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IndexFootballFootball players look to take their game to the next level

Page 3Local football team capsules

Page 4Valor Christian moves up to Class 5A

Page 6

Football conferences Page 7

Stadium guide Page 7

Cherry Creek football starts new era Page 8

Lineman wage trench warfare Page 13

Other fall sportsSoftball preview

Page 8Volleyball preview

Page 9Cross country previews

Page 10Soccer preview

Page 11Gymnastics preview

Page 12Boys tennis preview

Page 12Chaparral volleyball looks for three-peat

Page 14Soccer rivalries

Page 14Englewood moves to new league

Page 16

On the Cover

The Heritage Eagles head into the 2012 season with high hopes, and the trio of Jon Wilson, left, Ryan Novak and Bryan Carlson are a big reason why. Photo by Courtney Kuhlen

Fall Sports Preview SPECIAL SECTION

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arapahoe County > august 30, 2012 > FALL FOOTBALL & SPORTS PREVIEW > PAgE 3ourColoradonews.Com3-Color

More Colorado football players are drawing interest from collegesBy Daniel P. [email protected]

Being a high school athlete can be a full-time job.Just ask Heritage’s Bryan Carlson; he’ll clue you in on

the hours and hours of time he’s put in at the gym lifting weights or running sprints. Throw in all the football-re-lated drills, practices and of course, the games on Thurs-day, Friday and Saturday nights in the fall, and it’s easy to see how quickly one’s time evaporates into thin air.

Carlson, though, must somehow find extra time in his schedule.

He’s one of many Colorado football players drawing interest from colleges across the country.

“It’s a great experience, but it’s also hectic,” said Carl-son, a running back for the Eagles who is entering his senior year.

With a keen eye on academics, Carlson has his sights set on potentially attending an Ivy League school.

“Brown is my number one choice,” said Carlson be-fore a recent Heritage practice.

If Brown doesn’t pan out, Carlson said that Division III schools with high academic standings, like Johns Hop-kins, are also on his radar.

“You get pulled in a lot of different directions,” Carl-son said of the recruiting experience. “For me, knowing that academics are important has helped make the pro-cess a little easier as I know what I’m looking for in a school.”

Carlson is just one of three Heritage players drawing interest from colleges as he enters his senior year. Jon

Wilson, like Carlson a captain for the Eagles, is a defen-sive lineman that has heard from Division I schools Air Force, Colorado State and Wyoming.

“My dad went to Wyoming and played football there,” Wilson said. “I’ve worked really hard and to get interest from those schools is great.”

Quarterback Ryan Novak, who stands 6-foot-5, is also receiving interest from colleges. Like Carlson and Wilson, he’s a captain for the Eagles and admits that the recruit-ing process hasn’t always been rosy.

“There’s been a lot of ups-and-downs,” said Novak, who was scheduled to visit several schools and attend some high-ranking quarterback camps in the off-season, but due to commitments from other kids, those plans were scrapped. “You just have to be confident in your ability and the right school will find you.”

Novak knows that this senior season is key for him in terms of drawing the eye of Division I scouts.

“I had a bit of a shaky junior year,” Novak said. “I have to go out and show (the scouts) that I’ve worked hard in the off-season and that last year is behind me.”

Knowing that where he spends the next four years could come down to a pass here or there, Novak said that pressure doesn’t get to him.

“You can’t worry about that,” Novak said. “You have to just go out there and play.”

Novak said that currently Eastern Washington, North-ern Colorado and Colorado State have shown interest, but again, more schools could jump into the mix if he performs well this season, starting with the team’s season opener against rival Arapahoe.

“I worked really hard this summer,” Novak said. “I put a lot of time in the weight room and throwing the foot-ball. I feel stronger and faster than last year.”

Technology helping Colorado athletesKent Denver football coach Scott Yates has been in-

volved with Colorado prep football for more than three decades.

He says that the era of Twitter, Facebook, iPhones and iPads has helped the Colorado athlete draw more atten-tion from college scouts.

“There’s more kids in the state now, so just from a pure numbers standpoint, there’s a bigger pool of kids play-ing now than ever before,” said Yates, who has a hand-ful of players (Brannon Jones, Brian Bogman and Chantz Tanner) receiving calls from colleges. “Having access to all the technology, kids are able to send their videos to schools they want to go to or post them on websites where people will see them. The information colleges have on players is greater than it has ever been.

“I think more Colorado players are getting looked at because of (the technology), and that’s a good thing be-cause we do have a lot of talent in the state.”

Valor Christian quarterback Luke Del Rio, who back in May committed to attending Oklahoma State University in 2013, agrees with Yates.

“Colorado has a lot of talented kids,” said Del Rio, who previously played football in Florida before moving to Colorado. “Florida and Texas get a lot of national rec-ognition, and rightfully so, but Colorado is in my opin-ion an under-recruited state.”

Taking their game to the next levelHeritage’s Bryan Carlson has to juggle athletics and academics in hopes of earning a college scholarship. Photo by Courtney Kuhlen | [email protected]


2012 Football CapsulesClass 5a

aRaPaHOE WaRRIORsCoach: Mike Campbell, 10th year2011 record: 5-5 (1-4 Class 5A Super 6), lost 28-14 to ThunderRidge in opening round of 5A stateReturning players: QB Tavern Sparks; WR Mike Babb, RB Jose Cancannon; LB Will Albyn; LB Justin Escue.Newcomers: TE Griffin HansonSeason Outlook: The Class 5A Super 6 league isn’t short on talent. Last year’s state champion (Columbine) and state runner-up (Lakewood) make up a third of the league. Chatfield and Bear Creek are always solid teams and Mullen is under the direction of a new head coach, Tom Thenell, a former Bear Creek head coach. The War-riors bring some veteran skill position players back and should provide a healthy challenge to the other mem-bers of the league. Arapahoe opens its season against rival Heritage.Quote: “We feel our league is the toughest and that we can compete with all of the teams,” Campbell said. “If we can stay healthy, we can finish toward the top of the league. Columbine is the big favorite.”

HERITaGE EaGlEsCoach: Mike Griebel, 16th year2011 record: 4-6 (0-5 Class 5A Super 6)Returning players: QB Ryan Novak; DT Jon Wilson; RB Bryan CarlsonSeason Outlook: The Eagles will move to an option-based attack, which figures to take a little pressure off of the 6-foot-5 Novak. Look for Carlson, as well as Novak, to get plenty of opportunities to make plays. Moving to a new league (5A Pioneer League) should help, as well.Quote: “I think we can improve on what we did last year,” Carlson said. “Moving to the option is going to make it harder for opponents to prepare for us because they’ll only have a week to try and come up with a way to stop (the option), as most teams don’t really run that style.”

CHERRY CREEK BRUINsCoach: Dave Logan, 1st year2011 record: 6-5 (3-2 Centennial League), lost 51-31 to Grandview in second round of 5A state playoffs.Returning players: QB Luke Papilion; WR Hunter Burton; RB Darryl McNeil; DB Matt Rindal; DL Zach Bjornsen; DB Stanford Cooper.Season Outlook: The biggest addition for the Bruins in 2012 is no doubt their head coach. Logan has built a reputation as being able to turn around programs, and in a short amount of time. The Bruins used to be the talk of Colorado football, but haven’t won a state title since 1996. A state title may not be in the cards this year, but there’s no doubt that Logan will have his team ready to play each and every week.Quote: “We’re going to take baby steps and learn to walk before we can run,” Logan said. “We’re going back to the basics and as I said, it’s going to be a process. The thing I’m most excited about is the kids have been willing to work. If you’re willing to work, you can get better. You can improve.”

REGIs JEsUIT RaIDERsCoach: Mark Nolan, 4th season2011 record: 5-5 (3-2 Continental League), lost 28-24 to Fairview in opening round of 5A state playoffs.Returning players: OL Connor Warren; DE Antonio Broa-dus; TE Robert Orban; DT Mike Guenther.Newcomers: DE/FB Grant Neal; DB Will Deines; OL Aus-

tin Skinner; LB Quinn VanderKoppel; LB Joe Bozeman.Season Outlook: The six-team Continental League fig-ures to be a wide-open race. All six teams are solid and it’s conceivable that any of them could jump up and win the league. Regis Jesuit has some good size on its defen-sive line as Broadus and Guenter both check in at over 230 pounds. They’ll be a tough tandem to slow down in 2012.Quote: “Our biggest strengths are that we are athletic, tough and have good team chemistry,” Nolan said. “Our biggest weakness is that we have a lot of inexperienced guys who will start for us this year.”

ValOR CHRIsTIaN EaGlEsCoach: Brent Vieselmeyer, 5th year2011 record: 14-0 (5-0 Class 4A South Metro), won Class 4A state championship.Returning players: RB Christian McCaffrey; FB Daryl Hawkins; RB/OLB Cameron Gray; OLB Carlos Aviles; DB Marcus Wilson.Newcomers: QB Luke Del Rio.Season Outlook: Valor Christian moves up to Class 5A this year and brings with it three-straight Colorado High School Activities Association state championships (one in 3A, two in 4A) and a 24-game winning streak. The addi-tion of Del Rio (he’s committed to playing at Oklahoma State next year) should be a boost to an offense that fea-

tures one of the top backs in the state in McCaffrey. The defense is young in spots but is very athletic. The Eagles will play an independent schedule in 2012 but are post-season eligible.Quote: “I think depth will probably be our biggest issue,” Valor Christian coach Brent Vieselmeyer said. “There are bigger schools and bigger players, but we’ll be ready for the challenge. We’ve played Class 5A schools the last few years, and we’ve gone out of state and played some elite programs, so I think we’ll be well prepared and the move won’t be a shock to our players.”

