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Tag: jbailey@denverpost.com

  • Kanye Udoh scores two touchdowns and leads No. 21 Army over Air Force 20-3

    Kanye Udoh scores two touchdowns and leads No. 21 Army over Air Force 20-3

    WEST POINT, N.Y. — Kanye Udoh rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns Saturday to help No. 21 Army to a 20-3 victory over Air Force and the Black Knights’ nation-leading 12th straight victory.

    Playing without starting quarterback Bryson Daily, who missed the game for unexplained reasons, Udoh fulfilled a promise to his captain.

    The sophomore running back told Daily, who missed the last Air Force game, that the team was going to play for him and keep Army’s undefeated season alive.

    Udoh backed it up, setting career highs in rushing yards (158) and carries (22) while recording his third multiple touchdown game this season.

    “I felt like I had a responsibility to fill the shoes of Bryson and go out there and play my best game,” said Udoh, who accounted for 76% of Army’s 207 rushing yards.

    Udoh ran seven times for 48 yards on Army’s opening drive of the second half. The sophomore finished the possession off with a 12-yard touchdown run, his eighth of the season.

    Army (8-0), the defending Commander in Chief’s champions, defeated Air Force for the fourth time in the last five meetings. The victory sets up a winner-take-all for the CIC trophy with Navy on Dec. 14 at Northwest Stadium.

    Army’s defense limited Air Force to only three red-zone plays on the day and picked off three Falcons’ passes in the fourth quarter.

    Senior safety Max DiDomenico’s interception sealed the victory for Army with 1:51 left. DiDomenico returned the interception 69 yards to Air Force’s 25. Udoh scored his second touchdown on the next play.

    Daily missed practice this week with either injury or illness, per a statement from the academy. Junior Dewayne Coleman made his first start for the Black Knights in Daily’s place. Coleman finished with 42 rushing yards, completed 5 of 8 passes for 48 yards and didn’t turn the ball over.

    Army struggled in the first half, settling for Trey Gronotte’s 30-yard field goal on its first drive. It was the first time the Black Knights did not score a touchdown on its opening possession. Gronotte added a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter.

    The loss was the seventh straight for Air Force (1-7) after a season-opening win over Merrimack.

    “It (stinks),” Air Force wide receiver Cade Harris said. “Obviously, you want to beat these guys real bad. We missed some opportunities to make sure plays.

    Up in the air

    Army safety Casey Larkin intercepted his third pass of the season on the Black Knights’ 7 to end an Air Force threat with 13:24 left in the game. Jaydan Mayes picked off his third pass of season with 36 seconds remaining.

    Air Force quarterback Quentin Harris was sacked six times and threw an interception.

    Takeaways

    Air Force: The defense kept the Falcons close in the first half. The Falcons stumbled on offense with only one red-zone drive that ended with Matthew Dapore’s 32-yard field goal with 1:47 remaining in the first half.

    The Associated Press

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  • Colorado high school football scoreboard: Week 10

    Colorado high school football scoreboard: Week 10

    Thursday night scores

    Dakota Ridge 51, Bear Creek 0

    Frederick 59, Greeley West 0

    Severance 22, Mountain View 0

    Palisade 43, Eagle Valley 0

    Thompson Valley 28, Roosevelt 21

    Valor Christian 59, Rock Canyon 7

    Legacy 55, Vista PEAK Prep 22

    Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.

    The Denver Post

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  • Colorado alpinist dies challenging unclimbed face of Himalayan peak

    Colorado alpinist dies challenging unclimbed face of Himalayan peak

    A screenshot of Michael Gardner’s Instagram account.

    A Colorado mountain climber fell to his death while descending the Jannu East peak in Nepal this month, during a third attempt at establishing a route on the peak’s north face.

    A tribute to Michael Gardner published by the American Alpine Club said the 32-year-old was widely respected among his fellow alpinists for his “empathy, enthusiasm, dedication to the craft of climbing, pure motivations and lack of ego.”

    “His quiet pursuit of the mountains on his own terms means his legacy is not flashy but found in traces and in the background — he was climbing and skiing for the sake of the craft, not for recognition,” the organization wrote.

    Gardner was born in Ridgway and spent his childhood shadowing his father, George, on climbing expeditions around the world, according to Arc’teryx, an outdoor clothing brand that sponsored Gardner and announced his death on social media Oct. 8.

    The company’s post described Gardner as a consummate outdoorsman and athlete who enjoyed skateboarding and skiing in addition to his lifelong passion of mountain climbing.

    Max Levy

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  • See the Nuggets’ new NBA Cup home court design for 2024 in-season tournament

    See the Nuggets’ new NBA Cup home court design for 2024 in-season tournament

    The Nuggets have a new court for their in-season tournament home games this year, and it’s a bit more modest.

    Unlike the predominantly royal blue court that was rolled out at Ball Arena for the inaugural tournament in 2023, Denver’s floor will be yellow in the second edition of the event, now called the Emirates NBA Cup. It’s one of four courts around the league that will be painted yellow or gold, a somewhat more natural hue for hardwood.

