1A Boys Season Preview

CHSAA released its preseason coaches poll for Class 1A boys basketball on Monday and we preview the top teams and players.

 

#1 Mile High Academy: After a breakout season a year earlier ended in the regional round, Mile High Academy was able to shake off that disappoint and reach the state tournament for the first time by bouncing Longmont Christian 67-51. That, along with a District 8 championship helped the Mustangs earn the #2 seed at state. They held off Evangelical Christian 70-63 in the opening round, and finished the season at 21-3. They must replace four seniors from last year’s roster, two of whom were key contributors, but returning first team all-state senior Blake Essex and his 21.2 points, 14 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks a game will certainly make the Mustangs a tough out, every night. Fellow senior Dylan McCottry was second on the team in scoring last season at 11 points a game. The Mustangs also return seniors Erik Espinosa (4.8 points, 3.2 assists, 2.9 steals) and McJaden Fievre (3.7 points), as well as sophomore Braden Essex (4.6 points, team-high 19 three-pointers). The Mustangs open the season on the road at Rocky Mountain Lutheran on Feb. 1^st, and will face the only two in-state teams who beat them, in consecutive games two weeks later. They will host Denver Waldorf on 2/16 and visit Denver Jewish Day on 2/18.

#2 De Beque: The Dragons saw their hopes of being a repeat titlist come to an end in overtime at state, as they fell to Briggsdale 58-55. They are essentially the co-favorites as this season, beginning just one first place vote and two total points behind Mile High Academy in the coaches poll. With preseason player of the year candidate Wesley Ryan back for his senior year, it’s easy to see why the Dragons are so highly thought of. As a junior, Ryan averaged 23.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks, earning him first-team all-state honors for the second straight year. He was the Class 1A player of the year as a sophomore. Joining him is senior Jaden Jordan, who took home honorable mention honors last year after averaging 12.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.9 steals. Logan Wingfield is the final returning starter from last year. As a sophomore, he contributed 9.9 points and 7.5 rebounds. De Beque opens the season at home on the 29^th against Plateau Valley and the 30^th against Nucla. The Dragons have two key games with Hotchkiss, on the road 2/6 and at home on 2/26.

#3 Merino: Merino is the only team in the top four to not receive a first place vote. The Rams are looking to make a third straight trip to the state tournament, and improve upon their 1-3 record in their two most recent visits. Last year, they were bumped 46-44 by Walsh in the opening round. This year’s squad will have a much different appearance, as only a handful of players return, including seniors Kody Clouse and Andrew Frank, and juniors Derrick Alber, Zach Batt, and Chance Everhart. The Rams did not report full stats last season, but Clouse, Frank, and Alber are likely to carry the heaviest part of the load this season. As always, Merino will be part of the LPAA, meaning the bulk of their games will be against 2A clubs, including trips to #10 Sedgwick County (2/5) and #2 Yuma (2/11), and home games with #14 Holyoke (2/6), #1 Limon (2/19), and #4 Wray (2/20). They will also visit 1A #10 Haxtun on 2/12.

#4 Kit Carson: Like Merino, Kit Carson was hit pretty hard by graduation, and the Wildcats will rely on a number of new faces as they try to get back to the lofty heights they reached last year. A big senior class, including 2020 player of the year Jayden McCombs-Farmer, helped the Wildcats reel off 22 straight wins following an opening-night loss to Limon. The last of those wins came in the opening round of the state tournament, 47-38 over Ouray. Honorable mention recipient Sullivan Farmer will be one of the few familiar faces this season, after leading the team in scoring as a junior with 13.2 points a night. He also grabbed 4.3 rebounds. Junior Daniel Arnold averaged just under two points a game last season, and the trio of junior Brett Mayhan, and sophomores Alex Mitchek and Paul Mitchek, each averaged less than one point and one rebound a contest. The Wildcats begin with non-league games at home against Prairie on the 29^th and on the road at Wiley on the 30^th. Key road games include Limon (2/2), Fleming (2/13), Eads (2/19), Cheyenne Wells (2/23), and Genoa-Hugo (3/2), with important home clashes against Cheraw (2/5), Simla (2/9), and Springfield (2/20).

