Five prep storylines to follow this fall
From no-hitters to top state times, area has plenty to track
Silver Creek, which was winless in football during last fall’s pandemic season, has opened its 2021 campaign with three straight victories — none of which have been particularly close, either.
With the latest waterfall result, the Raptors became the first team in BocoPreps.com’s coverage area to reach 3-0 after their 58-0 dismantling of Mitchell at Garry Berry Stadium in Colorado Springs Thursday night.
By phone Friday, thirdyear coach Brian Mcgee downplayed the start a bit. Yet after the struggles of last fall — which included more than just wins and losses as all teams in the state played in front of bare stadiums — this has still been special.
“The fact that we can actually have fans and that we’re back in the building and kids can wear jerseys to school, you get to experience what high school football should be,” Mcgee said. “And as you learn how to win, and as you get better at it, and as you’re not satisfied with it, hopefully that puts you on track to continue to improve throughout the season.”
The area dwindled down to four undefeated teams following the conclusion of Friday night’s Week 3 games.
Mead, ranked third in the Class 3A CHSAANOW.COM poll, moved to 2-0 Thursday following a 50-7 win against Discovery Canyon at District 20 Stadium. Senior Corby Tecu scored three times in it.
Erie climbed to 3-0 Friday as the 4A No. 6 Tigers, who are flourishing under new coach Jeff Giger, beat Bear Creek 39-21. They’ve scored 132 points this season.
Frederick, the only other unbeaten, at 2-0, had a bye week. The 3A No. 7 team trampled Pueblo Centennial 56-8 last week. Parker Ayres has helped lead the way with 230 yards on 21 carries — an astounding 11 yards per turn — to go along with his six touchdowns.
Below are a few of the other storylines to track this fall.
Top billing in the circle
Six local pitchers were among the top-50 ERA leaders following Friday’s action.
Mead’s Joslynn Veltien is among them, boasting an average that has limbo’d to 3.41. Her week consisted of a no-hitter in a four-inning win over Greeley West Thursday, followed by a solid complete-game performance in a 10-3 win over Air Academy Friday.
Boulder freshman Riley Bowman, meanwhile, leads the area with a fractional mark of 0.27. Per Maxpreps, and updated by her recent game on Gamechanger, the newbie has given up just 16 runs — two earned — in 52 innings pitched. The streaking Panthers came into Saturday 12-1.
Broomfield’s Maycee Bricker (1.31), Erie’s Matix Hull (1.33), Gracie Sackett (2.31) and Holy Family’s Isabella Arroyo (3.19) make up the other area pitchers inside the top 50, per Maxpreps.
Same story in FRL soccer
Play in the state’s most celebrated soccer conference begins next week, and as soda is fizzy, the intrigue is palpable.
Fairview won the 5A state title in the spring. Yet the fall’s early results have been mixed through a stacked nonconference schedule as the Knights are currently 1-1-2.
Elsewhere, Boulder coach Hardy Kalisher recently won his 200th game and the Panthers are 4-0 heading into Saturday. The Panthers played Class 5A No. 1 Castle View late Saturday night.
Broomfield is 2-2 — but peaking come playoff time, and not at the start of the year, has been the eight-time state champion’s calling card for years.
Monarch, which was winless in the spring, beat Smoky Hill last month and is 1-3.
And then there’s Legacy at 5-0. The Lightning have outscored teams 30-0 as junior Cooper Stephens currently leads the area with 10 goals.
Sizzlin’ runners
Niwot’s Zane Bergen won his first individual state cross country title last fall and could be destined for another. He have some rigid competition in 4A this year — and that’s just from guys around town.
Among them, Longmont’s Connor Mccormick had this season’s fastest 5K time in the state coming into Saturday at 15 minutes and 13 seconds. Erie’s Evan Kraus had Colorado’s best 3-mile time (15:19.80) and won on the state course (Norris Penrose Event Center) at the Cheyenne Mountain Stampede earlier in the month.
Legacy’s Mia Mraz and Broomfield’s Maelynn Higgins, meanwhile, are among the contenders in 5A girls as both have top-10 5K times in the state. Mraz’s 18:15 is seventh-best. Higgins’ 18:19 is ninth.
Hot starts or signs of things to come?
Niwot volleyball improved to 4-0 on the season and 2-0 inside the 4A/3A Longs Peak League following a fiveset, comeback win over Thompson Valley Thursday.
Elsewhere, Broomfield beat Lakewood Thursday for its third straight win, moving to 5-1. Coming into the weekend, Legacy was 5-1, Erie 4-1, Lyons 3-1 and Frederick 9-1.
None of the above teams found a place inside the condensed state postseason field in the spring. However, the tournaments are expected to return to full capacity in November.