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  • No. 5 Columbine girls lacrosse beats Green Mountain

    No. 5 Columbine girls lacrosse beats Green Mountain

    Columbine v Green Mountain

    Columbine Rebel senior Jazlyn Flores, right, tries to break through Green Mountain senior Sara Haefele’s defense in a Rebels 19-4 victory April 21 at Trailblazer Stadium. (Photo by Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

    Columbine (10-2, 5-0 in league) had an 11-2 lead at halftime. Juniors Whitney Block, Emma Maxwell and Madison Hadden, along with senior Maeve Hungerford — scored for Columbine in the opening 10 minutes.

    Six Rebels players had a multiple-goal game. Hungerford and junior Alea Tolley had four goals each. Block and sophomore Aliyah Weant had three goals each. Maxwell and senior Angela Naughton had a pair of goals each. Columbine senior Annie Van Norstrand picked up the victory in goal for the Rebels.

    Columbine is attempting to win back-to-back conference title and claim the league title in Jeffco for the third time in four years. The Rebels close out conference play next week against Bear Creek (2-7, 0-5) and Chatfield (7-4, 4-0).

    Green Mountain (6-5, 1-4) was coming off a nice non-league victory over Steamboat Springs, but just couldn’t generation enough offense to knock off Columbine.

    Senior Samantha Day and freshman KC Ossello scored for the Rams in the first half against the Rebels. Senior Sara Haefele, who is over the 30-goal mark this season, put in a pair of goals for Green Mountain in the second half.

     

  • Colorado’s Arielle Gold wins bronze in Pyeong Chang

    Colorado’s Arielle Gold wins bronze in Pyeong Chang

    arielle gold wins bronze-getty images

    Arielle Gold competes during qualification of the women’s snowboard halfpipe at the 2018 Winter Olympics (Getty Image)

    Arielle Gold, a native of Steamboat Springs, wins bronze in the women’s half-pipe in Pyeong Chang. After a should injury took her out of the competition in 2014 at Sochi, Russia, Gold had some unfinished business.

    Gold barely made the qualifying round in Pyeong Chang, but she proved that she is still one of the top female snowboarders in the world.

  • Colorado Sends 11 Women to 2018 Winter Olympics

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    The official start of the 2018 Winter Olympics will be held in Pyeong Chang, Republic of Korea on Saturday, February 9, and runs through February 25. Of the 31 athletes from Colorado—the most from any one state—11 are women. Who will you be cheering for?

     

    Lauren Gibbs-Bobsled, Women’s Two-Man/Push

    Arielle Gold-Snowboarding, Halfpipe

    Nicole Hensley-Ice Hockey, Goalie

    Tess Johnson-Freestyle Skiing, Moguls

    Keaton McCargo-Freestyle Skiing, Moguls

    Alice McKennis-Alipine Skiing, TBD

    Joanne Reid-Biathlon-TBD

    Mikaela Shiffrin-Alpine Skiing, Slalom

    Meghan Tierney-Snowboarding, Snowboardcross

    Katie Uhlaender-Skeleton, Women’s Individual

    Lindsey Vonn-Alpine Skiing, Super-G

  • Mile High Blaze is burning up the gridiron

    Mile High Blaze is burning up the gridiron

    on the lineThe Mile High Blaze offense lines up for the final play of the game May 27, 2017, in a 77-0 win over the Utah Blitz at Shea Stadium in Highlands Ranch, Colo. Photo by Mountain Dog Photography–MOUNTAINDOGPhotography@yahoo.com.

    There’s a new orange and blue in Denver, and they are blazing a trail in women’s tackle football, setting records for most points scored in a game, holding opponents to 0 points in the regular season, and remaining undefeated as they head into the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA) American Conference championship game.

    scoreboard 2Mile High Blaze set a Woman’s Football Alliance record May 27, 2017, with most points scored in a game, defeating the Utah Blitz 77-0 at Shea Stadium in Highlands Ranch, Colo. Photo by Angelita Foster–coloradowomansports@aol.com. 

     

    The Mile High Blaze joined the league in 2014, and struggled the first two seasons.

    “The first year was tough, and the second year we were eliminated from the playoffs,” Wyndy Flato-Dominy said. “Last season we made it to the playoffs with only 18 players, and this year has been a great year for the team, with 45 players.”

    Flato-Dominy has been the general manager for the team for the last two seasons and said that these female athletes are passionate about the sport and devoted to the team.

    “The team practices three times a week, including film review, conditioning and then going over the playbook and depth charts,” Flato-Dominy said.

