Column: Colorado prep sports mark 95th year

No. 95.

This fall, Colorado high school sports begin their 95th year of official, sanctioned competition.

There were high school games and matches before 1921 — mostly regional contests, such as the state’s oldest high school football rivalry: Delta versus Montrose.

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But in May 1921, a group of school superintendents and principals met in Boulder and organized the first Colorado High School Athletic Conference.

The group was formed to regulate and develop interscholastic athletic programs.

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There were nine leagues initially in Colorado: Northern, North Central, Western Slope, Suburban, Southeastern, Arkansas Valley, South Central and San Juan Basin.

Colorado’s first official state champions that year:

Colorado Springs in football.

Greeley in basketball.

Fort Collins in track and field.

In 1924, the Colorado organization went national with the National Federation of State High School Associations. And CHSAA was born; the Colorado High School Activities Association.

In Colorado football this year, the reigning state champs are:

1A Paonia

2A Brush

3A Pueblo East

4A Pine Creek (Colorado Springs)

5A Cherry Creek (Englewood)

Sporting quotes

“On Independence Pass, it was not easy to breathe.”

— Czech cyclist Roman Kreuzinger, winner of a stage of the USA Pro Challenge.

“At the top of all of the passes, I was cross-eyed.”

— French cyclist Laurent Didier on the USA Pro Challenge in Colorado.

“It’s about knowing how to suffer.”

— USA Pro Challenge winner Rohan Dennis of Australia.

The list

Back by popular demand, the ever-growing list of folks who’ve passed me recently on my bike:

Coryn Rivera

Abby Mickey

Gabe

Andrea Quarenghi

Storm Silich

Evergreen Cycling Club

Mikey

Tejay van Garderen’s father-in-law

dstrode@aspentimes.com