SPORTS

Ravens’ season ends after fi rst trip to Sweet 16

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

MEAD -- Riverdale Ridge’s first trip to the Sweet 16 of the state 4A boys basketball tournament did not end in a win. But it might set the stage for future endeavors for the program.

At least that’s what RRHS coach Byron Gray thinks.

“These guys are young. We’ve got a young group,” he said. “We’re preparing for the future. We’re going to keep building, keep adding on. This is year four of the program. This is where we are at. That’s not bad at all.”

The Ravens will lose just three seniors -- Lane Hawkins, Anthony Chavez and RJ Holliday.

“There’s a bunch of talent in the pipeline,” Gray said. “We’ve got some eighth-graders coming in. We’re going to be solid.”

The Ravens led after the first quarter. The Mavericks scored the last nine points of the second quarter to take a halftime lead. Ryan Leopold, who finished with 17 points, scored 10 in a row in the third quarter to pull the Ravens to within three points.

Mead’s James Shiers converted from the inside and Nick Basson scored from 3-point range to extend the Mavericks’ lead to seven points after the third quarter.

“Riverdale is a tough team. They are big and fast,” Shiers said. “They do everything well. We just outplayed them in the fourth (quarter). They are all tough, but we handled it well. We watched film. We knew what was coming. You can know what’s coming, but it’s better to guard it than watch it.”

Jathan Alston took over the Ravens’ scoring effort in the fourth quarter. His half-dozen points cut Mead’s lead to five points with a minute to play. But Shiers made four free throws, and Basson added two more to seal the win.

Brady Greene scored 12 points, and Alston added 10. Shiers led all scorers with 20 points. Basson scored 18, and Elijah Knudsen contributed eight.

“I liked our fight. We knew they were going to make a run, and we had to respond. Each time, we responded,” Gray said. “That’s a good team. We knew exactly what we were facing.”

The Ravens finished the season with a record of 18-7.

“We anticipated a fight, and that’s what we gave them,” Gray said. “The guys were pretty confident coming in. We made a few mistakes, and they made us pay for it. That’s the way the game works. That’s what you learn from. You come back and be better.”

Riverdale Ridge’s Brady Greene, left, battles Mead’s Nick Basson for a rebound during a CHSAA 4A playo game at Mead High School in Longmont March 2. The Mavericks defeated the Ravens 61-50.

PHOTO BY STEFAN BRODSKY

Eagle Ridge advances in playo s

BY JONATHAN MANESS SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

BRIGHTON – Eagle Ridge Academy’s historical season on the basketball court continues as the Warriors sealed their trip to the Great 8 March 5.

The No. 8-seeded Warriors rolled past No. 9 Highland Huskies 84-66 to advance to the Class 3A state basketball quarterfi nals for the fi rst time in school history.

The Warriors now have the tough task of knocking off top-seeded St. Mary’s at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 11, at the Hamilton Gym at University of Denver. The Pirates (23-1 overall) have won 14 in a row.

Eagle Ridge (21-3) has proven that it isn’t an easy opponent either with a long and athletic group of players that is extremely skilled. The Warriors’ size and athleticism were a problem for the Huskies, who shot 26 percent from the fi eld. ERA had 13 blocks in the contest and dominated the glass 38-22, which led to easy fast-break baskets for the Warriors.

“We’ve been blessed with height,” Eagle Ridge coach Jay Powell said. “But it helps that we have a great group of kids that are extremely coachable. They really enjoy playing basketball and are hoopers.”

The top fi ve scorers for the Warriors are all 6-foot-2 and taller, and all have the ability to score in a variety of ways. Peyton Torres showcased his game against Highland, scoring a game-high 33 points. He only missed one shot in the contest and dished out eight assists. The junior guard was locked in early, scoring 14 points in the opening quarter to give the Warriors a six-point advantage after the fi rst quarter.

James Kyren Allen hit a pullup jumper for Eagle Ridge in the second quarter and was a monster on the glass in the quarter as ERA pushed its lead to 17. Allen had a game-high nine rebounds.

Brothers Cameron and Christian Seifert, listed at 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-7, respectively, also were dominating presence in the paint. The duo combined for 13 rebounds and eight blocks in the contest. Cameron Seifert also had 20 points.

Highland implemented a full-court press in the third quarter and was able to cut the lead to 65-53, but the Warriors fi gured it out thanks to Hunter Hill’s ability to get down the court. The junior scored eight of his 14 points in the quarter to help Eagle Ridge take a 69-55 lead into the fourth.

The Warriors took advantage of a tired Huskies squad in the fourth as Cameron and Christian Seifert each beat the press for easy baskets to seal the victory.

It was a much different game than the March 4 contest against Platte Valley. Hill hit a pullup jumper with 3.4 seconds left to give Eagle Ridge the 51-50 victory, which was too close for Powell and his team’s liking.

“Not sure if it was nerves, but we didn’t come ready to play,” Powell said. “The guys responded (Saturday) and that is what we needed.”

St. Mary’s is led by senior point guard Sam Howery, who is arguably the best player in the state. Howery is third in scoring with 26.5 points a game and second in assists (9.2). He also is grabbing 8.6 rebounds a game and 3.4 steals.

“St. Mary’s has been really good for a while, so we have to come out and play our game,” Powell said. “Hopefully our height will help us out. But we will have to execute defensively and hold them to only one shot.”

