With six spring sports having commenced practice this week, many of Coronado’s teams are looking to have a successful 2016-2017 seasons despite the loss of key seniors. Multi-sport athletes will lead many of Coronado’s programs, and will play a key role in Coronado’s success this spring. With competitions starting on 3/7, now is the time to support Coronado’s athletics as they hope to bring home Coronado’s first Colorado Springs Metro League championship of the school year.

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Baseball

Coronado’s varsity baseball team is looking forward to building off of last year’s 4-15 season, with the eight returning seniors spearheading the Cougars’ effort. Cougars vital to the team’s success include seniors Colson Skur (a Vanguard student), who finished the 2015-2016 season with eleven runs and a .400 batting average, as well as Alex Bumpus, who had 18 runs and 24 hits last season. Ventura College commit Tanner Mayberry, 12, is also an integral member of the team, scoring 14 runs and accumulating 86 catches last season. The Cougars and Head Coach Trevor Stewart will, however, need to recover from the graduation of key offensive players like Peyton Skur and Patrick Tabrum if they are to have a strong season.

First game: Away at Vista Ridge on 3/9 at 4:30 P.M.

Home Games: Sand Creek on 3/16 at 4:30 P.M, Falcon on 3/18 at 10 A.M., Pine Creek on 4/6 at 4:30 P.M., Canon City on 4/12 at 4:30 P.M., Liberty on 4/13 at 4 P.M., Doherty on 4/15 at 10 A.M., Rampart on 4/27 at 4:30 P.M., Palmer on 4/29 at 10 A.M., and Fountain Fort Carson on 5/4 at 4:30 P.M.

Women’s Golf

Girls golf will be led by junior Madi Eurich this year, who placed third at the Colorado Springs Metro League Championships and 15th at the 5A Northern Regional last year. The team will suffer from the graduation of Allie Garcia, Coronado’s top golfer in 2015-2016 season and a 5A state qualifier. Other key golfers this season will be junior Lindsey Stancato and freshman Kate Griffin, who will be coming from the Colorado Springs School to golf with the Cougars.

First Tournament: Cheyenne Mountain on 4/4 at the Country Club of Colorado at 9 A.M.

Home Tournament: The Coronado Golf Team will host the Cougar Classic at the Kissing Camels Golf Course on 4/17 at 11 A.M.

Women’s Soccer

The Coronado girls soccer team is on the hunt for a winning record this season under new head coach Matt Brickell, who recently led Coronado wrestling to a sixth place finish at state as their head coach. Forward Isabella Janney, 10, is the leading scorer on the team, going into the 2016-2017 season with three goals last year, followed by junior Alex Brown with two goals. Sophomore Hannah Burgess will step up as the starting goalkeeper this season, and, with strong new freshman players on the team, girls’ soccer has a strong future.

First Game: Air Academy Tournament on 3/10 at 4:30 P.M., and 3/11 at 9 A.M.

Home Games (at Garry Berry Stadium): Vista Ridge on 3/14 at 4:30 P.M., Sand Creek on 3/21 at 4:30 P.M., Widefield on 3/23 at 4 P.M., Liberty on 4/11 at 4:30 P.M., Palmer on 4/13 at 6:30 P.M., Doherty on 4/20 at 4:30 P.M., and Pine Creek on 4/25 at 4:30 P.M.

Men’s Swim and Dive

Although they lost several seniors, the men’s swim team has great potential for another strong season this year. The team has strong state-level swimmers returning in a wide range of disciplines. Senior Daniel Saks competed at state in 3 events last year: 100 backstroke, with a time of 56.62, as well as the 200 medley and 400 free relay. Other key seniors are Marley Kaiser, in 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke, and Kieran Lynch in 100 butterfly. The team will also look to improve on their 7th place finish in the 200 medley relay at state last year.

First meet: Away at Lewis Palmer on 3/9 at 4 P.M.

Home meets: Liberty on 4/4 at 4 P.M., Doherty on 4/11 at 4 P.M., and Pine Creek on 4/18 at 4 P.M.

Women’s Tennis

Coronado’s tennis team is looking forward to a great season, with all of their varsity singles players returning to the court this spring. Savannah Leifer, 11, will be returning to the team’s #1 singles position and will look to build off of her 7-3 record last year. Bethany Heitland, 11, will also return to the team as a dominant #2 singles player, having a 9-1 record last year. Sophomore Carli Kassner also looks to renew her #3 singles spot this year. Although several doubles players were lost to graduation last year, the Cougars will look to send players to state and build the team back up with new varsity players.

First match: 3/7 against Mullen at the Coronado tennis courts at 3:45 P.M.

Home matches: Mullen on 3/7 at 3:45 P.M., Liberty on 4/5 at 3:45 P.M., Doherty on 4/18 at 3:45 P.M., and Pine Creek on 4/20 at 3:45 P.M.

Track and Field

On the boys side of track, the Cougars are ready to run jump and throw to another great season. Charles Broomfield, 11, will continue to spearhead the team’s throwing events and hopes to take his second trip to state this year in discus.  Another key returner in the field events is senior Joey Callan in triple and long jump. Head Coach Jeremy Kane also hopes to qualify a 4×800 team to state with key distance runners like Clay Rahaman, 12, and Conor Strizich, 11. However, with several key runners having graduated last year, young runners like Ben Swanson, 10, and Noah Enoch, 10, will be key to the Cougars’ success. Senior Raiden Mares and junior Justin Dwinell will also be important scorers and members of the team in hurdles and sprints, respectively, and key to the track team’s success.

Girls track and field hopes to extend their successful 2016 season and reclaim the CSML Championship they earned last year. Some of the most indispensable members of the team will be jumpers Celia Smith, 12, and Jaelyn Hershberger, 11. Both made a trip to state in 2016 and placed exceptionally well, Hershberger placing eighth in triple jump, and Smith placing third in high jump. Sprinters Jeanine Smith, 12, and Isabella Janney, 10, also hope to improve on their fifth place finish at state in the 4×400 relay last year. Isabella Janney as well as Joey Callan will both be participating in two sports this season, Janney in soccer and Callan in baseball. Leading the distance portion of the team is Taylor Dutton, 11, who had a breakout cross country season this fall and will be integral to the team at the 800M and 1600M distances this spring. Rounding out the team on hurdles is Maddison Wilson, who, as a freshman, placed 11th in 100 meter hurdles at the Colorado Springs Metro League Meet last spring.

First meet: Pikes Peak Invitational at Garry Berry on 3/11 at 8 A.M.

Home meets: Coronado track and field’s home meet this season is the Cougar Classic on April 28th at Garry Berry Stadium. Other meets at Garry Berry include the Pikes Peak Invitational on 3/11, the Spartan Invitational on 5/6, and the CSML Meet 5/11-13.