Local prep teams and athletes produced more than their fair share of highlights over the past 12 months and 2015 will be remembered as one of the most memorable years in the BoCoPreps coverage area ever.
While there is not enough room to touch on every remarkable things athletes and teams from the area accomplished over the past 12 months, here’s a short list:
• The Broomfield boys soccer team established itself as the program everyone else in the state measures itself against after the Eagles captured their second consecutive Class 5A state championship last month with a 2-1 victory over Mountain Vista at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Not only was it Broomfield’s second 5A title in only its second season at the big school level, but it was the Eagles’ sixth state title and eighth trip to the title game overall under coach Jim Davidson.
Davidson is the best coach in the state and has won a national coach of the year honor since the Eagles hoisted the trophy last month. And senior Porter Milner is the best soccer player in the state, heading the deepest roster in Colorado. That makes for a pretty unbeatable combination.
The Broomfield Eagles are to boys soccer in Colorado what the New England Patriots are to the NFL. Without the taint of spygate or deflated balls. And with a likable coach to boot.
• It’s been a remarkable stretch for athletic teams at Longmont High School, one that other schools would be hard to match ever. But still, I’d be willing to be the Trojans think it could have been even better.
The run truly started back in the fall of 2014, when the Trojans football team made it’s way to the Class 4A state championship game. While Longmont fell in that contest 45-20 to Pine Creek, it started a run of tremendous success for Trojan teams over the next 15 months.
The 2014-15 Longmont boys basketball team won its first 27 games, making its way to the 4A state championship game. And it took overtime before the Trojans finally fell, getting edged by Air Acadmey 64-59.
Around that same time the Lady Trojans were making a surprising run through the girls 4A postseason, reaching the Final Four despite being a six seed in their region to start the tournament.
During the spring Longmont made an impact at state track with the boys 400 relay squad of Gianni Espinoza, Logan Goodner, Conlan Berger and Trevor Cook winning a championship while the Trojans also nabbed a couple of second place ribbons.
This past fall, Longmont football was once again one of the top teams in 4A, going undefeated before falling in the semifinals. The boys soccer team had one of its most successful seasons ever and the volleyball team made its way back to state.
Currently, the boys basketball team is undefeated and ranked No. 1, while the girls team is ranked fourth.
The only thing missing during this stretch is a team state championship. This remarkable senior class has a couple more chances to do that before their time is up at Longmont.
• And what can be said about Lyons senior Paul Roberts? Not only is he the most decorated male cross country athlete this state has ever produced after becoming the first four-time state champion a couple of weeks ago, but he also helped the Lions win their fourth track and field state team title last spring, winning three state championships himself along the way.
By the time Roberts is done this upcoming spring, he will secure his place amongst the short list of greatest distance runners the state has ever produced.
News and notes
• Fairview defensive end Kailash Graham-Bell recently committed to play college football for Penn in the Ivy League.
Graham-Bell also received offers from San Diego, Yale, Columbia and Dartmouth.
Feel free to contact me with questions, suggestions or story ideas at 303-473-1315 or rosaj@dailycamera.com