#5 Briggsdale: After their OT win against De Beque in the opening round of the state tournament last year, the Falcons felt like they had a good shot at winning the title, even with Mile High Academy waiting for them in the semifinals. That contest never happened, and Briggsdale lost four of its top rotation players to graduation. Leading them this season will be a core group of juniors and sophomores. Braden Krise is the top returning scorer at just over 11 points a game. He hit 47 threes last year. Malik Carlson, who drilled 28 threes, averaged nine points a game. He and Krise each swiped 2.4 steals a night. Michael Bittinger is the final returning main rotation guy, and he chipped in four points a contest as a sophomore. Also, keep an eye on newcomer, Tanner Fiscus, the freshman son of head coach Clint Fiscus. He’s a talented guard who could step in and contribute right away. This season sees the Falcons open with non-league home tilts against Front Range Baptist and Idalia on the 29^th and 30^th. They look to be tested in road games with Haxtun (2/2) and Fleming (2/22), and home games against Flatirons Academy (2/20) and Shining Mountain (3/6).

#6 Primero: The Bulldogs are the first team in the rankings to not make state last season. Primero went 14-9 last season and nearly upset De Beque in regionals, falling 58-57. The Bulldogs led by 10 entering the fourth quarter. A high scoring trio returns to bring even more optimism for Bulldog fans, led by honorable mention recipient Antonio Cordova, who averaged close to 19 points a game as a junior. Fellow senior Lance Peters added 12 points a night, and junior Michael Damelio gave the team just over 17. Opening weekend sees the Bulldogs visiting #11 Walsh on the 29^th and hosting Antonito on the 30^th. Primero also has home dates with Springfield (2/6) and #14 Kim/Branson (2/13), with road games at South Baca (2/20) and Sierra Grande (3/5)

#7 Genoa-Hugo: As is the case with Primero, Genoa-Hugo is looking to get to the state tournament after missing out last season. The Pirates came up short against Cheraw in the regional round (46-37) last season to end their campaign at 12-10. They will return all but two players from a season ago, including junior Wyatt Miller, who earned honorable mention all-state as a sophomore after averaging 11 points, seven rebounds, and three steals. Colby Simmons, Tristan Lindt, Keenan Hinton, and Levi Miller all scored between six and 8.5 points a game. The Pirates open with road games at Kiowa on the 28^th and Limon on the 29^th. Their first home game is on 2/6 against Fleming.

#8 Belleview Christian: The Bruins are another squad looking to add a state appearance to the ledger after missing out in 2020. They dropped six of their last nine games, including a 43-40 decision to Flatirons Academy in the District 8 tournament, to finish 12-8 overall. They’ll bring back a pair of honorable mention award winners in senior Logan Owen and sophomore Assane Diop. Owen posted averages of 25.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.9 steals, while Diop stuffed the stat line with 16.6 points, 18.9 boards, 7.7 assists, 2.8 steals, and five blocks. Nathaniel Owen added close to 12 points a game as a freshman. The Bruins get things started on the 26^th with a non-league clash at home against Longmont Christian, followed by a league trip to Denver Jewish Day on the 28^th. They host Mile High Academy in 5280 league action on 2/11.

#9 Sangre de Cristo: Sangre de Cristo saw its run of state title appearances snapped at two, when the Thunderbirds were upended by Ouray 61-52 in regionals. They enter this season having to replace Cole Christensen, a two-time first team all-stater who graduated last spring. Senior Kevin Enriquez, who averaged just a shade under 10 points a game last season will probably see that number climb this year. Leighton Curtis (9.1 ppg) and Luke Christensen (6.5 ppg) are a pair of sophomores who will also see an increased workload this year. After a non-league contest at Custer County on the 29^th, the T-Birds will host Dove Creek on the 30^th. They will also visit 2A #5 Sanford on 2/9 and host Sierra Grande on 2/26.

