Author: Eden Laase
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Girls lacrosse Peak Performer: Pine Creek’s Marielia du Toit’s passion for the sport started late, but her talent is undeniable
In a roundabout way, Pine Creek’s Marielia du Toit’s lacrosse career started with her family. None of them played the sport, but her father and brother were locked into another athletic event: rugby. Her parents grew up in South Africa — the family still visits every couple of years — and rugby was the sport of choice.…
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Girls Track Peak Performer of the Year: Mesa Ridge’s Janise Everett claimed 4A 200-meter, still hungry for more
To characterize Mesa Ridge’s Janise Everett as a natural talent would be doing her a disservice. She’s been a good runner since she started as a third-grader. Everett remembers wanting to put a medal around her neck, so she could “gloat a little bit,” she says. But as she grew up and continued to pursue…
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Girls’ soccer Peak Performer: Pine Creek’s Isa Murdock is always on the attack
Isa Murdock is known for scoring goals. The Pine Creek senior scored 28 times this season and set her team’s record. “I’ve always just loved attacking and going forward,” Murdock said. But when coach John Frederick thinks about Murdock’s season, he remembers a day in which she couldn’t score. “We had one practice where she…
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Couple who met at Garden of the Gods 10-Mile continues to compete years later
Gerald Romero and his wife Kari Taylor-Romero have raced all over the country, with Hawaii and Utah atop their favorites list. No matter how many races they compete in and no matter where they travel two particular locations hold the most sentimental value. The first is Las Vegas, where they got married seven years ago…
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Runner who went into cardiac arrest in last year’s Garden of the Gods race to meet the people who saved his life
When Mark Smith stepped up to the starting line of the Garden of the Gods 10 Mile, 10K and Trail Run, he remembers thinking it was a beautiful day. Smith, now in his 60s, had spent most of his life running. He liked the peace it brought him, and the opportunity to think. But Smith…
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Cheyenne Mountain cherishes the journey in 4A championship game loss to Ponderosa
Cheyenne Mountain coach Mark Swope can’t help but think back to midseason, when, after an excellent start, his Red-Tailed Hawks lost five games in a seven-game stretch. At that moment, he said, the season could have gone either way. Cheyenne Mountain could have continued not playing to its potential and losing games, or, the Hawks…
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Colorado College hockey releases nonconference schedule
Colorado College hockey’s non conference schedule, which was released Wednesday, includes familiar opponents from last season, as well as some from further back. “We are excited to announce our upcoming non-conference schedule,” coach Kris Mayotte said in a press release. “We made a conscious effort to schedule programs, for this year and in the future,…
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Prep roundup: Cheyenne Mountain baseball advances, local graduates find success in college sports
Cheyenne Mountain advances in 4A baseball tournament After giving up seven runs in the top of the second inning, Cheyenne Mountain rallied to defeat Severance 9-7, to advance in the 4A tournament on Saturday. Jace Eslinger had two hits and two RBIs, and Denton Damgaard, Seth Gustafson, Owen Grownery and Max O’Neil each brought in…
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St. Mary’s defeats Peyton in high-scoring affair to advance to 2A championship
On Friday, Adam Velasquez talked with St. Mary’s coach Bill Percy. “He said, ‘Coach, if there is an opportunity I want it. I’m ready,’” Percy said. “And guess what? That opportunity happened.” Velasquez, a senior, is the No. 5 pitcher for St. Mary’s. According to Percy, he’s probably thrown no more than eight innings this…
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2A baseball playoffs: Peyton wins on walk-off single, St. Mary’s advances in extra innings
With two outs and one runner on for Peyton, there was chatter among the spectators. As Denver Christian waited to take the field for its upcoming game, the players sat at picnic tables and discussed what was happening in front of them. Peyton and Buena Vista were tied at 2, Luke Turner was on first…