Fans Rally Behind Fall Stars; Prospects Look Good for Future State Titles
Trevor Phipps
Photos By Paul Magnuson
Woodland Park Panther sports fans were thrilled this fall as their regular athletic season was extended into November with post-season action for both the boys’ football and soccer teams.
This was a historic event, and the games provided much needed relief for folks reeling from a bad case of cabin fever recently, courtesy of a several-day blizzard that blanketed the region (see related story).
But despite the high hopes of their fans, both Panther teams just fell short of snagging a state championship. However, both teams had record-breaking seasons and a number of local star athletes that will be continuing their careers after high school.
Now that both of their seasons are officially over, it is a good time to wrap-up their successful seasons and discuss some highlights.
Panther Football Team Loses Heartbreaker at Home
The Panther pigskin stars were able to accomplish the impossible by racking up their first ever undefeated season. During the regular season, the Panthers took out stellar teams like the 11th-ranked Colorado Springs Christian School Lions, and 4th- ranked Lamar Thunder.
But despite an undefeated record, the Panthers only was designated a 7th-ranking in Class 2A football due to having an easier schedule then some of their opponents. As a result, they were pitted against the Sterling Tigers in round one of the postseason, an opponent that is one of the top teams in the state.
The Panthers earned the right to host their first playoff game since 2000, but it was postponed from a Saturday to a Sunday due to two feet of snow hitting the field right before game day. The team came out energetic and ready to give their fans a show, but the Tigers proved to be just a little too much to handle due to an explosive offense.
Nevertheless, the Panthers were the first to score, but the game’s momentum soon swing in favor of Sterling. Sterling was ahead for most of the game due to the Panthers incurring some bad luck and suffering from bad calls. The latter situation involved some key plays getting reversed due to penalties.
Sterling got a good enough lead in the game’s final minutes to be resilient to a Panthers late-game drive. The Panthers got a touchdown in the final seconds of the game, but then a botched an onside kick-off attempt. That sealed the Panthers fate and forced them to suffer a 33-31 loss, their first defeat of the season. But because this was a post-season match, this brought an end to their 2024 season.
Still, a handful of players had spectacular seasons. And who knows, local fans may be viewing some of the Panther stars on TV in key college and maybe NFL games.
The Panthers’ star quarterback Marqus Schoenberger who has plans to play football in college, had quite the season. He ranked in the top 15 in Colorado Class 2A football in four categories. Shoenberger ended the season with 916 passing yards, 88 total points, 14 total touchdowns and 1,583 total yards.
Senior Parker Shreeve, who is eyeing a spot on Greeley’s University of Northern Colorado team, also had a stellar season while playing on offense, defense and special teams. Shreeve ended the season averaging eight tackles per game, 11 total touchdowns, five sacks and 386 total kickoff and punt return yards.
Matteo Pizarro who can bench, squat and deadlift a total of nearly 1,500 pounds was key on defense. Pizarro racked up six sacks, four caused fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Next year, the Panther team will be losing a number of seniors to graduation. However, with some stars coming up from the championship middle school team, expect Panther football to be successful for years to come.
Soccer Team Eliminated During Quarterfinals
The Panther soccer stars also had a season for the record books even though they didn’t quite make it to the state championship. The team hosted a playoff game for the second time in school history after breaking the record last year.
The team faced off on Halloween on round one against the number 26 ranked Basalt team and won their first postseason match ever 3-1. The Panthers then hosted a second playoff match for the first time ever that fell on a snowy Election Night. In a brutally cold match, the Panthers won 4-3.
The Panthers were then slated to hit the road to take on the tough Jefferson Academy Jaguars on the weekend, when a heavy snow storm struck the state. The quarterfinals match was rescheduled to Veterans Day afternoon. And unfortunately, the Jaguars overcame the Panthers 5-0.
The Panthers’ season is now over due to the loss by the number two ranked team in the state. However, they can still celebrate their most successful season in school history. Many of the athletes also picked up some good stats that some plan to take with them to college next year.
Senior forward Silas Koelewijn had quite the season after landing in the top three in several key statistical categories in their 3A Tri-Peaks league. More specifically, Koelewijn snagged second in the league with 32 total points, second with 13 goals and third with six assists.
Junior midfielder Jamie Urban was also a huge key to the Panthers’ success offensively. Urban ranked first in the 3A Tri-Peaks league with 10 assists, six goals, 22 total points and an average of 0.6 assists per match.
In addition, the team was definitely held together by junior goalie Noah Magestrelli. Magestrelli ranked 11th statewide in 3A and first in his league with a 0.733 goals against average. He was also ranked fifth statewide and second in the league with a total of 165 saves.
More importantly, the future prospects of soccer in Woodland Park look extremely promising.
Unlike the pigskin squad, the team won’t be losing a huge chunk of its players to graduation next year. In 2024, the team only had three starting seniors who won’t be on the team next year including star Silas Koelewijn. Most of the team will be returning next year including star players Magestrelli, Urban, Miles Wiley and Harrier Smith.
In other words, they will become a soccer threat to reckon with and could snag a state title.
