|
|
 La Veta Baseball | Stonewall Century Ride is huge success | 02 - September - 2010by Bob Reece
LA Veta – The 2010 Stonewall Century Ride is in the books with 370 registered riders competing against their personal best in the event last Saturday.
This is the eighth year for the ride, which takes cyclists from the La Veta Town Park, ..
| 02 - September - 2010by Bob Reece
LA Veta – The 2010 Stonewall Century Ride is in the books with 370 registered riders competing against their personal best in the event last Saturday.
This is the eighth year for the ride, which takes cyclists from the La Veta Town Park, up the scenic Highway of Legends over Cucharas Pass to the town of Segundo 51 miles away in Las Animas County. Riders enjoy a lunch break before returning over the same route back to La Veta.
The Stonewall Century raised over $8,000 with more coming in for a number of organizations including the Spanish Peaks Red Cross, the Stonewall Fire Protection District, La Veta Rotary and the La Veta High School Cheerleaders Scholarship Fund. In return, these local groups provide volunteers along the route, with the La Veta Rotary cooking up the barbeque. Music from Ken Sajdak, door prizes and a massage to soothe tired muscles provided a fitting end to a long ride.
Two riders stood out from the crowd on Saturday, pushing themselves with extraordinary skill and abilities. Fifty year-old David Hackett of Colorado Springs, Colorado, a 23 year cancer survivor and extreme sports enthusiast chose to make the trip over Cucharas pass twice, leaving La Veta for the first leg at 1:30 Saturday morning. After reaching Segundo at 4:42 am, he arrived back in La Veta around 7 am, before many other riders had even left the park. Hackett re-mounted his bike for the second leg, this time turning around at the top of Cucharas Pass. Ultimately, Hackett logged 136 miles, burned 7,578 calories and ascended a total of 11,151 feet in elevation during his ride.
So what motivates Hackett to go the distance? He explained, “It′s about maintaining personal excellence... a matter of finishing what I start and going further... to be precise in everything I do.” Hackett is a machinist by trade and must be exact in everything he builds. It is a trait that pushes him to the limit in cycling and other extreme sports.
For 75 year-old Mitch Pickens, the Stonewall Century was a homecoming of sorts. Pickens was born and raised in La Veta and now spends his days traveling in his RV throughout the southwestern United States.
Getting into cycling 20 years ago, Pickens was a long distance runner until knee replacement surgery took that away in 2004. Cycling had always been a part of his training, and he naturally became more active in the sport after surgery.
The remarkable thing about Pickens is that he is in the race at all. Three years ago, while riding in an event in New Mexico, he was cresting the top of a long hill when everything went dark. He woke up in the hospital with a new pacemaker installed in his chest. Fourteen days after leaving the hospital, Pickens was on his bike again, this time competing in a 200 kilometer cycling event. Sue Wyman, who created the Stonewall Century Ride and was director of the event up until last year, chose instead to participate in this year’s ride, handing the reins over to Anne Renaud-Wilkinson. “This was a great ride today,” Pickens commented, “Very well organized. All the volunteers did a great job!” | | Soccer registration now until mid September Open to students county wide | 02 - September - 2010Staff Report
WALSENBURG- With a $60,000 grant in hand, Huerfano County Youth Services is planning to spend some of that money on the 2010 Youth Soccer program. According to Debbie Shronce with Youth Services, registration for youth soccer is happening now...
| 02 - September - 2010Staff Report
WALSENBURG- With a $60,000 grant in hand, Huerfano County Youth Services is planning to spend some of that money on the 2010 Youth Soccer program. According to Debbie Shronce with Youth Services, registration for youth soccer is happening now.
“We started registration on Monday, Aug. 23 and will continue until mid-September. This will get us in just under the start date for the first game on Sept. 18.” The games will all be played on the playing field at Greenhorn Meadows Park in Colorado City, Colo. All the games will be played there every Saturday starting at 9 a.m.
There will be five teams to sign up for with each team being a grade level in school. The soccer teams will be Pre-K, K, first and second grade, third and fourth grade and fifth and sixth grade.
Funds from the grant will be used to pay for team shirts, hold a Pumpkin Bowl where teams will be able to pick their own pumpkins on the Saturday before Halloween. The league will also hold an awards ceremony following the season.
Last year the league, which is part of the Colorado City Recreational leagues, had 65 players. Organizers hope to see about 100 kids participating this year.
“So far we’ve received around $125,000 in grants this year and hope to continue our partnership with the Colorado Health Foundation,” Shronce said. These funds have helped fund the soccer camp held at the beginning of the summer at the new playing field at the sports complex. The funds will also pay for continuing the Youth Services Karate program. “Hopefully we will see kids from both RE-1 and RE-2 in this program.”
