Coronado boys ready for state

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Feb 23, 2004 by DANNY SUMMERS THE GAZETTE

Coronado boys basketball coach Dan Hugill said a late-season loss to Doherty was the "wake-up call his team needed."

Now Hugill and the Cougars get the chance to prove their Class 5A Metro League title -- Coronado's first league basketball championship in 20 years -- wasn't a fluke.

The Cougars are seeded eighth and received a first-round bye in the Class 5A boys 48-team state playoff bracket released Sunday.

"Coming off a 27-point win over Wasson (on Friday) I feel like we're clicking on all cylinders right now," Hugill said.

Coronado High School hosts one of the eight boys subregionals, which begin Friday. Coronado (16-3) plays Saturday at 7:45 p.m. against the winner of Friday's Rocky Mountain (12-7) vs. Arapahoe (7- 12) game.

Coronado is led by 6-foot-7 center Kyle Park, who averages 15 points and eight rebounds per game.

In the girls Class 5A tournament, Palmer is the sixth seed and has a first-round bye.

"I'm excited about it," Palmer coach Dave Shackleford said. "I didn't want to second guess how I thought the seeding would go, but I thought we'd fall about No. 6 overall."

Palmer (18-1) will host the winner of Chaparral (12-7) vs. Lakewood (12-7) Saturday at 7 p.m. Thirteen of the 14 Class 5A area boys and girls teams were selected for the playoffs. Palmer's boys were the only team left out after finishing 4-15.

Two of the six teams in each subregional will advance to the round of 16 March 5. The round will by played at four regional sites, including Mitchell.

The state finals will be held at the Coors Events Center in Boulder from March 10-13.

In previous years, all Class 5A teams (there were about 61 boys and girls teams) qualified for the state tournament. The CHSAA voted to change the format this season.

"We wanted to create more excitement and try a new way," CHSAA assistant commissioner Bert Borgmann said. "We also wanted to try and eliminate firstround blowouts."

Borgmann said the selection committees saw 250 boys games and 280 girls games this season.

Coronado's boys are in the same bracket as Denver East (19-0), the No. 1 seed. The other top seeds are ThunderRidge (18-1), Heritage (18- 1) and Dakota Ridge (17-2).

Doherty (10-9) plays Pomona (12-7) on Friday at Heritage. Doherty lost in the semifinals last season.

Doherty's girls (11-8), the 12 seed, have a first-round bye, but will play Saturday at Heritage. The Spartans will face the winner of Friday's Standley Lake (14-5) vs. Gateway (5-13) game.

The four No. 1 girls seeds, in order, are ThunderRidge (17-2), Fort Collins (18-1), Cherry Creek (18-1) and Dakota Ridge (18-1).

TODAY'S SCHEDULE

BOYS BASKETBALL: Class A District 7, Denver Waldorf at Elbert, Agate at Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, Hilltop Baptist at Deer Trail, all 6 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Class 2A District 6, Fountain Valley vs. James Irwin (at Carmel Middle School), 6 p.m.; Class A District 7, Hilltop Baptist at Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, 4:30 p.m., Denver Waldorf vs. Edison (at Elbert), 4:30 p.m.; Hanover at Genoa-Hugo, 6 p.m.

PREP BASKETBALL 5A STATE TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS

Boys

(all times TBA unless indicated)

At Denver East

Friday: No. 8 Douglas County (8-1 1) vs. No. 9 Bear Creek (8-1 1); No. 5 Standley Lake (12-7) vs. No. 12 Rampart (6-13)

Saturday: Douglas County/Bear Creek winner vs. No. 1 Denver East (19-0); Standley Lake/Rampart winner vs. No. 4 Poudre (13-6)

At Coronado

Friday: No. 7 Rocky Mountain (12-7) vs. No. 10 Arapahoe (7-12); No. 6 Manual (10-6) vs. No. 1 1 Ponderosa (9-10)

Saturday: Manual/Ponderosa winner vs. No. 3 Cherry Creek (15-4), 6 p.m.; Rocky Mountain/Arapahoe winner vs. No. 2 Coronado (16-3), 7:45 p.m.

At Dakota Ridge

Friday: No. 8 Grand Junction (12-7) vs. No. 9 Wasson (1 1-8); No. 5 Montbello (13-6) vs. No. 12 Fort Collins (7-12)

Saturday: Grand Junction/Wasson winner vs. No. 1 Dakota Ridge (17- 2); Montbello/Fort Collins winner vs. No. 4 Fairview (12-7)

At Mullen

Friday: No. 7 Horizon (1 1-8) vs. No. 10 Rangeview (8-1 1); No. 6 Aurora Central vs. No. 1 1 Mitchell (9-10)

Saturday: Horizon/Rangeview winner vs. No. 2 Mullen (14-5); Aurora Central/Mitchell winner vs. No. 3 Durango (13-6)

At ThunderRidge

Friday: No. 8 Loveland (1 1-8) vs. No. 9 Columbine (10-9); No. 5 Lincoln (10-9) vs. No. 12 Thornton (8-1 1)

Saturday: Loveland/Columbine winner vs. No. 1 ThunderRidge (18- 1); Lincoln/Thornton winner vs. No. 4 Eaglecrest (12-7)

At Green Mountain

Friday: No. 7 Fruita Monument (10-9) vs. No. 10 Regis (9-10); No. 6 Littleton (13-6) vs. No. 1 1

Northglenn (9-10)

Saturday: Fruita Monument/Regis winner vs. No. 2 Green Mountain (17-2); Littleton/Northglenn winner vs. No. 3 Smoky Hill (13-6)

At Heritage

Friday: No. 8 Pomona (12-7) vs. No. 9 Doherty (10-9); No. 5 Chaparral (12-7) vs. No. 12 Grandview (6-13)

Saturday: Pomona/Doherty winner vs. No. 1 Heritage (18-1); Chaparral/Grandview winner vs. Monarch (13-6)

George Washington

Friday: No. 7 Chatfield (8-1 1) vs. No. 10 Highlands Ranch (8-1 1); No. 6 Legacy (12-7) vs. No. 1 1 Air Academy 8-1 1)

Saturday: Chatfield/Highlands Ranch winner vs. No. 2 George Washington (15-4); Legacy/Air