    The WFA is a semi-pro league. There are no team buses, no free equipment, no catered team meals, and no paycheck. In fact, players pay to play. Teams raise money in a variety of ways, to make up for what the fees don’t cover.

    “Most teams like us are lucky enough to find sponsors that help with some of the costs, and for what sponsors don’t cover, we hold bake sales and car washes and whatever else we can think of,” Flato-Dominy said.

    The Blaze is hard-hitting, helmet-on-helmet entertaining. So what motivates these women — nurses, grandmothers, police officers — to pay to get on the field and fight for every yard each week?

    For some it’s to prove something to themselves, and for others it’s to prove something to the next generation of girls and boys.

    20170527_174606
    Blaze quarterback Ty “Smooth” Lowery–Photo by Angelita Foster–coloradowomansports@aol.com

    Veteran player Ty Lowery, who has been with the team since its inception, is no stranger to the game of football. As a girl, Lowery played as a wide receiver and a corner back on her junior high school team.

    “I was the only girl on the team — a little tomboy — but it just seemed natural for me to play on the boys team,” Lowery said. “It didn’t feel like I was treated any differently since most of the time people did’t even know I was a girl.”

    Lowery, who supports the Blaze offense as a quarterback and as wide receiver, was once a point guard for the University of Denver and was ranked 12th in defensive steals in a tough NCAA Division I school.

    “A lot of us were athletes,” Lowery said. “Once you finish college and you have nothing else to do, you are drawn to other women who also have a passion. We love football so much that we are willing to pay to play.”

    Rookie player and defensive tackle Maddy Fauth was also a high school athlete at Grandview High School and said that sports helped her learn how to be a team player, and gain the mental aptitude to overcome struggles.

    “With football, there is such a different dynamic I never experienced before, and the trust you have to have in football has been very different,” Fauth said. “It definitely took a lot more commitment, mentally, to figure out what is going on out on the field and then executing my position.”

    One sentiment that echoes throughout the Blaze team is that women can play football and that, not only does gender not matter, but there is a place for every female who wants to play.

    “Being on this team, I have gained 40 other women who help and support me to succeed, and to push me to move forward on the field and in life,” Fauth said. “What’s so great about women’s football is that no matter what your size is, or what your body type is, or even your athletic ability, there is a spot for you in football.”

     

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  • UCCS Wins RMAC Championship

    UCCS Wins RMAC Championship

    PUEBLO, Colo. – The University of Colorado-Colorado Springs used the best defensive performance in RMAC Tournament Championship game history to win the first title in program history in a 53-37 victory against Regis tonight at Colorado State-Pueblo’s Massari Arena. The Mountain Lions (23-7) earned the RMAC’s automatic bid into the 2017 NCAA Division II National Tournament with the victory.

    Brittany Hernandez was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player after she scored 17 pints with eight rebounds tonight. Tori Fisher and Jen Vigil were also named to the all-tournament team.

    UCCS scored eight straight points and held Regis scoreless for more than five minutes to take a 16-7 lead with six minutes, 21 seconds, left in the second quarter. The Mountain Lions held the Rangers to 10 percent shooting from the field in the first half and took a 25-14 lead into halftime.

    The Mountain Lions gradually opened a 15-point lead at 34-19 with 4:24 left in the third quarter and led by 21 points with 5:46 to play in the fourth quarter. UCCS shot 42 percent in the second half against the Rangers’ 24 percent to secure the championship.

    Hernandez led both teams with three blocked shots and three steals, and tied the team-lead of eight rebounds with Fisher. Anna Schwecke led the bench with eight points with a perfect three-for-three from the field and two-for-two at the free throw line.

    The 37 points and the 17 percent field goal shooting by Regis were the best defensive performances for UCCS in both categories this season. The 37 points was the lowest in an RMAC championship game by five points from the previous record of 42 in the 2009 game.

    UCCS will learn its seeding in the tournament when the NCAA announces the field of 64 teams at 8 p.m., MST, on Sunday. The Mountain Lions will host a public watch party for the selection show at Clyde’s, located on the lower level of the University Center on campus.

    Story and photo credit: http://gomountainlions.com/news/2017/3/4/womens-basketball-uccs-wins-first-rmac-tournament-championship.aspx

  • USA and Japan, 3-3 Draw Before Sold Out Crowd in Colorado

    USA and Japan, 3-3 Draw Before Sold Out Crowd in Colorado

    Alex Morgan and Mallory Pugh. Morgan’s two goals mark her 18th career multi-goal game. Pugh’s assist was her team leading sixth of 2016.
    Alex Morgan and Mallory Pugh. Morgan’s two goals mark her 18th career multi-goal game. Pugh’s assist was her team leading sixth of 2016. (Photo: isiphoto.com)

    COMMERCE CITY, Colorado (June 2, 2016) – The U.S. Women’s National Team fought back from an early 2-0 deficit to take a late lead only to see Japan score a late equalizer in a thrilling 3-3 draw before a sold out crowd of 18,572 fans at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

    Japan took a surprising 2-0 lead midway through the first half as Mana Iwabuchi’s excellent shot from distance in the 14th minute and captain Yuki Ogimi’s sliding effort in the 22nd put the U.S. WNT in a two-goal hole at home for the first time in 117 matches.