Call Youth Services at 738-1573 for more information. | | Sports complex progressing on schedule | 30 - July - 2010by David Tesitor
WALSENBURG- The John Mall Athletic Sports Complex had a facelift this past week when the eight-lane track was nearly completed. During the past two weeks, Hellas construction of Texas began cleaning the surface and laying the undercoat in ..
| 30 - July - 2010by David Tesitor
WALSENBURG- The John Mall Athletic Sports Complex had a facelift this past week when the eight-lane track was nearly completed. During the past two weeks, Hellas construction of Texas began cleaning the surface and laying the undercoat in preparation for laying the final, rubberized surface this week. "The wind is a key factor in laying the final coat," said Grant Writer and coordinator Gaye Davis.
The lane markings should be finished by the weekend. The $187,000 contract included the long and triple jump pit and the pole vault zone. Completion of the track resulted from a $200,000 Great Colorado Outdoors Grant. The balance of the grant money purchased the chainlink materials and cement gutter around the track interior. Personnel from the district completed the fence labor.
The public restrooms and concession stand are already completed and will be ready for use when the season begins. Davis is writing a grant to the United States Department of Agriculture for the lighting. She is optimistic the field will be ′lit up′ by the home opener September 3 when the All-School Reunion hosts their annual event. Another addition to the complex will be a flagpole donated by the 2010 senior class.
The locker rooms likely will not be completed by the time the season begins. Also, the district is waiting for the release of a Gates Foundation Grant for $100,000 and $60,000 from the Denver Broncos to purchase the bleachers. However, the grants do not include the concrete, which will delay the construction of the stands.
The total cost of the complex has exceeded 2.8 million dollars of which over 2.2 million came from various grants. The balance came from the sale of the old middle school and from the county as well as from in-kind services. Gaye Davis, RE-I grant writer said, "It is important for the public to know that no money has come from the general fund for the project."
The Sports Complex is taking shape and will be one of the best facilities in Southern Colorado. With the completion of the track, John Mall can play host to several track and field events in the future, which should bring additional revenues to the district and area. | | Orlando Cup set for this weekend | 20 - May - 2010by David Tesitor
WALSENBURG-The Walsenburg Golf Club will kick off their summer season with the Orlando Cup this weekend, May 20-21. The tournament, named after Orlando Herrera, longtime club manager until his retirement five years ago, is one of the most ..
| 20 - May - 2010by David Tesitor
WALSENBURG-The Walsenburg Golf Club will kick off their summer season with the Orlando Cup this weekend, May 20-21. The tournament, named after Orlando Herrera, longtime club manager until his retirement five years ago, is one of the most popular events of the season. The tournament is for members only who have a USGA handicap. Some of the season’s events are open to the public while others are private events only.
The main tournaments this season include County Fair Board on June 10, which is a three-person scramble. The Pig and Put on June 17 is a private event as is the Clovis Tournament. Other club events include the Invitational June 24-25. The format is a three-person scramble and is for members and their guests. The Coal Miners Classic will be played July 8-9 and is open to participants age 50 and over with a USGA Handicap. The mixed-couples tournament is July 30. The Huerfano Open, August 26-27, is played at both the Walsenburg course and Grandote Peaks in La Veta The format is a two-person scramble. The John Mall Panthers will hold their high school invitational tournament September 8. The tournament schedule will conclude with the club championship September 9-10.
In addition to the scheduled tournaments, two weekly events take place throughout the summer. The structure is informal to encourage players to simply get out and have some fun. Golfers of all levels are encouraged to play. These two events include the Putting Angels Women′s group on Mondays from 5-7 pm and the Sundowners Scramble on Wednesdays from 5-7:30 pm.
Anyone wanting to participate in the tournaments or join the golf club, call the course at 738-2730. | | Redskins honored at Athletic Banquet | 20 - May - 2010
Retiring Athletic Director, Coach, and Teacher Don Price honored
LA VETA- On Tuesday night, the La Veta Redskin sports program acknowledged their athletes with letters and certificates of participation for their dedication to making the Redskin sports pro..
| 20 - May - 2010
Retiring Athletic Director, Coach, and Teacher Don Price honored
LA VETA- On Tuesday night, the La Veta Redskin sports program acknowledged their athletes with letters and certificates of participation for their dedication to making the Redskin sports programs successful in the 2009-2010 season.