Class 4a

lITTlETON lIONsCoach: Jay Lukes, 3rd year2011 record: 1-9 (0-5 Class 4A South Metro)Returning players: C Paul Holden (three-year starter); QB Nick McNamee; WR Jake Bergman; DE Brayden Mehnert.Season Outlook: The Lions certainly don’t lack in experi-ence, as they return eight players on offense (including four starters on the offensive line) and six on defense. The move to a new league (4A Mountain Plains) should help level the playing field a bit for Littleton.Quote: “The new league is exciting. It won’t be easy, but it’s exciting,” Lukes said. “Wheat Ridge and Dakota Ridge

Littleton quarterback Nick McNamee fires a pass against Legend High School last year. File photo by D.J. Becker

Football capsules continues on Page 5


ARAPAHOE

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ports

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Englewood running back Greg Pearson (4) runs a sweep as teammate Damasjae Currington (76) pulls to block for him in last year’s game against Arvada. File photo

are very strong, Green Mountain was strong last year and they re-turn some good players and then you have Denver South and JFK (John F. Kennedy) in there as well.”

Class 3a

ENGlEWOOD PIRaTEsCoach: Jay Graves, 2nd year2011 record: 4-6 (2-4 Class 3A Metro-South Conference)Returning players: Damasjae Cur-rington, Sr. OL/DL; Tyler Harris, Jr. QB/LB; Greg Pearson, Jr. RB/DB; Mitch Pilarski, Sr. OL/DL; Jacob Helman, Sr. LB; Cody Mikulecky, Sr. K; Ken Gelinas, Jr. OL/DL; Trev-or Kline, Sr. TE; Chris Gutierrez, Jr. CB/WR.Season outlook: With a strong core of returning lineman to an-chor the team, the Pirates will once again focus on running the ball but will have the capabil-ity of going to the air with Harris behind center. While the lines will be strong, depth will be a factor in the trenches. They need to stay healthy to contend in the new Metro East league.Quote: “We have a lot of speed in the backfield. We will run the football but we have the capibility

to go to the air. And in the new league I expect us to do pretty well,” Graves said.

Class 2a

KENT DENVER sUN DEVIlsCoach: Scott Yates, 31st year2011 record: 11-2 (5-0 Class 2A Colorado League), lost 52-35 to Florence in 2A state semifinals.Returning players: Brian Bog-man, Sr. TE/DE; Brannon Jones, Sr. FB/LB; Chantz Tanner, Sr. LB/OL; Matt Pettijohn, Sr. WR/DB; Joe Matarrazo, Jr. QB/DB; Jaden Frank-lin, So. RB; Lamin Cobb, OL.Season Outlook: Yates is optimis-tic about the 2012 season. With a solid core of players returning from last year’s team that reached the 2A state semifinals, the Sun Dev-ils figure to be a factor in the title chase this year. Their non-league schedule is rough, though, as they face Platte Valley, Florence (de-fending state champions), Faith Christian and Middle Park. Those four games should be a good ba-rometer for where Kent Denver stands in the 2A landscape.Quote: “If we can stay healthy, we have a reasonable chance at making the playoffs again and who knows what will happen after that,” Yates said.

Football capsules continued from Page 4


Valor Christian to run with the big boys in Class 5A footballBy Daniel P. [email protected]

As the 2012 prep football season gets underway, Valor Christian finds itself in a unique spot.

The three-time state champion (one in Class 3A, the last two in 4A) has climbed the ranks yet again and is preparing for its inaugural year of competition in 5A.

While 4A might have had its share of good teams, the cream of the crop in regards to football powerhouses in Colorado (Cherry Creek, Columbine, Mullen, to name a few) has typically resided in the largest classification.

The Eagles, who have won 24 straight games, are ready for the challenge of hopefully pulling off an unprece-dented four-peat spread out over three classifications.

“I think depth will probably be our biggest issue,” Valor Christian coach Brent Vieselmeyer said. “There are bigger schools and bigger players, but we’ll be ready for the challenge. We’ve played Class 5A schools the last few years, and we’ve gone out of state and played some elite programs, so I think we’ll be well prepared and the move won’t be a shock to our players.”

Vieselmeyer says that 2012 is a bit of a transition year for Valor Christian, as the team lost a group of talented seniors from 2011, but the cupboard of talent is hardly empty.

“Valor’s going to be one of those teams that’s in the mix,” Cherry Creek coach Dave Logan said.

Running back Christian McCaffrey returns, and is considered the top back in the state. Last season, McCaf-frey rushed for 1,153 yards on 113 carries (10.2 average) and scored 22 touchdowns for the Eagles.

Defensively, linebacker Carlos Aviles will anchor the unit. Aviles’s strong suit is rushing the passer, and will at-tack the opposition off of the edge in Valor’s 3-4 base set.

“I try and lead by example,” said Aviles, who had 42 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2011. “You’ve got to show the young guys the ropes and let them know what is expect-ed of them.”

Yet, it is the addition of quarterback Luke Del Rio (the son of Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio) that has most prognosticators once again picking the Eagles to soar above the competition in 2012.

After a stellar junior year in Florida, Del Rio turned the heads of Division I scouts with his performance at several invite-only quarterback camps. After some wooing from a few schools, Del Rio announced back in May that he would be attending Oklahoma State University in 2013.

With his college plans finalized, Del Rio is ready to get down to business and is excited about the opportunity that awaits him at Valor Christian.

“We do feel like we have to prove ourselves a little bit with the move up to 5A,” he said. “The great thing about this team is that everyone is working hard and working towards a common goal.”

Vieselmeyer said it didn’t take long for Del Rio to mesh

with his new teammates.“First off, he’s an outstanding young man, very hum-

ble and hard-working,” Vieselmeyer said. “He really gained the respect of his teammates early on, and that was due to his work ethic. The guys saw how hard he was working and knew he’d fit in with what we’re trying to do here.

“Luke is a kid with a strong arm, mobile and a good decision-maker. You can tell he’s a coach’s son by how he plays and commands the game.”

McCaffrey says that Del Rio’s addition makes the of-fense more potent.

“It’s great because we have the ability to pass and the ability to run,” McCaffrey said. “We should be able to mix our play calling up, which will keep the defense hon-est.”

Protecting Del Rio and creating running lanes for Mc-Caffrey will be a relatively new offensive line (the Eagles lost four starters), led by three-year starter, Lelulai Io, as well as fullback, Daryl Hawkins.

Other players to keep an eye on defensively for Valor Christian are outside linebacker Cameron Gray and de-fensive back Marcus Wilson, who was the only sopho-more to start on defense last year.

“It would be great to accomplish winning a state title in 3A, 4A and now 5A,” Aviles said. “We know nothing is promised to us that we have to go out and earn it. We’re working hard to make that happen.”

Champs movin’ on upFrom left, Valor Christian’s Luke Del Rio, Christian McCaffrey and Carlos Aviles will lead the Eagles into Class 5A this season. Valor Christian has won three consecutive state championships (one in 3A; the last two in 4A). Photo by Courtney Kuhlen | [email protected]

ARAPAHOE COUNTY > AUGUST 30, 2012 > FALL FOOTBALL & SPORTS PREVIEW > PAGE 7OURCOLORADONEWS.COM7-Color

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LOCAL STADIUMS • Adams 12 North Stadium: Behind Mountain Range

High School at 12500 Delaware St. in Westminster.

Cross streets are 128th and Huron.

• Aurora Public School Stadium: Located on the

Hinkley High School campus, 1250 Chambers Road

in Aurora.

• District 50 Stadium: Located at Westminster High

School, 4276 W. 68th Ave.

• DiTirro Stadium: Located on the Skyview High

School campus, 9000 York Street.

• Douglas County Schools Stadium: Located at

Douglas Country High School, 2842 Front Street,

Castle Rock

• Englewood Stadium: Located on the Englewood

High School campus, 3800 S. Logan Street in Engle-

wood.

• Everly-Montgomery Field: Located on the Long-

mont High School campus at 1040

Sunset Street in Longmont.

• Five Star Stadium: Across the street from Thornton

High School at 9351 N. Washington

(93rd and Washington).

• French Field: Located on the Rocky Mountain High

School campus, 1300 W. Swallow Road in Fort Col-

lins.

• Jefferson County Stadium: Located at Kipling Street

and West Sixth Avenue in Lakewood.

• Kellog Stadium: Located at Regis Jesuit High

School, 16300 E Weaver PlAurora

• Legacy Stadium: Located on the Cherokee Trail

High School campus, 25901 E. Arapahoe Road in

Aurora.

• Littleton Public School Stadium: Located on the

Littleton High School campus, 199 E. Littleton Blvd.

in Littleton.

• Mike G. Gabriel Stadium: Located on the Holy

Family campus, 5195 W. 144th Ave. in Broomfi eld.

• North Area Athletic Complex: Located at 19500

W. 64th Parkway in Arvada.

• Prairie View High School: 12909 E. 120th Ave. in

Henderson.

• Recht Field: Located on the Boulder High School

campus, 1604 Arapahoe Ave. in Boulder.

•Shea Stadium: Located off Santa Fe in Highlands

Ranch, 3270 Redstone Park Cir.

• Sports Authority Stadium: Located at 11901 New-

lin Gulch Blvd. in Parker.

• Stutler Bowl: Located on the Cherry Creek High

School campus, 9300 E. Union Ave. in Greenwood

Village.

• Trailblazer Stadium: Located at 170 S. Kipling

Street in Lakewood.

• Valor Stadium: Located at Valor Christian High

School, 3775 Grace Blvd., Highlands Ranch.

