October 22, 2008 12:21 PM

Rocky Preps chat

Alan Pearce chatted about high school sports, Wednesday, Oct. 22:

Alan Thanks for joining in. Had problems, but it's okay now. Any topic in particular right now?
helmethead Great weekend for football. Top 2 teams playing for league championships against ranked teams. How do you see those games?
Alan Well, I'm awfully curious about the Big 8 game between Columbine and Pomona. One report I heard had Panthers RB Donovan Bowens sitting out the game because of injury. Idon't think they win without him. What do you think?
helmethead I hear Columbine has some injuries too. Could be a game of attrition.
Alan Yes, but I'm betting Pomona is a bit more dependent on Bowens. I'll be at the Mullen-Grandview game and I think that one is a tossup. Be interesting to see if Mullen sticks with QB platooning with such a tough opponent and league title on the line
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Alan There was one question posted a couple hours ago that I want to answer, about the best running back in the state. I'd have to go with Bowens, who reminds me a lot of Darnell McDonald, the former Cherry Creek star. Bowens has the same escapability, but is bigger and runs tougher between the tackles.
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helmethead Has Bowens committed anywhere?
Alan Haven't heard anything, but he's got D-I written all over him. He said after the Regis game that he's still considering his options.
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helmethead What makes you think Mullen would switch from its system after the success they've had?
Alan Just that no team I can remember really does its best with a 2 QB system. You might look at the Dolphins, but they use a change-of-pace QB only in the red zone.
helmethead High school is a little different. I'm not terribly familiar with Mullen's system. Do they have a runner and a passer?
Alan I've only seen them once, but I don't think either of them is especially one-dimensional. Perhaps coach Logan just wants to keep utilitizing the talent he has rather than benching one of them.
helmethead Get your playmakers on the field.
Alan Yup. The good thing about the Mullen game I saw (against Rockhurst) is that the switch was made at halftime. Don't like to see alternating series switches.
tddb what do you think about the columbine/pomona game?
Alan Well, I think Columbine has exceeded expectations. Bear Creek was our No. 1 pick in the preseason, but there's a great system and great coach in place at Columbine, the top state program over the past few years.
helmethead As I said before, both teams are beat up and this could be a game of attrition.
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Alan Pomona still has a very capable quarterback and you never know what the backup running back can do.
helmethead Columbine's defense has been up and down but neither of these teams should score a lot of points on the other. Could see a 14-10 kind of game.
Alan I've heard that Columbine is throwing more than usual and being undefeated means a lot of things are working for them.
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Alan Yes, you have to consider that both teams concentrate on running the ball, so I don't see a high-scoring game.
helmethead Mixed feelings about Wheat Ridge winning 4A softball. Congrats to the Farmers but aren't they very close to being a 5A school>
Alan They've been borderline for a while, but they don't have a lot of growth areas around them, so I could see them as a legit 4A size. The same thing applied to Lakewood, but they got some additional enrollment by being an IB school.
Alan In softball, it's just interesting how the traditional powers stay up at the top. Has Erie ever been out of a state final in the last half-dozen years?
Alan Any feelings on state soccer or district volleyball. I'm not that familiar with the first sport, but I've seen Racokzy, the Rock Canyon striker, and he's really impressive.
helmethead Very good program up there.
helmethead Erie softball
Alan Yes, and Wheat Ridge and Legacy aren't exactly coasting either.
helmethead Sorry, don't know a thing about soccer or volleyball. Like to watch volleyball but don't follow a team.
helmethead Is Heritage going to run the table in 4A football? Didn't they just slide under the enrollment this year?
Alan Yes, Heritage just moved down to 4A this season, while ThunderRidge moved up.
Alan The ThunderRidge coach said Heritage still is dominant and he likes their chances. Hard to stop a QB who gets two long punt returns for TDs in one game.
helmethead Phillies and Rays playing a one-run game which means we might see Brad Lidge close it out. You remember much about him when he was at Cherry Creek?
Alan ThunderRidge also looked good to me against Chaparral. Hard running in Chris Nwoke and a defense that really turned it on in the second half.
Alan I don't cover much baseball, so I only know his name.
tddb did any one watch lakewood pomona game on fsn this week
Alan I saw it on the schedule and it was rerun in prime time, but I didn't see it. What did you think?
tddb pomona look good
Alan Well, that's good to hear. I wonder if Bowens might be able to play if Pomona truly needs him, but he might be saved until the playoffs and he's 100%.
helmethead Pomona's been surprising. Lost to Arvada West, then beat Bear Creek. Maybe it's just that Big 8 is that good.
Alan It's sure up there with three teams in the top eight in 5A
tddb they have a lot of play makers
Alan Not a bad defense, either. Regis has a pretty good QB this season and some very good receivers and Pomona handled them.
helmethead Gotta go now and give complete attention to the Series.
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Alan Any other teams you've seen that you like, tddb?
tddb bearcreek columbine
Alan Two teams still capable of winning it. One other game of interest this weekend is up north, Fort Collins and Rocky Mountain.
tddb rm will blow them away
Alan Lobos still have one of the best quarterbacks in the state and should be favored, but it's a rivalry game. I wonder if Rocky considers Collins its top rival, or if Poudre has that role these days.
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daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah does Colorado have any high school water polo teams?