At the ceremony, the school also honored Don Price for his years of service with a slide show showing his dedication. Price celebrated his 32nd year as a coach at La Veta and also at Adams State College, where he was a student-coach from 1977-1981. He was head football coach 27 years, taking his team to the state playoffs fourteen of those years. He coached basketball for 25 years, track for 26, and served as the school’s Athletic Director 18 years. Outside of the school setting, Price served as a member of the Colorado High School Activities Association for 18 years and was Fishers Peak League President for the past decade. Price has also coached many junior aged sports. Coach Price will be sorely missed.
Tuesday was primarily an evening to honor the students who excelled in athletics. They were presented with their Letter Pins and Certificates of Participation for the season. The dedication these young men and women have to their sport and school was demonstrated by the number of multi-sport athletes honored.
In the men′s programs, the following senior athletes received their letter(s). Dalton Mason lettered in golf, football, basketball and baseball. Dakota Mason lettered in golf, football, basketball and baseball. Dakota was also named to the Southern Peaks All-conference first team in basketball. Ron Ortivez received his letters for golf, football, wrestling and baseball. Trey Price was honored for football, basketball and baseball. Price also made Fishers Peak all-conference first team. Sean Sanchez lettered in basketball and baseball, Jesse Pacheco in football and baseball, Brandon Ivy, football and Devon Jenson in football.
Others received their letters for football: Jon Brunelli, Adam Ortivez, Brandon Morgan, Caleb Bird, Jared Ray, Brandon Ivy, Clancy Kreutzer, Adam Kimbrel, Logan Williams, and Matt Hammernik. Participation certificates were given to eight others: Kyon Kreutzer, Dylan Sporcich, Zac Brunelli, Dalton Williams, Braxton Morgan, Steven Blessman, Eric Griego and Tyler Duzenack. Jon Brunelli, a Junior, received letters for golf, football, basketball and baseball. Brunelli was also recognized as All-Conference, Fishers Peak League first team for basketball.
Golf Letters were awarded to Zane Sternberg, Clinton Smith and Adam Ortivez. Participation certificates were given to Evan Arnold, Theo Wahl, Zac Brunelli, Jon Sanchez, Dylan Sporcich and Casey Campbell.
Basketball letters were handed out to Josiah Christian and Clancy Kreutzer. Participation certificates were awarded to the following: Matt Hammernik, Adam Kimbrel, Evan Arnold, Brandon Morgan, Braxton Morgan, Bradley Vigil, James Gonzales, Kyon Kreutzer, Zac Brunelli, Dylan Sporcich, Steven Blessman, Tyler Duzenack, Casey Campbell and Jonathan Sanchez.
Wrestling letters were presented to Michael Channel, Adam Ortivez, Eric Griego, Caleb Bird, Logan Williams and Elliott Blessman. Participation certificates were given to Dustin Middlemist, Jesse Bird and W.D. Arnold as manager.
Baseball letters were also handed out to Jarred Ray, Clancy Kreutzer and Jean Arnold. Participation Certificates were given to Jon Sanchez, Kyon Kreutzer, Dalton Williams, Braxton Morgan, Zac Brunelli, Evan Arnold, Derek Andreas, Adam Kimbrel, Stephen Blessman, Casey Campbell and Tyler Duzenack.
The Lady′s teams were honored with recognition for their outstanding efforts. Senior class members lettering included Shelby Morgan for volleyball and basketball. Morgan also received recognition for being named to both the Southern and Fisher Peaks All-Conference first team for volleyball and the Most Valuable Player for the Southern Peaks League in basketball and All-Conference 1st team for Fisher Peaks. Jennifer Miller received her letters in basketball and volleyball. Miller was also named to the Fisher Peaks All-Conference team.
Other Lady Redskins earned their letter for volleyball: Betsy Trenckmann, Christina Koutnik, Cara Campbell, Jacey Day, Samantha McCay, Sami Willhoite and Shelby Baker. Receiving their participation certificates were Shelby Baker, Camrey Teague, Isabel Martinez, Gina Schneider, Hannah Everett, Amanda White and Haley Hake.
Those receiving basketball letters included the following: Shelbi Kelly, Sami Willhoite, Christina Koutnik, Cara Campbell, Jacey Day and Ashton Rinker. Participation certificates were handed out to Samantha McCay, Hannah Everett, Karley Corsentino, Isabel Martinez, Ariel Corral, Gina Schneider, Madi Bustos, Haley Kake and Ali Baker.
The final awards for the Lady Skins were given to the cheerleading squad, who stirred the home crowds into a frenzy by their efforts. They all received their letters. The spirit squad seniors are Ariel Jameson, Dani Brown and Haley Everett. The juniors are Betsy Trenckmann, Akira Vaughan and Whitney Blair. The sophomores are Isabel Martinez and Shelby Baker and finally the freshman member is Hannah Everett.
