Baseball team’s early ranking in left fieldThe baseball season is well under way, and the boys’ varsity team is surprising the rest of the 4A Metro League. Ranked 10th in the league at the beginning of the season, the boys split their first series with second-ranked Fountain-Fort Carson and then split with power-hitting Widefield.Head Coach Dale Jackson addressed the pre-season ranking. “We don’t get a lot of respect from the rest of the league,” he said.Jackson said this year’s team is predominately seniors with plentiful experience. Pitcher Travis Ewing is a good example. Ewing is 2-0 this year and swinging the bat well, with an RBI in the game against the Trojans and a home run in the March 11 game against Widefield. His current batting average is .440. Ewing has twice been on the Gazette’s Honor Roll. Meanwhile, senior shortstop Cody Solberg is sporting an astonishing .580 batting average.Jackson also credits Little League Baseball for the success of the team. Little League has strengthened young players in Falcon, he said.One new addition to the varsity team this year is Danny Pezdirtz, a freshman who took over the catcher’s duties when Sloan Soulia, Falcon’s all-conference catcher, graduated in 2007. “Playing catcher is a thankless job, but Danny is working hard,” Jackson said. “He’ll be good, as he gets more experience.”Track team dashes to winsIn its first outing at the D 11 relays on March 8, the Falcon High School track team did well, finishing third out of 14 teams in the competition. The boys showed strength in the 400 relays and won the distance medley and the shuttle hurdles. The Falcon girls placed eighth as a team, tying Rampart for first in the 400 relays and winning the shot put and discus throw. “Our boys’ team is really strong and we have some freshmen and sophomores who are really contributing,” said Cameron Magnall, head track coach.In a March 11 meet at Garry Berry Stadium, the boys’ track team finished second, scoring 74 points, while the girls’ team was third with 69 points. The boys brought home wins in the 100-yard dash, the 200-yard dash, the 400 relay, the 800 relay and the 300 hurdles. The girls won the 400 and 800 relays.Amanda Lamb, who coaches the long jump, high jump and triple jump, said, “We took some of our younger people along, so they could get experience. We are expecting a great season.”Lamb’s prediction was fulfilled in the meet at Air Academy on March 18. The boys’ team placed third overall. They won the 3,200-meter run and the triple jump, while placing second and third in several other events, including the 400 and 800 relays. The girls’ team had an outstanding event at the same meet, placing third. They won the 400 relay, the 800 relay and the medley relay. Freshman Kiah Hicks won the shot put and the discus. Hicks is one of Falcon’s multi-sport athletes, also having a good “run” during the 2008 basketball season.At the Harris Panther Invitational on March 22, junior Wes Hickman won the 1,600-meter run in 4 minutes, 28 seconds, despite wind and blowing snow. The rest of the meet was halted because of weather. It will be held later this spring.The D 20 meet scheduled March 15 also was cancelled because of weather. Falcon hosted a meet April 1 at Falcon Middle School.Basketball kudosCalhan and Ellicott represented the eastern plains in the state basketball tournament. The Calhan Bulldogs ended up third in the 2A division. Faith Christian defeated the Ellicott girls’ team in the quarterfinals of the 3A contest. It was the first time the Calhan team had been in the state tourney since 1988.In the Metro League All-Star Games at Doherty High School on March 20, both the 5A boys and girls’ team won over their 5A opponents. Falcon High School stars Gabe Jackson and Amber Wilmore played in the event and contributed to their team’s win.