    The baselines and sidelines surrounding the Nuggets’ court will be painted a dark shade of red. The words “MILE HIGH CITY” will be superimposed across the court in a faded yellow, while the tournament’s trophy will be featured at center-court and from the foul lines to each basket, like last year.

    Bennett Durando

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  • 8 Colorado high school football games to watch in Week 9

    8 Colorado high school football games to watch in Week 9

    CLASS 5A

    Arvada West (6-2) vs. Chatfield (6-2)

    When/where: 7 p.m. Thursday at Jeffco Stadium

    Last meeting: Chatfield 42, at Arvada West 0, Sept. 29, 2023

    A league title may be a bit of a longshot for Arvada West and Chatfield, but both programs still have a real chance to earn a first-round bye in the 5A state playoffs. And a win here would go a long way toward securing that. A-West picked off Denver East three times en route to a gritty 29-21 win over the Angels last week. That sort of defensive effort will be required against Chatfield, which has a quarterback who can sling it in sophomore Cash Williams (1,125 yards, 12 TDs) and plenty of weapons for him to spread the ball around to.

    Fossil Ridge (5-3) vs. No. 10 Fairview (8-0)

    When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Christian Recht Field

    Last meeting: Fairview 55, at Fossil Ridge 28, Oct. 20, 2023

    Fairview has claimed five league titles in the past six seasons. If this year’s Knights are to meet that standard, they’ll have to beat Fossil Ridge to do it. Throw out a 68-49 shootout win over Fort Collins, and Fairview has been dominant on both sides of the ball. Yet the Knights have beaten only one 5A program (Arvada West) that currently sports a winning record. Consider a matchup against senior QB Nick Kubat (1,881 yards, 25 TDs passing), San Diego State commit Marcus Mozer (40 catches, 631 yards) and Co., a proper test.

    Eaglecrest (5-3) vs. Grandview (4-4)

    When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Legacy Stadium

    Last meeting: Grandview 39, vs. Eaglecrest 32, Sept. 29, 2023

    Could this be a must-win for Grandview’s playoff hopes? With the Wolves sitting at No. 22 on the CHSAA RPI, that just might be the case. A fourth-quarter touchdown staved off a potential upset bid from Cherokee Trail in a 14-13 win last week. Oddly enough, the Raptors lost to the Cougars by the same one-point score. That was the first of two straight losses for Eaglecrest, which could use a win with a matchup against Arapahoe looming in Week 10.

    No. 8 Regis Jesuit (5-3) vs. No. 7 Pine Creek (5-3)

    When/where: 1 p.m. Saturday at D20 Stadium South

    Last meeting: Pine Creek 21, at Regis Jesuit 17, Oct. 6, 2023

    Regis Jesuit took its lumps with a freshman quarterback taking snaps to start the season, dropping three straight to a murderer’s row of Valor Christian, Brophy Prep (Ariz.) and Cherry Creek. The Raiders and wunderkind signal-caller Luke Rubley is now reaping the benefits. Regis has ripped off five straight wins, scoring an average of 38.8 points per game as Rubley’s racked up 1,020 yards and nine TDs on 62.7% passing. A trip to the Springs to take on Pine Creek will reveal just how far they’ve come.

    CLASS 4A

    No. 7 Riverdale Ridge (8-0) vs. No. 4 Broomfield (7-1)

    When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Elizabeth Kennedy Stadium

    Last meeting: N/A

    Just how much of a threat is Riverdale Ridge in Class 4A? This is the week we find out. The Ravens have bulldozed everything in their path en route to a program-best 8-0 start, outscoring opponents 332-22. The problem? Not a single one of those eight teams currently have a winning record. Now comes a date with 4A blue blood Broomfield, which has outscored its last three opponents 162-0 and is unbeaten against 4A competition. The Ravens defense, led by senior Colton Lancaster (37 tackles, 10 for loss), hasn’t given up a point in 14 quarters. Something’s got to give.

    Monarch (6-2) vs. No. 9 Frederick (6-2)

    When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Frederick High

    Last meeting: Monarch 30, at Frederick 23, Aug. 31, 2023

    A league title and potentially a first-round bye will be up for grabs when the Coyotes head to Frederick on Friday night. The latter has won six straight since starting the season with losses to Broomfield and Mead, topping 40 points in all six victories. Dual-threat senior QB Gavin Ishmael (2,180 total yards, 32 TDs) has been electric for the Golden Eagles, who are eyeing their first unbeaten run through league play in 12 years. A Monarch defense that’s allowed just 19 points over its last three games awaits.

    CLASS 3A

    Holy Family (4-3) vs. No. 5 Lutheran (7-1)

    When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Lutheran High

    Last meeting: Holy Family 33, vs. Lutheran 8, Dec. 2, 2023

    Matt Schubert

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  • CU Buffs-Arizona quick hits: Take a breather, Travis Hunter. Shedeur Sanders, LaJohntay Wester, CU pass rush got this

    CU Buffs-Arizona quick hits: Take a breather, Travis Hunter. Shedeur Sanders, LaJohntay Wester, CU pass rush got this

    Initial observations from the CU Buffs’ 34-7 win over the Arizona Wildcats in Big 12 play at Arizona Stadium.