Letters were also given out to the track team, most of whom also lettered in other sports listed above. If we missed listing anybody, please let us know, and we apologize for the error. | | Redskins win district tournament | 20 - May - 2010
Advance to regional competition Saturday in Pueblo
ALAMOSA- The La Veta Redskins are one step closer to fulfilling the goal of a state championship. They demolished Antonito in the first round of the District Tournament, 21-5; then went on to defeat the ..
| 20 - May - 2010
Advance to regional competition Saturday in Pueblo
ALAMOSA- The La Veta Redskins are one step closer to fulfilling the goal of a state championship. They demolished Antonito in the first round of the District Tournament, 21-5; then went on to defeat the Sargent Farmers, 4-2, to take the district title and a first seed at the Regional Tournament.
The Skins opened up with a barrage of hits and an eight-run first inning to set the pace in the game. The pitching talents of Jon Brunelli and Dakota Mason allowed only one hit as they shut down the Tiger bats. John Arnold had a homerun in the second driving in a run while Jesse Pacheco also put one over the fence in the third, driving home a run.
The championship game was more of a pitcher’s battle, and the Redskins red hot bats cooled off some. Clancy Kreutzer pitched five solid innings, allowing one run off two hits. Mason came in to close the game and complete the victory.
With the win, La Veta will travel to the Runyon Sports Complex in Pueblo Saturday for the first game of regional play. They will face the Swink Lions at 10 am. The Lions enter tournament play sporting a 14-4 regular season record, winning District 6 with a 6-1 record. The Lions lost to Las Animas in their district finals and are the second seed at Regionals.
On paper, the teams are evenly matched. The Lions’ hot hitter is Shane Lavoto who has a .509 batting average including 6 home runs. La Veta hosts a stable of hot bats including seniors Trey Price with a .458 average, Dakota Mason .407, and Dalton Mason .500. John Arnold comes into the tournament with an average .411 and leads the team in home runs with 4. On the mound for the Redskins will be Clancy Kreutzer with an earned run average of 2.76 and Dakota Mason with a 2.10 ERA.
The Redskins will face the winner of the Sargent Farmer- Las Animas Trojans game. Should the Farmers defeat the Trojans, the championship game will be a rematch of the district championship game. La Veta has already soundly defeated Sargent three times this season. | | Panthers’ season ends | 20 - May - 2010
WESTCLIFFE- The John Mall Panthers advanced to the District Tournament by virtue of their third-place finish in their district for the season, but had to face the Fowler Grizzlies in tough competition to advance. Fowler handed the Panthers a 12-2 loss, en..
| 20 - May - 2010
WESTCLIFFE- The John Mall Panthers advanced to the District Tournament by virtue of their third-place finish in their district for the season, but had to face the Fowler Grizzlies in tough competition to advance. Fowler handed the Panthers a 12-2 loss, ending their dreams of advancing to the state playoffs.
Michael Maldonado opened the game from the mound, pitching a well-balanced inning. He gave up two runs, one off a Panther error. Charlie Whitehead came in to finish the game. The Cats were down five runs before Whitehead drove in John Burch off a single. According to Coach De Herrera, "We did not play our best baseball. Fowler hit the ball well and that was the difference."
Overall, the Panthers finished the season with an 8-10 record and 5-5 in the league. De Herrera went on to say, " the men played well and I am proud of them." He went on to thank the county and town workers who helpßed keep the field in great playing condition despite the unpredictable weather this season. On behalf of the team, he also expressed gratitude to the fans who supported the team. | | Redskins burning up the diamond | 29 - April - 2010by David Tesitor
LA VETA- The La Veta Redskins are riding a nine-game winning streak and are sitting pretty atop their league with a 6-0 record (9-1 overall). The Skins won four games this past week, not including their Tuesday game against Cotopaxi. The ..
| 29 - April - 2010by David Tesitor
LA VETA- The La Veta Redskins are riding a nine-game winning streak and are sitting pretty atop their league with a 6-0 record (9-1 overall). The Skins won four games this past week, not including their Tuesday game against Cotopaxi. The results for that game were unavailable at press deadline.
They defeated John Mall on Tues. April 13; then faced the Primero Bulldogs on Thurs. winning 14-5 off sixteen hits. Dakota Mason and Brandon Morgan went three for three while Trey Price went two of three from the plate. Morgan is also the team leader batting .688 (11 for 16 in six games). Mason is 16 of 31 (.516) in nine games. La Veta opened up a 6-run first inning then shut the Dogs down until the fourth inning when they scored three more. By then, the Skins had a comfortable 8-run lead.
