Lakewood Preps

By Michael Gunstanson • December 16th, 2009

Alice Barron, who fought to mainstream women’s high school sports in Jeffco and Colorado, enters the NIAAA Hall of fame for her contributions to school sports.

When the Pomona Panthers beat the Bear Creek Bears, 34-26, at homecoming the Bears vowed revenge. All photos courtesy George Kochaniec, Jr.

There are two games high school coaches and players hate to lose – homecoming and the playoffs. So when the Pomona Panthers beat the Bear Creek Bears, 34-26, at homecoming the Bears vowed revenge.

To say the Bear Creek Bears dominated the Spartans of Thomas Jefferson would not do justice to the feat. Annihilation, probably wouldn’t work either. Think somewhere in the middle and you’ll begin to get the picture of how Saturday’s second-round playoff game went at Jeffco Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Photos from Bear Creek’s 48 – 6 victory over Thomas Jefferson.

With football, soccer and other fall sports fading from the spotlight, Lakewood’s athletic teams begin to focus to winter sports. Practice for boys and girls basketball, ice hockey, girls swimming and wrestling officially begins November 12.

Ask any coach or athlete and they’ll tell you a week long layoff can be the kiss of death when the playoffs roll around. So with a two week layoff, one could well understand coach Mike Ackerman’s concern. When the Bear Creek Bears came out sluggish in their first-round state playoff game against the Coronado Cougars, Ackerman’s concern turned to real angst.

Bear Creek topped Coronado with a two-goal second half to advance to the second round of the state tournament.

For a team built on batting, Green Mountain’s Ram softball team lost their bid in the state tournament Friday in a pitching duel during which the Rams could manage only two hits.

The Tiger’s season ended briskly Friday, much like the chilling afternoon breeze at Aurora Sports Complex, brought to an end by a hard-hitting team from Grand Junction Central.

The Tiger’s season ended briskly Friday, much like the chilling afternoon breeze at Aurora Sports Complex, brought to an end by a hard-hitting team from Grand Junction Central. All photos by George Kochaniec, Jr.

Photos from Lakewood High School at the regional softball tournament.

The Lakewood Tigers, seeded 30th out of 32 teams trying to make their way into next weekend’s state softball tournament, watched the high fives and back slaps and wondered what went wrong in their first game of the regional tournament at Aurora Sports Park.

Years from now, some historian or library patron or just some curious, rabid football fan will stumble across a recap of the first game of Friday’s double-header at JeffCo Stadium. Perhaps they’ll glance at the final score – Columbine 41, Lakewood 29 – and think: “Losing by 12 points to one of the state’s top teams isn’t anything to be ashamed about.”

Game photos from Lakewood vs. Columbine, October 9, 2009. All photos courtesy George Kochaniec, Jr

Playing the first game of a double-header under the bright October sun at JeffCo Stadium, Bear Creek’s Bears and Lakewood’s Tigers duked it out in contrasting styles: Bear Creek’s aerial attack and Lakewood’s steady ground assault.

Playing the first game of a double-header under the bright October sun at JeffCo Stadium, Bear Creek’s Bears and Lakewood’s Tigers duked it out in contrasting styles: Bear Creek’s aerial attack and Lakewood’s steady ground assault.

Beneath the golden glow of a half moon and with the chilly autumn air to embrace him, Bear Creek High head football coach Tom Thenell stood on the lush green grass of JeffCo Stadium and longed for one thing: instant replay in high school.