Prep basketball fans have a lot to look forward to in coming seasons

Prep basketball fans have a lot to look forward to in coming seasons

Mar. 13, 2001

Taking one of his final shots as a Panther

SENIOR CHRIS GARLAND (30) of the Montezuma-Cortez High School varsity boys basketball team goes up for a shot against Adams City in the quarterfinals of the Class 4A State Basketball Tournament in the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Panthers, who lost to Adams City when it rallied from some 15 points behind at one point, ended a solid basketball season and are looking forward to next year.

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

Prep basketball fans in Southwestern Colorado certainly have a lot to look forward to in the coming years.

Montezuma-Cortez High School boys and girls, Dolores girls but don’t over look the boys, and Mancos boys and girls all will have good teams in the coming years. That was certainly evident at the recent Colorado Basketball Championships at Denver (Class 4A) and Pueblo (2A).

If they can find a good leader like they did in senior Chris Garland this past season, the Panthers will be in good shape when the 2001-02 season rolls around next December. Only Garland is departing off this year’s team which made it to the quarterfinals of the Class 4A Tournament which was held in the Pepsi Center in Denver.

"I think we will have a very good team next year," MCHS head boys coach Wade Mortensen said following his team’s 65-61 loss to Adams City. "I’m already looking forward to it. We have some very good kids coming back and if we can keep them out for basketball, then hopefully we can make it back here."

The Panthers just need to get over the hump of losing in the quarterfinals. They have lost to Broomfield, Sierra, and now Adams City. The Panthers finished the season with a 12-8 overall record, winning eight of their final nine games in a row, including winning the District VII Tournament title and beating Fountain-Fort Carson and Valley in Regional action.

Coming back for the 2001-02 campaign will be Kyle Chandler, Marcus Mortensen, Billy Innis, Gabe Evans, Mike Rivas, Layne Frazier, Kyle Wilson, Kirk Archibeque, Jeff Anderson, and Walt Pape. Chandler, Innis, Evans, Frazier, Wilson, and Pape will all be seniors next year. Mortensen, Rivas and Archibeque will be juniors. Indeed, the future does look bright for boys basketball.

Pueblo South had all the answers in the Class 4A state boys basketball championship game at the Pepsi Center. Pueblo South (23-4) withstood a spirited fourth-period run by defending champion Sierra to claim a 52-46 victory and the school's second boys basketball title.

The Panther girls, under the direction of first-year head coach Stan Yake, played very well at times, especially at the end of the season. They finished second at Districts and won their first Regional game on the road at Summit before falling to eventual Class 4A State champ Mullen. The Mustangs beat Widefield 46-36 to win the championship.

The Panthers will need to find replacements for seniors Denise Newlin, Andrea Derrick, and Emilie Lanier before next season gets under way. However, they have a bunch of talented girls coming back include Casey Bauer, Stefanie Allison, Amanda Frazier, Marcie Baca, Nicole Stephens, Linda Smart, Lindsey Wilson, and Vanessa Benally.

The Mancos boys lost to Jefferson Academy in the Class 2A quarterfinals and fell to fellow San Juan Basin League rival Nucla in the consolation semifinals in Pueblo last weekend.

The Sangre de Cristo boys basketball team displayed a knack for getting the Pueblo Events Center crowd excited this weekend.

But the underdog Thunderbirds saved the best for last, upsetting top-seeded and heavily favored Jefferson Academy 57-49 Saturday night to win the Class 2A state championship.

Sangre de Cristo pulled away from Jefferson Academy in the final 3 minutes, one night after the Thunderbirds had beaten No. 2-seeded and previously unbeaten Swink on a three-pointer by Kevin Prior with time winding down.

The Blue Jays, led by longtime coach Gary Hill, must replace good shooting senior Bill Baker and steady senior Jesse Rousset before the 2001-02 season starts. Returning for next season will be Clint Hill, Chase Davis, Kent Russell, Preston Hennrich, Kyle Yeomans, Nick Rubino, Kelley Smith, Travis Clark, and Ryan Shepherd. Several newcomers coming up from the junior varsity will only add depth.

Dolores girls will lose seniors Amber Simmons, Jessica Gladem and Sarah Nielson. The Bears, under the direction of first-year coach Rob Mellott, finished with a sparkling 21-1 overall record, losing only to West Grand in the Regional finals.

West Grand's Hannah Sheehan had made five free throws in a row when she stepped to the line with 12.6 seconds remaining in overtime.

The 46.5 percent free-throw shooter missed her first attempt. Without another thought, she drained the second, and it proved to be the difference in West Grand's 42-41 overtime victory against Caliche in the Class 2A state girls basketball championship game at the Pueblo Events Center on Saturday night.

Dolores will be led next year by Jennifer Trevillian, Joni and Tracy Everett, Ashley and McKenzie Reed, and Jennifer and Amanda Cross, plus Krysten Fitzgerald and Ashley Smith.

Don’t count out the Dolores boys. They have improved rapidly under the guidance of Todd Wynne. Once a doormat of the San Juan Basin League, the Bears emerged as a team to be feared when next season comes around.

The Blue Jays girls will have to replace senior standouts Amanda Kennedy and Kerri Morgan. But Rachel Russell, Katie Paxton, Lacey Morris, Jolene Thomas, Jori Yeomans, Cambria Hanson, and Amy Smith all saw extensive playing time this past season. Coach Kevin Dimmick thinks he will have a good team if next year if everything comes together.

Dolores County boys, who suffered through a long season after losing one key player to a transfer and another who decided not to play, should have a much improved team for the 2001-02 season. And the Bulldog girls, although winning only once, will be much better for next year as well.