On Saturday, Antonito traveled over the pass only to leave disappointed after losing the double header, 14-4 and 11-4. La Veta continued with their on-fire bats as they accounted for thirteen and ten hits respectively. In the first game, Sean Sanchez went four of four while Dalton Mason went two for two. After a 5-run first inning, the Skins opened it up in the second with an additional run. They were scoreless in the third then scored every inning off multiple base hits from the La Veta sluggers.
The second game was a continuation of the first. After a scoreless first inning, the Skins managed to score every inning after to capture the win. In game two, La Veta’s Dalton Mason continued his hitting streak going three for three and Price two of three.
La Veta’s success has been based on solid hitting and almost errorless games. Their defense is among the best in their league, allowing only 2.5 runs since their winning streak began. They have also scored an average of 11 runs per game. As a team, the Skins are hitting .408 (97 of 228 at bats), well above second place Sargent. | | John Mall track team gets delayed results | 01 - April - 2010by David Tesitor
HOEHNE- The John Mall track team traveled to Hoehne on Tuesday to make up a meet which was originally scheduled for Sat. March 20. It was their first meet of the season and the team competed well, according to Coach Jacque Corsentino. The..
| 01 - April - 2010by David Tesitor
HOEHNE- The John Mall track team traveled to Hoehne on Tuesday to make up a meet which was originally scheduled for Sat. March 20. It was their first meet of the season and the team competed well, according to Coach Jacque Corsentino. The results for both girls and boys are as follows.
Natalie Neece ran to victory for the Lady Panthers and took home first place medals in the 100 and 400 meter dashes and finished second in the 200 meter dash. Alexandra Tenorio took second in the triple jump and first in the long jump. Katie Monahan took second in both the long jump and high jump. Angelica Souza and Krista Cordova tied for third in the shot put. Krista Cordova also claimed second in the discus. The 400-meter relay team of Elyssa Navarro, Katie Monahan, Natalie Neece, Alexandra Tenorio took fourth place and in the 800-meter relay, Elyssa Navarro, Lindsay Bustos, Miranda Trujillo, Adaina Martinez took sixth
The boys’ team was equally impressive as Jacob Wiggins took fourth in the long jump, third in the triple jump, fourth in the high jump and sixth in the 200-meter dash. Shawn Dieckman took fourth in the 1600-meter and fifth in the 800. | | La Veta Wrestling explodes at Rocky Mountain Nationals | 01 - April - 2010by David Tesitor
DENVER- The La Veta Wrestling club took several members to participate at the Rocky Mountain Nationals tournament held last weekend. Wrestlers from all across the country competed in this premier tournament of the season. Rocky Mountain N..
| 01 - April - 2010by David Tesitor
DENVER- The La Veta Wrestling club took several members to participate at the Rocky Mountain Nationals tournament held last weekend. Wrestlers from all across the country competed in this premier tournament of the season. Rocky Mountain Nationals brings together athletes of all sizes and ages to compete in this tournament sanctioned by USA Wrestling.
La Veta Redskin Adam Ortivez competed in the 15-18 age bracket at 125 pounds and finished sixth from a field of 32. Desirae Ortivez took second place in the 54-60 pound, eight and under class. Brock Howard took fifth place over teammate Christopher Ortivez in the 7-0 age, rookie class. Kira Hampton took third in the six and under, under 45 pounds, and Teah Ortivez took fourth place.
If you have an opportunity to watch a pee-wee tournament, it is important to cheer on these young gladiators as they will be the champions of the future. Several of the high-school wrestlers who have gone to state have made their way through the ranks, beginning at the pee-wee level. | | Panthers survive first round | 18 - March - 2010by David Tesitor
GRAND JUNCTION- The Cats made the Sweet Sixteen of the Colorado State playoffs last Friday after they defeated the Paonia Eagles 58-51 in a game in which four Panther players scored in double digits. The following night, the John Mall Panth..
| 18 - March - 2010by David Tesitor
GRAND JUNCTION- The Cats made the Sweet Sixteen of the Colorado State playoffs last Friday after they defeated the Paonia Eagles 58-51 in a game in which four Panther players scored in double digits. The following night, the John Mall Panthers’ Cinderella storybook season came to an unhappy end at the hands of the Hayden Tigers, 65-35.
In the first game of the Regional Tournament, the Panthers opened up a strong 6-point lead off a tough defensive stand and a solid offense, which included a three-point shot by Jacob Wiggins. They then let it slip when the Eagles went on a 17-point run to end the first quarter. The Cats trailed after one, 17-11. Again the defense shut down Paonia with the Panthers executing a one-three-one match up zone defense. Charlie Whitehead was dominating under the boards as he out-muscled Paonia’s leading rebounder, Noah Kropp, and the rest of the team, including the Eagles’ leading scorer, Adrian Penny. The Panthers regained the lead at the 5:15 mark, after Wiggins went on a six-point scoring spree. From there, the teams traded buckets and the Eagles could never seem to gain any advantage.