    Paging Sean Payton: An onside kick attempt to start the game? Did Arizona head coach Brent Brennan consult the Broncos’ Sean Payton earlier this week? Bold move, to say the least — if not a very bright one. It was almost as if Brennan knew exactly what was coming down the pike. There was no way the Wildcats’ leaky secondary was coming up with enough stops to win this game … unless special teams could steal an extra possession or two. A weird message to send your team before a ball is even snapped. But at least Brennan is a realist.

    Weapons to spare: Who needs a run game when you have Shedeur Sanders and an endless stream of pass-catchers? Certainly not CU against a defense like Arizona’s. Can’t rush the passer? Have problems covering receivers one-on-one or tackling in space? Shedeur and the Buffs will eat you alive, whether it’s third-and-long, third-and-short, or, in the case of the QB’s 14-yard strike to Travis Hunter in the first half, fourth-and-10. So even if the Buffs average 2.3 yards on 22 attempts, as they did in the first half, it’s plenty. They still converted 8 of 11 third downs and put 28 points on the board. By the time everything was said and done, LaJohntay Wester had eight catches for 127 yards. And he’s, what, CU’s third- or fourth-best receiver? Yikes!

    Livingston’s stock on rise: Stats may not be kind to the Buffs defense — CU entered Saturday 94th in FBS in yards allowed and 73rd in points allowed — but the eye test says Robert Livingston’s unit is trending up. And it’s happening at the line of scrimmage — an area that was a notable issue last season. In two of the last three games, CU has bottled up one of the nation’s top rushing attacks (UCF, 177 yards) and harassed one of its most productive passers (Arizona’s Noah Fifita) to the tune of seven sacks, CU’s most since posting eight against Iowa State in 2010. The Buffs now have 16 sacks in their last three games.

    Heisman watch: This was not a day to worry about Travis Hunter’s Heisman Trophy campaign. With CU’s two-way star clearly not 100% after getting dinged in the Kansas State loss last week, Coach Prime did the smart thing, holding Hunter out over the final two quarters as “preventative measures.” CU already had a 28-7 lead, and Hunter’s mortal stat line (54 snaps, two receptions for 15 yards, one tackle) will soon be a mere footnote as long as he delivers a few more superhuman performances down the stretch. (Spoiler alert: He probably will.)

    Matt Schubert

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  • Colorado reinsurance estimated to save $493 million on health insurance

    Colorado reinsurance estimated to save $493 million on health insurance

    Colorado’s reinsurance program will save people who buy their health insurance on the individual market an estimated $493 million next year, compared to how much premiums would have risen without it, according to the Polis administration.

    Statewide, premiums on the individual market will rise by an average of 5.6%, while they will increase about 7.1% for small-group plans.

    Reinsurance is a backstop that limits how much insurance companies have to pay out for the relatively small number of people who have highly expensive medical needs each year. Since they aren’t on the hook to pay out as much, the companies charge lower premiums, which in turn means the federal government doesn’t have to spend as much on tax credits to people buying insurance on the marketplace. Colorado got permission from the federal government to use those federal savings to further lower monthly premiums.

    Meg Wingerter

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  • Retired slugger Charlie Blackmon lists Belcaro house for $4.3M

    Retired slugger Charlie Blackmon lists Belcaro house for $4.3M

    Charlie Blackmon, who retired last month after a 14-year career with the Colorado Rockies, has moved back to Georgia and listed his home in Denver’s Belcaro neighborhood.

    Blackmon lives full time in Atlanta with his wife, Ashley, and their two young children, so he’s selling his home in a gated community near Cherry Creek.

    He listed the 5,500-square-foot, four-bedroom, five-bath home with a three-car tandem garage on Sept. 11 for $4.3 million. Justin Joseph and Deviree Vallejo with LIV Sotheby’s International Realty have the listing.

    Blackmon purchased the home, constructed in 2014, for $2.8 million in June 2018.

    “We’ve loved the outdoor living space and think it’s among the best features of our home. The home gets great sunlight which lends itself to a dip in the pool or just enjoying the patio,” said Blackmon, who answered questions about the home in writing.

    “We’ve also enjoyed many cool Denver evenings hanging around the custom gas firepit with friends. When the weather is great, we also open the sliding doors that merge the outdoor TV area with the living room,” he said. “We’ve loved it all.”

    The home features a chef’s kitchen with Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, a built-in Miele coffee maker, and a large marble island and ample storage. The second floor includes three large bedrooms, each with an ensuite bathroom.

    Joseph called the home a peaceful enclave in the city’s heart and an entertainer’s paradise.

    After Blackmon purchased the home, he improved the outdoor space by adding performance tile and inlaid turf that extends around the home’s side for a dog run, Joseph said.

    Sara B. Hansen

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  • Avalanche have issues to sort out, regardless of who is missing from the lineup

    Avalanche have issues to sort out, regardless of who is missing from the lineup

    No team in the NHL is going to win much when five of the top nine or 10 players on the roster are not available.

