Monday, August 15, 2011

Regis Jesuit, Grandview, Cherokee Trail ranked in preseason football poll

Running back Jordan Jungers (20) and Regis Jesuit enter the 2011
season ranked No. 2 in Class 5A according to the first Denver Post
media poll released Monday. The Raiders were 13-1 last season. (Photo
by Gabriel Christus/The Aurora Sentinel)

Aurora teams took three of the top four spots in The Denver Post's preseason Class 5A media football poll, which came out Monday, roughly 10 days before games begin in Zero Week.

In the first of a season-long practice, The Post gathered votes from an array of media from across Colorado — including The Aurora Sentinel — and put together the rankings based on a points system (10 points for 1st-place vote, 9 for second, 8 for third and so on).

Regis Jesuit, Grandview and Cherokee Trail, which all played in the semifinals of the 5A playoffs last season, are all bunched at the top of the poll behind unanimous No. 1 Mullen, winner of three consecutive state championships. The Mustangs received 150 points, with the Raiders netting 124, the Wolves 98 and the Cougars 91.

Full Post polls for 5A through 6-man can be found here.

Coach Mark Nolan's talented Regis Jesuit team went 13-1 last season and rolled through to the 5A state championship game against Mullen at Invesco Field. The Raiders suffered a 37-6 loss to Dave Logan's Mustangs, who many observers put on par with the best teams Colorado has ever assembled.

Regis Jesuit has several big holes to fill on both sides of the football in 2011, but a returning mix that includes senior running back Jordan Jungers (1,529 yards rushing, 20 TDs last season) and senior defensive back Eric Heringer is the foundation for another big season. The Raiders are 20-6 overall in two seasons under Nolan after going 4-6 in 2008.

Senior linebacker Keith Chiles should be
a driving force on another talented
Grandview defense in 2011. The Wolves
are ranked No. 3 in the preseason Denver
Post media football poll. (Photo by
Courtney Oakes/The Aurora Sentinel)
Strictly by the numbers, Grandview's run through last season's playoffs included several upsets — No. 12 Pomona, No. 5 Columbine and No. 4 Rangeview — but the Wolves' No. 21 seed in the postseason was a far cry from the talent on the roster. Grandview went on to make the semifinals before a 41-7 loss to Mullen, its former Centennial League rival. Coach John Schultz's third-ranked Wolves meet the No. 1 Mustangs this season Sept. 9 at Legacy Stadium.

Bolstered by senior quarterback Jordan Schlehuber, tight end Evan Baylis (who has given a verbal commitment to Oregon) and its typically strong rushing attack — plus a swarming defense keyed by linebacker Keith Chiles and lineman Taylor Schultz — Grandview should be in the thick of the Creek League title chase along with  defending champ and rival Cherokee Trail.

The Cougars have been improving every year since moving up to 5A and coach Monte Thelen's team checks in at No. 4 in the preseason rankings after making the semifinals in 2010. Cherokee Trail finished 11-2 — highlighted by a shutout win over Grandview — with both losses coming to the teams that played for the state championship (29-0 to Mullen, 21-20 to Regis Jesuit). The Cougars face the Mustangs Sept. 15 in a game that has been selected to be broadcast nationally on ESPNU.

With All-City first team quarterback Thomas Singleton (2,300 total yards, 24 total touchdowns in 2010) among four returning starters on offense and three on defense (including standout lineman Dillon Zacharias), Cherokee Trail could have another big year in store. Thelen's team has made the semifinal round of the playoffs (5A and 4A) twice in the past four seasons.

Cherokee Trail is ranked No. 4 in the Denver Post preseason
football poll with senior quarterback Thomas Singleton,
right, expected to lead the way. He accounted for 2,300
yards of offense and 24 TDs in 2010. (Photo by Courtney
Oakes/The Aurora Sentinel)
Rounding out the top 10 are Grand Junction, Chaparral, Columbine, Highlands Ranch, Bear Creek and Ralston Valley. Eight teams also received votes, but none were from Aurora.