    Undaunted by Japan’s high pressing game, the WNT struck back through Alex Morgan just before halftime. The USA’s current goals leader in 2016 then equalized midway through the second half after Japan had been reduced to 10 players due to Ogimi being ejected for a second bookable offense.

    With momentum on its side, the U.S. pressed for the winner and thought they had found it in the 89th minute when second-half sub and Denver native Lindsey Horan scored on her homecoming. The celebration was cut short however as Japan grabbed a late goal through Kumi Yokoyama for the final score line.

    The U.S. WNT returns to the pitch in three days for the second leg of its two-game set vs. Japan on June 5 at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

    Goal Scoring Rundown:
    JPN – Mana Iwabuchi (Mizuho Sakaguchi) 14th minute:     An early spell of possession for Japan led to what seemed to be an innocuous attack when Sakagguchi fed Iwabuchi outside the top right corner of the USA’s penalty area. Cutting inside away from two U.S. defenders, Iwabuchi uncorked a stinging effort that arched over the outstretched arm of driving U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo and into the upper left corner. USA 0, JPN 1

    JPN – Yuki Ogimi (Emi Nakajima), 22nd minute: Japan attacked down the USA’s right flank and sent the ball out wide to Nakajima, who bent a cross into the six-yard box where the onrushing Ogimi lost her marker and slide hard to hit a first time shot into the lower left corner. USA 0, JPN 2

    USA – Alex Morgan (Mallory Pugh), 27th minute: Julie Johnston initiated a flowing team sequence by finding Crystal Dunn with a pass at midfield. Dunn turned up the field and played a well-weighted chip into the path of Pugh down the right side. The 18-year-old Denver native raced past her defender and cut towards goal near the end line before finding Morgan on a trailing run with a quick pass. Morgan timed her run perfectly and powered her shot under Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita. USA 1, JPN 2

    USA – Alex Morgan (Tobin Heath), 64th minute: From a free kick on the right wing, Heath served in a perfect bending ball that Morgan met at the top of the six-yard box. Out-leaping her marker, Morgan sent a strong header on target that Yamashita got a hand to but was unable to keep out of the net. USA 2, JPN 2

    USA – Colorado native Lindsey Horan (Kelley O’Hara), 89th minute: The USA broke quickly through midfield as second half sub Samantha Mewis found O’Hara making a run on the left wing. O’Hara took a controlling touch before lofting the ball toward the penalty spot. Horan beat a defender and the goalkeeper to the ball and headed home into the open net. USA 3, JPN 2

    JPN – Kumi Yokoyama (Mizuho Sakaguchi) 94th minute: Despite being a player down and just conceding what looked to be the winning goal to the USA, Japan fought back to level terms on the final offensive thrust of the match. A neat passing sequence saw Sakaguchi receive the ball in the middle of the field and then picked up her second assist of the evening by slipping a pass behind the U.S. defense to Yokoyama, who took a touch and sent a well-placed strike low into the left corner for the final equalizer. USA 3, JPN 3 FINAL

    Next on the Schedule: The U.S. WNT and Japan face off the second time in quick succession on June 5 at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio (12 p.m. ET; ESPN2).

  • New Trailer Released For BOSTON, First-Ever Documentary Film of the Boston Marathon

    New Trailer Released For BOSTON, First-Ever Documentary Film of the Boston Marathon

    boston-marathon-banners-08jpg-141850c2cf7dbd8c

    Photo by MassLive.com and The Republican

    BOSTON, April 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — This week, Bostonians and visitors from around the world will be treated to a sneak peek of BOSTON, the first-ever documentary film about the legendary Boston Marathon, during race week activities.

    A new 60-second spot will debut in venues throughout the city, including Fenway Park, the John Hancock Sports and Fitness Expo, the finish line area, and John Hancock and Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) race week events.  The spot includes historic moments throughout the 120-year history of the iconic race.

    Directed by award winning filmmaker Jon Dunham, well known for his Spirit of the Marathon films, and produced by Academy Award nominee Megan Williams, the film records the celebrated history of the Boston Marathon, from its origins in 1897 through the present day.

