Fort Carson — and No. 4 seeds — Heritage, Fairview, Mountain Vista and Mullen.
The 32-team 5A field is set by the final Wild Card points, which were released on Saturday morning. From there, the committee has a number of criteria it can use to seed the teams, including the use of the CHSAA RPI formula.
The 5A title game will be played on Dec. 5 at Mile High.
Kent Denver is seeded No. 2 in 2A. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
In 2A, Bayfield heads the field as the No. 1 overall seed. The Wolverines are 8-0.
Other top seeds in the 2A field who will host games in the first round include No. 2 Kent Denver, No. 3 Platte Valley, No. 4 La Junta, No. 5 Sterling, No. 6 Alameda, No. 7 Bennett and No. 8 Moffat County.
Brush, the defending champion, is seeded No. 9.
The 2A championship game is set for Nov. 28 at a home site.
Leading the 1A field is top overall seed Buena Vista. Also hosting games in the first round are No. 2 Resurrection Christian, No. 3 Paonia, No. 4 Monte Vista, No. 5 Crowley County, No. 6 Burlington, No. 7 Platte Canyon and No. 8 Wiggins.
Paonia is the defending champion.
The 1A title game will be played No. 28, also at a home site.
8-man’s playoff field is led by No. 1 Sedgwick County. Other first-round hosts include No. 2 Norwood, No. 3 Akron, No. 4 Sargent, No. 5 Springfield, No. 6 Dayspring Christian, No. 7 West Grand and No. 8 Hoehne.
Defending champion Caliche did not make the field.
The 8-man title game will be played No. 28 at a home site.
In 6-man, Kit Carson got the top seed. Those teams also hosting first-round games are No. 2 Fleming, No. 3 Eads and No. 4 Arickaree/Woodlin. Arickaree/Woodlin is the defending champion.
The 6-man title tilt will kick off the championship slate with its game scheduled for Nov. 21. It will be played at a home site.
No. 3 Valor Christian beat No. 2 Grandview in a big 5A game at Valor on Friday. The Eagles won the Centennial League. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
A complete schedule and scoreboard for football’s top-10 teams during Week 9 of the 2015 season.