Football conferences

CLASS 5A CENTENNIAL LEAGUE

Cherokee TrailCherry CreekEaglecrestGrandviewOverlandSmoky Hill

CLASS 5A CONTINENTAL LEAGUE

Chaparral Douglas CountyHighlands RanchMountian Vista RegisThunderRidge

CLASS 5A SUPER 6 LEAGUE

Arapahoe Bear CreekChatfi eld Columbine Lakewood Mullen

CLASS 5A PIONEER LEAGUE

Castle ViewDohertyFountain Ft. CarsonHeritage

Legend PalmerRock Canyon

CLASS 5A INDEPENDENT

Valor Christian

CLASS 4A PLAINS LEAGUE

Dakota RidgeDenver SouthGreen Mountain John F. Kennedy LittletonWheat Ridge

CLASS 3A METRO EAST

ElizabethEnglewoodFort MorganSkyviewVista PeakWeld Central

CLASS 2A COLORADO LEAGUE

BennettDenver West Kent DenverManual Middle ParkSheridan


Softball 2012: Depth should suit Valor Christian wellEagles return 13 playersBy Daniel P. [email protected]

The good news for Valor Christian’s softball team is that 13 players return from last year.

What’s even better is that of those 13, just three are seniors, so the Eagles figure to see marked improvement over 2011’s 8-11 record this year … and beyond.

Three-year letter winners Rachel Bruns and Emily Estes are two of the seniors that return for Valor Christian, along with Jordy Roberts.

According to the Valor Christian soft-ball website, sophomore Shelby Mann and freshman Zanny Kinder will see time on the mound. Catching will be Halle Murray.

Other players of note are: Morgan Petrone, Jordy Roberts, Emily Carlson, Kendall Ohman and Makenna Roth.

The Eagles will play an independent schedule in 2012, but will be eligible for postseason play in Class 4A.

Arapahoe hoping for improvement

Jeannie Kruger has a couple of distinct goals in mind for her Arapahoe softball team.

“I have set a team goal for us to have a .500 season,” said Kruger, whose team had just three wins in 2011. “I also hope to place higher (than sixth) in the Centen-nial League.”

The battery of pitcher Allie Hanson and catcher Lanie McKennon return for the Warriors, and Kruger expects solid seasons from both. Kruger said that four freshmen should play a significant role this season. Those players are: Mack-enzie Azzam (shortstop), Dasia Vavrick (centerfield), Delaney Mullins (first base and outfield) and Morgan Medina (outfield).

Other team notesCherry Creek, with just three seniors,

has a lot of youth on its roster, but Coach

Whitney Platten is excited about the in-flux of new players.

“Everyone (in the Centennial League) knows we graduated eight seniors last year,” Platten said.

“This is a very young and exciting team. I think we could maybe fly under the radar a bit this year.”

The Bruins finished second in the Cen-tennial League last year with an 11-3 re-cord (15-7 overall), and should be in con-tention for the league title again.

“We’re hoping to win league and re-gionals and then make it to state,” Platten said.

Senior co-captains Taylor Tinberg (third base/first base) and Liz Imhoff (outfield) are both four-year players for Platten.

Junior Katie McMillan will handle the pitching duties, and is also a threat at the plate.

Newcomers of note for the Bruins include shortstop Cassidy Blakely and catcher Allie Harris.

“To have so many freshman and soph-omores on the team, as a coach, is an ex-citing thing,” said Platten, whose team opened up play Aug. 25 against Arapahoe. “It gives me a chance to really see these girls work on their game and hopefully by the time they are seniors, they are like my first senior class and most of them will be going off to play in college.”

Heritage has a deep senior class, with six players entering their final year. Mat-tie Gallegos (outfield), Courtney Harri-man (pitcher, infield), Sabrina Janssen (infield, pitcher), Gabie Liguori (infield), Rachel Lukowicz (outfield, pitcher) and Kayleigh Schlag (catcher, utility) are those seniors.

Out of the Continental League, the players to watch from the Regis Jesuit Raiders will be: Kylee Piper (senior, second base), Stephanie Xavier (catcher, short-stop), Lauren Caldwell (junior, third base, second base) and Grace Marriott (senior, pitcher, first base).

Cherry Creek under new directionDave Logan brings a wealth of experience, championship pedigree to Bruins

By Daniel P. [email protected]

As daylight faded into a gorgeous sun-set on Aug. 16, the practice football field at Cherry Creek High School was full of activity.

In the center of it all was the team’s new football coach, Dave Logan, putting the Bruins through their paces in what proved to be a very spirited early-season practice.

It’s hard to gauge how a team will fare after just a week’s worth of practice un-der its belt, but Logan, who has won state championships at Arvada West, Chatfield and Mullen (where he won four in a 10-year span) was encouraged by what he saw.

“We’ve worked hard and put a lot of stuff in,” said Logan after wrapping up a morning practice on Aug. 18. “I’ve been pleased with the effort, in terms of getting prepared. We had a great summer, but it’s going to be a process.”

It’s been a long time since the Bruins have won a state championship in foot-ball — 1996 to be exact — and that fact is not lost on the former Wheat Ridge, University of Colorado, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos football player.

“We’re going to take baby steps and learn to walk before we can run,” Logan said. “We’re going back to the basics and

as I said, it’s going to be a process. The thing I’m most excited about is the kids have been willing to work. If you’re will-ing to work, you can get better. You can improve.”

The Bruins are coming off a 2011 sea-son in which they finished 6-5 (3-2 in the Centennial League) and were booted from the Class 5A playoffs in the second round.

A solid core does return, however, led by quarterback, Luke Papilion.

The 6-foot-5 Papilion threw for over 1,100 yards and nine scores and rushed for nearly 600 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior.

Wideout Hunter Burton (29 catches, 401 yards; 299 rushing yards) and run-ning back Darryl McNeil (100 carries, 463 yards; 11 catches for 123 yards) figure to be primary targets in Logan’s offense, while on defense, look for juniors Matt Rindal, Zach Bjornsen and Stanford Coo-per to often be in the mix.

“We just have to figure out what the strength of the kids is and try and maxi-mize that and put them in the best posi-tions to succeed,” Logan said. “Every team is different and so it takes a while to estab-lish the personality of your team.

“That’s a process that can go well into the regular season. My hope is that by week six, seven, eight is that we know who we are and what we have and we’re

starting to play some good football.”Much was made of Logan’s exit from

Mullen, but the change of scenery to Cherry Creek hasn’t altered the radio voice of the Denver Broncos (he also hosts his own drive-time sports-talk radio show) outlook on the game.

“Honestly, I’m always pretty ener-gized,” Logan said. “This is my passion

and this will be my 20th year as a head coach, and gosh, I’ve never entered a sea-son where I wasn’t just really excited to be working with the kids and this year is no exception.”

Cherry Creek opens its season Sept. 1 in California against Los Osos. Its first in-state game is set for Sept. 7 against Po-mona.

Cherry Creek quarterback Luke Papilion practices Aug. 16. Papillion threw for over 1,100 yards and rushed for nearly 600 last year as a junior. Photo by Courtney Kuhlen | [email protected]

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Cherry Creek quarterback Luke Papilion practices Aug. 16. Papillion threw for over 1,100 yards and rushed for nearly 600 last year as a junior. Photo by Courtney Kuhlen | [email protected]

Volleyball teams ready to spike the opposition Arapahoe, Cherry Creek, Regis Jesuit fi gure to be in Class 5A mix By Daniel P. Johnson [email protected]

Expectations, especially in sports, can be diffi cult to deal with.

Some people shy away from them, choosing to just let the season unfold organically. Others embrace the pre-season hype and use all that talk as a rallying cry.

Arapahoe’s volleyball team had a solid 2011 season, as they fi nished third in the Class 5A Centennial League and reached the regional round of the playoffs. The War-riors continued to work hard in the off-season and had a top-10 fi nish at the University of Northern Colorado summer tournament, which is typically a good gauge of the upcoming season’s state title contenders.

With a solid core returning, Arapahoe will look to build off of last year’s and this summer’s success and get into that mix of state title contenders this fall.

“We have high expectations for this season,” said coach Cara Syers, who enters her eighth year at Arapa-hoe. “We had a top-10 fi nish at the UNC Tour-nament this summer, so we hope to continue that success right from the start of the season.”

The returning players from last year’s 15-11 squad (5-2 in Cen-tennial League play) fi g-ure to have a signifi cant impact on the 2012 team.

Ryan Hoerdemann and Lexi Mercier, two se-niors and middle hitters, were fi rst-team All-Cen-tennial League last year. Outside hitter Whitney Krantz, a junior, and set-ter Grace Marlowe will also return to the starting lineup.

Tess Albyn, a junior outside hitter that has been on varsity since her freshman year, will likely move into the starting lineup this year, accord-ing to Syers. The addition of 6-foot-2 right-side hit-ter, Isabel Kovacic from Croatia (she’s a sopho-more), also fi gures to be a signifi cant addition to the Arapahoe lineup.

“The Centennial League will once again be tough,” Syers said. “Cher-okee Trail, Grandview and Cherry Creek will be very competitive teams.”

Cherry Creek to be factor once again

Cherry Creek is good

in pretty much every sport, and volleyball is no excep-tion.

The Bruins fi nished 2011 with a 22-7 record, took sec-ond in the Centennial League and placed fi fth at the state tournament.

Coach Sally Moos, who enters her 31st year, once again fi elds a team full of experience and the Bruins should not only compete for the Centennial League title, but should also be in that state championship mix as well.

Back for the Bruins in 2012 are: libero/defensive spe-cialist senior Hannah Merkle. Senior Lauren Marr, an out-side hitter, will pair up with sophomore Emily Fish, an outside hitter/right-side hitter, to attack the opposition at the net. Setting Marr and Fish up will be junior Sarah Hellman.

Like her colleague, Moos sees Cherokee Trail, Grand-view and Arapahoe as teams that will vie for the Centen-nial League crown.

More team notesRegis Jesuit had a strong 2011 season. The Raiders fi n-

ished second in the 5A Continental League, their 10-1 record just one off the pace set by undefeated and even-tual state champion Chaparral.

Regis Jesuit fi nished the year with a semifi nal fi nish in the 5A state tournament and a 26-4 record. Expect the Raiders to be involved in the Continental League and 5A state championship races this year.

