SOPHOMORE DEYAUN TRUEBLOOD WINS GATEWAY’S FIRST STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP SINCE 1993
It had to be the socks.
But mostly like the wrestler in them.
Disappointed with a sixth-place finish at the Class 5A state wrestling tournament as a freshman, Gateway sophomore Deyaun Trueblood dedicated himself like never before toward winning a state. Clad in his trademark argyle socks, Trueblood did it in style on Feb. 22 at Pepsi Center with a dominating 9-3 victory over Fountain-Fort Carson’s Rashawn Benford in the 5A 152-pound state championship match to join 220-pounder Grant Neal of Regis Jesuit as Aurora’s two state winners.
“I took sixth last year and I wasn’t going to take sixth again; those days are over,” Trueblood said afterward. “Wrestling is my life, it’s all I ever do. I almost destroy my body just trying to perfect my passion, so it really feels good to pay off. This is what I told myself I was going to get last year.”
Trueblood’s victory brought Gateway its first state wrestling championship since 1993, when the Olys had two winners in the now-defunct Class 6A in Bruce Choi (103 pounds) and Shomar Vernon (189 pounds). Trueblood is the fourth state winner all-time for the school, joining Choi, Vernon and Walter Reggans (the 1991 6A heavyweight champion).
To get to the championship match against No. 2-ranked Benford — who beat him at last year’s state tournament — Trueblood upset previously unbeaten and top-ranked Roman Ortiz of Rocky Mountain in the semifinals.
Trueblood relished the big stage and was loose during the Parade of Champions, flashing a thumbs up as he exited the floor to get ready for the match. Benford got the first takedown to lead 2-0 after one period, but it was all Trueblood from there.
Trueblood won’t make a run at becoming the second three-time state champion from an Aurora school — Regis Jesuit’s John Crowley is the first — as he transferred to Pomona prior to the 2014-15 season. Steven Burns, who carried Trueblood around the mat in an impromptu victory lap, also departed as Gateway’s head coach to move to New Mexico.
MINUS BIG GROUP OF GRADUATES, CHILDRESS-LED GRANDVIEW VOLLEYBALL TEAM REPEATS AS 5A STATE CHAMPIONS
While all five state volleyball champions crowned Nov. 8 were repeat winners, capturing consecutive titles is extremely difficult — especially in the increasingly competitive Class 5A ranks.
Minus the services of an integral group of seniors from 2013, coach Patty Childress’ Grandview team struggled through an injury-riddled start to the 2014 season, but finished it with another state championship trophy in their hands in completing a two-peat bid that matched what they did in 2004 and 2005. Grandview also won a single title in 2007, but lost to Cherry Creek in the final the next year.
The Wolves put the finishing touches on a 22-7 season with a 25-17, 25-22, 25-17 win over Chatfield at the Denver Coliseum.
“Both years we did it, it was very tough; the first time it seemed like the kids didn’t have very good chemistry and this time with all the injuries and changes we had to make, it took awhile to come together for sure,” said Childress, who improved to 5-5 all-time in 10 championship match appearances since 2013.
Losing a senior class that included a variety of Division I signees, Childress knew she had a few key pieces to work with in Oregon-bound senior outside hitter Haley McLaren and senior middle blocker Katie Patrick, a Naval Academy recruit, but there were a lot of unknowns.
With two outstanding leaders and setters graduated in Kylie Copple and Alyssa Svalberg, Childress needed senior Megan Hufnagel — who had never played above the junior varsity level and is not a club player — to take over and get up to the speed of the varsity game quickly.
The Wolves also needed another player to step up and terminate consistently to compliment the two returning players. Childress hoped it would be senior Sarah Mullens — and it eventually was — but an injury prevented that from happening early on. All those elements added up to a 4-3 start to the season, atypical for Grandview teams, and an 0-2 hole to start Centennial League play.
But the Wolves got healthy, found the right rotations and took off. After a second five-set loss to rival Cherokee Trail on Oct. 2, Grandview won 14 of its last 15 matches with the lone loss coming to 4A state champion and nationally ranked Lewis-Palmer in five sets.