    The filmmakers have spent the last three years recording interviews with champions and amateur runners from around the world, as well as the stories of members of the Boston Marathon communities.

    “BOSTON is the true story of the Boston Marathon,” said Dunham.  “This is more than a film; it will serve as an inspirational record of this iconic event to be enjoyed for generations.”

    Presented by John Hancock, the documentary is slated to premiere at next year’s race. The documentary will mark the first time that this remarkable story will be told on film, and it is the exclusive feature length documentary endorsed and supported by the BAA. Dunham and Williams were granted exclusive documentary rights from the Boston Athletic Association to produce the film and to use the Association’s extensive archive of video, photos and memorabilia.

    Please click link to view trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWAqAdRqLms

  • STUNT Athlete Recognized at Women’s Sports Foundation’s Annual Salute to Women in Sports

    STUNT Athlete Recognized at Women’s Sports Foundation’s Annual Salute to Women in Sports

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    Kaitlyn Sexton, STUNT athlete (PRNewsFoto/USA Cheer).
    DC42655LOGO
    Memphis, TN – USA Cheer. (PRNewsFoto/USA Cheer)

    MEMPHIS, Tenn., Oct. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — USA Cheer is proud to announce that Kaitlyn Sexton, a STUNT athlete was recognized at the Women’s Sports Foundation Annual Salute to Women in Sports. Kaitlyn took the stage as part of a procession of female athletes during the annual banquet recognizing excellence in women’s sports on October 20 in New York City.

    Billie Jean King founded the Women’s Sports Foundation in 1974 with the goal of advancing the lives of girls and women through sports and physical activity. This year marks the 36th year that the Women’s Sports Foundation has hosted the event, which recognizes athletes from every sport from basketball to snowboarding. This is the second time an athlete from STUNT has been recognized by the foundation.

    “The Women’s Sports Foundation supports STUNT’s mission to ensure girls and women are provided the same educational experience that boys receive, with comparable numbers of competitions, squad sizes, scholarships, and a standard competitive format,” said Deborah Slaner Larkin, Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s Sports Foundation. “We were delighted to have STUNT represented among the accomplished women here tonight.”

    Created by USA Cheer to be an additional sport option for female athletes, STUNT was derived from traditional cheerleading and developed to become a new varsity sport for women and girls at the high school and college level. STUNT removes the crowd-leading element of traditional cheerleading and focuses on the technical and athletic components, which include partner stunts, pyramids, basket tosses, jumps and tumbling skills.

    “I couldn’t be more proud of Kaitlyn, who has proven herself as a member of both the Hofstra University coed team and STUNT team, and as a member of USA Cheer, representing the United States in a world championship,” said Bill Seely, President of USA Cheer, which developed the sport of STUNT. “Having a STUNT athlete recognized by the Women’s Sports Foundation is a testament to the hard work of the athletes, and the foresight of so many college programs that have embraced this exciting emerging sport.”

    Kaitlyn received a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. While at Hofstra, she competed in Division I Small Coed at the National College Cheerleading Championship, where the team placed first in 2012, 2013 and 2015, as well as the UCA Partner Stunt Championship, where the all-girl partner stunt group placed first in 2013 and 2015. In addition to placing first in the 2011 European Open in Paris, Kaitlyn was a member of the USA Cheer National All Girl team in 2015, which took home first place at the International Cheer Union’s World Championship.

    ABOUT
    USA Cheer     is a not-for profit organization and is the national governing body for all disciplines of cheerleading. USA Cheer exists to serve the entire cheer community, including club cheering (All Star), traditional school based cheer programs and the new sport of STUNT. USA Cheer has three primary objectives: help grow and develop interest and participation in Cheer throughout the United States; promote safety and safety education for cheer in the United States; and represent the United States of America in international cheer competitions.

  • ESPN’s Jessica Mendoza to Emcee 2015 SportsTravel Awards 

    ESPN’s Jessica Mendoza to Emcee 2015 SportsTravel Awards 

    TEAMS Conference & Expo (PRNewsFoto/Schneider Publishing Company)
    TEAMS Conference & Expo (PRNewsFoto/Schneider Publishing Company)

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    TEAMS Conference & Expo (PRNewsFoto/Schneider Publishing Company)

     

    LOS ANGELES, Oct. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Olympic Gold Medalist Jessica Mendoza—the first woman to work as an analyst during a Major League Baseball post-season game—will emcee the 2015 SportsTravel Awards ceremony. The winners of the 2015 SportsTravel Awards will be announced during a gala ceremony on the evening of Tuesday, November 10, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

    WHAT l

    The SportsTravel Awards are presented in conjunction with the TEAMS Conference & Expo, the largest annual gathering of sports-event organizers in the world, which will be held November 9–12 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

    Mendoza, who has captured the nation’s attention for her work on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball and as an analyst during ESPN’s coverage of MLB’s post-season, was a standout amateur athlete, a collegiate All-American and played professional softball.