Heritage fi nished in a fi fth-place tie in the Continen-tal League in 2011 and reached the regional round of the playoffs before bowing out. The Eagles posted a 12-13 overall record in 2011. Littleton fi nished 2011 with a 5-14 mark.

In Class 3A, Kent Denver had a 9-9 overall record, 3-7 in 3A/2A Metro League play. St. Mary’s Academy was 2-7.

Arapahoe’s Whitney Krantz spikes the ball last season during a match against Chapar-ral. File photo by Courtney Kuhlen

‘We have high expectations for this season. We had a top-10 fi nish at the UNC Tournament this summer,

so we hope to continue that success right from the start of

the season.’Cara Syers


Local runners may have chance to shineBoys cross-country field appears wide-openBy Daniel P. [email protected]

Nine of the top-10 finishers at the Class 5A cross-coun-try state meet last year were seniors.

The lone exception was Christian Martin of Heritage. The junior finished eighth with a time of 16 minutes, 26.64 seconds.

By simply being younger, Martin eliminated nine-tenths of his competition.

Now a senior, Martin will be part of a crowded pack vying for this year’s 5A state championship.

The Eagles, who finished fifth in the team standings, bring back several runners from last year’s team, includ-ing John Lundy. Lundy, a junior, cracked the top-50 at state last year with a time of 17:13.09 to finish 46th over-all. Sam Payne, a senior, also returns for Heritage.

Daniel Vavrick of Arapahoe is another of the 2011 un-derclassmen that figures to see a bump up in the indi-vidual standings this year. Vavrick finished 18th at state (16:37.39) as a junior, third-highest amongst returning runners this year.

The Warriors finished eighth in the team standings in 2011 and in addition to Vavrick, return Nicholas Petersen (finished in 17:35.04 at state), Louis Hood (17:39.04) and

Ian Stockdill (17:52.14) to the lineup.Cherry Creek’s top runner from 2011, Grant Caswell,

graduated, but Shane Rhodes, now a junior, was the team’s second-best finisher last year as he ran the state course in 17:21.59, good for 61st overall. Noah Westfall, a junior, also ran at state last year.

Regis Jesuit will be led by a trio of seniors: Frank Mor-ton, Tom Beasley and Sean Morton. John O’Hagan will also contribute, according to coach Bryan Bruno. The Raiders, along with Littleton and Kent Denver (Class 3A), will look to qualify for state as a team in 2012.

The cross-country season gets underway this week, but the unofficial start of the season is Sept. 14 when Heri-tage High School hosts the Liberty Bell Invitational. All of the top teams from the state typically take part in the meet which serves as an early indicator of who the state title contenders — both team and individual — will be.

Arapahoe’s Danny Vavrik sprints to the finish line dur-ing last year’s Warrior Invitational. Vavrik is one of the top returning runners this year. File photo by Courtney Kuhlen

Colter ready to carry Cherry CreekCherry Creek sophomore will contend with talented Class 5A fieldBy Daniel P. [email protected]

Jordyn Colter burst onto the Class 5A girls cross-coun-try scene a year ago.

The sophomore from Cherry Creek may not be the tallest girl at the starting line, but she quickly established herself as the fastest.

Colter won the 5A state title in 2011, finishing the 3.1-mile race in 18 minutes, 24.60 seconds, nearly 20 seconds ahead of her next-closest competitor.

Shortly after wrapping up an outstanding season, Col-ter suffered an injury that impacted her track season this past spring. While she rebounded in time to have a solid state meet, she already had an eye on this fall’s cross-country season.

“I’m looking forward to having the entire summer to train,” said Colter back in May at Jefferson County Sta-dium, site of the Colorado High School Activities Associa-tion’s State Track and Field Championships. “Having a chance to defend my title will be great.”

The Bruins finished fourth in the team standings, and while they do lose some quality seniors, having Colter back certainly softens the blow. Sammi Bremmer fin-ished 30th last year at state as a sophomore in a time of 20:02.20. Leading the charge for Arapahoe is junior Devon Foster, who won the 5A state track and field titles in the 800 and 1,600 meter races.

Foster, who missed a quarter of last year’s cross-coun-try season due to transferring from Chaparral, is part of a deep Warriors team that returns six of their top seven runners from last year’s fifth-place team.

Emily Wolff finished 27th at state last year with a time of 19:50.20 as a sophomore. Erica Peterson, now a sopho-

more, also ran at state for Arapahoe in 2011 and finished 50th overall in a time of 20:31.05. Lauren Lipski, a senior, also scored points for the Warriors at state, as she crossed the line 63rd overall in 20:41.95.

Regis Jesuit, just like Arapahoe, will feature a team with plenty of experience. The Raiders had six underclassmen run at state in 2011, with juniors Erin Schilmoller (43rd overall, 20:23.60) and Meredith Hoggatt (55th, 20:33.70) leading the way. Regis Jesuit finished 12th in the team standings.

“Hannah Feehan (a junior), Brooke Barlock (junior) and Madalyn Somer (junior) round out the team,” said Regis Jesuit coach Bryan Bruno. “The girls finished 12th in state (in 2011) and would love to crack the top-five this year.”

Just behind Regis Jesuit was Heritage, which returns senior Rachel Street, sophomore Alyssa Biever and senior Kaitlyn Biever from last year’s 13th-place team. Littleton’s second-best runner from 2011, Elizabeth Bollendonk, re-turns for her junior year.

In Class 3A, Kent Denver brings back a trio of run-ners, including the Kolberg twins, Courtney and Kristen. Courtney finished 42nd last year with a time of 21:48.37, while Kristen finished 51st with a time of 21:59.67. Both are entering the senior year, along with teammate Jenni-fer Lehr, who helped the Sun Devils to a 14th-place finish at state.

Cherry Creek’s Jordyn Colter starts her final kick to win the girls Division 1 cross country race during last year’s Liberty Bell Invitational. Colter also won the state title, and is after a repeat during her sophomore season. File photo by D.J. Becker

‘Having a chance to defend my title will be great.’

Jordyn Colter

ARAPAHOE COUNTY > AUGUST 30, 2012 > FALL FOOTBALL & SPORTS PREVIEW > PAGE 11OURCOLORADONEWS.COM11

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Heritage soccer hopes to take next step State runners-up in 2011, Eagles excited for 2012 By Daniel P. Johnson [email protected]

Heritage nearly did the impossible last year.The No. 24 seed in the Class 5A boys soccer state tour-

nament, the Eagles pulled off several upests, including a 1-0 victory over top-seeded Cherry Creek, and advanced all the way to the state championship game.

Just 80 minutes away from an improbable title, the Ea-gles’ Cinderella bid came up short as Denver East walked away with the championship following a 2-0 victory.

While the run through the state tournament was nice, coach Adam Buseck knows there’s still work to be done. First on the list is improving upon last year’s fi fth-place fi nish in the Continental League, where Heritage (14-6 overall) posted a 7-4 mark.

“Our goal this year is to compete to win the Continen-tal League,” said Buseck, who is entering his third year running the Heritage program. “Our biggest competition within the league will come from Rock Canyon, Regis Je-suit and Legend.”

Buseck has a nice blend of experience and youth on his roster. He’s expecting newcomers Ryan Greenway and Nick Fedder to make an impact in their fi rst year on the squad.

Goalkeeper Tim Erwin highlights a list of returning players. Midfi elder Clint Koury and defender Michael Day both should fi gure prominently into whatever suc-cess the Eagles achieve in 2012.

Creek looking for Centennial League four-peat

One of the teams that Heritage knocked off in its state tournament run in 2011 was Cherry Creek.

The Bruins were the top-seed in the 32-team fi eld after going through the regular season undefeated and win-ning its third-straight Centennial League title. The Eagles won the quarterfi nal game 2-1 to advance to the state semifi nals.

Coach Chelo Curi returns for his 14th year, and he’s expecting big things from his team in 2012.

“Our goals and expectations are to be the best high school soccer team in the nation,” Curi said. “We will face stiff competition in St. Louis (CBC, St. Thomas Aqui-nas, Rockhurst) and the usual top teams in the Centen-nial League, as well as some non-league matches against Fairview, Boulder, Adams City and Fort Collins.”

The Bruins have several players back from last year’s team, including junior midfi elder Jacob Hanlin, junior forward Miguel Jaime and sophomore goalkeeper Pierce Kassmeier.

David Cabrera (son of Colorado Rapids assistant coach Wilmer Cabrera) and Cole Bildstein, a junior defender, are newcomers that Curi expects will make an impact on the team.

Valor’s depth could be keyLast year, Valor Christian’s boys soccer team got a taste

of playoff experience.The Eagles, who fi nished the year with a 7-7-1 mark,

qualifi ed for the Class 4A state tournament, but were ousted in the opening round by Durango.

With a wealth of experience back, coach Brian Shultz is excited about what 2012 could have in store for his team.

“This is the deepest team we’ve ever had,” Shultz said. “We aim to make it to the playoffs and go further than we’ve gone in the past.”

The Eagles are indeed deep, and at virtually every posi-tion. They return four defenders: Adam Gueting (senior), Jimmy Neal (senior), Jonathan Sands (senior) and Coo-per Youngs (junior). In the midfi eld: Blake Hilles (junior), Colten Corey (senior), Carson Temby (senior) and Roby Boade (junior). Paul Grizzle (junior) and Andrew Davis

(senior) are both strikers.Shultz has a handful of newcomers that he believes

will play a role in his team’s success in 2012. They are: Spencer Jamison (senior midfi elder), Matt Arnold (junior defender), Gabe Krzywdzinski (sophomore forward), Alex Carvajal (junior midfi elder), Josh Floyde (sophomore midfi elder), Kirk Leftwich (junior defender), Ian Craw-ford (sophomore forward) and Riley Combs (junior de-fender).

Valor Christian played in 4A Jeffco in 2011 and fi n-ished with a 6-3 league mark. They will play an indepen-dent schedule this year.