The next Post poll comes out Aug. 29.


DENVER POST PRESEASON MEDIA POLL (CLASS 5A)

1. Mullen (150 points); 2. REGIS JESUIT (124); 3. GRANDVIEW (98); 4. CHEROKEE TRAIL (91); 5. Grand Junction (73); 6. Chaparral (66); 7. Columbine (53); 8. Highlands Ranch (42); 9. Bear Creek (33); 10. Ralston Valley (30)


DENVER POST FOOTBALL POLL VOTERS (CLASS 5A)

Neil Devlin, Jon Yunt, Ryan Casey, Pat Rooney, Paul Willis and Lindsey McKissick, The Denver Post; Courtney Oakes, The Aurora Sentinel; Jon Kozan, Coloradoprepfootball.com; Allen Gamaehlich, Grand Junction Daily Sentinel; Patrick Bahr, Grand Junction Daily Sentinel; Woody Shelton, Broomfield Enterprise; Josh Lindenstein, Daily Camera; Mike Brohard, Loveland Reporter-Herald; Brian Roth, CET Sports; Jeff Bersch, Fort Collins Coloradoan; Christian James, Colorado Prep Report; Brian Olson, 9News; Jeff Stroud, Prepcolorado.com

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

AURORA HOLES IN ONE, AUGUST 2011


AURORA | Holes in one in August on Aurora golf courses as reported to The Aurora Sentinel. To submit holes in one, fax to 720-449-9033 or e-mail sports@aurorasentinel.com:

AUG. 13

Golfer: Mark Cashin
Golf Course: Fitzsimons Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 5, 96 yards
Club used: Pitching wedge
Witnesses: NA

AUG. 12

Golfer: Susan Anderson
Golf Course: Fitzsimons Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 5, 66 yards
Club used: Pitching wedge
Witnesses: John Anderson, 2 others

AUG. 12

Golfer: Bob Holloway
Golf Course: Fitzsimons Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 5, 95 yards
Club used: 58 SW
Witnesses: E. Cornish, Chuck Phillips, 1 other

AUG. 7

Golfer: John Trent
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 2, 122 yards
Club used: Pitching wedge
Witnesses: Rich Faubion, Mike Yoches, Mike Zerobnick

AUG. 6

Golfer: Tammy Schlei
Golf Course: Fitzsimons Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 9, 95 yards
Club used: 1 wood
Witnesses: David Casilo, Tim Givens

AUG. 2

Golfer: Ryland Glass
Golf Course: Springhill Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 3, 141 yards
Club used: 9 iron
Witnesses: Steve Talbott, Larry Sellars, Jimmy Mullen

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

AURORA HOLES IN ONE, JULY 2011

AURORA | Holes in one in July on Aurora golf courses as reported to The Aurora Sentinel. To submit holes in one, fax to 720-449-9033 or e-mail sports@aurorasentinel.com:


JULY 29
Golfer: Carol Jostad
Golf Course: Fitzsimons Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 9, 95 yards
Club used: 7 iron
Witnesses: Jim Buzzard, Chris Derelaire

JULY 26
Golfer: Lindsay Cone
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 12, 178 yards
Club used: 6 iron
Witnesses: Jessie Joachin, Christina Spinzig, Calli Hodgkinson

Golfer: Scott Hatfield
Golf Course: Murphy Creek Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 8, 189 yards
Club used: 8 iron
Witnesses: Bryan Rodenbeck, Andrew Fisk, Peter Foster

JULY 25

Golfer: Grady Millikan
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 17, 243 yards
Club used: 3 wood
Witnesses: Craig Brown

JULY 24

Golfer: Rich Porter
Golf Course: Fitzsimons Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 5, 85 yards
Club used: Lob wedge
Witnesses: Ray Kirkbride, Mike Schultz, Rod Seger

JULY 19, 2011

Golfer: Garland Williams
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 2, 105 yards
Club used: 56 S/W
Witnesses: Unknown