The 3A title game will be played Saturday, March 12.

Riverdale Ridge’s Ryan Leopold attempts a reverse layup against Mead’s James Shiers during a CHSAA 4A playo game at Mead High School in Longmont March 2. The Mavericks ended the Ravens’ most successful season to date 61-50. See the

Brighton Blade for story. PHOTO BY STEFAN BRODSKY

NEXT UP

Eagle Ridge plays St. Mary’s at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at Hamilton Arena at the University of Denver in the great 8 round of the state 3A boys basketball tournament. The winner faces either Colorado Academy or Centauri in the semifi nals Friday, March 11.

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Preparing student-athletes for ‘next level’ not behind rules changes

Ayear ago, the National Federation of High Schools’ Basketball Rules Committee approved the allowance of a shot clock in high-school basketball, ending years of discussion about whether a shot clock should be employed at the high school level.

While some say the game doesn’t need a shot clock, citing installation costs among other reasons not to implement it, proponents of the shot clock believe the high-school game would benefi t from its implementation. Some of the proponents claim it makes the game more entertaining, eliminating “stalling” techniques that result in low-scoring contests. There are others, however, who believe a shot clock helps prepare high-schoolers for competition at the “next level.”

While some of these reasons for implementing a shot clock undoubtedly were considered by the committee, using rules changes to get ready for college competition wasn’t among those on the list. High-school playing rules should not be adjusted simply to get athletes ready for college competition. NFHS rules committees in all sports consider rules changes that match the skill level of participants, promote sportsman-

ship and minimize risk, among other rationales. Preparing studentathletes for the “next level” isn’t a with a minute to play. But Shiers chief concern. all scorers with 20 points. Basson

GUEST COLUMN

Karissa Nieho

Karissa Niehoff is the chief executive offi cer for the National Federation of State High School Associations. The Colorado High School Activities Association said the shotclock issue is on the state’s radar but not in the near term.

Riverdale Ridge’s Trujillo casts her future with Concordia University

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

THORNTON -- Riverdale Ridge girls soccer forward Ashlee Trujillo wanted a new school that offered nursing studies and some more soccer on the side.

She found such a place and signed her college letter of intent Feb. 25 to do those things at Concordia University.

“I went out there, talked to a lot of the coaching staff and the girls,” she said. “It was fun meeting with them. It felt like an open community, It felt like something I was interested in doing. It’s smaller (Concordia is in Seward, Nebraska, population 7,300 in 2020). I feel more comfortable in a smaller area than out in front of a bunch of people.”

Trujillo, who was one of the original Ravens’ girls soccer players -- she was a goalie before moving into the forward position -- also visited York College and a couple of others “that never sparked my interest.”

“It’s been a pleasure to watch you grow,” said RRHS girls soccer coach Danelle Dondelinger. “She has an amazing ability to pay attention to everything she sets her mind to.”

Trujillo scored 12 goals for a Ravens’ team that went 6-4 last spring.

“The professor knew how to help me get to where I want to go, which is nursing,” Trujillo said. “Even though they don’t have a nursing program there, it was very planned out and it seemed nice to go there and have it set for me. Right after (undergrad work), I’ll do one year of intense clinicals.”

Trujillo has been interested in nursing for a while. But it took a while to select the fi eld of nursing she wants to try.

“I chose NICU (newborn intensive care unit),” she said. “I like it a lot better than being in a sad place with old people and seeing them struggle. I want to help kids have a life they never had.”

A pandemic-based recruiting process has had its share of lumps for high-school athletes, thanks to decreased scholarships and inperson visits.

“It’s complicated, not being able to go out and actually see places,” Trujillo said, “having to do online tours and online meetings and meeting girls online. You never got the true feeling of what it felt like to see a college. The visit was recent, after COVID and the mask mandate. It was very normal. A lot of students helped with my tour. I got to eat with some of the students. It was a good experience.”

Trujillo is excited, scared and nervous about what lies ahead.

“A little bit of everything,” she said. “It’s nerve-racking but fun to branch out and do what Ashlee wants to do.”

Riverdale Ridge’s Ashlee Trujillo puts pen to paper and signs her college letter of

intent to play soccer and study nursing at Concordia University. PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH

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TRIVIA

1. GEOGRAPHY: In which U.S. state is the Devils Tower monument located? 2. LEGAL: Which U.S. Supreme Court justice served for the longest period of time? 3. TELEVISION: Which biker drama is set in the town of Charming, California? 4. WEATHER: What kind of natural disaster is caused by an underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption?

5. U.S. PRESIDENTS:

Which president founded the University of Virginia? 6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a young hare called? 7. CHEMISTRY: Which two elements on the Periodic Table are liquid at room temperature? 8. LITERATURE: Which 20th-century novel features the characters Leopold and Molly Bloom? 9. ASTRONOMY: What planet in our solar system is the farthest from the sun? 10. MOVIES: Which movie portrays the beginnings of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg?

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1. Wyoming 2. William O. Douglas (36 years) 3. “Sons of Anarchy” 4. Tsunami 5. Thomas Jefferson 6. A leveret 7. Bromine and Mercury 8. “Ulysses” (James Joyce) 9. Neptune 10. “The Social Network”

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