Other team breakdownsRegis Jesuit had a solid 2011 campaign. The Raiders

fi nished second in the 5A Continental League (8-2-1) and advanced to the quarterfi nals of the state tournament. They fi nished the year with a record of 12-3-3.

For 2012, the Raiders have a new coach in Rick Wolf. Wolf has coached at Regis Jesuit for 10 years, but this will be his fi rst year as varsity head coach.

Wolf has some experienced players returning from last year’s team in senior defender Conor Walsh, junior forward Luis Hernandez, senior midfi elder Ian Shelton, junior midfi elder Mitch Rossi and sophomore defender Joe Langenderfer.

Sophomore goalkeeper Stephen Szachara is new to the Raiders’ team and Wolf says he’s confi dent that Szachara is going to have a big year.

Littleton fi nished 2011 with an 8-7 overall record, 4-7 in Class 5A Continental League play. Head coach Pedja Vajzovic returns to the sidelines for the Lions, who open their season Sept. 1 at Northglenn.

Arapahoe was the No. 6 seed in the 2011 5A state tour-

nament, but were upset in the opening round by No. 27 Legacy 1-0. The Warriors fi nished the year with a 10-4-2 record and were tied with Mullen for second place in the Centennial League with a 4-1-2 league mark.

In Class 3A, Kent Denver was one of the top teams in 2011. They advanced all the way to the semifi nals.

Heritage’s goalkeeper Tim Erwin makes a stop last year during the Eagles’ victory against Cherry Creek High School. File photo

> FALL FOOTBALL & SPORTS PREVIEW > August 30, 2012 > ArApAhoe CouNtY ourColorAdoNews.Com12

Creek set to raise the barAfter two-straight runner-up finishes, Bruins aiming for top spot

By Daniel P. [email protected]

Cherry Creek has been the bridesmaid two years running.

This year, they want to be the ones wearing the wedding dress.

The Bruins’ gymnastics team is a team built on experience and depth, and pro-vided all the key players can stay healthy, there’s no reason to suspect that the Bru-ins won’t be in the Class 5A state gymnas-tics championship hunt in 2012.

“After two years of being state runner-up, this team is motivated and hungry,” said Cherry Creek coach Melissa Holm-berg.

“We’ve been hard at work during the off-season and training a lot of big skills, but also have a lot of gymnasts coming off old injuries and will be up against some of the best competition high school gymnas-tics has ever seen.

“Only time will tell how things will fall into place, but we plan on being in the fight for this year’s title.”

Sela Buted, a junior who finished sec-ond in the All-Around in both 2010 and 2011, returns to the squad, along with Olivia Solow-Niederman, another junior. Sophomore Alaina Bolton was a big con-tributor to last year’s team before suf-fering an injury just before the regional meet.

“She is pumped to be back and will be another powerhouse for the team,” Holm-berg said.

Newcomers that Holmberg says will play a part in the team’s success are

sophomore Elise Shalowitz and freshmen Brooke Connelly and Riley Mallory.

Overland, the defending state cham-pion, will be a team Cherry Creek will be directly competing against, and Broomfield, Fort Collins and Arvada West will be tough opponents.

Larger squad to favor Heritage

This season figures to be a year of im-provement for Heritage, which features its largest roster in the past few years.

“We have everybody back from last year, and have a freshman that is a Level 10,” Coach Karen Griebel said.

“We have eleven girls this year and that’s bigger than what we’ve had the last couple of years.”

The Heritage squad (which typically also has girls from Arapahoe and Littleton high schools, but none from Littleton this year) is anchored by juniors Rachel Seik-meier and Gigi Gehrke, both of whom will be solid in the All-Around according to their coach.

Madeleine Adams from Arapahoe will be another returning member and Car-lee Reva is back after a two-year absence. The addition of freshman Kaela Schandle should provide better scoring opportuni-ties for the Eagles.

“The last few years we’ve had girls with little gymnastics experience,” Griebel said. “This year, all eleven girls are pretty solid. They all train at clubs, and it’s been fun working with them so far.”

The Eagles won’t have any meets at

home this year, but their compacted schedule is full of big meets. They open the season against Overland, take on Cherry Creek the following week, then later in the season head over to Lakewood

for a meet that raises money for Breast Cancer Awareness.

“We’ve attended (the Lakewood meet) the last few years and it’s just an amazing experience,” Griebel said.

Cherry Creek gymnast Sela Buted flips on the beam during a competition last season. Buted is back to help lead the Bruins this year. Courtesy photo

Tennis 2012: Lions looking to re-loadLittleton tennis replacing six seniors from 2011 teamBy Daniel P. [email protected]

Figuring out his lineup for the 2012 boys tennis sea-son may take Littleton coach Don Zolla some time.

Zolla lost six seniors off of last year’s team, and with just two seniors on the 2012 squad, he’s got a young team on his hands.

“I’m not sure what to expect,” said Zolla, who is in his sixth year at Littleton. “I do know that I have a good group of kids and that we will be competitive.”

Patrick Gray at No. 1 singles and Dom Mazzola at No. 2 singles (he made state at No. 4 doubles last year) are both juniors and Zolla added that freshman Jake Ander-son is a good addition to the team. Corey Bowman (No. 1 doubles) and Morgan Reisacher (No. 2 doubles) are the Lions’ two seniors.

The Lions will battle with the usual suspects in the al-ways-competitive Continental League. Littleton opened its season with a 4-3 loss to ThunderRidge.

“Regis and Highlands Ranch are good and Mountain Vista is supposed to be really good this year,” Zolla said.

Littleton will once again host its invitational tour-nament in mid-September that features teams from all across the state.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Zolla said of the tournament. “We use it as a warm-up for regionals.”

In addition, the Lions will be playing on newly re-sur-faced courts at the high school.

Creek going for gold ... againWhen you’ve won 19 consecutive state titles, and 37

of the last 40, there’s really only one goal in mind at the start of a new season.

Win another title.That’s exactly what longtime coach Kirk Price (enter-

ing his 43rd year) and his Bruins are setting out to do in 2012.

There are a handful of players that return from last year’s state championship team that Price expects will lead the way for the Bruins.

Daniel Steinhauser, Connor McPherson, Will Ro and Connor Petrou, all seniors, should provide plenty of lead-ership for the younger players. Steinhauser won the No.

3 singles state title last year; Ro was a part of the No. 2 doubles team, along with Jonathan Kaugman, that won state.

McPherson won the No. 3 doubles title with teammate Parker Dannenberg, while Petrou and Jace Blackburn fin-ished second at No. 4 doubles.

Cherry Creek will no doubt once again be the favor-ite to win state, but expect Fairview to be in the mix as they were in 2011, where they finished just nine points behind the Bruins in the team standings.

Other team notesRegis Jesuit finished ninth at state last year, but to im-

prove on that positioning in 2012, the Raiders will have to rely on several new faces, as most of last year’s state qualifiers graduated.

Enzo Abbott (sophomore), Trace Collins (sophomore), Chanon Penuari (freshman) and Nate Root (junior) will be the players to keep an eye on.

Root teamed with Case Anderson (graduated) at No. 3 doubles in 2011 and the duo went on to a third-place finish at state.

arapahoe County > august 30, 2012 > FALL FOOTBALL & SPORTS PREVIEW > PAgE 13ourColoradonews.Com13

Fall Sports Preview 2011

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Sentinel SportSolympic-sized dreams

As Jessica López makes her final preparations in the weeks leading up to the 2012 Summer Olympics, the 5-foot gymnast has roots that are firmly tied to Colorado.

López, who qualified for the Olympic Games in London as the only gym-nast competing for Venezuela, will spend July training with the Spanish na-tional team. The former University of Denver standout spent the past sev-eral months working out at TIGAR Gymnastics in Wheat Ridge, where she received an impressive sendoff.

“She’s been a great inspiration for the little children that train with her,” TIGAR owner Beth Letzsch said. “She wanted to train while other kids were here so she’d be used to training in front of other people and not have this pristine, sterile environment where it was just her.”

TIGAR — which stands for The International Gymnastics Academy of the Rockies — opened in May of 2011. The facility offers classes in gym-nastics and cheerleading for a wide range of ages and abilities, from tod-dlers to teenagers, recreational to competitive.

The mission of the facility, according to Letzsch, is to use competitive sports to allow children to “develop their full potential — not just in that sport, but how that sport might have applications to real life later on.”

Gymnastics continues on Page 17

London is calling for Venezuelan gymnast López

Story by Brian Miller • Photo by Justin Sagarsee

16 Northglenn-Thornton SentinelJuly 5, 2012

Morris sprints way among nation’s eliteGolden grad competes in 100, 200 at U.S. Olympic Track trialsBy Brian [email protected]

When Joe Morris took to the track at Hayward Field in Oregon for the preliminaries of the 100-meter dash June 23 in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, he noticed a familiar face in the lane next to him.

Want to talk about pressure? Morris was side-by-side with 2004 Olympic Gold medalist Justin Gatlin. That’s quite a leap in competition for an athlete who four years ago was competing in the Class 4A state championships at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood.

Gatlin eventually took first in the finals of the 100 with a time of 9.80 seconds to qualify for the 2012 Summer Games in London.

“It was funny. I grew up kind of watching those guys run,” Morris said by phone from Eugene, Ore. on Sunday evening. “To actually be in the lane right next to him, it was a little weird.”

Morris, a 2008 graduate of Golden High School, competed in the Olympic Trials in the 100 and 200. The 22-year-old finished 30th overall in the prelims of the 100 after running a time of 10.63.

He fared better in the 200 last Friday, qualifying for the semifinals after running a 20.82. He finished 18th overall in Saturday’s semis with a 21.22.

Morris, who just wrapped up his junior season at the University of Colorado, has come quite a ways since his days with the Demons. The 4A state cham-pion in the 100, Morris also captured national titles in the 60-meter dash at Nike Nationals and the Simplot Games while at Golden.

