Here are a few of the most-impactful moments from 2023.
Jan. 4 — Monarch girls basketball asserts itself as state contender
With a win over then-6A No. 1 Cherry Creek the month before, the Coyotes continued their impressive start to the girls basketball season with a runaway win over Windsor. On this night, two-time BoCoPreps.com player of the year Natalie Guanella went a perfect 14 for 14 from the free throw line.
Line dance: Monarch hoops’ Guanella hits all 14 of her FTs in win over Windsor
Feb. 1 — Star athletes make it official
A number of local athletes signed to play at the next level on this date, including Justice grad Chace Graves, who earned a scholarship to play esports at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas.
Signing day: Justice’s Graves, who has autism, is headed to college for esports
Feb. 9-10 — Seven local titles in girls swimming
At the 4A meet, Niwot’s Jamieson Legh won two golds and Longmont’s Jordan Bindseil and Monarch’s relay team each claimed one. In 5A, Boulder’s Zara Zallen, Fairview’s Edith Simecek and Legacy’s Sabrina Rachjaibun each won a title.
Three’s company: Zallen, Simecek and Rachjaibun win gold at 5A girls swim
Feb. 18 — Four local titles at state wrestling tournament
Erie’s Ramon Salazar won his second straight individual title at Ball Arena, while Mead’s Jake Glade, Dalton Berg and Legacy’s Quinn Funk each won their first. Monarch’s Emilio Trujillo-Deen, Mead’s Leister Bowling IV, Holy Family’s Abram Moore, Lyons’ Jaden Gardner and Mead girls’ wrestler Ashley Booth were runner-ups.
March 1 — Monarch hockey falls in 5A quarterfinals
The Coyotes finished the season 11-7-2 and reached the quarterfinals for a second straight year.
March 11 — Holy Family boys and girls win basketball titles
The Tigers won their seventh girls basketball title, all coming since 2008 under legendary coach Ron Rossi, beating D’Evelyn 49-44 in the Class 4A championship. The boys team, despite being the 17 seed, beat Resurrection Christian 53-43 for its first title since 2014.
The Monarch girls lost to Grandview in the 6A finals.
Rockin’ Rossi: Holy Family girls dance to first hoops title in 9 years
May 12 — Monarch wins first boys swimming relay title in recent memory
Behind underclassmen, the Coyotes won the 5A 400-yard freestyle, the area’s only boys swimming title in the spring.
Chlorinated champs: Monarch wins 400 free relay; takes fourth at 5A meet
May 13 — Fairview and Peak to Peak win individual titles in girls tennis
Quinn Bernthal won the 5A No. 1 singles for Fairview, which also won gold at No. 1 and 2 doubles. The Knights would finish runner-up in the 5A dual postseason a few days later.
Sydney Lewis won at 3A No. 2 singles, one of three titles for the Pumas.
Triple crown: Fairview girls tennis nabs 5A state titles at 1 singles, 1 doubles and 2 doubles
May 20 — Niwot wins fourth straight girls track and field title
Madison Shults won three events and led the Cougars to another team gold in 4A. Other standouts during the three-day invitational included Mead’s Tavon Underwood, who won three state titles and set the state’s all-time mark in the 400. Holy Family’s Julia Hodell won four titles.
Track and field: Mead’s Tavon Underwood smashes records in prep finale
May 19-22 — Mead wins 4A girls lacrosse title, while Erie is 4A runner-up
Lucy Connors scored eight times in the Mavericks’ finals win over Castle View at the University of Denver. Her brother, Liam Connors, scored four times in the final 6:36 of regulation to rally the Tigers back even with Cheyenne Mountain. The Red-Tailed Hawks won in double OT.
“It’s heartbreaking”: Comeback falls short; Erie lax falls to Cheyenne Mountain in 4A finals
May 23 — Jefferson Academy wins 3A girls soccer title
Kate Runyon, the Gatorade Colorado player of the year, had 30 goals and 14 assists in the spring. She scored twice in the 3A title game.
Girls soccer: Jefferson Academy dominates its way to a 3A state crown
May 31 — Logan Hale wins individual title as Tigers repeat in 4A
Hale won the 4A title going away, then went on to qualify for the Colorado Women’s Open during the summer.