    “I can think of no one more appropriate to emcee our annual celebration of excellence in sports than Jessica Mendoza,” said Timothy Schneider, publisher of SportsTravel magazine. “Jessica embodies the essence of the SportsTravel Awards program and is a broadcasting talent with whom sports fans are sure to fall in love. We are proud to be showcasing her talents at TEAMS.” In addition to emceeing the SportsTravel Awards, Mendoza will serve as a professional broadcaster-moderator during the educational sessions at TEAMS.

    ABOUT l

    Called an “ascendant voice” in sports broadcasting by the New York Times, Mendoza replaced Curt Schilling as the analyst for ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts in September. Mendoza’s list of sports achievements is lengthy: At Camarillo (California) High School, she played softball and basketball and was named “Female Athlete of the Year” in her junior and senior years. She was named the Los Angeles Times “Player of the Year” in 1998.

    During her time at Stanford University, Mendoza was a four-time NCAA first-team All-American—making her only the fifth player in NCAA history to accomplish that feat. She helped lead the Cardinal to their first-ever NCAA Women’s College World Series appearance. Mendoza was named Stanford’s “Athlete of the Year” three times and graduated with a master’s degree in social sciences and education.

     

  • Denver’s Earhart flies into record books

    Amelia Rose Earhart, the youngest woman to fly around the world in a single-engine aircraft, speaks at a Meet the Aviator reception at the Denver Place July 23. Photo by Cos Lindstrom • clindst1@msudenver.edu

    Amelia Rose Earhart, the youngest woman to fly around the world in a 
single-engine aircraft, speaks at a Meet the Aviator reception at the 
Denver Place July 23. 
Photo by Cos Lindstrom • clindst1@msudenver.edu

     

    By Angelita Foster

    Amelia Rose Earhart completed a historic around-the-world flight July 11, recreating the flight that took her namesake’s life more than 70 years ago.

    The former 9News air traffic and weather reporter — no relation to her famous namesake — became the youngest woman, at 31, to fly around the world in a single-engine aircraft. The modern Earhart flew her Pilatus PC-12 NG more than 24,000 nautical miles, making 17 stops in 14 countries, accompanied by co-pilot Shane Jordan.

    With 1,400 paper airplanes floating above her head, Earhart talked about what her accomplishment meant to her, to Colorado and to girls and women who dream of taking flight, during a Meet the Aviator reception at the Denver Place July 23.

    “Flying around the world
was something that I had always dreamed of, and of course, having the name Amelia Earhart steered me that way,” she said. “And I did it.”

    Earhart said she had an amazing realization while flying around Howland Island, the area in the South Pacific where her namesake is believed to have crashed.

    “I realized what the whole point of the trip was: We had aviation’s past honoring Amelia’s flight, recreating and symbolically completing her flight. We had aviation’s present flying a Pilatus PC-12 with no swaps the entire flight and a completely safe mission,” Earhart said. “Then we had the future of aviation on their smart phones, and on their iPads, learning via Twitter that they get to learn to fly, and that was very special.”

    Earhart established the Fly With Amelia Foundation that provides flight-training grants to help girls ages 16 to 18 learn how to fly. As she was fulfilling her dream, Earhart was giving other girls the possibility of reaching their own.

    “Putting girls through flight school and giving them that inspirational start at a young age is my purpose,” Earhart said.

    Denver first lady Mary Louise Lee presented Earhart with a Mayor’s Proclamation, naming July 23, 2014, Amelia Rose Earhart Day.

    “What you’ve done is put Colorado on the map, and we really and truly appreciate it,” Lee said. “Like her namesake, (Earhart) inspired herself and others to explore, push boundaries, question the status quo, and said that adventure is worthwhile in itself, and women should be able to do whatever they want to do.”

    Earhart accepted the proclamation, but asked the audience to take a moment to recognize the lives of Babar Suleman and his teenage son Haris, whose around-the-world attempt had ended in tragedy earlier that day.

    “When I heard that news today, it was hard knowing that I had this celebration planned this evening. I thought ‘how selfish of me’ that I am attending a party, when two other people who set out to do the same thing, died in their attempt to follow their adventure and lifetime goal,” Earhart said, fighting back tears. “We take off on adventures and do the things we love knowing that it could come to an end at any moment, and that’s where the joy comes from.”