Although we canít bring you up-to-date coverage of D 49 athletic events and programs, we can bring you in-depth information about players and coaches and their game-day achievements. NFH sports columnist Steve Wood is a special education teacher and head baseball coach at Calhan High School.After finishing the season with six out of eight regular season wins, the Falcon High School boysí basketball team went into the state 4A basketball tournament feeling confident. The Falcons, an eighth seed, promptly beat a good Green Mountain Rams team, 54-49, in the first round.However, the Falconsí season ended in the second round March 1, when the Eagles from Valor Christian, which eventually went on to lose in the championship game to Lewis-Palmer, soundly beat the Falcons, 75-42. The Eagles got off to a high-flying start, leading 11-4 early in the first quarter. But the Falcons fought back, hitting their shots and ending the first quarter tied 16-16. From there, Valor went on a 21-8 run in the second quarter, and the Falcons could never get the momentum back. Valor Christian continued on in the state tourney to beat Widefield, 58-55; Sand Creek, 54-46; and Broomfield, 75-74, before losing to Lewis-Palmer in the championship game, 51-40.Looking back, the season for the Falcons was one of streaks, as they started the season hot, winning seven of their first eight games. But after the 7-1 start, the Falcons went on another streak, with opposite results, losing six games in a row. All six losses were to rival Pikes Peak League opponents.The Falcons, however, turned things around again, winning six out of their last eight regular season games, beating every league opponent they had previously lost to, except Sand Creek and eventual 4A state champions Lewis-Palmer. The Falcons finished the season 14-11 overall, and 6-8 in the Pikes Peak League, which is possibly the toughest 4A league in the state. The Pikes Peak League had two teams reach the quarterfinals; Sand Creek, which got knocked out by state runner-up, Valor Christian; and Cheyenne Mountain, defeated by the repeat state champions Lewis-Palmer, also from the Pikes Peak League! (Discovery Canyon also won a playoff game.) No other 4A basketball league had as many playoff wins.The Falcons were led this season in scoring by junior Chances Matlock who averaged 13 points per game. Matlock was ìplayer of the gameî five times, including his highest scoring game of the season, with 27 points against Discovery Canyon in January. The 6-foot-4-inch junior is a great, balanced offensive threat who can consistently shoot the three-pointer and also take it to the rim and dunk the basketball. Senior Nick Lenhard averaged almost 10 points a game and led the team in assists, averaging five per game, and was chosen ìplayer of the gameî three times. Sophomore Shaun Livecchi led the team in rebounds, with almost eight per game and was voted ìplayer of the gameî five times, while senior Brodie Hicks was a close second with over seven rebounds per game. Hicks was ìplayer of the gameî three times.Coach Greg Cox said he expects the Falcons will be strong again next year with seven varsity players returning, led by Matlock and Livecchi, along with Cody Curtis and Ben Cohn. However, the Falcons will miss the five graduating seniors who have led this team: Nick Lenhard, Brodie Hicks, Tyler Stover, Tyler Burley and Daniel Snyder.Vista Ridge boys finish seventhThe Vista Ridge boysí basketball team finished the season seventh in the Pikes Peak Conference with a 3-11 league record and a disappointing overall record of 6-17. Two of the Wolves league wins were over eighth place Palmer Ridge and the other was over sixth place Falcon.Coach Joe Hites is positive about next season, however, with six returning varsity players. The teamís two top scorers, though, are graduating seniors: Tyler Jackson and Jerrell Bellot. Those will be big shoes to fill, along with those of the other seniors, too ñ Pierre Copeland, Aaron Johnson, Madison Colvin, Darrian Morgan and Anthony Haley.Returning next season for the Wolves will be juniors Jerry Smith and Jordan Alexander; sophomores Malik Roberson and Avante Nelms; and freshmen Josh Coppock and Robert Fernandez. Even in the tough Pikes Peak League, the future looks promising for the Vista Ridge Wolves.Scorpions lose to Eagles in rematchThe Sand Creek boysí basketball team, called the ìbest team in school historyî by their coach, finished their season by losing to the Valor Christian Eagles in the quarterfinals of the state tournament, 54-46. The Scorpions were not able to match their earlier effort of the season, when they beat the Eagles 76-61 at Sand Creek High School. The Valor Christian defense was much improved as they held the Scorpions to just 6 points in the first quarter, and the 22-6 deficit was just too much for Sand Creek to overcome. The Scorpions were led by senior Josh Smith, who scored 18 points; and senior Bryan Jenkins added 9. The Eagles were led by 6-foot-4-inch junior Chase Foster, who has scholarship offers from both Colorado and Wyoming, with 11 points and 11 rebounds.ìThis is an amazing group of guys to coach,î said Coach Joe Rausch. His Scorpions finished 12-2 in the Pikes Peak League and 23-3 overall. It will be a difficult challenge for Sand Creek to duplicate next year, as team leaders Smith and Jenkins are both graduating. Junior Dylan Clark, the third of the ìbig three,î will be back, however. Smith, Jenkins and Clark combined to lead the Scorpions this year in every statistical category. Smith scored 16 points per game, followed by Jenkins with just under 13 ppg, and Clark averaged just under 11 ppg. In assists, it was Clark with 99, Jenkins dished out 86 and Smith had 69. In rebounds, it was Smith leading with 139 boards, Jenkins grabbed 117 and Clark pulled down 115. In steals, Smith had 72 take-aways, Jenkins snatched 55, and Clark stole 24. In blocked shots, Smith swatted 29, and Jenkins had 19 rejections.Sand Creek finished second in the Pikes Peak League to repeat state champions, Lewis-Palmer, whom they had beaten Feb. 5, 67-64. However, they lost the rematch to the eventual state champions Feb. 19, 64-48. In the state tourney, Sand Creek beat Mesa Ridge, 66-41, and then knocked out Denver South, 63-53, before facing Valor Christian in the quarterfinals. Next season, Coach Rausch and the Scorpions will have seven juniors and one sophomore coming back with varsity experience.Pikes Peak League final 2012-13 standings ñ boysí basketball