    For the Colorado Avalanche, that’s just the state of things right now. But the issues for the Avs during an 0-3 start, particularly in an ugly 6-2 loss Monday night to the New York Islanders, go beyond just missing some very good players.

    It’s a pretty simple message: Focus on the process and clean up the areas that the healthy players can control.

    “I think we recognize what we have to improve on,” Avs forward Logan O’Connor said. “We played good enough in games one and two to sort of try and replicate that. Then, for whatever reason, we deviated from our entire game plan and you saw the result (against the Islanders). It wasn’t pretty for us. 

    “We know the aspects of the game that we have to focus on.”

    Most of those aspects involve the part of the game where Colorado does not have the puck. It’s still an incredibly small sample size, but the volume of what the Avs are yielding to the other team has not been the issue.

    It’s the quality. The Avs entered their game Wednesday night against Boston ranked 10th in the NHL in scoring chances against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, and in the top five in shot attempts allowed per 60.

    High-danger scoring chances are another matter — Colorado is 19th. Given the troubles the goaltenders have had, and the missing players, the margin for error is very slim. Allowing too many Grade-A chances is a recipe for disaster, as the Avalanche has found out.

    “Defensively, we’re giving up too many rush chances, too soft in front of our net,” O’Connor said. “I think it’s just stick to the habits that have given us success in the past, the execution and the competitiveness. That’s an area we probably lacked in last was our competitive urgency, especially in the defensive zone.

    “Giving guys too much time and space, not playing hard enough at our net front — I think those are areas that if we clean those areas up within our structure, we should be able to have success. We have been pretty good offensively with generating chances, but we’re giving up way too much.”

    The Avalanche began this season without Gabe Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen, three forwards who are all dynamic offensive players. Colorado lost Jonathan Drouin after the first game, and defenseman Devon Toews is set to miss his second straight contest against the Bruins.

    While those are all strong offensive players, the Avs have not felt their absence with the puck nearly as much as they have without it. All of the offensive numbers, traditional or advanced, have been strong.

    But those four forwards are also all strong two-way players. They make a significant impact without the puck as well. That’s the part of their games that Colorado appears to be missing the most so far this season.

    “They’re very trusted, highly reliable, good-to-great defensive players,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “But, the message is … realistically, checking and playing away from the puck — yeah, there’s skill and ability involved in that, but it’s hard work and commitment. Those are two (things) that we keep bringing up. 

    Bednar thought Toews could be a possibility to play Wednesday night, but he remains out with a lower-body injury. There isn’t a timeline for any of the four forwards right now, though Lehkonen could return early next month if the checkup on his surgically repaired shoulder at the end of this month goes well. Nichushkin can’t return until mid-November at the earliest, but he’ll likely need time after being reinstated to get up to game speed.

    Corey Masisak

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  • Rockies Journal: 106-loss Royals went bold, made playoffs. Will Colorado?

    Rockies Journal: 106-loss Royals went bold, made playoffs. Will Colorado?

    The 2023 Kansas City Royals were embarrassed. A 106-loss season can — and should — do that to a major league team.

    Royals owner John Sherman said something about it. Then he did something about it.

    “It sucked,” Sherman told MLB.com at the end of spring training. “But that’s what motivates you. Sometimes, you need that slap upside the head, right? We don’t know what’s going to happen, but we cannot tolerate something like that again for our fans.”

    So the Royals went big and bold.

    Their aggressiveness stoked a remarkable 30-game about-face (56-106 last season to 86-76 this season), a two-game sweep of the Orioles in the American League wild-card series, and a berth in the ALDS before they fell in four games to the Yankees.

    By beating the Orioles, Kansas City became just the second team to win a postseason series one year after losing at least 100 games. The other was the 2020 Marlins, who snuck into the playoffs in the pandemic-shortened 60-game season.

    Rockies fans should hope owner Dick Monfort was paying attention.

    Monfort’s club, which lost 103 games last season and 101 this season, is making some strides toward a turnaround with some young talent on the roster and in the system. But does the will and the wherewithal exist at 20th and Blake to put the Rockies in position for a playoff swing?

    General manager Bill Schmidt and manager Bud Black, who just agreed to return for the 2025 season, are optimistic about the future but not making any promises.

    “Our talent base is getting better,” Schmidt said at the end of the season. “Our depth is getting better. I’m not going to say we’re going from this year to win 95 next year. Our record this year might be similar (to 2023), but we’re going to be a better club.”

    Asked if Colorado can mimic the Royals and the Tigers (who went from 78-84 to 86-76 and the playoffs), Black answered: “Kansas City? Detroit? Anything is possible. When I got here in ’17 … what happened in ’16? (Colorado was 75-87 under Walt Weiss.) And then we made the playoffs. I’m going to say yes. I’m optimistic.”

    But the Rockies aren’t the Royals and Monfort is not Sherman.

    During the offseason, K.C. committed $109.5 million to free agents, the most money in any offseason in franchise history, including free-agent starting pitcher signees Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha. They also signed their star shortstop, Bobby Witt Jr., to a contract extension that could add up to $377 million over 14 years.

