2A Boys Season Preview

CHSAA released its first coaches poll of the season on Monday and Limon was the overwhelming #1 team in the field. We take our first look at the top teams and players in the classification.

Feature photo provided by Sheri Smithburg.

 

#1 Limon: One of the favorites to win the title before the season was canceled after the first round of the state tournament last year, the Badgers received 14 of the 17 first place votes. They bring back a trio of seniors who won all-state honors last year. Camden Smithburg was first team after averaging 16.8 points and 2.8 steals as a junior. Kory Tacha turned his 14.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists into second team honors, while Alex Carr was earned honorable mention with his 10.9 points and 7.7 rebounds. Senior John Jaklich, and juniors Brady Rockwell, Trey Hines, and Eli Weisensee give the Badgers a total of seven returning players from their main rotation. Limon opens the season with three straight ranked opponents, beginning with 1A Genoa-Hugo at home on the 29^th. The Badgers visit #2 Yuma on the 30^th, and host 1A #4 Kit Carson on 2/2.

#2 Yuma: The Indians were gunning for their third straight title before things got shut down last March. They held off Fowler 55-51 in the opening round and were set to face Limon in the semifinals. Gone are four main rotation players, including second team all-stater Chase McCreath. But, the Indians return Clay Robinson, who was a first team all-state performer as a sophomore, averaging 15.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.5 steals. Javier Gamboa (5.0 points) and Cade Morton (3.0 points) were in the main unit for the Indians last year, and they will be asked to play larger roles this season. Morton was tied for second on the team with 16 three-pointers. They begin the season on the 28^th at 3A Brush, ahead of their home-opener against Yuma on the 30^th.

#3 Fowler: The Grizzlies rode a 19-game winning streak into their state tournament contest against Yuma last year. None of those were decided by fewer than 10 points. The top rotation only had two seniors, one of whom earned second team all-state. Val Leone earned first team honors and is back to lead the squad as a senior. In his junior year, Leone stuffed the stat sheet with 18.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.7 steals. Gabriel Proctor (10.6 points, 4.0 assists, 3.0 steals), Rylee Smith, Braxton Bates, Jackson Bates, Liam Griffy, and Kyle Milberger will give the Grizzlies a very strong group of seniors. Fowler opens on the 29^th on the road at Colorado Springs Christian, followed by a home clash against La Junta on the 30^th. They will also host #7 Peyton on 2/12, and close the regular season on 3/6 at #1 Limon.

#4 Wray: After winning only three games two seasons earlier, the Eagles earned their way into the state semifinals with a 49-36 victory over Sanford. It was their ninth straight win and 19^th of the season. Junior Arambula is one of two returning Eagles to claim all-state awards after the season, as his state-leading 7.5 assists a game earned him a spot on the second team. Sam Uyemura garnered honorable mention after averaging 12.9 points and hitting 66 three-pointers. They’re joined by Bryant Schoenthal (7.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, Jaden Dodsworth (4.6 points), Ryce Peterson, Braydon Lapp, and Hagan Smith, who all saw time in the regular rotation. The Eagles jump right into league play, visiting Akron on the 29^th, Caliche on the 30^th, and 1A #10 Haxtun on 2/5. The schedule also includes road games at 1A #4 Merino (2/20), #1 Limon (2/27), and #2 Yuma (3/5), and home games with #10 Sedgwick County (2/12) and #14 Holyoke (2/26).

#5 Sanford: The Indians entered the state tournament as a 20-win team, but suffered their fifth straight loss in tournament games. The program won three consecutive titles from 2015-17, but enters the season not having won on the big stage since. This year’s squad will have a pair of seniors, Ruben Chavez and Trenton Koenig. Chavez contributes in the post, while Koenig will be asked to step up and fill one of the guard spots after the Indians lost good players at the position to graduation. Ethan Larsen and Kelton Gartrell started as sophomores, and they’re both back as juniors. Sanford starts this season on the 26^th at home against Custer County, and then faces a first weekend with games at #11 Mancos on the 29^th and at home against #8 Ignacio on the 30^th.

#6 Denver Christian: A four-point loss to Peyton ended the Thunder’s season in the regional round, preventing them from making a second straight appearance at the state tournament. Junior Ben Buhler earned honorable mention all-state after averaging 17.9 points and 4.7 rebounds last season. Seniors Henry Vandenberg (11.1 points) and Ethan Liebert (8.9 points) combined for 20 a game, with Vandenberg adding 7.8 rebounds, and Liebert contributing 4.1 assists. That trio combined for 86 three-pointers. Xander Neu, Aden Cariveau, and Zac Beijer were also main rotation players who will be called upon to take on bigger roles this season.  Their campaign will begin on the 28^th with a league game at Dayspring Christian and a non-league clash at home on the 29^th against Colorado Academy, and the regular season closes with them hosting 3A Highland on 3/6.