He began his college running career at the Uni-versity of Tennessee before transferring to CU. He red-shirted in 2010, and in his very first race with the Buffs, he set an indoor school record of 6.63.

He credits the drastic drop in his time to going from enjoying the sport to living and breathing it.

“I would say I was successful at Golden. I learned that I loved running in my high school days,” he said. “I considered myself pretty fast, and then I learned there is also technique involved and a proper way to run sprints. I was able to drop so much time.”

Referred to as “one of the most random runners

S

17-SportS-Color

Wheat RidgeSportS Wheat Ridge Transcript 17May 3, 2012

Farmers punch their postseason ticketShutout of Conifer sends Wheat Ridge into Class 4A state playoffsBy Brian [email protected]

The Class 4A state playoffs just wouldn’t be the same without Wheat Ridge’s girls soccer team - fortunately for the Farmers, they won’t be missing out.

Junior Macee Broer tallied a hat trick April 25 as the Farmers helped lock up the

sixth and final playoff spot out of 4A Jeffco with a 3-0 victory over Conifer at the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada.

A team that has competed in the past three state title games, winning two cham-pionships, has struggled at times this sea-son after getting hard by graduation. When it mattered most though, Wheat Ridge came through.

“The kids have worked hard and we just haven’t been re-warded,” Farmers coach Dan Watkins said. “We haven’t got the result that we wanted. We came into this one laying it on the line - this was a state tournament game. Win this and advance to the next round, which is the tournament of 32.”

The Farmers (5-8-2, 5-3-2) closed the sea-son with a victory over Elizabeth and now await the postseason brackets, which are scheduled to be re-leased Sunday.

“We all knew if we lost tonight we weren’t going to have an ex-tended season,” Broer said. “We all wanted to win. We got out here and played our hearts out.”

Wheat Ridge won three of its final four regular-season games,

the only loss coming in a 1-0 loss to undefeated Cheyenne Mountain. It

was the first time this season the Indians hadn’t scored multiple goals in a game.

The Conifer game was the true test for Wheat Ridge though, given that the final playoff spot would go to one side or the other. Broer needed just more than six minutes to find the back of the net, taking a shot from a tough angle and slotting it past Lobos goalkeeper Samantha Prince.

Broer struck again six minutes later, tak-ing a cross from Ticia Rambeau and rip-ping it past Prince.

“We needed a leader tonight and she did that for us,” Watkins said. “I can’t say enough about her finishes.”

Broer completed the hat trick 14 min-utes into the second half, scoring on a re-bound.

“A bunch of games didn’t go our way and we’ve been working hard ever since day one,” Broer said. “We knew it was going to be a very different season but we all took that in a good way. I think we’re all prepared for anything that comes to us now.”

Analese Apodaca finished with two saves for Wheat Ridge and Carly Manahan added a third. Watkins credited his defense with evolving throughout the year and said the group has been holding tough in recent games.

After three years of dominating Jef-fco, the league losses have taken a toll on the Farmers at times, but Watkins said his squad has been competitive in nearly every contest. As long as Wheat Ridge can do that in the playoffs, anything is possible.

“I feel like there’s maybe one game where we got outplayed a little bit. Other than that I think that we’ve been in it all year long,” Watkins said. “People are go-ing to look at the record and say `what’s going on over there?’ But I look at my kids and how we’re playing and the resiliency of them, and I know we can go out and com-pete with anybody.”

Wheat Ridge senior Brooke Livingston, right, fights for the ball with Conifer’s Gabrielle Valenzuela during the first half of a 4A Jeffco contest April 25 at the NAAC in Arvada. The Farmers won 3-0. Photo by Brian Miller

Wheat Ridge sophomore Shelly Browne, 8, battles for the ball with Conifer’s Gabrielle Valenzuela during the first half of the 4A Jeffco league game April 25 at the NAAC in Arvada. Wheat Ridge won 3-0. By Brian Miller

Farmers head to postseasonWheat Ridge’s boys lacrosse team

earned the No. 12 seed in the state playoffs and will host Smoky Hill in the first round at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 5, at Trailblazer Stadium in Lakewood. The Farmers (9-6) finished second in the Foothills League to Columbine, which received a first-round bye. Smoky Hill (7-8) finished fifth in the Centennial League. Arapahoe (15-0) re-ceived the No. 1 overall seed - the second round must be completed by May 9.

Honoring CapraThis Saturday’s regular-season home fi-

nale for Arvada West’s baseball team marks the final home game for longtime Wildcats coach Jim Capra. Currently an assistant, Capra will take over the baseball program at Adams State College in Alamosa. Arvada West is inviting any former players to attend Saturday’s game at 10 a.m. against Stand-ley Lake. Those attending should show up at least 15 minutes before the game as the school honors Capra.

Wresting camp at LegacyThe Northwestern University Wrestling

Camp will take place from June 10-13 at Legacy High School in Broomfield. The camp is for experienced wrestlers ages 10-18 for all schools and clubs. Northwestern coach Drew Pariano and wrestlers from the Big Ten school will be instructing and coaching at the camp. The cost is $200 per camper if they register prior to May 1. The cost is $225 for those who register af-ter May 1; for every 10 wrestlers from the same team, there will be a 10% discount. For more information, contact Deon Hebel at 303-803-5051 or at [email protected].

Golden hoops campGolden High School is hosting a bas-

ketball camp for boys and girls from June 25-28. The camp runs from 9-11:30 a.m. for those in grades 1-5, and from 12:30-3 p.m. for those in grades 6-9. For more info, e-mail Golden boys basketball coach John Anderson at [email protected].

Mustangs win 5A JeffcoRalston Valley’s girls tennis team de-

feated Chatfield 6-1 on April 24 to claim the team’s first Class 5A Jeffco League title. Senior Olivia Anselmo finished the league season undefeated at No. 2 singles, and the No. 3 doubles team of Kelsey Maass and Al-lyson Goto also finished 8-0 in league play. The Mustangs will compete in the 5A Re-gion 7 tournament this week hosted by Fos-sil Ridge. The 5A state tournament is May 10-12 at Gates Tennis Center in Denver.

Volleyball campPomona’s Junior Panther Volleyball

camps will run May 11 and 14. Players in grades 4-5 will participate from 5:30-7 p.m. on May 11, and players in grades 6-7 will compete from 5:30-7 p.m. on May 14. Basic skills of volleyball will be covered by Pomona’s volleyball staff and varsity play-ers. The cost of the camp is $25; to reserve a spot, contact Pomona coach Leilani Luke at [email protected].

Charity golf in MayThe Lakewood Legacy Foundation is

hosting the Links for the Legacy charity golf tournament May 19 at Fox Hollow Golf Course in Morrison. Funds raised at the tournament helps to benefit the Lakewood community. For more information, to be-come a sponsor or a partner in association with the Lakewood Legacy Foundation, contact Fred Taake at 303-989-4472.

Colts revving upThe Arvada Colts of the Rocky Mountain

Baseball League will hold open tryouts May 25-28. Tryout fee is $25. The club reserves two spots on its team for tryout players. To get registered for the tryout, call Tommy Skul at 720-933-6159. Arvada is also look-ing for host families for players this season. Those interested can go online at www.ar-vadacolts.com or call 720-933-6159.

Quick hits

Farmers punch their postseason ticketShutout of Conifer sends Wheat Ridge into Class 4A state playoffsBy Brian [email protected]

The Class 4A state playoffs just wouldn’t be the same without Wheat Ridge’s girls soccer team - fortunately for the Farmers, they won’t be missing out.

Junior Macee Broer tallied a hat trick April 25 as the Farmers helped lock up the

sixth and final playoff spot out of 4A Jeffco with a 3-0 victory over Conifer at the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada.

A team that has competed in the past three state title games, winning two cham-pionships, has struggled at times this sea-son after getting hard by graduation. When it mattered most though, Wheat Ridge came through.

“The kids have

was the first time this season the Indians hadn’t scored multiple goals in a game.

The Conifer game was the true test for Wheat Ridge though, given that the final playoff spot would go to one side or the other. Broer needed just more than six minutes to find the back of the net, taking a shot from a tough angle and slotting it past Lobos goalkeeper Samantha Prince.

Broer struck again six minutes later, tak

Wheat Ridge senior Brooke Livingston, right, fights for the ball with Conifer’s Gabrielle Valenzuela during the first half of a 4A Jeffco contest April 25 at the NAAC in Arvada. The Farmers won 3-0. Photo by Brian Miller

Douglas Countysports16 Douglas County News-Press April 19, 2012

Huskies,titans battle in league openerPitching, “team effort” propel Legend over Douglas County in showdownBy Robert [email protected]

No matter the season, no matter what sport, the one thing any competitor in the rugged Continental league can count on is a long grind.

That was a feeling shared by the Leg-end and Douglas County baseball teams before their game on April 9th and re-mained the common theme following a 7-2 Titan’s win.

“In this league you take turns beat-ing the heck out of each other and hope, in the end, you survive,” said Douglas County coach Mark Roberts who, in the fourth season of his second stint with the school, has seen his share of tight league races.

And after three innings and the score tied at two, the game was very much as you would expect from teams fighting for an early leg up in the league standings.

“We had talked all season about get-ting the little things right and gaining

momentum,” said Scott Fellers, Legends fourth year coach. “And after scoring two runs in the 2nd inning I thought we did a good job at that. But they turned it on us in the 3rd and tied it by piecing some things together. Walks, a big hit, they made it a long inning for us.”

Following that long inning however, the Titan’s bats struck in the top of the 4th on their way to an 11 hit day to go back up by two runs and Titans starting pitch-er Tyler Honahan shut down the Huskies over the next two and two thirds innings, earning the win to go with 11 strike outs.