The Panthers blew the game wide open in the third with a 9-point advantage and never looked back. A last second layup by the Panthers ended the third with the Cats leading 41-30. John Mall continued to break the Eagles’ full-court press and score with Zach Harriman able to feed the ball to open Panthers. The Eagles dropped to a trap defense, but it was not enough as the Panthers managed to maintain control and win the game with ease. Whitehead would lead all scoring with 16, Wiggins put in 15, Dylan Tenorio scored 14, and Steven Rodriguez 13.
It was a different team which hit the hardwoods the following afternoon. The Panthers’ defense could not contain the Tigers’ big men, seniors Craig Medvisk and Ben Williams. Medvisk, who scored 14 points, and Williams with 16 outscored the Panthers. John Mall came out strong in the first with an aggressive style of play but got in foul trouble early. Wiggins committed his third foul midway in the first and sat out most of the first half. He drew his fourth foul late in the second. He did not return in the third quarter, leaving the offense scrambling. Charlie Whitehead also heard the official’s whistle blow three times.
The Cats were able to stay in the game, trailing by one after the first. It was their solid shooting from the field which allowed the Tigers to open a comfortable lead in the second quarter and pull away, forcing the Panthers to take the long shots and fall farther behind. Hayden never relented in the second half and shut down the Panthers’ high-powered offense. When it was over, the Panthers scored only 15 second-half points to the Tigers 35. The loss finished the Panthers’ season and sent the Tigers to Pueblo where they will play in the Great Eight.
The game was also a testament to the fans who made the seven-hour drive to the western slope to support the Panthers. The Cats peaked at the right time in the season but were unable to keep up the momentum. The entire team and coaching staff should be proud of just how far the Panthers have come, and they send thanks to the fans for all the support. | | Redskin's Season ends in Fountain | | 18 - March - 2010FOUNTAIN- The La Veta men’s basketball program came to a disappointing conclusion at the hands of the Limon Badgers, 70-53, in the first round of Regional play. The loss dashed their hopes of a shot in the Great Eight and a state playoff berth. La Veta was ..
| 18 - March - 2010FOUNTAIN- The La Veta men’s basketball program came to a disappointing conclusion at the hands of the Limon Badgers, 70-53, in the first round of Regional play. The loss dashed their hopes of a shot in the Great Eight and a state playoff berth. La Veta was the fourth seed in the region, and as a result faced Limon, the number-one seed and also ranked 6th in the state before the playoffs began.
The Redskins opened the game strong and led throughout most of the first quarter. Josiah Christian was tough under the boards, leading the team with a total of 11 rebounds in the game. Sloppy play and turnovers by the Skins in the second allowed the Badgers to open a lead midway which they would not relinquish. Limon took a 37-29 lead into the locker room at the half.
The Badger barrage of points continued into the final half as the Redskin defense could not control Limon’s big man, Matt Brown, who finished the day with 19 points. Brown also led his team with blocked shots and steals. La Veta could not come back after the Badgers broke the game wide open in the third and led by as many as 22 points. When the smoke settled, the Redskin season was over and for the seniors on the floor, their hope of making state was denied. The twin towers led La Veta’s scoring: Dakota Mason scored 19 points while brother, Dalton hit 14.
This season, the Redskins peaked in February winning five of seven games and losing only to district foes, Sanford and Sargent. Both teams won their region and advanced to the State Tournament. La Veta dropped three straight games in the playoffs and were eliminated from further action.
Dakota Mason led the team with 453 points in the season and averaged 20.59 points per game. He shot an incredible 55 % from the field and 61% from the free throw line. Brother Dalton led the team from the three-point line, shooting 29% in the season. Sophomore Christian was a dominant force on both sides of the ball. Christian averaged 14 points per game and led the team defensively with 110 offensive and 117 defensive rebounds. He also led with 51 steals and 46 blocked shots. Senior Trey Price led the team with 108 assists and was a key player in setting up the offense.
The other seniors on the team, Clancy Kreutzer, Bradley Vigil and Sean Sanchez and Evan Arnold, will be missed; their contributions helped the team as a whole. Junior John Brunelli was a consistent player under the boards on defense and was a key factor in the team’s defense. Junior Matt Hammernik played half the season before an injury sidelined him. Sophomore Brandon Morgan, though not a starter, came off the bench in relief and also was a key contributor to the team’s success. | | La Veta's Sweet Sixteen turns sour | | 18 - March - 2010LA JUNTA- The La Veta Redskins played in their first regional championship game in years and fell short of attaining their goal of a berth in the Great Eight after they were upended by the Rocky Ford Meloneers, 43-38, last Saturday before a full house at the..
| 18 - March - 2010LA JUNTA- The La Veta Redskins played in their first regional championship game in years and fell short of attaining their goal of a berth in the Great Eight after they were upended by the Rocky Ford Meloneers, 43-38, last Saturday before a full house at the Rattler Pit at Otero Junior College.