    The Royals’ first big roster move was signing free-agent pitcher Will Smith for the back end of their bullpen. Smith had been on the roster of the last three World Series champions, with the Rangers, Astros and Braves.

    During the season, when they sensed success was on the horizon, they acquired closer Lucas Erceg and outfielder Tommy Pham.

    The Royals, who had not been to the playoffs since winning the World Series in 2015, created an effective roster mix. Their postseason roster featured 12 homegrown players, including draftees and international signees. The other 14 players came from trades and free agency. Of those 14 players, 11 had previous postseason experience.

    The Royals are far from a powerhouse franchise. Last season, they averaged just 16,136 fans per game at Kauffman Stadium, ranking 27th in the majors, ahead of only the Marlins and the A’s. This season, the Royals drew 20,473, ranking 26th.

    According to Spotrac, Kansas City’s total payroll this season was $122.5 million, ranking 20th. Last year, it was $96.1 million (23rd).

    After the 106-loss debacle, GM J.J. Picollo immediately began reshaping the front office. He hired Brian Bridges as the new scouting director, promoted Jim Cuthbert to director of pro personnel and strategy, and beefed up the preseason and development department by hiring six new people.

    And so the seeds of a playoff team were planted.

    The Rockies, meanwhile, have some distinct advantages over the Royals. They drew 31,360 fans per home game this season, ranking 15th. Their payroll was $147.4 million (17th).

    The problem is not the Rockies’ failure to spend money; it’s how they’ve spent it. This season, $28 million (19%) of Colorado’s payroll went to the perennially injured Kris Bryant, who played in just 37 games with 155 plate appearances. For the record, that amounts to about $757,000 per game.

    Monfort courted Bryant, who has played in just 33% of the Rockies’ games since signing a seven-year, $182 million contract before the 2022 season, the biggest free-agent deal in franchise history.

    Giving former closer Daniel Bard a two-year, $19 million deal for the 2023-24 season was also a big misstep. Bard, derailed by injuries, did not pitch a game in ’24.

    Patrick Saunders

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  • No. 3 Columbine routs Arvada West with big plays for 21st straight win

    No. 3 Columbine routs Arvada West with big plays for 21st straight win

    Late this summer, before Columbine began defending its Class 5A football title, senior offensive/defensive lineman DJ Ironshell summed up the Rebels’ football philosophy.

    “We just run the ball and let the pads do the talking,” he said.

    The Rebels’ pads talked plenty of smack Friday in their 35-14 win over Arvada West at Jeffco Stadium. But the other key in Columbine’s 21st straight victory was its penchant for big plays in big moments.

    The first two drives of the game illustrated the point.

    A-West, expertly guided by junior quarterback Logan Duhachek, put together an opening 16-play, 52-yard drive to eat nearly nine minutes off the clock. The Wildcats had first-and-10 at the Columbine 17-yard line, but senior linebacker Rory Marez sacked Duhachek for a 9-yard loss. On the next play, sophomore Keith Fischer sacked Duhachek for 11 yards. The Wildcats had to settle for a 52-yard field goal attempt that fell short and wide.

    “I think big plays was it for us tonight,” coach Andy Lowry said. “Our defense gave up a lot of yards in between but we got the big plays when we needed them. They had a lot of long drives but came up empty a lot.”

    The Rebels’ rushing attack, as it almost always does, produced from the get-go. On Columbine’s first play from scrimmage, junior Mark Snyder bounced off a tackle at the line of scrimmage, cut inside, and sailed 80 yards for a touchdown.

    “It wasn’t supposed to go that way, but I just cut back and was in the clear,” said Snyder, who rushed for 166 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries. “I’m not sure they even knew I had the ball.”

    That’s the way the night went. Talented A-West, which fell to 5-2, put up plenty of yards through the air and put together three impressive long drives, but the relentless Rebels (6-0) had a big-play answer every time.

    A-West tied the game, 7-7, late in the first quarter on a perfect 26-yard yard touchdown pass from Duhachek to junior wide receiver Keegean Balistreri. Duhachek finished the night completing 30 of 41 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns. But he also threw three interceptions.

    The Rebels quickly retaliated, stinging the Wildcats with a six-play, 59-yard drive with Snyder powering in from the 3-yard line.

    Two killer moments haunted A-West just before halftime.

    With 16 seconds left, Columbine senior running back James Basinger pulled off a remarkable 20-yard TD jaunt — near the end zone he put a hand down to stay on his feet and pinballed off would-be tacklers — to put Columbine ahead, 21-7. Basinger rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.

    On the ensuing kickoff, A-West’s Caleb Gomez almost returned the ball for a touchdown, but he was dragged down at the 2 as time expired. The Wildcats were also called for holding during the return.

    Snyder’s second game-buster of the night came on the fourth play of the second half. He burst through the middle for a 56-yard TD run to give the Rebels a 28-7 lead. That clinched the game for the Rebels.

    “James (Basinger) and Mark (Synder) had some monster runs tonight,” Lowry said. “They’re pretty special.”

    Columbine’s Mark Snyder (11) protects the ball while charging to the end zone for a touchdown against Arvada West LB Caleb Gomez (27) in the first quarter at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood, Colorado Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

    Patrick Saunders

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  • Broncos QB Bo Nix’s ability to avoid sacks has been strong suit through five games

    Broncos QB Bo Nix’s ability to avoid sacks has been strong suit through five games

    During Sean Payton’s study of Bo Nix ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, the Broncos head coach was galvanized by the quarterback’s ability to avoid getting sacked.

    In his first season in Denver, there was a sense of frustration about the amount of sacks former quarterback Russell Wilson had taken. And he knew his next signal caller had to prevent putting himself in those minus yard situations.

    Five weeks into the season, Nix hasn’t been perfect but has proven to be a hard player to take down, which Payton attributes to his sneaky quick speed and being a quality processor.

    “Getting through a progression quickly is extremely helpful in avoiding unnecessary sacks,” Payton said after Wednesday’s practice. “His ability to process has helped that greatly.”

    In Wilson’s final season of his short two-year tenure with the Broncos, he was one of the league’s most sacked quarterbacks. He was taken down 45 times — fourth-most in the NFL — despite having the second-longest time to throw (3.06 seconds), according to Next Gen Stats.

    Part of the issue was Wilson holding on to the ball longer than he should. Wilson was responsible for 24.3% of his sacks, according to Pro Football Focus, the highest percentage among quarterbacks in 2023.

    Nix has had his fair share of struggles, but evading pressure has been his strength thus far. The former Oregon star has been sacked seven times, with three of those takedowns coming in Sunday’s win over the Raiders.

    “I think it’s understanding timing and protections,” Nix said. “I took three on Sunday and I wish I could have them back (because) sacks kill drives.”

    Nix was sacked six times in each of the two seasons with the Ducks, according to Pro Football Focus. Even though the pro level is more sped up compared to college, he has figured out a way to avoid getting hit.

    Ryan McFadden

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  • Colorado high school football scoreboard: Week 6

    Colorado high school football scoreboard: Week 6

    Thursday night scores

    Grand Junction Central 63, Adams City 8

    Colorado Springs Christian 76, Dolores Huerta Prep 0

    D’Evelyn 42, Alameda 6

    Heritage 28, Golden 0

    Silver Creek 42, Greeley West 8

    Palisade 42, Summit 6

    Pueblo West 56, Doherty 14

    Rock Canyon 31, ThunderRidge 20

    Vista Ridge 54, Liberty 35

    Westminster 41, Northglenn 18

    Wray 49, Holyoke 7

    Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.

    Originally Published:

    The Denver Post

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  • Rapids’ 13-game home unbeaten streak snapped emphatically by LA Galaxy

    Rapids’ 13-game home unbeaten streak snapped emphatically by LA Galaxy

    Since joining the Colorado Rapids, Connor Ronan never complained about playing a role he’s not accustomed to in the defensive midfield.

    Wednesday night against MLS Western Conference leader LA Galaxy, he was rewarded with his first goal of the season — his second with the Rapids — on the way to a 3-1 loss.

    Even on the 45th minute scoring move, Ronan made a play to stop a dangerous Galaxy counterattack after a Rapids corner kick was cleared toward a streaking Joseph Paintsil. Ronan broke it up and played a ball to defender Reggie Cannon. Two passes later, and midfielder Djordje Mihailovic got the assist on Ronan’s left-footed blast from distance to the far post.

    After Ronan opened his account, he ran to the Rapids’ bench, where he and defender Lalas Abubakar held up a jersey toward the family suite that read “Monsieur Cabral” on the back. Kevin Cabral, whose father recently passed, was watching his teammates clap in his honor from the suite.

    Despite a dominant first half from the Rapids, two quick second-half goals from the Galaxy ultimately buried the Rapids. As a result, the 13-game unbeaten streak at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park was snapped and the Rapids slid to sixth in the Western Conference.

    Braidon Nourse

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  • Man pleads guilty to murder in fatal Topgolf shooting that killed one, wounded one

    Man pleads guilty to murder in fatal Topgolf shooting that killed one, wounded one

    A 27-year-old man who shot two of his Topgolf coworkers — killing one of them — in December has pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder.

    Victor Salazar-Guarache took a plea deal in Adams County District Court on Thursday, according to court records.

    Salazar-Guarache pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder, court records show. The plea deal dropped charges of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree attempted murder and a violent-crime sentence enhancer from his case.

    The then-26-year-old Topgolf dishwasher was arrested in December after a midnight shooting in the parking lot of the Thornton Topgolf, 16011 Grant St., left one man dead, police said.

    Police said Salazar-Guarache got into an argument with one of his coworkers, clocked out early and waited in the parking lot for an hour to ambush him.

    Bryce Holden, a 22-year-old Topgolf dishwasher, was shot multiple times and died from his wounds, police said. The kitchen manager who walked out with Holden also was shot.

    As Holden and the manager exited the building and entered the parking lot, Salazar-Guarache got out his car and fired 12 shots at the pair, continuing to shoot even after Holden fell, according to his arrest affidavit.

    Lauren Penington

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  • How Charlie Blackmon’s career stacks up statistically against other Rockies greats

    How Charlie Blackmon’s career stacks up statistically against other Rockies greats

    How does Charlie Blackmon stack up against other Rockies all-timers? A look at 13 major statistical categories in which Blackmon ranks within the top five in franchise history.

    Games Played
    1. Todd Helton 2,247
    2. Charlie Blackmon 1,621
    3. Carlos Gonzalez 1,247
    4. Larry Walker 1,170
    5. Vinny Castilla 1,098

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    Offensive bWAR
    1. Todd Helton 54.5
    2. Larry Walker 43.6
    3. Troy Tulowitzki 31.0
    4. Charlie Blackmon 28.7
    5. Nolan Arenado 26.8

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    Hits
    1. Todd Helton 2,519
    2. Charlie Blackmon 1,802
    3. Larry Walker 1,361
    4. Carlos Gonzalez 1,330
    5. Dante Bichette 1,278

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    Home Runs
    1. Todd Helton 369
    2. Larry Walker 258
    3. Vinny Castilla 239
    4. Nolan Arenado 235
    5. Charlie Blackmon, Carlos Gonzalez 227

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    Total Bases
    1. Todd Helton 4,292
    2. Charlie Blackmon 2,953
    3. Larry Walker 2,520
    4. Carlos Gonzalez 2,366
    5. Nolan Arenado 2,227

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    Doubles
    1. Todd Helton 592
    2. Charlie Blackmon 334
    3. Larry Walker 297
    4. Carlos Gonzalez 277
    5. Dante Bichette 270

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    Triples
    1. Charlie Blackmon 68
    2. Dexter Fowler 53
    3. Neifi Perez 49
    4. Larry Walker 44
    5. Carlos Gonzalez 39

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    RBIs
    1. Todd Helton 1,406
    2. Larry Walker 848
    3. Dante Bichette 826
    4. Charlie Blackmon 801
    5. Nolan Arenado 760

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    Runs
    1. Todd Helton 1,401
    2. Charlie Blackmon 994
    3. Larry Walker 892
    4. Carlos Gonzalez 769
    5. Dante Bichette 665

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    Stolen Bases
    1. Eric Young Sr. 180
    2. Charlie Blackmon 148
    3. Larry Walker 126
    4. Carlos Gonzalez 118
    5. Dante Bichette 105

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    Walks
    1. Todd Helton 1,335
    2. Larry Walker 584
    3. Charlie Blackmon 483
    4. Troy Tulowitzki 435
    5. Carlos Gonzalez 417

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    Power-Speed #
    1. Charlie Blackmon 179.2
    2. Larry Walker 169.3
    3. Carlos Gonzalez 155.3
    4. Dante Bichette 137.9
    5. Trevor Story 122.5

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    Win Probability Added
    1. Todd Helton 52.7
    2. Larry Walker 34.7
    3. Dante Bichette 21.4
    4. Nolan Arenado 20.0
    5. Charlie Blackmon 15.8

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    All of Blackmon’s statistics are as of Friday Sept. 27, entering his final series with the club. The outfielder/DH also ranks in the top 10 in club history in several other notable categories such as bWAR for position players (21.2/7th), hit by pitch (110/1st), singles (1,173/2nd), extra base hits (629/2nd), runs created (1,075/third) and sacrifice flies (39/tied for 5th).

    Kyle Newman

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  • Broncos podcast: Denver’s week at The Greenbrier and the challenge of losing ILB Alex Singleton

    Broncos podcast: Denver’s week at The Greenbrier and the challenge of losing ILB Alex Singleton

    Denver Post beat reporters Parker Gabriel, Ryan McFadden and columnist Troy Renck break down the Broncos’ 26-7 win over Tampa Bay, weigh the impact of losing ILB and captain Alex Singleton for the season to a torn ACL and give the latest on Sean Payton’s team from West Virginia.

    What do Parker and Troy think of The Greenbrier and the surrounding rolling hills of West Virginia? And can the trip help Denver get an upset win Sunday against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets?

    All that and more on the latest edition of the 1st & Orange Podcast.

    Watch

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    Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.

    Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.

    Parker Gabriel, Ryan McFadden, Troy Renck

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  • 100 losses loom as Rockies’ offense no-shows in loss to Cardinals

    100 losses loom as Rockies’ offense no-shows in loss to Cardinals

    LoDo, we have a problem.

    An ongoing problem to be precise.

    Playing at a hitter’s paradise, better known as Coors Field, the Rockies’ offense continues to underperform.

    The Rockies had nine mostly empty hits in a 5-2 loss to the Cardinals on Wednesday night. They were 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position and struck out 11 times.

    Fireworks came late with Brenton Doyle’s leadoff homer in the ninth off lefty reliever Matthew Liberatore. It was Doyle’s 23rd homer of the season, but his first since Aug. 29.

    Colorado, on course for its second straight 100-loss season, has scored three runs or fewer 35 times at home this season, extending a franchise record. The old mark was 31 times in 2011.

    “Offensively, it hasn’t been the year that we had hoped for,” manager Bud Black said. “When you start the season, you have expectations for your group. We had some guys take a step back, but we also had some guys take a step forward.

    “But this season … there haven’t been enough guys have the type of season we anticipated.”

    Black hopes the younger players will continue to grow, but knows the whole team needs to improve.

    “We have talked about this a lot,” he said. “We have to cut down on our strikeouts and we need a better two-strike approach. (Our) situational hitting needs to improve.

    “Tonight, again, we had double-digit strikeouts. We have to make sure that (improving the offense) is a huge priority going into next year, whether it’s personnel or whether it’s major adjustments.”

    With a 60-98 record, the Rockies must win three of their four remaining games to dodge 100 losses. Last year’s 103-loss season was the worst in franchise history.

    Cardinals right-hander Erick Fedde was in command for seven innings, scattering six hits, allowing one run, and fanning 10.

    Rockies starter Austin Gomber wasn’t great in his final start of the season, but he wasn’t as bad as the black-and-white box score will show: Four runs allowed on seven hits over five innings. He struck out three and didn’t walk any.

    Gomber took pride in the fact that he “went to the post” all season and his rigorous offseason routine kept his back healthy.

    “Compared to the last couple years I feel great,” he said. “My back feels great. Not one day this year did I wake up with a sore back or anything. That was nice and it shows that the adjustments I made paid off.”

    Wednesday night, the left-hander was victimized by a few hard hits balls and several hits that rolled to daylight.

    St. Louis scored a single run off Gomber in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings:

    • Thomas Saggese’s RBI double to drive in Ivan Herrera was the key hit of the second.

    • Masyn Winn led off the third with a triple off the right-field wall and scored on Brendan Donovan’s sacrifice fly.

    • Singles by Nolan Arenado, Saggese and Pedro Pages produced a run in the fourth.

    • In the fifth, Winn scorched a leadoff double off the right-field wall, advanced to third on Donovan’s groundout to second and scored on Paul Goldschmidt’s sacrifice fly to right.

    Patrick Saunders

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  • Pearl fire burning west of Fort Collins 75% contained

    Pearl fire burning west of Fort Collins 75% contained

    The human-sparked Pearl fire burning west of Fort Collins in Larimer County is 75% contained, fire officials announced Saturday.

    The Pearl fire — a wildfire that started on private property in Larimer County on Monday — is burning on 128 acres of land near Red Feather Lakes, fire officials said. That’s nearly the same size as 97 football fields put together.

    The fire’s burn area hasn’t grown since firefighting crews started to gain containment on Thursday, fire officials said on Saturday.

    Containment isn’t the end of a wildfire, it’s merely the status of a control line being completed around the fire that can stop the flames’ spread. A wildfire can continue to burn for days or weeks after being fully contained.

    Larimer County officials are still investigating what started the Pearl fire but said it was human-caused.

    Lauren Penington

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  • Hunter Goodman’s career night, Austin Gomber’s strong start lead Rockies past Cubs

    Hunter Goodman’s career night, Austin Gomber’s strong start lead Rockies past Cubs

    Hunter Goodman was working on a nice game when he stepped into the batters’ box in the bottom of the eighth inning.

    He made a career night with one more swing.

    Goodman’s go-ahead grand slam was the exclamation point on a 9-5 victory Friday night for the Colorado Rockies against the Chicago Cubs in front of 38,406 at Coors Field. It was Goodman’s second home run of the game and his third hit. He had seven runs batted in, the most by a Colorado hitter since Elias Diaz had seven in a Sept. 9, 2022 game against Arizona.

    The Rockies’ bullpen has been a strength of late, but Michael Busch crushed a three-run homer off reliever Victor Vodnik to pull the Cubs even in the eighth inning. Chicago had put two guys on with no outs twice since the first inning without scoring, but Busch left no doubt with a moonshot into the second deck in right field.

    Adalyn Gomber’s dad didn’t work out his first-inning issues while on leave for her birth, but he pieced together an excellent outing in his first start back.

    Austin Gomber allowed a pair of runs on three hits and a walk in the first inning. He’s now allowed 33 runs on 47 hits and 12 walks in 28 first innings, an ERA of 10.61.

    He now has a 2.84 ERA in the 130 innings he’s pitched after the first this season.

    Gomber entered the game with an MLB-high 27 home runs allowed. A big key to this one: He kept the ball in the field of play, while the Cubs pitchers could not.

    The Cubs had multiple chances against Gomber after the first inning, but he induced an inning-ending double play in the fourth and then got back-to-back-to-back weak fly ball outs after the first two guys reached base in the sixth.

    Goodman had the big hit during a three-run second inning to put the Rockies in front. His 430-foot, two-run homer to left field gave Colorado a 3-2 advantage. Brendan Rodgers got the Rockies on the board with a double down the left-field line that scored Ryan McMahon before Goodman’s two-out heroics.

    Goodman also pushed across the club’s fourth run in the fourth inning with a soft line drive to left that plated Michael Toglia. He didn’t miss another home run by much in the sixth inning, sending Cubs centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong toward the wall with a 401-foot out that would have been gone in five of the 30 MLB parks.

    Corey Masisak

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