Today's Sports

Michael Vrabel thinks about it from time to time. And for Derek Valdez, it was a scary time in his young life.

Little did the now sixth-graders — Vrabel at Falcon Bluff Middle School; Valdez at Stony Creek Elementary — and teammates for the South Jeffco Sports Association Pirates, a sixth-grade football team, know that their lives were on a similar path nearly eight years ago.

Dakota Ridge’s Drew Vance battled back after an opening-round 3-over-par 75 to birdie three of the first four holes on Day 2 and finished with a 2-over 146 to tie for fifth place at the 5A state boys golf championship at Valley Country Club on Aurora on Oct. 4-5.

Vance made five birdies on the second day to shoot a 1-under 71 to finish in a tie with Fort Collins’ Palmer Giro and Ponderosa’s Derek Despres. They finished four shots back of David Oraee of Greeley West, who was the top medalist.

LAKEWOOD — Interim head coach Tony Barba knew the Dakota Ridge softball team could be heading into a trap on Oct. 2 at Bear Creek. But the Eagles were ready and that trap was never sprung as Dakota Ridge hit, pitched and fielded at a high level and thrashed the Bear Creek Bears, 16-0.

“They knew what’s at stake. This is one of those games that’s a trap game so they just came in here and took care of business, got everyone some playing time and got out of here,” Barba said.

LAKEWOOD — Typically, one will find Collin Shampine playing defense for the Chatfield Chargers. But for multiple reasons — disciplinary, injuries and so forth — Chatfield head coach Brock Blume had to move the lanky junior up into the offensive set.