On Friday, the Lady Redskins played like true champions, taking it to the Fowler Grizzlies, 49-42. Fowler opened play with a bucket from a steal to take an early 2-0 lead, but it was the Redskins who went on an 8-0 run to take a comfortable lead midway in the first. After the first, La Veta was on top, 15-7.
The Grizzlies came storming back to open the second quarter and pulled within one after they capitalized on two Redskin turnovers, a quick offense and six straight points by Grizzly April Gonzales. La Veta finally found the net, midway into the second and went on a 9-0 scoring run of their own off the hot shooting of Shelby Morgan, who scored 14 of La Veta′s 26 first-half points.
The second half saw the Redskins mix a zone and man-to-man defense to control the tempo of the game. Fowler was never able to get back in the game: the closest they were able to get was five points.
After the game, Coach Kent Smith said of Fowler, "they are a scrappy group of girls who played real hard." Of his Lady Redskins, he said, "I am proud of the way they played, but we can′t look past Rocky Ford."
The Meloneers two dominant players, Amber Lowther who plays the post position and stands 5′10′ and Jessica Kienitz (5′9") at point guard, are the key to the Meloneer offense and containing them, Smith said, was key for a victory.
La Veta opened the game strong and pulled ahead by five midway in the first. It was Meloneer Mariah Hernandez whose 10 first-half points seemed to dominate the Rocky offense. Rocky was able to break the zone defense and tie it up at 11. They kept their momentum going and opened up an 18-12 lead before La Veta′s Cara Campbell was finally able to put La Veta back on the boards with a pair of free throws. An ensuing inbound steal by Morgan and quick bucket put the Skins down by two, 18-16. La Veta continued their zone defense, protecting the inside lanes, but giving up a bucket with 40 seconds remaining. It was Sami Willhoite with a three-point shot at the buzzer who brought the Skins within one as the half ended, 20-19.
La Veta traded buckets with Rocky Ford throughout the quarter until Willhoite′s bucket put the Skins on top, 30-28. La Veta went on to score the next five points and amassed a 7-point lead, which would not last long as Rocky′s Lowther scored the next five Rocky points, setting up an exciting do-or-die situation for both teams.
As La Veta entered the fourth, leading 37-33, Willhoite drove the lane and was fouled. Willhoite made one of two. These would be the only points the Skins would score in the final quarter. It then took four minutes for Lowther to tie the game up at 38. La Veta could not get the shots they needed to take gain control of the game and turned the ball over several times in the final quarter, which contributed to the Meloneers’ come- from-behind victory. Coach Smith said afterwards, "The turnovers and missed shots hurt us in the end." The loss sent the Redskins home and ended their season.
In the season, Senior Shelby Morgan scored 381 points and averaged 17.32 points a game. Morgan pulled down 111 rebounds and stole the ball 97 times. Sami Willhoite averaged 12 points a game and was the dominant force on defense. She pulled down 86 boards and had 127 steals. She also led the team in assists with 76. Cara Campbell, Christina Koutnik and Jacey Day were starters who were key to the Redskins’ successful season. Jennifer Miller, Sam McCay and Shelbi Kelly comprised the balance of the varsity team. | | Walsenburg Golf Course braces for Spring | 18 - March - 2010by Guy Blasi
WALSENBURG- It’s a good thing Mother Nature has dropped a fair amount of snow on the municipal golf course this winter. With the installation of a new Martin Lake gate valve having its challenges, the Walsenburg Golf Club is glad to have the m..
| 18 - March - 2010by Guy Blasi
WALSENBURG- It’s a good thing Mother Nature has dropped a fair amount of snow on the municipal golf course this winter. With the installation of a new Martin Lake gate valve having its challenges, the Walsenburg Golf Club is glad to have the moisture on the course. However for the past month, there has not been any potable water flowing to the clubhouse due to the dam construction company’s failure to work around the water line.
“We are fully expecting our clubhouse water to be back on next week,” said Bruce Eccher, president of the Walsenburg Golf Association. “The contractor was required to bypass both the clubhouse water and telephone lines. We’ve had a portable toilet out there, but we can’t serve food at the moment.”