“I pitched ok. I got ahead of the batters mostly, but also walked some I shouldn’t have,” said Honanan. “I had great defense behind me and we had some hits and got some bunt’s down.

“Basically we executed when we had to, it was a good game by all and I’m proud of my team,” said the senior who will be playing collegiately at Stony Brook next fall.

For Legend senior Jake Jenkins, the game was both one of frustration and satisfaction.

“This was a great team effort,” said the third base-man and pitcher, who is headed to the University of Pacific. “I person-ally struggled at the plate but it helps when you have teammates getting hits and scoring runs. And when you have a guy like Tyler throwing and guy’s making good plays behind him it’s great to be a part of. This was a good game for us

and if we can keep that going we will be a good team.”

Douglas County senior Taylor Craft, who also will be going on to play in college at Eastern Arizona, kept his thoughts as well as his teammates posi-tive after the game.

“We have been hitting and pitching well in non league and we just need to carry that forward, not lose sight of that after this game,” Craft said. “We got a little flat and our bats fell asleep today. We lacked a play here or there and that made the difference, but we are still a good team and one game does not change that.”

Craft’s teammate, senior Aaron Ros-ipajla, agrees but also thinks he and his team needs to pick up the intensity both on the field and in the dugout.

“I believe in a vocal team. It helps keep players and the pitchers in the game and tuned up. As a senior I need to do more, be more involved in mak-ing that happen,” he said.

Recruited to CSU Pueblo for foot-ball, Rosipajla also plans to continue playing baseball and although he looks forward to that future he is not ready for it just yet.

“Still have a lot left in this season and I am having fun with it. We didn’t hit the ball today and we just need to go back to being confident, not let one bad inning at the plate get us down,” Rosipajla said.

His coach agreed.“This is one game, and we faced a

good pitcher who found a zone and they beat us,” said Roberts. “In a deep league where no one is going to go un-defeated, we have to be ready to pick up the pieces and respond quickly because we play again in two days. I’m happy with our team and we have played some good baseball and can’t let this one game diminish what we have started. And I think our team is mature enough to understand that.”

Douglas County shortstop Baron Coffelt attempts to turn a double pay as Legend’s Michael Baird slides into second base. Photo by Kevin Keyser | KeyserImages.com

Douglas County’s Codi Guillory looks to see if he can find a baserunner too far off the bag while Legend’s Bobby Dalbec tells his teammates to hold up. Photo by Kevin Keyser | KeyserImages.com

Sabercats pick up big winCastle View defeats Heritage for the first time in school historyBy Daniel P. [email protected]

When you set out to build a structure, you never want to rush construction.

If you do, chances are your foundation will crack and your project will come crum-bling down.

Castle View’s baseball program has tak-en a game-by-game approach to its build-ing plan, and the results appear to be plant-ed very steadily into the ground.

The Sabercats did something they had yet to do in their six-year history on April 13 — defeat Heritage — topping the Eagles 5-2 at Castle View High School. The win moved the team into a first-place tie with Regis atop the Class 5A Continental League standings with a 3-0 record.

“It’s a huge win for us,” said Castle View coach, Shawn Wyss, whose team is 8-3 over-all. “To do something we’ve never done be-fore is a thing we can feed off of, and hope-fully we can keep this momentum going.”

The loss capped a tough week for the Eagles, who dropped three straight league games and are 0-3 in conference play, 4-7 overall. Still, despite the losing streak, Heri-tage coach Scott Hormann says the team remains positive.

“Teams go through stretches like this,” Hormann said. “What I’m encouraged by is that no one is hanging their head; guys are still going out there and playing hard and trying to pick each other up. We are a good baseball team and we are going to beat some good teams.”

Castle View pitcher Trevor Smeeton picked up the win, pitching a complete game. The sophomore allowed just two runs on nine hits, struck out six and walked just one batter.

“He was in control and in command the entire game,” Wyss said.

Smeeton cruised through the Heritage lineup the first time around, but ran into trouble in the fourth as he loaded the bases with two outs. The Eagles failed to capi-talize on the scoring chance as Smeeton struck out Jon Wilson to end the inning.

“That was big to wiggle off the hook like that,” Wyss said. “That’s big for the whole team because now guys will start to trust (Smeeton) more, knowing that if he gets into trouble, he can work his way out of it.”

Smeeton’s teammates quickly rallied to his aid in the bottom of the fourth, scoring two runs to take a 4-0 lead. Kaleb Geiger led off the inning with a single, followed by an infield hit by Austin Smith. A sacrifice bunt moved by Ben Dalke moved both run-ners into scoring position and Chris Cruz knocked them both in with an RBI double to rightfield.

Heritage trimmed the deficit in half in the sixth as Dylan Schulthies lined an RBI single to center and another run scored on a Castle View throwing error. The Sabercats scored a run in bottom half of the inning as Bryce Lynch (3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs) knocked in a run with a single to left.

Cruz was 2-for-3 on the day with two RBIs and a run scored for Castle View. Kyle Calhoun was 2-for-2 with a single, double, run scored and was hit by a pitch. The Ea-gles’ Danny Strine went the distance on the mound, and struck out seven batters.

“Our league is brutal,” Hormann said. “There’s no gimmies. You have to play well to win. I thought we played a good game, but things didn’t go our way. We hit three balls on the nose, but right at (Castle View) players. That stuff happens. If those balls find a hole, it’s maybe a different ballgame.”

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Trench warfareThe players up front often

determines winners and

losers in Douglas CountyBy Benn [email protected]

When it comes to high school football in the state of Colorado, the line starts in Douglas County.

For more than a decade, area schools have produced some of the best high school linemen in the state. This year’s crop of players that do their work in the trenches is no different, with as many as three local lineman already making com-mitments to Division I college programs.

“I don’t know what it is in our league (Continental), but we seem to have big athletic linemen at each of our schools year-in, year-out,” Douglas County coach Jeff Ketron said. “We (the Huskies) are not caught up in size so much as tough-ness. Two of our best linemen ever were 5 -foot-8, 200 pounds and played for a state championship.”

This year’s crop of linemen entering the 2012 season isn’t short on anything — size, ability or experience — and colleges and universities have taken notice.

Among the latest collegee recruits, Chaparral tight end Chris Parsons has ver-bally committed to play for the University of Colorado. Douglas County senior Blake

Nowland is head to Colorado State Uni-versity, and standout Chris Fox of Ponder-osa chose Michigan after being courted by programs such as Stanford, Tennessee and Ohio State.

Linemen are unique players in that the glory of the “big play” is rarely credited to one of them, so a level of humility is required for the position.

“I think offensive linemen are our team’s most unselfish players,” Thunder-Ridge coach Joe Johnson said. “They care more about the success of our team than their individual success.”

Linemen are also key to strategies across the board for Douglas County teams, not only in the eyes of the sidelines but also those on the field. Parsons said all of Chaparral’s league games are won at the line first.

“Our league is known for good defense like Mountain Vista, ThunderRidge and Regis,” the senior tight end said. “Last year, we put up some points against High-lands Ranch but their defense was tough. I would say you have to have a pretty good defense and a real strong defensive line.”

Ketron said the Huskies’ offensive and defensive strategies start at the line as well. Any season when Douglas County had the toughness it looks for on the of-fensive line, the Huskies have pounded the football. When the team is lacking in certain areas, it has to find a different way to do things to give its offense a chance, the coach said.

The same holds true on defense.“If we can just line up and play, it sure

makes it easy to call a defense,” Ketron said. “We would take five linemen over five skilled kids any day. Our league is tough. There is not a finesse team in it.”

CSU-bound lineman Nowland agreed, saying it’s the toughest team on the line which comes out on top in Continental match ups.

Parsons, however, said some finesse is required and often seen among Douglas

County linemen as well.“We’re not really a Columbine. Most of

our offenses are pro style, so there’s finesse to it,” he said. “Obviously, Chris Fox and Blake Nowland are two main guys coming from Douglas County with very good feet. They are big boys, but they have finesse to it as well.”

“Size helps, but the ability to move your feet and flexibility are key with line-men,” Nowland said.

Fox and Parsons played on rival foot-ball teams in the Arapahoe Youth League during their younger years, Parsons said. Although, Chaparral, Ponderosa and Leg-end remain cross-town rival teams, Leg-end was placed in the newly formed Class 5A Pioneer League while Ponderosa sits

in the Class 4A Pikes Peak League with a majority of Colorado Springs-based pro-grams.

As linemen in Douglas County become more important with each progressive season, each team is challenged to find ways to separate their players at the line of scrimmage from others. Parsons said the difference with Chaparral is its coach-ing staff.

“I think we have the best offensive line coach in the state,” Parsons said of Rod Dobbs, who helped the University of Northern Colorado to back-to-back Divi-sion II national championships (1996, 1997). “The preparation we go through every week, our foot work. No other of-fensive line in the state has the teaching we have.”

Nowland said, for the Huskies, the dif-ference is how they push each other.

“The desire to beat the guy next to us is the thing that keeps us going,” he said. “Any team where all the guys get along is a successful team.”

ThunderRidge also looks for toughness from its lines, especially when reloading those positions after having graduated starters from the previous season.

“I am looking for tough kids,” said Johnson, who guided the Grizzlies to back-to-back 4A state titles (2004, 2005). “Size can be helpful, but it’s not that big a factor at the high school level.

“I am excited about our team this year, because we will be considerably bigger, tougher and more experienced on both the O and D line this season than we have been in some time.”

Parsons said he’s most excited to see how Chaparral’s hard work over the sum-mer pays off. He aspires to be a team cap-tain this season.

“Being a senior, it’s going to be fun, hopefully being a captain and leading the team under the lights,” he said. “It’s my last year, and I can not wait to see what it has in store.”

