With the autumn season over and the entire delay and postponement drama formally (and really sadly) shifted to winter sports activities, it’s an excellent time to look again on a few of the prime breakout performers over the previous few months from the BoCoPreps.com space.
Whether or not it was an athlete who soared above projection or one who merely launched themselves to the highschool scene with a boisterous efficiency, the unexpected successes on the sector have been a pleasant breather from all of the sudden off it.
On this collection, we looked back on the fall’s defining moments in a two-part series that included four team champions from area schools. Three by Niwot — boys tennis, women cross nation and boys cross nation — and one from Holy Household, which gained its second softball title in three years
We then took a look at the top under-the-radar seniors earlier in the week, and at this time, we’ll dive into fall athletes that broke into the limelight.
Listed below are a couple of of them.
Grayden Bridwell, Skyline soccer: Bridwell took his flip because the crew’s characteristic working again and ran for greater than 100 yards in every of the Falcons’ six video games. Solely six as a result of Skyline went 5-1 with its lone loss to eventual state champ Loveland and nonetheless missed the playoff area. With nice imaginative and prescient and robust burst, the senior standout racked up 1,263 yards and 7 touchdowns on 140 carries. At 9 yards a contact, he completed fourth within the state in speeding. Solely Valor Christian five-star again Gavin Sawchuk (9.5 yards per contact) and Fountain-Fort Carson’s Q Jones (9.9) averaged extra amongst Colorado’s top-10 backs.
Tyler Burridge, Dawson boys tennis: The sophomore has been profitable in his first two seasons with the Mustangs’ boys tennis program. However he was requested to be a modified participant in 2020 — shifting from doubles to singles. Promoted from No. 1 doubles, he flourished at No. 2 singles, profitable regionals earlier than bowing out within the first spherical of state.
Gavin Garrettson, Mead soccer: Garrettson took over as beginning quarterback with the commencement of Brady Veltien and led Mead to a 5-1 file. The junior threw for 891 yards and 11 touchdowns to simply two interceptions. He additionally had three scores on the bottom because the Mavs certified for the postseason as 3A’s fifth seed earlier than having to forfeit as a consequence of COVID-19 publicity.
Kenzi Garner, Broomfield softball: The senior took a bigger position on the Eagles’ pitching workers in 2020, going 9-1 whereas permitting 17 earned runs in 60 1/3 innings. The yr earlier than she threw simply 24 1/3 innings. Garner upped her batting common, too — by 66 factors, in truth — hitting .448 with 4 homers whereas main the crew with 29 RBIs. She together with Bryna Kapelke and 5A Entrance Vary League participant of the yr Hadlee Reichert have been additionally invited to play within the Colorado Coaches of Ladies Sports activities’ 5A All-State Sport.
Liam Grey, Holy Household soccer: Grey can rip area objectives from lengthy vary, crush kickoffs out of the tip zone … he’s cool, calm, correct — and actually, he’s been that means for Holy Household’s kicking sport for three-plus seasons. Grey as an alternative makes the listing for what he did for he did as Holy Household’s big-play receiver. Grey had practically double the receiving yards (503) and greater than twice as many touchdowns (11) than he did in 2019 (5), and that’s in two much less video games. His yards per reception was a ridiculous 21.9.
Ben Harding, Silver Creek boys golf: The sophomore completed runner-up within the 4A Northern Colorado Athletic Convention. He then shot a 79 adopted by an 80 on the state event in Colorado Springs to take 18th. Add all of it up and Harding seems to be to have supplanted his place as one in every of 4A’s brightest contenders over the subsequent two seasons.
Caleb Johnson, Longmont soccer: Johnson soared in his junior season, hauling in 77 passes for 832 yards. That’s a far rise from his sophomore marketing campaign, the place he had 47 catches for 428 yards in 5 much less video games. Johnson’s quarterback, Keegan Patterson, could also be a breakout performer in his personal proper after upping his 2019 completion share and throwing for practically 500 extra yards in 5 much less video games. Patterson regarded for Johnson usually within the fall as the 2 related not less than 13 instances in 5 of their six video games.