Upon completion of the new Martin Lake pump, installation will immediately begin with a new gate and pump for the golf course. By agreement with the City of Walsenburg dating back to the course’s origination in 1964, the golf course is allocated 100 acre feet per year from water rights in Martin Lake owned by the city. The new valve gate and pump will replace the small lake that has been used to supply water for the course for the past 45 years.
With Grandote Peaks Golf Club in La Veta permanently closing, the Walsenburg Club sent letters to the members of Grandote inviting them to finish out their membership at the municipal course as well as inviting them to join this season. Membership over the past 20 years has declined at the Walsenburg course, due mostly to the drop in the economy. Last year, the Walsenburg Golf Course was rated as one of the most affordable and playable courses in Colorado by golflink.com. “We are looking forward to meeting new members and hosting great tournaments this year,” Eccher said. | | La Veta's youth wrestling season begins | 18 - March - 2010by Dreama Ortivez
LA VETA- La Veta’s youth wrestling season started on March 6, 2010. The first tournament of the year was in Centauri with 300 kids attending. La Veta’s youth wrestling club (LVWC) took 21 kids of ages from 5 to 12. The mighty Redskins y..
| 18 - March - 2010by Dreama Ortivez
LA VETA- La Veta’s youth wrestling season started on March 6, 2010. The first tournament of the year was in Centauri with 300 kids attending. La Veta’s youth wrestling club (LVWC) took 21 kids of ages from 5 to 12. The mighty Redskins youth opened up with a bang, placing 18 of 21. They brought home one 5th place, one 4th place, six 3rd places, seven 2nd places and three first place prizes.
Overall the Skins wrestled very well as it was our first tournament of the season. This is wrestling in its purest form as these youngsters exhibit the tenacity of true sportsmen.
This Saturday, La Veta will be hosting its annual Youth Tournament. Action is set to begin at 9 am. Anticipated teams are: La Veta, Walsenburg, Centauri, Antonito, Sanford, San Luis, Sierra Grande, Taos, NM, Española, NM and Trinidad.
Come and support the youth of Huerfano County. | | Ron ortivez captures third | 04 - March - 2010by David Tesitor
DENVER- La Veta’s Ron Ortivez fulfilled a lifetime goal last Saturday, wrestling on the final day of the State High School Tournament. He took third place in decisive fashion, defeating Gabe Lema of Burlington in 3:34 seconds.
Ortive..
| 04 - March - 2010by David Tesitor
DENVER- La Veta’s Ron Ortivez fulfilled a lifetime goal last Saturday, wrestling on the final day of the State High School Tournament. He took third place in decisive fashion, defeating Gabe Lema of Burlington in 3:34 seconds.
Ortivez went after Lema, a senior with a 25-13 record, from the opening whistle with a two-point takedown, and then he maneuvered on top with a near pin fall. From there Ortivez was in constant control, leading 5-0 after the first. Ortivez stayed on the offensive, and, with six seconds left, he pinned Lema.
Ortivez was placed in the upper bracket to begin the tournament, which included the number two, four and five ranked wrestlers. In his semifinal match, Ortivez lost to Justin Smith of Paonia who was ranked two in the state. Ortivez took Smith to the limit and lost a 5-0 decision. Ortivez lost to Smith earlier this season by pin fall. In his first match in the consolation semifinals, Ortivez defeated William Lutz of Rocky Ford to earn the right to wrestle for third. Ortivez was aggressive in his attack, pinning his opponent.
For Ron, the victory was bittersweet. He was in a tough bracket and hoped to win championship gold this year, becoming the first La Veta wrestler to do so. This was his last trip to Denver, but the first time he advanced in the placement rounds. After the match he said, “I’m really happy and pleased with my performance, but at the same time kind of sad.” He is leaving behind a great wrestling career. | | Lady Redskins lose one, clinch district | 04 - March - 2010
La Veta splits weekend action
MOSCA, ANTONITO- The Lady Redskins’ 14-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Sangre de Cristo Thunderbirds. La Veta lost in decisive fashion, 52-31, scoring only 8 points in the second half. According to Sm..
| 04 - March - 2010
La Veta splits weekend action
MOSCA, ANTONITO- The Lady Redskins’ 14-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Sangre de Cristo Thunderbirds. La Veta lost in decisive fashion, 52-31, scoring only 8 points in the second half. According to Smith, “We could not hit a shot in the second.” He added, “Don’t get me wrong, Sangre played tough.”
The following night, La Veta demolished Antonito 81-30 to end their regular season play and formally clinch the district and a first round pig tail bye. Shelby Morgan exploded for 28 points while teammate, Sami Willhoite hit 22.
La Veta finished the season with a 17-2 record and 11-1 in the district. The Lady Skins will play their first district playoff game tomorrow night at Alamosa High School. | |
|
|
|
