Editor’s Note: In a recent issue of TMJ, we outlined the highs and lows of the previous 12 months in the government and civic arena. One area we didn’t get to feature (due to space limitations) was the many sports triumphs and setbacks of some of our illustrious local and state teams. So here we go, and we wish our local and state teams the best of luck in 2025!
~By Trevor Phipps~
High school sports in 2024 got off to a slow start as the girls and boys basketball teams were dealing with rebuild years.
They both showed some improvements as the seasons wore on, but they didn’t fare well enough to see postseason action.
Meanwhile, some female swimmers made it to the state tournament, and the diving side of the team showed definite signs of improvement. The boys’ swimming team struggled finding participants and were left with just a couple of swimmers.
But without question, wrestling was the highlight of the 2024 winter sports season with the girls having a stellar finish, capped by the performances of star grappler Arial Johns, who ranked fifth in the state. Unfortunately, the boys’ wrestling team was young last year and nobody qualified for the state tournament.
The hockey and baseball teams both struggled last year, but they did both show some improvements towards the end of the season. The girls’ soccer team struggled a little and their .500 league record wasn’t enough to earn them postseason play.
For spring sports, the all-stars were the track and field team. They had several athletes place at the state tournament and the girls’ team won a regional meet last year.
But once fall kicked off, winning optimism abounded like never before. The fall sports teams entered the school year ready to dominate. The fall 2024 sports season was the first in recent history where both the boys’ soccer and football teams both earned the right to host a playoff match.
The football team was the talk of the town for the entire season. Before they even played their first game, fans were excited and many thought that it could be their year to win a state championship.
The boys’ pigskin unit went undefeated in the regular season for the first time in school history. They hosted a playoff game against Sterling, but lost in a close battle that went down to the final seconds of the game.
Unfortunately, though, the success of the football team seemed to overshadow the hard work the boys’ soccer team put in during the season. They went undefeated in league play and only lost two matches all year long.
The soccer team won their first home playoff match for the first time in school history, which earned them the chance to host a second playoff game. During a snowy match, the Panthers won their second round playoff match only to lose to Jefferson Academy on the road in round three.
The girls’ volleyball and softball teams also had pretty decent seasons. In fact, both groups of girls just missed the chance to play in the postseason by two ranks.
State Teams
Colorado Rockies Slide Into Cellar Position, Again
In 2023, the Rockies broke a franchise record for the worst season ever when they lost more than 100 games. In 2024, the Rockies won a few more matches but lost more than 100 for the second year in a row.
It wasn’t much of a surprise because even though the team suffered the worst season ever in 2023, they didn’t do much during the offseason to change things. Rockies fans always like to think there’s always next year, but the hopes aren’t very high.
Rocky Vibes Just Miss Playoff Spot
The Rock Mountain Vibes, the minor league team based in the Pikes Peak region, had a similar year as they did in 2023. They struggled with pitching for the first half of the season. The team did turn things around after changing their roster for the season’s second half, and they came close to snagging a playoff spot.
But after losing some big games towards the end of the season, the team just missed out on a chance at the postseason. The Vibes have re-signed several players, and they are currently working on their roster for 2025.
Colorado Avalanche Returns to Playoffs
The Avs made it to the postseason once again to try to take home the Stanley Cup for the second time this decade. The Avs beat the Jets in the first round of playoffs but then fell to the Dallas Stars in the second round.
Most of the star players have remained on the team, and they have had a decent start to their ’24-’25 season. The Avs are currently in fourth place in their Central Division, but they are only a handful of wins behind the number one Jets.
Denver Nuggets Miss Chance to Repeat Winning It All
In 2023, the Nuggets made history when they won the NBA Final led by star player Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets put forth a good effort to repeat that feat in 2024, and they did make the playoffs.
The Nuggets won the first round of playoffs against the Lakers 4-1. They then battle the Minnesota Timberwolves and took it all the way to seven games and lost 4-3.
Denver Broncos Net Winning Season and Playoff Action
After having a rough season in 2023, the Broncos really turned things around in 2024. During the offseason, head coach Sean Payton made the big move of drafting rookie Quarterback Bo Nix.
Nix had a rough start to his rookie season and at first Bronco fans thought 2024 would be more of the same. But then he started showing improvements every game and the team netted its first winning season in years. Moreover, the team made a mockery out of earlier Vegas predictions, indicating the Broncs would be lucky to win five games, by earning their first entry into post-season play since 2015. They did this by whipping the KC Chiefs 38-0 in the grand finale game and finishing 10-7 during the regular season.
CU and CSU Football Teams Earn Bowl Games
After struggling for several seasons, the Colorado University Buffaloes and the Colorado State Rams both fared well enough to earn a bowl game this year. The Buffs beat the Rams when they played in 2024, but the Rams only finished the season one game behind the Buffs.
The Buffs finished 9-3 and qualified to play BYU in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas on December 28, which they lost 36-14. The Rams finished 8-4 and qualified to play against Miami (Ohio) in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl in Tucson, Arizona on December 28. They also lost their bowl match by a score of 43-17.