“Last year we were ranked No. 1 a lot of the time and we were really good throughout the year and had a lot of talent,” McLaren said. “This year, we had heart. We weren’t the biggest team out there, but we fought each and every game to win. …Our school has a lot of traditions when it comes to winning and fighting hard.”
NO MISSY FRANKLIN THIS TIME, BUT REGIS JESUIT GIRLS SWIM TEAM HOLDS OFF FAIRVIEW TO REPEAT AS CLASS 5A STATE CHAMPIONS
Separated by a lane line and just half of a point, the Regis Jesuit and Fairview girls swim teams dueled to decide the Class 5A state championship Feb. 15.
As they had all day long on an incredible day at the Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center, Taylor Wilson and the Raiders prevailed in the meet-closing 400 yard freestyle relay — by just 0.42 of a second — to preserve their small edge and capture a second straight 5A state title.
Boosted by a sweep of all three relays — none of which came into the weekend seeded No. 1 — and a historic diving championship from sophomore McKensi Austin, coach Nick Frasersmith’s Regis Jesuit team won its first state meet of the post-Missy Franklin era with a score of 254.50 points to Fairview’s 248.
“That’s high school sports right there, that’s what it’s all about, just going out and racing and having fun,” said Frasersmith, whose team won its fourth state championship overall and third in the past four years since moving into 5A.
For anybody who thought the Raiders might slip in their first state meet in four years without Franklin — their graduated Olympic standout — they didn’t count on a young core of swimmers performing like seasoned veterans.
Without a single senior in the water, Regis Jesuit consistently came through in the clutch to win a fast meet in a new venue.
“For me, this one is sweeter; I didn’t cry last year, but I did this time because I feel closer to the team and that makes a huge difference,” said Wilson, who anchored both the 200 freestyle and deciding 400 freestyle relay.
“I think a lot of people thought we might fall off because Missy was a huge part of the team and a great leader,” she added. “But I think we are a great team every year no matter who the people are. We were just trying to prove that we’ve still got it.”
RAIDERS TURN TABLES ON CHERRY CREEK FROM EARLIER MEETING TO WIN FIRST BOYS LACROSSE STATE CROWN SINCE 2011
Looking back, the Regis Jesuit boys lacrosse team’s lone loss of the 2014 season helped produce its biggest victory at the end.
The Raiders had their undefeated season interrupted by a decisive loss to Cherry Creek in the home stretch of the regular season, which was reflected in seeding for the Class 5A state playoffs as the Bruins went in seeded No. 1 with the Raiders at No. 2.
Coach Jim Soran’s team learned plenty from the reality check Cherry Creek provided on that night and the end result when the teams squared off again in the 5A state championship game May 17 at Sports Authority Stadium at Mile High was almost 180 degrees different.
Regis Jesuit (18-1) turned into the aggressor this time and used a six-goal second period to gain enough cushion in a 14-7 victory over the Bruins (15-4).
Soran’s team won its first state championship since 2011, while dealing Cherry Creek its third consecutive loss in the 5A final.
Matt Soran registered his second five-goal performance of the playoffs to pace Regis Jesuit offensively, while Chet Dunstan scored four times and Aaron Horvat and Ben Bechter tallied twice. Bechter racked up three assists as well, while goaltender Brett Quartuccio made 19 saves on 26 shots against.
Full story, here.
REGIS JESUIT GIRLS GOLF TEAM CLAIMS FIRST 5A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN DRAMATIC FASHION OVER ROCK CANYON
Shortly after an hour-long delay due to severe weather May 20, sophomore Mary Weinstein drained a short putt to birdie Hole No. 18 and celebrated with a fist pump and two hops in the air.
Weinstein put the finishing touches on a gritty day for the Regis Jesuit girls golf team, which overcame a lot of adversity at times — including a deficit of as many as six strokes — to win the program’s first Class 5A girls state golf championship and the third in program history.
Coach George Miller’s Regis Jesuit team of Weinstein, junior Sydney Gillespie, sophomore Erika Sailer and freshman Jaclyn Murray rallied past Continental League rival Rock Canyon to finish three shots clear of the Jaguars, who had the individual medalist in Michelle Romano.