#7 Peyton: Last season saw Peyton makes its first state tournament appearance since 2013, and the Panthers pushed Limon in their opening round before falling 43-34. All of the main unit players return this season honorable mention award winners Brennen Meyers (11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds) and AJ Lashley (6.9 points, 2.9 assists, 2.8 steals). Gavin Miller (10.2 points) and Gibson Gellerman (8.5 points) are also back. Their run at another tournament ticket begins on the 26^th at 3A #4 Manitou Springs. The rest of the slate includes key dates with Thomas MacLaren (2/10), Fowler (2/12), Simla (2/20), and Crowley County (3/2).

#8 Ignacio: The Bobcats picked up an early-season win over Limon, and rolled to 18 victories heading into their state quarterfinal match-up with Highland. The lopsided loss would wind up being their final game of the season, leaving a bad taste in their mouths. Bryce Finn and Brady McCaw each averaged 12 points a game, earning them honorable mention after the season. Finn added 5.8 boards a contest. Triston Thompson chipped in just over nine points a game, while also adding 3.2 assists and 2.6 steals. Ignacio opens at #4 Sanford on the 30^th and has two big match-ups with #11 Mancos (2/16 and 3/2), and one at 1A #15 Ouray (2/12).

#9 Holly: For the second time in three seasons, Holly missed the state tournament in 2020. The Wildcats nearly upset Highland in the regional round, falling 65-63. As they try to get back to the big event, they will have a new coach leading the way, as Jace Cathcart takes over for Dusty Heck. In his six years guiding the Wildcats, Heck registered a 135-14 record, with two state titles. Holly lost two seniors out of its rotation, but returns honorable mention winners Dakota Eaton (13.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 3.2 steals) and Omar Moreno (5.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists). Brigden Parker (12.0 points, 7.0 rebounds) and Josue Avalos (7.1 points) are also back for the Wildcats. After opening the season on the 28^th at Wiley, the Wildcats will face a schedule that includes two meetings with #3 Fowler (2/25, and ¾), the Fowler tournament (2/12, 2/13), and Crowley County (2/27).

#10 Sedgwick County: The third member of the LPAA in the preseason poll, Sedgwick County missed the state tournament for the third straight season in 2020. The Cougars’ last appearance (2017) resulted in a runner-up finish. After being bounced by Wray in the regional finals, the Cougars will bring back seven of their top nine scorers from last season. That includes honorable mention recipients Jared Ehmke (12.9 points, 3.6 assists) and Tate Dille (10.9 points). Terrance Heath also returns after posting averages of 6.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. The Cougars will play their first three games against schools from Nebraska, and then host 1A #4 Merino on 2/5 and #2 Yuma on 2/6. Also on the schedule are trips to Wray (2/11) and Holyoke (2/19), and home games against Dayspring Christian (2/13) and 1A #10 Haxtun (3/5).

 

NEXT FIVE

#11 Mancos beat Ignacio to win the district title, but fell to the Bobcats a week later at regionals. Those split four meetings, with the widest margin of victory being 12 points. Connor Showalter earned honorable mention after posting 15.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.8 steals as a sophomore. Evan Sehnert also averaged double figures as a sophomore, pumping in just under 12 a game. #12 Crested Butte only won five games in the 2018-19 season, but turned that around and put 18 wins on the board last year. The Titans held the lead at halftime over Fowler in their regional final, but eventually dropped the game, 56-46. Erik Wasinger led the team in scoring at 16.2 points a night, and classmate Grayson White added 7.1 points and 6.2 boards. #13 Meeker might surprise some people by being ranked in the top 15 following last year’s 12-11 campaign, but the Cowboys return a pair of players who averaged double figures as juniors, Spud White (12.0 points, 7.7 rebounds) and Ryan Phelan (10.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists). The Cowboys did lose their leading scorer, but he was one of only two seniors on the roster. #14 Holyoke plays in the loaded LPAA, that between 1A and 2A has five teams ranked in the initial polls. The Dragons struggled through an 8-15 season with just two seniors. They’ll bring back leading scorers Ethan Johnson, who was named honorable mention after averaging 11.5 points, and Miles Sprague (10.4 points). Both are juniors. #15 Vail Mountain got hot at the right time last year, winning four straight to earn the district title and a regional berth. The streak reached five, before being snapped by Yuma. Most of their top players were underclassmen, giving the Gore Rangers reason to be optimistic this season.

 

OTHER TOP PLAYERS RETURNING

Dean Kerns	Byers	4.3 assists
Seattle Schuessler	Clear Creek	4.9 assists
Christian Still	Dayspring Christian	20.4 pts
Will Rinehart	Denver Academy	4.9 assists
Jacob Davis	Fountain Valley	11.2 rebs
Chance Maccagnan	Fountain Valley	10.0 rebs / 5.1 steals
Jakob Gonzales	Golden View Classical	14.8 pts
Gage Basey	Lyons	14.7 pts / 10.4 rebs
Alan Lopez	Miami Yoder	4.1 steals
David Crowhurst	Plateau Valley	3.7 assists
Sydney Cole	Rangely	9.8 rebs
Kage Pepper	Sargent	13.9 pts
Elias Esparza	South Park	10.1 rebs
Colby Roberts	Swallows Charter	14.1 pts
Trey Summers	Union Colony Prep	21.3 pts / 3.6 assists