It’s mid-June and summer is well underway. As we embark on our summer adventures, we also want to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of our athletes this spring semester. We are abundantly thankful for each middle school and high school athlete. We have a lot to catch up on–and so much to be thankful for!
Middle School Sports
This year included exciting milestones for our middle school athletics program. First, we now have boys’ soccer! This was the first time we have ever offered baseball at the middle school level and 38 boys signed up. After an exciting first season, we are thrilled to see where this program goes!
This season, our girls soccer team went undefeated! They brought excitement and skill to every game this season, as did our 6/7 team, who only lost one game all season. Our Assistant Athletic Director, Mike Hanson, says that Coaches Ms. Lindenmeyer, Ms. Pierce, and Ms.Chisolm do an amazing job of helping girls hone their soccer skills and feeding their souls.
Finally, our track and field team also broke our records! With 43 athletes, this was our largest team in middle school track and field history! Mike Hanson notes that the program is in incredible shape. This season closed with the 7th grade boys and girls finishing 1st in the state meet. Our 8th grade boys and girls coming in third 3rd.
High School Track & Field
Our track and field team continued to flourish this season. Coach Doug Butte says that the team has grown in numbers and the ability to score in all events. The team was led by seniors Kaden Fuller, Mez Agonofer, Christian Swartz, Logan Fish, Tyrone Kanyoko, Micah Holt, and Drew van Woerkom. Coach Butte says, “Many of these seniors were now multiple-year veterans of the track program, and they continued to build a culture of great effort, excellence, and Christ-centered athleticism.”
One of the competitive highlights of the season was the Mile High Meet in May. At that meet, the boys exceeded their team point goal by 6 points, while the girls’ team exceeded their team point goal by 8.5 points. This means they scored over and above their season-best performances. “It was a big PR (personal record) day for nearly everyone.” ~Coach Butte
While our track and field team has continued to grow competitively, they also prioritize their spiritual team community. The team had three challenges:
- Do hard work for the benefit of others
- Live a life of gratitude over pride
- Faithfully live at my best
“[They] became a community of student-athletes that fully loved, cared, and valued one another – something that the coaching staff really, really loves to see.”
Coach Butte
Girls Golf
We had an especially cool and wet spring in Denver, which meant our golf season was shorter than usual. We also had multiple players end the season even sooner with surgeries. The team had fun bonding with some family dinners and an outing to Top Golf on one of our bad weather days.
Coach Jessica Barrientos notes that sophomore, Elsie, slowly brought her scores down all season. Freshman, Marin, joined in junior varsity but quickly advanced to her first 18-hole tournament and, “will be more than ready for varsity next year!”
As a team, we placed 3rd in our last league event held at Indian Tree Golf Course. In May, the team competed at regionals and then state. At state, Quinn Wilson and Riley Chalmers both earned CHAA All-State Honors. We are thankful for our incredible team and their bright future!
Girls Soccer
The Denver Christian girls’ soccer program had an exciting and successful season this year, showcasing remarkable talent, teamwork, and determination. The team’s hard work and dedication paid off, as they achieved several significant milestones and showcased their skills on the field.
This season also had a special milestone for Coach Brad Homan, who has been instrumental in Denver Chrisitain Athletics for years. This April marked Coach Homan’s 400th career win, a small moment compared to the thousands of hours he has invested in our soccer program. We are thankful for how he has coached and represented Christ to our players.
With a combination of disciplined defense, creative midfield play, and clinical finishing, the team went 5-1 with the second most difficult schedule out of all the teams in 2a. The excitement continued as the girls’ soccer team entered the 2a CHSAA State Championships. Their journey concluded with a tough loss to the eventual state champions in the Final 4, falling 4-1.
Beyond the collective success, several members of the girls’ soccer program were recognized for their outstanding performances. Nerea Genc was named the Mile High League Player of the Year while Sydney Fitzgerald and Courtney Johnson also earned first-team all-league nods. Goaltender Ashley Wind was also named to the second-team all-league team.
Boys Baseball
Last but not least, the boys’ baseball team ended our spring sports season by securing the 2A state championship title.
After going undefeated in the Mile High League, our team secured their place in the Elite 8 and Final Four. We faced the 2021 & 2022 champions, the Limon Badgers at state. Getting ahead early, the Thunder lead by 4-0 against Limon’s impressive defense. The team secured the championship 5-3. Furthermore, Coach Sam Jones won the Mile High Coach of the Year Award! Six Denver Christian Baseball players (Asher Hawes, Brayden Epperhart, Caleb Stork, Mason Reiley, Ari Waanders and Nathan Buehrer) from the 2023 State Championship team earned All Mile High League Honors.
Coach Jones says that one of the highlights of the year was the team’s spring break trip to Arizona. They spent time growing closer as a team, and went 3-1 while in AZ against some fantastic teams. Another highlight was praying with our opponents after games this season. Jones says, “Sometimes it’s just a few players from the opposing team and sometimes it is the entire team. Really cool to be able to share that time with them and remind them that they are loved by Jesus and that he died for them.”
Jones also notes that the six seniors were instrumental this year, “They really set the tone with their focus, attitude, and work ethic. They are strong leaders who lead by example.”
Ready for 2023-2024
We are so thankful for every player, parent, volunteer, and coach that invested in our community. This incredible spring athletics season makes us all the more excited for 2023-24.