#10 Haxtun: Haxtun’s appearance in the rankings is due in part to the late run the Fightin’ Bulldogs put together last season, with a roster that only had one senior. Haxtun went into the District 5 tournament with a deceiving 7-12 mark, as many of the losses came against top 2A competition. They strung together three straight wins to earn the district championship, but saw the streak snapped by Longmont Christian 50-31 at regionals. The Fightin’ Bulldogs bring back their top three scorers, led by Ryan Tempel at 12 points a game. He also grabbed a team-best 8.6 rebounds. Owen Knode and Isaac Andersen each averaged better than seven points a game as sophomores. Haxtun’s schedule tips off the 29^th with a trip to Peetz, before returning home to host Fleming on the 30^th.

 

NEXT FIVE

#11Walsh avenged a 2019 state tournament loss to Merino with the two-point win last season. Their roster was very senior-laden as all five of their top scorers are gone from last year. Only Kevin Rodriguez, a senior this season, returns from the main rotation. He averaged a tick below five points a game. His classmates Saul Carrillo and Paul Lovato will be in line for a major increase in minutes. #12 Evangelical Christian is hunting a third straight tournament appearance and will have to replace a very decorated senior class to do so. The Eagles lost their top three scorers, and four of their top five, but return Jonah Aragon, who tallied 5.7 points and 7.2 rebounds as a junior. The latter of those led the team. Michael Kim (4.7 points, 2.8 assists) was a main rotation player as a freshman. #13 Granada has a new coach (Traegon Marquez) leading the show this season, but he’ll have some familiar faces to work with. Dominic Coleman was honorable mention all-state as a sophomore after averaging 20 points and 7.7 rebounds, and John Hainer looks to build on his freshman year totals of 10.4 points and nine rebounds. Brandon Gonzales and Ivan Yanez give the Bobcats solid scoring depth, as the team tries to shake off last year’s 6-14 record. #14 Kim/Branson beat Granada by a single point in overtime at regionals last year, but saw it’s bid for a trip to state denied by ECA the following day. Nine players appeared in at least 20 games for the Mustangs last year, with four returning. Joe Buhrle leads that group with just under eight points a game a season ago. Kinton Shannon, Matt Doherty, and Cade Smith all scored right around four points a contest. #15 Ouray played a ton of close games last season, including its first round loss to Kit Carson. Down the stretch, six of the Trojans’ final eight games were decided by single digits. Jackson Leo is back for his final season after leading the team in scoring at 18.3 points last year. The Trojans must replace a pair of double digit scorers, as well as all four of their leading rebounders.

 

OTHER TOP PLAYERS RETURNING

Josh Duran	Antonito	26.5 pts / 11.2 rebs
Trey Pearce	Cheraw	5.0 blocks
Fisher Leggitt	Creede	24.0 pts
Samuel Kaufman	Denver Academy Torah	17.4 pts
Gavin Foonberg	Denver Jewish Day	3.6 assists
Jon Kochavi	Denver Jewish Day	18.3 pts
Emmett Wechsler	Denver Jewish Day	3.3 assists
Damien Barnes	Eads	12.2 rebs
Josh Yoder	Edison	12.9 rebs
Jhett Alapia	Elbert	11.8 rebs
Noah Rumbyrt	Flatirons Academy	3.3 assists
Dalton Sweazy	Hanover	17.4 pts
Kyle Saunders	Longmont Christian	6.3 steals
Daniel Escareno	Manzanola	3.3 assists
Tyler Wytulka	Nucla	21.3 pts / 10.6 rebs
Andrew Harris	Pikes Peak Christian	3.7 assists
Darian Schaller	Springfield	3.3 assists