Focus, chemistry keeping Dawson School on track

Like many of its counterparts do each year, the Dawson School (Lafayette) boys lacrosse team spent its spring break working to get better.

The Mustangs took a trip to California to play a pair of games against high-level competition. A dominant victory against La Jolla Country Day was followed up by a narrow 8-6 loss to Westview, but Dawson coach Peter Devlin liked what he saw.

"Being in a hotel together, practicing a lot and playing a couple of games was a great experience for the kids," Devlin said. "We're really just a much more cohesive unit after the trip. It was an awesome experience for everybody."

Devlin said the match with Westview was played in a football stadium under the lights and was a chance for the players to size themselves up against national competition.

But high-pressure situations are nothing new to the current top-ranked team in Class 4A – last May the Mustangs went into Aspen to face the top-seeded Skiers in the 4A state semifinals. After a slow start, Dawson School rallied with 10 goals in the second half before falling short 11-10 to the eventual state champions.

"It was just an outstanding high school athletic experience. To be put in that position to play in a hostile environment against the No. 1-ranked team and come so close, and make such a great run at the end of the game, that's something you can't draw up," Devlin said. "I think we're well prepared and battle-tested for any situation we'll see this year."

Those situations are bound to arise in 2016. The Foothills League alone has five of the current top-10 ranked teams in the state. Windsor opened with three impressive victories, including a triumph over 2015 state runner-up Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch), before dropping its first game to Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins). Conifer and Golden are off to strong starts as well, with Demons senior JP Simpson leading the state with 25 goals in six games.

Aspen graduated four first-team all-state selections, including Player of the Year Tyler Tick, but the Skiers are always a contender.

Dawson graduated four starters, including its three defensemen, along with all-state attack Chase Brown and his 46 goals. But Devlin said the foundation is definitely there with all who returned.

"Everybody has gotten a little bit stronger over the offseason and definitely worked on their skills, so I think we're an improved team over last year," he said. "Of course we still have a lot of work to do on offense and defense and special teams for that matter."

Senior Jesse Rosenblatt led the squad with 57 goals last season and Gavyn Pure was second in goals (47) and first in assists (55) as a freshman. Goalie Chad Dunnell is also back.

Pure is among a handful of sophomores making an impact, but Devlin said at this stage in the game, everyone is expected to carry themselves in the same way regardless of age or grade.

Asked what it would take for the program to climb the ladder even higher this spring, Devlin didn't hesitate to answer.

"I think the most important thing to take us over that next step is just that camaraderie piece and the trust and love we have for each other," he said. "We have to be able to play as one cohesive unit. I think that's the single-most important thing that we can do for ourselves. I think we're on the right track."

Class 5A
The season may only be a few weeks old, but a glance at the 5A team standings shows that once again there is plenty of balance and parity in the classification.

Nine teams were still unbeaten, with a number of squads headed into their spring breaks this week that included trips out-of-state. Defending champion Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) started off with a pair of victories but graduated three first-team all-state players – as did state runner-up Regis Jesuit (Aurora).

Chad Kreuzer of Monarch (Louisville) scored 16 goals to go along with 15 assists in the Coyotes' first five games as the team got off to a fast 4-1 start.

Class 5A
Defending Champion: Cherry Creek
Returning All-State Players: Caleb Espinoza, Sr., Palmer (Colorado Springs) (2nd team); Connor Fox, Sr., Boulder (2nd team); Keaton Komatz, Sr., Heritage (Littleton) (2nd team); Chad Kreuzer, Sr., Monarch (2nd team); Jake Miller, Sr., Columbine (Littleton) (2nd team); Colin Munro, Jr., Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch) (3rd team); Joey Soran, Sr., Regis Jesuit (2nd team); Isaac Towner, Sr., Eaglecrest (Centennial) (3rd team).

Class 4A
Defending Champion: Aspen
Returning All-State Players: Jackson Drapper, Sr., Steamboat Springs (2nd team); Gavyn Pure, So., Dawson School (2nd team); Jesse Rosenblatt, Sr., Dawson School (2nd team); Zac Storm, Sr., Aspen (2nd team); Kyle Sudol, Jr., Dawson School (2nd team); Jake Thornally, Sr., Air Academy; Luke Verratti, Jr., Vail Mountain (2nd team).