Miller’s team won a state championship for the third time in the past five seasons, adding to the 4A crowns the Raiders captured in 2010 and 2012, when Gillespie was a freshman.
JUGGERNAUT REGIS JESUIT BOYS SWIM TEAM EXTENDS REIGN WITH 19TH STATE TITLE IN 20 YEARS IN FIRST STATE MEET MINUS MIKE DOHERTY
Four years ago, Regis Jesuit’s Class of 2014 came into the boys swim program that had just had a lengthy string of championships snapped.
Four state titles later, they depart with the program in excellent shape. They helped make a seamless transition in coaches between legendary boss Mike Doherty and new coach Nick Frasersmith and they helped the team reach arguably its highest level during the finals of the 5A state meet on May 17 at Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center.
The seniors left their stamp all over the finals, capped by a Colorado and 5A state meet record in the 400 yard freestyle from the all-senior team of Hennessey Stuart, Christopher Dawson, Austin Phillips and Mitchell Bruckman in Regis Jesuit’s commanding 220-point team victory that produced the program’s 19th state championship in the past 20 seasons.
Stuart was a big part of that, as he went 4-for-4 in his races, winning individually in state record fashion in the 100 yard backstroke and also taking the 200 yard individual medley crown.
Junior Quinlan Stuart won his first state title in the 100 breaststroke and teamed with his brother, Christopher Morales and Will Pieseski in a championship-winning 200 medley relay.
Junior Kyle Goodwin won his third straight 5A diving state championship in convincing fashion and set himself up for a shot at an unprecedented fourth.
Later, the Raiders finished second in the country among independent schools with enrollments over 900 students in the National Dual Meet Team Rankings released by the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA). Regis Jesuit also placed third overall among schools in all classifications, public and independent.
BUNDAS, OVERLAND REPEAT AS STATE GYMNASTICS WINNERS
The Overland co-op gymnastics team was at its best again in crunch time this season, winning the Class 5A state championship for the second straight season and third time in the past five seasons.
Coach Lisa Sparrow’s team — a mix of gymnasts from schools across Aurora — prevailed in tight race for the title, posting a team score of 184.97 points in the team competition on Oct. 31 at Thornton High School to outlast Broomfield (184.5) and Mountain Range (184.4).
Finally healthy for an entire state meet, senior Devin Bundas (Eaglecrest) led the way for the Overland team with a seventh-place finish in the all-around competition with a score of 37.775, while sophomore McKenna Turbyne also cracked the top 10 in ninth place with a score of 37.425.
Bundas capped off the meet in the individual event finals on Nov. 1 with her second straight individual state championship in the uneven bars. She scored a 9.725 in the event to win by half of a point.
VETERAN COACHES DEPART AROUND CITY
Some of Aurora’s longest-tenured coaches chose to move along in 2014, including a few who started the programs at their respective schools.
In June, one of the city’s prep wrestling fixtures — Greg Maestas — announced his retirement after spending the past 16 seasons at Grandview. Maestas, who coached at Overland before moving over to Grandview when the school first opened, received a Lifetime Service to Wrestling award from the Colorado Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in May.
In a 41-year career, Maestas’ coaching resume includes 16 league or regional team championships, 10 top-five finishes at the state wrestling tournament and a total of 195 state qualifiers. Additionally, he coached nine high school All-Americans, 13 state champions, 84 state place winners and two national champions. He was Coach of the Year in 1988 and 1997 and coached the All-State Games in 1988 and 2005.
Just a few months earlier, another of Grandview’s original coaches — Gary Childress — announced he was stepping down as boys basketball coach. Childress took a 455-302 career record with him, including previous coaching stops at Limon, Yuma, Palisade and Ferndale, Washington.
At the time, Childress said he was “stopping short of calling it retirement” and that was proved a few months later when he took the open job at another Aurora school, Vista PEAK.
Cherokee Trail’s only softball coach Dick Hormann, chose to move on after 12 seasons leading the program.
Hormann didn’t say he was done coaching altogether, but he’s done heading the Cougars, with whom he posted a 170-86-1 career record and led to four league championships and two appearances in the Class 4A state semifinals.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel