As some of the fall sports seasons end, and others enter post-season play we celebrate outstanding athletes and team accomplishments.
Tennis:
Braylon Desquitado (9) attends The Village High School, but plays on the Pine Creek tennis team. As a talented tennis player, he has achieved an impressive national ranking of 33rd in the U.S. Desquitado was inspired to pursue tennis after watching a match at the Australian Open with his dad, sparking his desire to be on TV one day. He has trained diligently alongside his dad significantly contributing to his success. At just 14 years old, Desquitado brings incredible positivity to the tennis court, lifting the spirits of his teammates, especially those who might be feeling down. His great attitude and enthusiasm make him a standout player.
Benjamin Sun (12) faced a unique challenge when his partner was sidelined due to injury, forcing him to play for both the JV and varsity teams. Sun worked hard during the off-season to improve his skills, and his teammates provided valuable support throughout the season. While Sun has made impressive progress, he plans to play tennis for fun after graduating rather than pursuing it at a higher competitive level.
Other season higlights include 4 players advancing to the State Tournament, and Coach Jason Warkentine named the CSML 5A Coach of the Year.
Boys Golf:
Luke Wright (12) placed 9th at the State Golf tournament, and was named to the All-State First team. Coach Joey Fillo was named the CSML 5A Coach of the Year.
Volleyball:
Bella De Simone (10) plays on the JV volleyball team. She has shown remarkable improvement both mentally and physically over the season, constantly pushing herself to get better. For the off-season, Bella plans to focus on refining her serving technique to enhance her overall performance in future matches.
Varsity Volleyball continues to pursue a state title in post-season play. Lilian Toliver (12) said losing to Chaparral early in the season helped inspire the team to pull together and work harder, setting their sights on post-season play. She is a little sad because her senior season is ending, but excited because they might make it to state in the next few weeks.
Lauren Watson (12) said her season highlights were winning the league and competing against Pueblo West. She loves the volleyball team and doesn’t want to leave but is excited to go to state.
Zara Crawford is a senior at Pine Creek High School. Her highlights in the season are seeing all of her friends in practice and when they beat Legend at the beginning of the season. Legend knocked Pine Creek out of the state brackets last season. The challenges that she faced during the season were losing to a couple of teams that they shouldn’t have lost to towards the beginning of the season. They overcame them by fixing their mindset and working on the main goals. She improved well and the team also improved. She wanted to focus on becoming more mentally tough. She’s very sad because it’s her last year and she enjoyed the season.
The team boasts a 20-3 record earning them the CSML Championship for the regular season and will host the Region 6 playoff tournament on Saturday, November 9.
Soccer:
Alex Taylor (11) is a key player on the varsity soccer team. One of Taylor’s standout moments this season came in a match against Fort Collins, where he scored two crucial goals to tie the game before his teammate, Ben Jester (12), netted the winning goal. The team struggled at the beginning of the season due to a lack of chemistry after losing several seniors, but they gradually improved throughout the season. With a record of 9-5-2 and a playoff spot, Taylor is focused on building his stamina and technical skills during the off-season. While he’s sad to see the season end, he remains excited for the upcoming club season. The toughest match for the team was against Cherry Creek, where they lost 3-0, but their mentality and skills grew considerably over time.
The varsity soccer team continues it’s post-season play with their second-round playoff game Tuesday, November 5 against NorthField. Complete brackets can be found here.
Softball:
Cecilia Dollar (9) plays on the JV softball team. One of her highlights this season was having the opportunity to play various positions, which helped her grow as an athlete. Throughout the season, Dollar has focused on improving in multiple areas. In the off-season, she plans to concentrate on her hitting techniques and building mental toughness. While she feels a bit sad that the season is ending, Dollar knows it’s a positive time for her team to reflect on their progress and work on the improvements they need. The JV team did well, fostering teamwork and unity while competing against tough opponents. They faced Pueblo West, a challenging team, and performed admirably until some mental barriers held them back.
The varsity Softball team once again made it to post-season play but lost in the Region 5 Consolation Championship 10-9 to Chaparral.
Cross Country:
The Cross Country season ended with Gable Rial (12) placing 14th in the State meet and had the fastest PCHS time on record for the course. Coach Stephen Flannary was named the CSML 5A Cross Country Coach of the Year.
For updates on the Football season, please see this article.