tddb not sure but rm is a good team
Alan No to the water polo. Swimming is still having some trouble attracting numbers for the boys.
tddb go to socal for that
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah yeah i grew up in socal.
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah just wondering.
tddb me to
Alan Perhaps there's some type of club scene, but not a sanctioned high school sport, either boys or girls.
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah great sports and scholarships to good schools abound
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah any thoughts on kasa becoming a buff?
tddb we will go home to bc
Alan With the job Hawkins has done of recruiting the top players lately, I'm not going to count him out on an local prospect.
tddb thats true
Alan Have you heard something about Kasa committing somewhere?
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah me, no?
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah i just have heard florida
tddb no but i know hes from there
Alan Well, it's still early. I know he was considering CU among his final choices.
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah did bz get any colorado kids? seems mostly out of state
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tddb who's going win it this year
Alan Who is bz?
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daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah cu's basketball coach
Alan Jeff Bzdelik, got it.
groovyblue glad you're still here - connection was rough
Alan No Colorado kids I've heard among his early commitments.
Alan Welcome Groovy. Had the same problem myself. Need to get a Java update, apparently
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah are there any great colorado basketball srs?
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groovyblue Yep, I got new java and had to restart.. but here now
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groovyblue Basketball: what do you think of DaVaughn Thornton, East?
Alan well, I don't know about great. I'm anxious to see if DaVaughn Thornton improves as much again as he did last season.
hater He's big
groovyblue Been watching him play football.Such an overall talent
Alan I saw him play one fb game and, yes, he can play there as well.
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah where's he going next year?
Alan Quentin Hildreth also is a good football player who plays basketball, too.
groovyblue undecided. He has bball and fball scholly offers
hater college
groovyblue Quentin is ... awesome. Fast. Not getting as much attetnion as he deserves maybe
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Alan Never talked to him about football, but he loves basketball and is so competitive there, I gotta think he's going to choose hoops.
groovyblue That's my guess, too. And he has many more basketball offers
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah smart choice
Alan I thought Quentin would do more in basketball last year, but he was really a big deal in football and that gets you off to a much slower start in the winter.
groovyblue It will be tough to threepeat, but I'm sure East is hopeful. They have experience on their side
Alan I don't even know if DaVaughn's brother Demetrius got a bb scholarship. Had that knee problem as a junior, but came back strong as a senior.
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groovyblue dont know. When you watched East football, did you catch a good game for their kicker? BIG leg.
Alan I did see some video on him and he's great. Hope CU signs him. Aric Goodman is having his problems lately.
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groovyblue The gossip in the East stands has him going everywhere: USC, CU, Nebraska, ... I don't think anyone knows.
tddb a-west is got a great kicker
groovyblue who is at Awest?
Alan I think Cherry Creek also has a good one.
groovyblue Creek's is Willenbrock or brook - very consistent.
Alan Yes, R.C. Willenbrock.
groovyblue Legacy has a junior - Kip Smith - he'll be big news next year
tddb arvada west
groovyblue right, but who is their kicker --- I forgot his name
Alan Well, I was hoping we might keep the East kicker our little secret in this state and let CU and CSU fight it out for him. No such luck.
groovyblue East's kicker has a brother at CU - there's still hope.
tddb not sure but he kick a 50, 53 49 when they played pomona
rgdf whos the a 11 man champion in football this year?
Alan I believe Marsha Neville did a little clip on him. I'll bet it's still viewable on our website.
Alan Well, you're getting out of my comfort zone, so I'd be interested in you opinion
b-man is anyone going to stop Heritage in 4A? I don't think so.
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Alan Heritage has talent and coaching, but there are two other undefeated teams in 4A.
rgdf well akron sure has a good chance just as in any other year but yuma wray and limon are all in it. i'd say burlington is on the way up
rgdf we'll see how they handle limon this friday
Alan Also, I saw Greeley West last year and they were a tremendous team.
groovyblue tried to look up the arvada west kicker, but no luck. They have two.
tddb what about 5a
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Alan In 5A, we'll sure have a lot clearer picture after this weekend.
groovyblue Lot of big games this weekend for sure
Alan We also have Rye ranked No. 2 in the state.
tddb columbine/pomona
groovyblue I've been trying to make plans to see Legacy ... wanted to catch Nick Kasa i high school, but haven't found right time
rgdf rye but they haven't played any competition so far. they sure could make a statement the first few rounds tho
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Alan Don't count out Grandview or Mullen. Remember, Adonis Ameen-Moore is a load.
tddb o ya
Alan I was standing behind the guy one night and he's built like an offensive lineman.
groovyblue you mean Kasa?
Alan Sorry, Groovy. Adonis. Kasa is a track sprinter, though, so he has the same qualities of size and speed.
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tddb they don't have the team to do it this year
Alan Well, it's already been an hour, time has gone by quickly. Thank you to all who participated. Hope you join us for our next chat.

Posted by at 12:21 PM | Comments (6)