6A Girls and Boys Basketball: CCSD teams play in holiday tourneys
The Overland High School girls basketball team won the Sapphire Division of the Tarkanian Classic Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas last week. The Blazers were one of several district clubs that played in tournaments both in and out of state.
The Blazers (7-2 overall) went 4-0 in the tournament and won their division with a 62-36 victory over hometown opponent Denver South in the championship.
Girls’ teams from Cherokee Trail, Cherry Creek, and Grandview were in Phoenix last week for the Nike Tournament of Champions. The three district clubs went 2-2 in the tourney. The Cougars are now 5-3 overall, the Bruins stand at 4-3, and Grandview is 6-2. The Wolves played three of the top 25 nationally ranked teams in their draw.
The Eaglecrest girls hosted their own holiday tournament at The Nest and went 2-1 to improve to 6-3 on the season. Smoky Hill (2-6 overall) was 0-2 in in-state games last week.
On the boys’ side, Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest, and Smoky Hill were also at the Tarkanian Tournament in Las Vegas last week. The Raptors (7-2 overall), went 3-1 for the tourney, falling in the Spalding Division Championship, 73-66, to Bingham, Utah. The Buffs (4-4 overall), went 3-1, finishing third in the Bawl Dawgs Division. CTHS (5-3 overall) finished 2-2.
Cherry Creek hosted Grandview and six other clubs in the Bruins Holiday Classic Dec. 19-21. The Bruins went 1-2 and are 4-3 overall on the season. Grandview fell to 5-4, also going 1-2 in tournament play.
Overland played a four-game schedule in the Shoot the Rock Tour in the Phoenix area last week. The Blazers went 1-3 and fell to 2-5 overall on the season.
5A Girls Swimming and Diving: Grandview and Cherry Creek post wins
The Rex Abelien Memorial Invitational Swim Meet was held on Dec. 20 and 21 at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center (VMAC) in Thornton. Grandview senior Addison Campbell took first-place honors in the diving competition on Friday, and Cherry Creek took home the team swim championship on Saturday. Cherokee Trail finished sixth, Smoky Hill 10th and Grandview 12th.
5A Football: 2024 All-State Teams announced
The All-State teams for 5A football were announced by the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) on Dec. 17. Players were voted on by head coaches across Colorado. Cherry Creek won the 5A Football State Championship on Dec. 7.
Congratulations to these All-State honorees!
First Team:
Jayden Fox, junior – Cherry Creek
Tufanua Ionatana Umu-Cais, junior – Cherry Creek
Aiden Knapke, senior – Cherry Creek
Keegan Perea, senior – Cherry Creek
Soren Shinofield, senior – Cherry Creek
Ned Zilinskas, senior – Cherry Creek
Second Team:
Jack Francis, senior - Cherry Creek
Honorable Mention:
Elvin Ampofo, senior – Eaglecrest
Cade Brook, senior – Cherokee Trail
Daniel Buckeye, sophomore – Grandview
Noah Collins, senior – Cherokee Trail
Elijah Cromwell, freshman – Cherry Creek
Brody Flores, junior – Grandview
Marquis Jamison, senior – Cherokee Trail
Caleb Llamas, senior – Grandview
Oliver Miller, junior – Cherry Creek
Xay Neto, senior – Grandview
Ramadje Owens, senior – Eaglecrest
Jolon Quintana, sophomore – Cherry Creek
Ashton Shepardson, senior – Cherry Creek
Brady Vodicka, junior – Cherry Creek
Jarrius Ward, senior - Overland
You can see all the selections here.
5A Spirit: 2024 All-State Teams named
All-State Teams for Spirit Cheer and Dance disciplines were released by CHSAA last Thursday. Cheer categories are Game Day Cheer, All-Girl Cheer, and Co-Ed Cheer, and Dance categories are Game Day Dance, Poms, Hip Hop, and Jazz.
Cherokee Trail Cheer Coach Kelsey Goodson, CTHS Jazz Coach Mia Brown, and Eaglecrest Hip-Hop Coaches Mistella Jimenez and Cayla Warneke were named Coaches of the Year for 2024. They led their squads to state titles earlier this month: Cherokee Trail took home state titles in 4A/5A Game Day Cheer and Jazz, and Eaglecrest won the state championship in Hip Hop.
Congratulations to all the All-State honorees!
Cheer:
4A/5A Coach of the Year: Kelsey Goodson, Cherokee Trail
First Team:
Nayajah Burton, senior – Eaglecrest
Nellie Light, senior – Smoky Hill
Paige Love, senior – Cherokee Trail
Allix Roush, senior – Cherokee Trail
Lucy Wenzel, senior – Cherry Creek
Honorable Mention:
Sophia Lopez, junior, Eaglecrest
Nyanna Metcalfe, senior – Smoky Hill
Hannah Schenck, senior – Grandview
Gabriella Schrock, senior – Cherry Creek
Dance – Jazz, Hip-Hop and Pom:
Hip Hop Coaches of the Year: Mistella Jimenez/Cayla Warneke, Eaglecrest
Jazz Coach of the Year: Mia Brown, Cherokee Trail
First Team:
Danika Gonzalez, senior – Eaglecrest – Hip Hop
Natalee Gunnell, senior – Cherry Creek – 5A Pom
Madeline Nguyen, senior – Smoky Hill – Hip Hop
Talya Smith, senior – Cherokee Trail – Jazz
Kate Smith, senior – Cherokee Trail – Jazz
Alexis Vigil, senior – Eaglecrest – Hip Hop
Gaby Zayt, senior – Cherry Creek – 5A Pom
Honorable Mention:
Makiyah Douglas, senior – Smoky Hill – Hip Hop
Addison Campbell photo courtesy Courtney Oakes, Sentinel Colorado.
Jayden Fox photo courtesy Theodore A. Stark.
Posted 12/23/2024
