Kent, Creek able to get it done

Sun Devils had missed spotlight; Bruins never left

By Brad Byler, Special to the Rocky

Published June 4, 2008 at 7:32 p.m.

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Photo by By Linda McConnell / Special To The Rocky

The 2008 All-Colorado boys lacrosse team: Jay Darling, back; second row, from left, player of the year Michael Reilly and Patrick Murray; third row, from left, Lucien Reichert, Henry Miketa and Greg Rushing; front, from left, Moses Taylor and Michael Beimford. Not pictured: Chase Clark, coach of the year Tom Graesser and Greyson Konkel.

Photo by By Linda McConnell / Special To The Rocky

The 2008 All-Colorado girls lacrosse team, from left: Elizabeth Datino, Anna Wallingford, coach of the year Nikki Kucharski, Allie Welsh, Lauren Johnson (No. 7), Olivia Annalora, Alli Ellickson, Adison Rounds, player of the year McKenzie Brown, Kara Secora ( front) and Hayley Bernstein. Not pictured: Ali Abromivitz and Jen Kelly.

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Entering the 2008 season, it had been four years since Kent Denver won a boys state lacrosse title.

The Cherry Creek girls were searching for their third in a row.

Kent Denver, title holder four times since the sport was sanctioned in 1999, twice had lost in the title game, contributing to its longest stretch without winning the final game of the season.

But the Sun Devils put a cap on an 18-0 season, crushing defending state titlist Fort Collins 15-6 in the final at Invesco Field at Mile High.

"The teamwork was phenomenal," said Sun Devils midfielder Michael Reilly, the Rocky Mountain News All-Colorado player of the year. "It was the closest team I've been a part of."

Reilly controlled every game he played with his faceoff ability, and he collected 29 goals and 11 assists to finish third in scoring on a team with immense offensive firepower.

"I had such great linemates to play alongside," said Reilly, who will play football at Dartmouth. "It really helped improve my play."

Sun Devils coach Tom Graesser, the All-Colorado coach of the year, said his team got better every game.

"I've been here four years, and the senior leadership is the best I've seen," Graesser said.

The Cherry Creek girls stayed on top with their unprecedented third straight title. They were led by junior midfielder McKenzie Brown, who didn't receive much acclaim entering the season.

Brown emerged from a team loaded with talent to lead the Bruins in scoring, with 61 goals, including seven in the title game, and 28 assists.

And it was Brown's ability to win the draw consistently that gave Cherry Creek its greatest advantage against opponents.

"At 5-foot-11, she had a huge amount of draw control, and that helped us think about our attack right away instead of worrying about defense," Cherry Creek coach Cayel Dwyer said. "Her biggest strength was her possession in the midfield and her great vision."

Nikki Kucharski is the girls coach of the year after only one season as the coach of Heritage/ Littleton. Kucharski was a nearly unanimous choice by other coaches after she led Heritage/ Littleton to its first title game, where it lost 15-12 to the Bruins. With a 16-3 record, it was the best finish by far in the program's history.

"The girls had a lot of desire and talent coming into the season," said Kucharski, who played for Dwyer in high school and went on to play at Delaware. "The coaching staff just focused on a positive coaching style with lots of encouragement."

ALL-COLORADO

BOYS

Player School Yr.

Michael Beimford Cherry Creek Jr.

Chase Clark Cherry Creek Sr.

Jay Darling Fort Collins Sr.

Greyson Konkel Regis Jesuit Sr.

Henry Miketa Fort Collins Sr.

Patrick Murray Kent Denver Jr.

Lucien Reichert (GK) Kent Denver Sr.

Greg Rushing Fort Collins Sr.

Moses Taylor Kent Denver Sr.

Michael Reilly Kent Denver Sr.

* Player of the year: Michael Reilly, Kent Denver.

* Coach of the year: Tom Graesser, Kent Denver.

* Honorable mention: Andrew Babb, Arapahoe, Jr.; Nick Bailey, Cherry Creek, Sr.; Jake Boling, Cherry Creek, Sr.; Nick Broz, Regis Jesuit, Sr.; Frazier Cavness, Kent Denver, Jr.; Henry Clark, Kent Denver, Sr.; Brian Cole, Lewis-Palmer, Jr.; Austin Demmel, Mountain Vista, Sr; Flinn Fowler, Rock Canyon, Sr.; Mike Gordon, Regis Jesuit, Sr.; Mitch Hanson, Fort Collins, Sr.; Brian Kerrigan, Douglas County, Jr.; Eric Law, Arapahoe, Jr.; Ryan Link, Cherry Creek, Sr.; Bill Mercer, Arapahoe, Sr.; Troy Orzech, Regis Jesuit, Sr.; Adam Paranka, Mountain Vista, Sr.; Andrew Pritzlaff, Kent Denver, Sr.; Josh Russell, Denver East, Sr.; C.J. Schmidt, Regis Jesuit, Sr.; Luke Strode, Regis Jesuit, Sr.; Brock Waddell, Fort Collins, Sr.; R.C. Willenbrock, Cherry Creek, Jr.; Kyle Wollenhaupt, Mullen, Sr.; Steven Wylie, Regis Jesuit, Sr.

GIRLS

Player School Yr.

Ali Abromivitz Colo. Academy Sr.

Olivia Annalora Heritage Sr.

Hayley Bernstein Air Academy Jr.

McKenzie Brown Cherry Creek Jr.

Elizabeth Datino Heritage Jr.

Alli Ellickson Cherry Creek Sr.

Lauren Johnson Cherry Creek Sr.

Jen Kelly Colo. Academy Sr.

Adison Rounds Arapahoe Sr.

Kara Secora Kent Denver Sr.

Anna Wallingford (GK) Heritage Sr.

Allie Welsh Cherry Creek Sr.

* Player of the year: McKenzie Brown, Cherry Creek.

* Coach of the year: Nikki Kucharski, Heritage/Littleton.

* Honorable mention: Channing Ahbe, Arapahoe, Sr.; Caroline Barry, Air Academy, Jr.; Molly Carstensen, Mullen, Jr.; Kappner Clark, St. Mary's Academy, Sr.; Becca Conklin, Golden, Sr.; Chelsea Cyester, Chaparral, Jr.; Kaiti Delaney, Kent Denver, Sr.; Izzie Demara, Boulder, Sr.; Meredith Dunn, Regis Jesuit, Jr.; Katie Gerhard, Arapahoe, Sr.; Rachel Hebberd, Golden, So.; Shelby Hill, Chaparral, Jr.; Morgan Johnson, Cherry Creek, So; Jordan Kline, Air Academy, Jr.; Tori Larson, Denver East, So.; Megan McGinnis, Colorado Academy, So.; Allie McLaughlin, Air Academy, Jr.; Becky Poremba, Cheyenne Mountain, Sr.; Catherine Quinn, Colorado Academy, Sr.; Alexis Rawlins, Regis Jesuit, Jr.; Anna Salemo, Heritage, Fr.; Abby Spencer, Ralston Valley, Sr.; Kate Spring, Arapahoe, Sr.; Alyssa Vigil, Kent Denver, Jr.; Carly Wagner, Smoky Hill, Sr.

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