Halestorm: Erie’s Logan Hale propels Tigers to back-to-back golf titles
July 6-8 — Silver Creek alum Valarie Allman and Niwot grad Elise Cranny won at the USATF championships
Allman, who took gold in discus at the 2021 Tokyo Games, won with a throw of 67.66 meters. Cranny took the 5,000 and 10,000-meter runs in 14:52.66 and 32:12.30.
Track and field: Cranny and Allman win at U.S. championships
October 3 — Peak to Peak’s Om Mathur wins 3A title; Fairview’s Miles Kuhl runner-up in 5A
Mathur, a relative golf newbie who only into the sport only two years before, won the 3A tournament by two strokes.
Boys golf: Peak to Peak’s Mathur is the Daily Camera player of the year
Oct. 14 — Broomfield's Kai Trujillo wins 5A No. 1 singles title
In the final, he beat Grandview's Justin Son in straight sets.
Broomfield’s Kai Trujillo steals the spotlight with 5A 1 singles crown
Oct. 20 — Erie’s Blake Barnett passes Christian McCaffrey for state’s 11-man TD record
Barnett finished his career with 159 TDs.
All Hail: Erie’s Barnett is Colorado’s 11-man football touchdown king
Oct. 21 — Erie softball falls in 5A finals; Holy Family and Frederick go down in 4A semis
Erie’s Addie Osborne homered 19 times in the fall, leading the Tigers to the 5A championship game. Holy Family, which was ranked first in the nation among the six teams playing in the fall by MaxPreps, fell to Lutheran. The Golden Eagles lost to Riverdale Ridge.
Stopped short: Erie softball reaches 5A final before falling to Chatfield
Oct. 28 — Niwot sweeps 4A XC titles
Addy Ritzenhein led the girls team to a sixth straight XC title at Norris Penrose Event Center, winning with a 4A course record-time of 17 minutes and 39 seconds.
Nov. 2 — Broomfield takes second at 5A state gymnastics; Niwot fourth in 4A
For a second straight year, Broomfield's Mia Ritchie was the BoCoPreps.com gymnast of the year.
Nov. 10 — Holy Family, Niwot and Jefferson Academy reach the second day of the state volleyball tournament
The three local state qualifiers went 0-2 at the Denver Coliseum.
Volleyball: Holy Family, Niwot and Jefferson Academy eliminated on Day 2
Nov. 11 — Broomfield wins 5A boys soccer title
Second-year coach Zach Hindman won with his predecessor, Jim Davidson, in the stands. Broomfield now has nine titles in boys' soccer, two more than any other program in the state.
Dec. 2 — Erie and Holy Family win state titles in football
Erie beat Palmer Ridge 20-6 in Fort Collins.
How sweet it is: Erie ends magical season with storybook ending; winning 4A title
Holy Family beat Lutheran 33-8 in Pueblo.
Put a ring on it: Holy Family football pounces on Lutheran in 3A football championship
Dec. 2 — Niwot’s Addy Ritzenhein wins national championship in XC
Ritzenhein won the girls’ race at Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Ore.
Dec. 8 — Erie wins sixth straight 4A cheer title
STATE CHAMPS!!! For the 6th straight season Erie Cheer wins the 4A State Championship!! Congrats, Tigers! #StVrainStorm @SVVSDsupt @SVVSDdeputy @DPerfettiDeany @ErieHSAthletics @cheer_erie pic.twitter.com/k73XQEdZI6
— Chase McBride (@goSVVSD) December 9, 2023
Dec. 20 — Big-name football stars make it official
On Signing Day, Broomfield OL Landen Davidson stayed true to the University of Nebraska.
No place like Nebraska! #GBR https://t.co/TqJIT1hhw2
— Landen Davidson (@DavidsonLanden) December 20, 2023
Erie QB Blake Barnett (Kansas State) and DL Jackson Cowgill (Washington State) were among other standouts who made it official on this day.
Officially Official ✍️ GO COUGS! #Wazzu #GoCougs @SixZeroAcademy @ErieTigersFB @WSUCougarFB https://t.co/1ohYqFWd3E
— Jackson Cowgill (@JacksonCowgill2) December 20, 2023