JULY 15, 2011

Golfer: Rob Faulkenberry
Golf Course: Centre Hills Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 1, 105 yards
Club used: 9 Iron
Witnesses: Terri, Joshua and Hayes Faulkenberry, Ben Siler

JULY 10, 2011

Golfer: Edward Ford
Golf Course: Murphy Creek Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 11, 201 yards
Club used: 4 Iron
Witnesses: Ben Barbour, Fran Stordalen, Troy Hopkins

JULY 9, 2011

Golfer: Tim Hutchison
Golf Course: Centre Hills Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 6, 183 yards
Club used: 5 Wood
Witnesses: Justin Jones

JULY 5, 2011

Golfer: Larry Sellers
Golf Course: Springhill Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 6, 158 yards
Club used: 8 Iron
Witnesses: Thom Gonzalez, Ryland Glass, Steve Talbot

JULY 4, 2011

Golfer: Darius Jack
Golf Course: Murphy Creek Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 5, 155 yards
Club used: 8 Iron
Witnesses: Mike Sherman, Ike Elam, Dave McCoy

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

AURORA HOLES IN ONE, JUNE 2011

AURORA | Holes in one on Aurora golf courses in June as reported to The Aurora Sentinel. To submit holes in one, fax to 720-449-9033:

JUNE 28, 2011

Golfer: Bob Klopotek
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 6, 125 yards
Club used: Pitching Wedge
Witnesses: Nancy Bayle, 2 others

Golfer: Nick Mason
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 6, 188 yards
Club used: 7 Iron
Witnesses: Kane Webber, Brad Bessler, Chad Bell

JUNE 19, 2011

Golfer: Chris Rabern
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 12, 185 yards
Club used: 5 Iron
Witnesses: Unknown

JUNE 18, 2011
Golfer: Rob T. Willing
Golf Course: Springhill Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 6, 165 yards
Club used: 4 Hybrid
Witnesses: Carl DeVanti, Dan Shaver




Golfer: David Hudson
Golf Course: Springhill Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 14, 185 yards
Club used: 8 Iron
Witnesses: John Gaudin, John Herro

JUNE 17, 2011

Golfer: Mary Watson
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 12, 107 yards
Club used: 11 Wood
Witnesses: Tammy Bearden, Leigh Hogan, Nancy Land

Golfer: Phil Marquis
Golf Course: Fitzsimons Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 5, 90 yards
Club used: 58 Wedge
Witnesses: Bill Dean, Robert Boyle

JUNE 16, 2011

Golfer: Stan Bond
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 14, 169 yards
Club used: 6 Iron
Witnesses: Al Sanders, Bob Worrel, John Alfred

Golfer: Chad Barnett
Golf Course: Murphy Creek Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 17, 198 yards
Club used: 3 Iron
Witnesses: Mark Harrison, Bryan Youngs, Ryan Vaughn

Golfer: Aaron Roberts
Golf Course: Springhill Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 17, 138 yards
Club used: 56 S/W
Witness: Lewis Boyd

Monday, June 6, 2011

Bird, Aurora players await MLB Draft

Grandview star Greg Bird, a catcher/first baseman, is a potential pick in the top five
rounds of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft, which runs June 6-8. 

With just a few hours remaining before the 2011 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, Grandview's Greg Bird is certain of one thing he won't be doing after the three-day process is over: chasing bears.

The Wolves' 6-foot-3, 215-pound star catcher/first baseman is expected to be the first Colorado high school player off the board in the 50-round draft, which also includes players from the college ranks, and could end up netting a lucrative contract offer if he is selected early enough.

Gatorade's Colorado player of the year in baseball won't be letting the process affect his sanity, afterall he has already signed a scholarship offer to play at the University of Arkansas. Bird has been projected to be picked anywhere between rounds No. 2-5 in the draft, which begins at 5 p.m. Monday and continues Tuesday and Wednesday.

"Coach (Grandview's Dean) Adams always tells me, you're in a win-win situation; you get drafted, sign for a ton of money and go play baseball like everybody dreams about or you go to Arkansas and get to play baseball in a great program," said Bird, a left-handed hitter who hit .553 with 12 home runs and 37 RBI as a senior. "Whatever happens, you won't find me running around in a forest chasing bears."

