Gazette, The; Colorado Springs, Colo.

Harrison's Big Bounce ; Watson Enjoys Getting School Excited About Standout Season

Dorian Watson, The Gazette's All-Area big school basketball Player of the Year, led the Harrison Panthers to their first state championship appearance since 1973, averaging 16.7 points, 3.8 assists and 2.4 steals. The senior, who is undecided about where he'll play next, answered questions about basketball, his teammates, coaches and himself.

Finish with a Flourish ; Thorpe Leads Harrison to 4a State Championship Game in His Finale

He led the Harrison Panthers to a 26-2 regular-season record and the school's first state championship appearance since 1973. It was the final season for Butch Thorpe, The Gazette's All-Area big school boys' basketball Coach of the Year. And although it didn't end with a state title, Thorpe has unforgettable memories.

Hooked On Intensity ; Area's Best 3-Point Artist Thrived Under Pressure

Air Academy senior Michelle Ambuul was one of the top scorers in the Colorado Springs area (20.2 ppg) and was third in Class 5A. She shot 46 percent for the season and had a high game of 33 points. The 5-foot-11 forward was third in the state among 5A players in 3-pointers made (80) and shot 44 percent from behind the 3-point arc. She made at least four 3-pointers in a game 10 times, made five 3s on three occasions and twice made six in a game.

Kadets' Emotional Surge ; Chambers Choked Up When He Realized How His Young Players Were Responding

Ivan Chambers hurriedly left the Air Academy gym before the season opener against Pine Creek. Hopefully, Chambers thought to himself, nobody noticed. "I was overwhelmed with emotion because I knew these girls had a chance to be something special," he said. "They'd just started warmups and I saw how the younger kids were handling their first varsity game. It was a moment of pride for me. I'd never felt that before and had to go outside and compose myself."

Fueled by Junk Food, Sleep, Hoops ; and Then There's That Matter of Consecutive State Titles

Mason Boggs is just your average 18-year-old high school senior... well, almost. The 6-foot-1 guard is putting the finishing touches on his senior year at Evangelical Christian Academy, just as he did on a second straight Class 2A state basketball title March 12 with the undefeated Eagles.

Accustomed to Winning ; Bruns Picks Up His Sixth State Championship in 11 Years, Second in a Row at Eca

Winning state basketball championships has become a regular occurrence for Dennis Bruns. The Evangelical Christian Academy boys' coach led his team to a second straight Class 2A state title this season. It is Bruns' sixth championship in the past 11 years. He won four straight state titles from 1995 to 1998 as the girls' coach at Lamar. This season, he led ECA to a 26-0 record and a 66-64 victory over Jefferson Academy in the title game.

Lions' Alberts Is Controlling Type ; She'd Love to Dine with Actor Depp, but He'd Never Beat Her One-On- One

Megann Alberts is a repeat winner as The Gazette's small school girls' basketball Player of the Year after leading Colorado Springs Christian School to a 20-7 record and the round of eight at the state tournament. Alberts was second in Class 3A scoring (22.7 ppg) while displaying a soft touch and versatility around the basket.

Third Title Rewarding ; Brown's Teams Have Been 118-9 Over Past Five Seasons; Got to Coach Daughter

Mark Brown shied away from the word dynasty, but with a record of 118-9 the past five seasons and three state championships, his Limon program is certainly enjoying a reign of dominance. Limon was 26-0 and won the Class 2A state title. Limon's perfect season was saved when the Badgers rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat Las Animas 58-54 in overtime for the championship.

From Winless to State Titlist ; Hull Becomes Rampart's Third Champion Wrestler, First to Win 40 in a Season

After going 0-16 and getting pinned in each match as a freshman, Rampart's Calyn Hull captured the Class 5A state championship at 189 pounds as a senior this season. Hull (40-1), The Gazette's All-Area Wrestler of the Year, was the first wrestler in Rampart history to record 40 wins and was the third wrestler in Rams' history to become a state champion.

Respect Restored On Mat Gives a Reason to Bragg

Two seasons ago, the Wasson wrestling team failed to win a dual match. It improved to 11-12 a year ago and had its best season in recent history this year, going 21-5 in duals and placing fourth at regionals.

Building a Winner, Together ; Barton Gets Manitou to Work Out, Have Fun As a Team; Results in Best Finish Ever

The first thing Toni Olizieriton did in her first season at the helm of the Manitou Springs swim team was find a consistent venue for the team to practice. That included the divers, who in previous seasons, often never saw their swim mates except for competitions. As it turned out, the Manitou Springs Aquatic Fitness Center came through -- and even installed a new diving board. The Mustangs, behind Olizieri-Barton's tutelage, rolled to their best finish in school history, 23rd at the Class 4A...

Kofford Caps Career with State Title ; Diver Is Family's Second Champ

Christie Kofford refused to obsess over the state diving title. For one thing, she figured focusing on one thing might work against her. For another, it's just not who she is. Kofford, who earned third place at the Class 4A state diving meet as a freshman, took third again at state as a sophomore and second last year.

Paul the Club Kadets Needed ; Forward Comes Over From Club to Help Air Academy Win State Championship

Cody Paul didn't have to play high school hockey this season. The senior forward spent his three previous years at Air Academy playing elitelevel club hockey instead. But something drove Paul to join his friends and suit up for his school. That decision proved to be beneficial for him and Air Academy. The shifty skater and shooter led the Kadets in scoring (45 points) and he displayed his talents best in the playoffs, scoring four goals and adding four assists.

Building a Powerhouse ; Rampart's Mcintosh Cranks Up Energy to Get Downtrodden Program Off Ground

Glenn McIntosh has always been a firm believer in theory of "Build it and they will come". Two seasons ago, as Rampart suffered through a 5-16 hockey season, some team parents had asked him why he wouldn't promote his team, draw some attention, get some more fans in the seats. His answer was, "once we put out a winning product -- things will take off."