Chaparral tight end Chris Parsons said there is a certain finesse to being a line-men. The University of Colorado-bound senior is considered a top-five recruit in the state and is excited to see how the Wolverines’ work over the summer pays off. Photo by Benn Farrell

> FALL FOOTBALL & SPORTS PREVIEW > August 30, 2012 > ArApAhoe CouNtY ourColorAdoNews.Com14

Three times charmed?Chaparral volleyball reloads in quest for third titleBy Benn [email protected]

Flying under the radar usually isn’t pos-sible for a two-time defending state cham-pion.

But with most expecting Chaparral to ex-perience a rebuilding year this season, that’s exactly what the Wolverines hope to do. Af-ter two seasons of being the team to beat not only in the Continental League, but in districts, regionals and the state as well, the two-time Class 5A defending state cham-pion Wolverines have quietly reloaded and have aspirations of being as tough to beat as they have been for years. While stand-outs Nicole Dalton and Elizabeth Campbell and others graduated, some may question if Chaparral has the firepower it needs to win a third straight state title.

However, that’s never been the goal for the Wolverines no matter how stacked the roster is. The goal is just “to play as a family and maintain the tradition of being one of the toughest teams to beat in Continental, rather than win the state championship,” according to Wolverines coach T.R. Ellis.

For the last two years, that formula just

happened to lead them to a state champi-onship. And no one associated with the team is ruling out another.

“You have to remember all these (re-turning) kids practiced and played just as hard and many of them were on that 2011 championship team and the team before,” Ellis said. “They know what it takes in prac-tice and how hard you have to work. They know everybody has a role on the team. They’re in it for the team, and we don’t have superstars.”

Ellis said above all her players focus on continuing the reputation Chaparral has for being hard to beat and scrappy, rather than focusing on another state championship.

“They want to maintain that family at-mosphere, and that’s what helps them ex-pect to win when they walk into the gym,” the coach said. “I just think a lot of people are not going to expect us to be as strong this season because we don’t have the pre-season All-Americans this year. I think a lot of people are going to overlook us as a team.”

Two outside hitters who had a hand in last season’s state championship did return

— seniors Morgan Stanley and Abby Shel-ton. Shelton also saw time in the first title run, being inserted into auto-rotation dur-ing the tournament solely in the front line.

“She got real fired up and plays with a lot of emotion,” Ellis said. “She has so much fun out there. … She has a lot of skills. She scores a lot of points for us, swings hard and is very deceptive.”

Shelton was an outside hitter the entire season last year. Morgan was a transfer stu-dent and was ineligible to play until half-way through her junior season with the Wolverines. But when she became eligible to play, she was also inserted into auto-rota-tion on the front line only, and she put up a good amount of points swinging from the right side.

“She opened up our offense at the state tournament last year,” the coach said.

Returning to set is 5-foot-1 Sarah Ellis, who worked the position last season. Coach Ellis said their were a couple other kids who may play that role this season, but as of pre-season tryouts, Sarah Ellis had the nod.

“So many of our kids play club, and we don’t play as a team a lot during the sum-

mer,” coach Ellis said.In addition, she said there were a lot of

returning juniors with potential this season from a very strong junior varsity squad last year. However, it was going to be Shelton, Stanley and Ellis returning to make a solid front line, while defensive specialists Mad-die Thorpe and Ahren Moydell were expect-ed to be the anchors in the back.

Chaparral’s Abby Shelton celebrates a point during last year’s state tournament. File photo by Courtney Kuhlen

Rivalries hit a fever pitch in ContinentalShowdowns mean more for local soccer teamsBy Benn [email protected]

When Continental League soccer teams hit the pitch, there’s usually more than just the typical neighborly bragging rights on the line.

While there’s plenty of cross-town con-nections to feed into rivalries, proximity isn’t the only factor fueling the action on the field. Players from opposing schools may be teammates on local club teams and many have spent their entire childhood playing with or against each other.

Even coaches have connections that go further than the post-game handshake. And that makes for a schedule loaded with red-letter games. Take Castle View, for example. While Douglas County might be the clos-est school to them in terms of location, the Sabercats also bring extra intensity to their games with Ponderosa.

The reason for this is Castle View head coach Perry Glantz was an assistant under Jim Engels at Ponderosa prior to taking the Sabercats reins. Glantz said he and Engels are best friends and always have a great time when their respective teams compete against each other.

“We both coach club, and we are coach players from both high schools on our re-spective teams,” Glantz said. “So, when we

get together, we know we both want to win, and it will be a hard fought, fair match.”

The respect between the two coaches is reflected by the players on the field as well. However, the intensity is heightened just that much more for those games.

“The players from our club teams defi-nitely want to beat their club coach when they get the chance,” Glantz said. “It is re-ally a tremendous dynamic.”

The league also features four cross-town rival schools playing against each other for community bragging rights in Highlands Ranch. Chris Smith, coach of ThunderRidge soccer, said every time a rivalry game comes up, it not only generates more enthusiasm in the young men and women who play but also in their school and classmates.

“The biggest things I love about high school soccer is the kids get to play with their friends in front of their friends, for their school and for their community,” Smith said. “Teachers, administration, stu-dents and the community always seem to perk up when there is a rivalry match played.”

Like the dynamic between Glantz and Engels’ teams playing each other, Smith’s relationship with Rock Canyon coach Sean Henning and Highlands Ranch’s Danny Main also help elevate the rival-factor for their conference games. However, Theresa

Echtemeyer of Mountain Vista is a special case when Smith’s Grizzlies face her Golden Eagles.

“She has played both mentor and teach-er to me in my coach licensing, and we both work at Colorado United for Club soccer,” Smith said. “Mountain Vista is our biggest rival, as they are just up the road from us, and the school that dethroned us in so many ways when they opened up 10 years ago.

“It’s true for all sports, and soccer is no exception. Since we’ve become a perennial threat for the past three years again, it has made it even more intense.”

Smith said the Grizzlies’ games against Heritage, Regis Jesuit, Chaparral and Leg-end could rise to rivalry caliber this season, especially if there’s a playoffs spot at stake.

Jaguars coach Sean Henning said with the school jumping in classification, lead-ing up to its first year of Class 5A for foot-ball, Rock Canyon hasn’t had a chance to develop the be-all end-all rivalry in its his-tory. That has been the same for Jaguars soc-cer, Henning said.

“If I were to ask my team who our biggest rival would be, I’d probably get five differ-ent answers,” he said.

Henning remembers the rivalry he had in high school against Regis Jesuit during ninth and 10th grades playing for Mullen.

His big rivalry switched to Golden after be-coming a Wheat Ridge player his 11th and 12th-grade seasons.

“We were always aware of who we were playing, and it motivated us,” Henning said.

Henning also sees Mountain Vista as the biggest rival, along with Heritage, based on the Rock Canyon program’s history. In boys soccer, Henning and Echtermeyer have faced off five times with four of those games decided by one goal, including the last two. The winning goal was scored in the closing minutes of double overtime in both those games. It’s that kind of history between pro-grams that fuels the fire season after season. Geography and the influence of club soccer also add to the shape of rivalries in the Con-tinental League. Glantz said he uses rivalry games as a teaching tool.

“We have attempted to emphasize the ri-valry games to help the players understand that they are part of a program with a his-tory that goes back beyond their freshmen year,” he said. “It helps to connect the cur-rent athletes to the alumni that helped to build the program.”

Coordinating with Deigo Montoya, head coach of Douglas County Huskies soc-cer, Castle View and Douglas County now awards a trophy to the winner of their rival-ry game, promoting the match as a Castle Rock city championship.


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Pirates ready to start play in a new league Englewood will be in league with schools about the same size

By Tom Munds [email protected]

Englewood High School is ready to make the move into a new sports league where they will face some familiar oppo-nents as well as some new competition.

“We have reached the agreement

to form this new Class 4A league for all sports except football, which will remain in a 3A league,” said Paul Evans, Engle-wood athletic director. “Our new league will include long-time time rival Eliza-beth, along with Fort Lupton, Fort Mor-gan, Skyview, Vista Peak, a new Aurora school, and Weld Central.”

Evans said the Class 3A league oppo-nents in foot-ball will be the same as before except for Weld Central. Tentatively, the grouping will be called the Metro East Conference.

According to state association rules, league changes can only be made every two years, which is the same as classifi ca-tion changes for a school.

“We made an effort to create the new league two years ago because all the schools considering membership want-ed a more competitive, balanced league stressing sportsmanship and academics,” Evans said.

“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to make it happen. But the core member-ship agreed we still wanted to establish the new league so we decided to try again. This time, it looks like we’ll be successful.”

Evans said the athletic directors from the school in the proposed new league agreed it will be an opportunity to es-tablish a stable league where all mem-ber schools are about the same size and expectations is all schools will be competitive.

League changes are nothing new to En-

glewood. Back in the 1970s and early ‘80s, the Pirates were in the Centennial League with schools like Cherry Creek and Fair-view.

Faced with declining enrollment and fi nding it diffi cult to be competi-tive against just about all the Centennial League schools, the Pirates moved to the Skyline League in 1981. While the ma-jority of the sports remained there for almost two decades, the football team changed classifi cation and played in sev-eral leagues.

In the late 1990s, Englewood left the Skyline League and became a member of the 4A Jefferson County League.

Again, the league alignment was differ-ent for football because the team classifi -cation in that sport was 3A.

Englewood enrollment hovered within 20 stu-dents of the 3A classifi ca-tion cutoff so the school expected to move into that classifi cation in 2009. The enrollment didn’t de-cline below the cutoff lev-el so Englewood remained 4A. However, the Pirates teams in all sports but football played basically a 3A schedule although they were still a 4A school. That proved to be a chal-lenge because, in order to get into the postseason 4A playoffs, a team had to win the 3A league champi-onship.

Now, in the fall, all the sports except football will be playing in the new 4A league while the Pirate football team plays in the new 3A league.

‘The core membership agreed we still wanted to es-tablish the new league so we decided to try again. This time, it looks like we’ll be successful.’

Paul Evans

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