Bird got something of a preview last season when highly-touted teammate Kevin Gausman, a standout right-handed pitcher, went through the process. The hard-throwing Gausman dropped further than expected, falling all the way to the sixth round and the 202nd overall pick. Negotiations broke down and Gausman ended up going to Louisiana State, where he was 5-6 with a 3.51 ERA for the Tigers.

"Watching what happened with Kevin last year, it's all about whoever takes you," said Bird, who is playing in the California Collegiate League over the summer. "We have a pretty good idea of how things are going to go down, but I've learned not to get too excited or get your hopes up too high. The draft is always filled with surprises."

While Bird is a virtual lock, several other Aurora prep standouts have a chance to be selected as well.

Among those would could get a call are Bird's Grandview teammate Jerod Smith (a Univ. of San Diego signee), Regis Jesuit's Connor McKay (Kansas) and Drew Merten (Lamar C.C.), Cherokee Trail outfield prospect Mikel Mucha (Wichita State) and Michigan-bound Smoky Hill pitching star Matt Ogden.

Some college players with Aurora ties could also go, a group led by former Regis Jesuit pitcher Steve Dennison out of Wheaton College.

Dennison — a 6-7 left-handed pitcher, a 2007 Regis Jesuit graduate — was taken in the 34th round of last season's draft (1,037th overall) by the Florida Marlins, but chose to return to school. He went 3-4 with two saves and a 6.20 ERA in 14 appearances with the Thunder.

Cherokee Trail grad Zach Dando, a right-handed pitcher who played the past two seasons at Central Arizona College, is also a possibility.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Negro League traveling exhibit coming to Aurora

AURORA | Baseball history buffs will get a treat Aug. 10-Sept. 23, as a traveling panel exhibition focusing on the history of baseball's Negro leagues will be housed at the Aurora Public Library and the Aurora History Museum.

Based on the permanent display on the Negro league as the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., "Pride and Passion: The African-American Baseball Experience" — a product of the American Library Association — is focused on the trials and tribulations of African-American baseball players in the late 19th century as they played the game they loved in their own professional leagues before Major League Baseball allowed them in.

A main focus of the exhibit is Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier when Branch Rickey signed him to the Brooklyn Dodgers. Other notable Negro league stars featured include Satchel Paige, James "Cool Papa" Bell, Josh Gibson and others.

Admission to the exhibit, which is scheduled to make 51 appearances across the country, is free and there are a variety of book discussions and related events scheduled for the exhibit's entire stay. Memorabilia from Denver-based Jay Sanford and John Kohl collections is also scheduled to be a part.


RELATED PROGRAMS TO "PRIDE AND PASSION"

  • Aug. 14, 2 p.m.: "Pride and Passion Kick-off Event" featuring baseball historian and collector Jay Sanford his program "African-American Baseball"
  • Aug. 17, 10:30 a.m.: Discussion of "Veracruz Blues," a book by Mark Winegardner.
  • Aug. 24, 2 p.m.: "America's Pasttime: Baseball," presented by Active Minds at the Aurora Central Library. pre-registration is required (303-739-6626).
  • Aug. 28, 2 p.m.: "Kids Baseball Day." Kids can dress up as vintage baseball players, go on a scavenger hunt and win a prize.
  • Sept. 6, 1 p.m.: Discussion of "Jackie Robinson and the Integration of Baseball," a book by Scott Simon.
  • Sept. 7, 10 a.m.: Children's story time
  • Sept. 13, 7 p.m.: Discussion of "The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip through Buck O'Neil's America," a book by Joe Posnanski at the Aurora Central Library.
  • Sept. 18, 2 p.m.: "Meet Mack the Knife," featuring stories from Mack "The Knife" Pride Jr., a Negro League pitcher with the Memphis Red Sox and Kansas City Monarchs (1955-1956).