Delta coaches Luis Meza, center, and Clayton Curtis congratulate 152-pound senior Hunter Brasfield after an upset win sent him into the 4A Region 4 semifinals.
Hotchkiss senior Joe Boyle controls Ruben Chagoya of Basalt to win a 3A Region 1 title. He is one of 7 Hotchkiss state qualifiers.
Hotchkiss and Paonia boys will square off this week on the basketball courts. Both are 6-4 in league play.
Delta senior Brooke Taylor scores two of her 12 points against Summit after grabbing an offensive rebound.
Paonia 195-pounder Tyler “TK” Kendall sets Rangely’s Drew Collins up for a pin.
Paonia freshman Bo Pipher sets TJ Richard of North Park up for a pin in Saturday’s regional semifinal round. He is one of 13 Paonia wrestlers headed to state!
Surrounded by coaches and his dad, Conner Beard signs Letter of Intent to play football for the University of Nebraska Kearney.
Hotchkiss' Jacobe Galley signed a Letter of Intent to play football and study engineering at Colorado Mesa University.
Hotchkiss senior Cody Bartlett signed his National Letter of Intent to run cross-country for Hawaii Pacific University.
Paonia’s Ce’rra Carsten (23) attempts to block a Lutheran players’ shot from behind.
Plenty of experience and a new coaching staff give the Paonia Eagles much to look forward to this season.
Paonia claimed the district title in 2011 and ended the season at 15-8. Under new head coach Drew Potter, the Eagles return all but one of last year's players, and will have eight seniors in the varsity lineup.
"That's a lot of experience coming back," said Potter. "We should be very strong."
Potter brings several years of coaching experience to the team, including high school football and baseball positions in Iowa and Nebraska and four years as a youth coach. Potter was an assistant football coach at Paonia last fall and prior to that was assistant football and girls basketball coach for Delta High School.
Photo by Tamie Meck
Members of the Paonia High School basketball and wrestling teams cheer on the Lady Eagles at the start of Saturday’s consolation game.
The Eagles are working to strengthen their pitching game after graduating all-state pitcher Casey Gillenwater, last year's only senior, and on their defense, said Potter. He was hired on last spring and had the opportunity to work with members of the team last summer. While he was impressed with the level of play, the team can expect to see some changes in the lineup at the varsity level as the season progresses, said Potter.
Paonia's schedule will include more games against bigger teams than in the past, starting with the Montrose tournament on March 16-17.
Photo by Tamie Meck
Chelsy Reed attempts to block a pass by ECA senior Heidi Mann.
Paonia opened the season with a narrow 2-0 loss to 3A Hotchkiss on Monday. They host 4A Battle Mountain in a double-header beginning at noon Tuesday, March 20.
"It's a tougher schedule in general, but it will make us stronger when playoffs come," said Potter.
