Regis Jesuit's Drew Dyer.
File photo by Patrick Miller
While the blowout loss in football will leave a bitter taste for a while,
Regis Jesuit (Aurora) fans can rejoice in the notion that they have an elite boys basketball team to support. The Raiders have won two straight titles and return key seniors
Drew Dyer and
Ryan Winters, again topping a list of favorites that includes Arapahoe, Highlands Ranch Palmer and Denver East.
Additional early-season favorites include
Longmont,
Sterling and
Broomfield (4A);
Faith Christian (Arvada),
Kent Denver (Englewood) and
Eaton (3A),
Lutheran (Parker),
Limon and
Holyoke (2A); and
Caliche (Iliff),
Stratton and
Idalia (1A).
Of note, don't count out defending champion Sierra or runner-up Pueblo East in 4A.
HIGHLANDS RANCH GIRLS AIMING TO FINISHIn 5A girls, Highlands Ranch again is the favorite. But keep in mind, the Falcons were the favorite the past two seasons and were upset in the late rounds of the playoffs. Of course, the Falcons won it all the three seasons before that, so they're not exactly reeling.
"As soon as last season ended, I stopped thinking about that and looked ahead," Falcons San Diego-bound senior Katelyn McDaniel said.
Highlands Ranch will compete in a circuit that includes potential title contestants
Monarch (Louisville), Regis Jesuit,
ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch) and Denver East.
Additional early-season favorites include four-time defending champion
Broomfield,
Longmont and
Mullen (Denver) (4A); three-time defending champ
Holy Family (Broomfield),
Pagosa Springs and
Estes Park (3A); last season's runner-up Akron, Sangre de Cristo and incumbent champ Paonia (2A); and Simla, McClave and defending champion Kim in 1A.
LEGACY NOT LOSTAfter losing the state championship game in 2007 – and also Melissa Jones, now a senior starter at Baylor – the Legacy girls basketball team emphatically fell back to the pack. Many expected the same this season, considering the Lightning is coming off another title-game defeat and lost two Division I players and their coach, Jamie Carey, to USA Basketball.
So far, that hasn't happened. The Lightning has started 3-0 with quality wins against Air Academy and Wheat Ridge. Senior center Sade Akindele and junior guard Kailey Edwards are among the top 20 players in the state.
"Jamie left the program in good shape and there's no reason why we shouldn't continue to win," said first-year coach Craig Van Patten, who took over after nine seasons as an assistant.