Alexandra Kennedy, Skyline softball: The sophomore hit over .400 for a second straight season. Her breakout as an alternative got here on the mound. After amassing a double-digit ERA as a freshman, Kennedy went 5-4 with a 4.16 mark over 64 innings this fall. In simply 7 1/3 innings greater than 2019, she had 26 extra punchouts, ending with 59.
Cole LaCrue, Broomfield soccer: The sophomore took over the beginning quarterback place after Zachary Kapushion transferred to South Paulding Excessive Faculty in Georgia and helped direct the Eagles again into the postseason. He accomplished 67% of his passes and completed with 1,017 yards and 10 touchdowns to simply two interceptions. On the bottom, he led the crew with 5 scores.
Jackson Lewis, Boulder boys tennis: Lewis beat out everybody inside this system, incomes the No. 1 singles spot for Boulder. With him main the way in which, the Panthers went from winless in 2019 to 6-1 in duals this fall. In the beginning of the season, he fell to Broomfield ace Cameron Lupo, then gained 5 straight in twin play. The freshman strikes properly throughout the court docket, has good consciousness, and whereas this being simply his first yr of highschool, his ceiling — in addition to Boulder’s tennis program — seems to be awfully excessive going ahead.
Caleb Michaels, Monarch boys golf: The sophomore ace proved to be the most effective golfers within the space this fall, beginning with a 2-under 70 win on the Broomfield Two-Man Finest Ball event in August. There was promise surrounding Michaels coming into the yr and he delivered … after which some. He bounced again on the second day of state to complete seventeenth in 5A.
Ryan Montera, Legacy boys cross nation: Montera gained 4 invitationals and a twin, working below quarter-hour twice within the fall. The Legacy senior has been a steadfast performer all through his profession, however his breakout got here on the state meet as he moved up 22 spots from 2019 to take seventh in a time of 15:57.
Liam O’Brien, Fairview soccer: The epitome of a breakout star, O’Brien threw for two,355 yards and 23 touchdowns to only one decide in his first yr because the Knights’ starter. The senior confirmed robust pocket presence but additionally confirmed his capacity to burn defenses along with his legs, the place he totaled 331 yards and 5 touchdowns. The prized lacrosse recruit actually proved he must be considered as a university soccer prospect as properly.
Mia Prok, Niwot women cross nation: The freshman gained each invitational she took half in throughout her debut season till she bought to state and nationals, the place she settled for — pfft! — second. At state, she trailed fellow-frosh Bethany Michalak of Air Academy by a mere three seconds. And on the RunningLane Nationwide Cross Nation Championships, she completed with the very best 2020 time from a Colorado women highschool runner in 16:56. The mark can be the nation’s fifth greatest this fall. It’s powerful to know what you’re going to get with a freshman, particularly in a season as unusual as this one. However Prok, who was a standout in center faculty, made the soar seamlessly and must be among the many state’s and nation’s greatest runners for the subsequent three years.
Emily Sauvageau, Mead softball: The junior hit over 150 factors above her common in her first two seasons, batting .481 within the fall. She had 5 dwelling runs in 73 plate appearances after having only one in her earlier 127. The expansion of Sauvageau was among the many causes the Mavs have been in a position to rise from a crew with a shedding file simply two seasons in the past to a state finalist in 2020.
Cole Spradlin/Ty Stroud, Centaurus boys tennis: The junior and sophomore, respectively, took second in 4A Area 5 that was principally dominated by Niwot, and secondly by Longmont. Their state event bid put the Warriors again within the 4A area after they didn’t ship anybody in 2019. Their robust performances all year long have been among the many causes for Centaurus’ 5-2 file in duals.
James Thomas, Broomfield boys cross nation: Thomas had a stable first month of the season. Then he exploded late, ending sixth on the 5A state meet adopted by a fourth-place end on the Colorado Traditional, the place he put down a personal-best time of 15:06. That mark is the thirteenth quickest by a excessive schooler within the state this season.
Luke Weber, Niwot boys tennis: Niwot’s tennis crew is normally so loaded that calling somebody in it a “breakout performer” is uncommon. However right here we’re. Weber rose from the No. 2 doubles crew that took fourth in 2019 all the way in which to a state champion in No. 3 singles. With titles from him and ace Neil Wilcox, the Cougars gained their first crew title in program historical past.
