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26 Fort Collins-area athletes earn all-state honors for winter high school sports season

Chris Abshire, Fort Collins Coloradoan
·2 min read
Poudre's Banks Norby prays on the mat after winning his finals match at the Colorado state wrestling tournment at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.
Poudre's Banks Norby prays on the mat after winning his finals match at the Colorado state wrestling tournment at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Twenty-six Fort Collins-area high school athletes earned first- or second-team all-state honors during Colorado's winter sports season.

Another 14 athletes earned honorable mentions in their sport, while one coach and one player took top honors in their respective classifications.

The all-state teams were released on CHSAANow.com following the conclusion of each sport, finishing this past week with the all-state hockey team.

Here is a look at the locals who earned statewide honors for winter sports:

Boys basketball

First Team

  • Madden Smiley, Windsor (5A)

Windsor's Madden Smiley takes a free throw shot during a class 5A state championship game against Mesa Ridge at the Denver Coliseum in Denver, Colo., on Saturday, March 9, 2024.
Windsor's Madden Smiley takes a free throw shot during a class 5A state championship game against Mesa Ridge at the Denver Coliseum in Denver, Colo., on Saturday, March 9, 2024.

Second Team

  • Jayce King, Fort Collins (6A)

  • Johnnie Reed, Windsor (5A)

  • Raul Bertinato, Heritage Christian (2A)

Fort Collins boys basketball's Jayce King (2) looks to pass during a city rivalry boys-girls doubleheader against Fossil Ridge on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at Fort Collins High School in Fort Collins, Colo.
Fort Collins boys basketball's Jayce King (2) looks to pass during a city rivalry boys-girls doubleheader against Fossil Ridge on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at Fort Collins High School in Fort Collins, Colo.

Honorable mentions: Eli Nutting, Fossil Ridge (6A); John Backhaus, Windsor (5A); Kellen Ball, Windsor Charter Academy (3A); Ian Voetelink, Poudre Community Academy (2A)

Girls basketball

Second Team

  • Reyleigh Hess, Windsor (5A)

Windsor junior shooting guard Reyleigh Hess looks to shoot as a Northfield player defends during the Colorado 5A girls basketball state championships Great 8 at the Denver Coliseum in Denver, Colo., home on Friday, March 1, 2024.
Windsor junior shooting guard Reyleigh Hess looks to shoot as a Northfield player defends during the Colorado 5A girls basketball state championships Great 8 at the Denver Coliseum in Denver, Colo., home on Friday, March 1, 2024.

Honorable mentions: Avery Alcaraz, Fort Collins (6A); Carmen Arkin, Fossil Ridge (6A); Sara Chicco and Kenna Wagner, Rocky Mountain (6A); Brooklyn Jiricek, Windsor (5A); Gretchen Deines, Timnath (3A); Grace Falsetto, Liberty Common (3A); Morgan Kimmi, Windsor Charter Academy (3A); Mikaela Harvey, Heritage Christian (2A); Joslyn Schaeffer, Poudre Community Academy (2A)

Ice hockey

First Team

  • Braeden Kerr, Poudre School District (5A)

Second Team

  • Hayden Williamson, Poudre School District (5A)

Poudre School District ice hockey player Haden Williamson (95) battles for the puck with Cherry Creek's Zane Miller (14) during a game against Cherry Creek on Friday, January 26, 2024, at NoCo Ice Center in Windsor, Colo.
Poudre School District ice hockey player Haden Williamson (95) battles for the puck with Cherry Creek's Zane Miller (14) during a game against Cherry Creek on Friday, January 26, 2024, at NoCo Ice Center in Windsor, Colo.

Nordic skiing

Nordic Coach of the Year: Kyle Steitz, Poudre School District

First Team

  • Clara Statkus, Poudre School District (girls)

  • Cade Shortridge, Poudre School District (boys)

  • Ethan Cooley, Poudre School District (boys)

PSD Nordic ski coach Kyle Steitz (middle) stands with 5-kilometer skate podium finishers Cade Shortridge (left) and Clara Statkus (right) at the Colorado state Nordic ski championships on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, at YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colo.
PSD Nordic ski coach Kyle Steitz (middle) stands with 5-kilometer skate podium finishers Cade Shortridge (left) and Clara Statkus (right) at the Colorado state Nordic ski championships on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, at YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colo.

Second Team

  • Ellayna Potter, Poudre School District (girls)

Girls Swimming

5A Girls Diver of the Year: Sydney Ovesen, Fossil Ridge

First Team

  • Ella Gaca-Thiele, Fossil Ridge (5A)

  • Sydney Ovesen, Fossil Ridge (5A)

  • Reagan Annable, Windsor (4A)

  • Cody Monajjem, Wellington (3A)

  • Josie Stahl, Liberty Common (3A)

Fossil Ridge’s Ella Gaca-Thiele walks to the podium at the Colorado 5A girls swimming state championships to receive her gold medal on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, at Veterans Memorial Aquatics Center in Thornton, Colo.
Fossil Ridge’s Ella Gaca-Thiele walks to the podium at the Colorado 5A girls swimming state championships to receive her gold medal on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, at Veterans Memorial Aquatics Center in Thornton, Colo.

Second Team

  • Elle Gray, Fort Collins (5A)

  • Gracie Thornton, Fossil Ridge (5A)

  • Paige Nguyen, Fossil Ridge (5A)

  • Madison Arnold, Fossil Ridge (5A)

  • Abby Lehmkuhler, Rocky Mountain (5A)

Rocky Mountain’s Abby Lehmkuhler races at the Colorado 5A girls swimming state championships on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, at Veterans Memorial Aquatics Center in Thornton, Colo.
Rocky Mountain’s Abby Lehmkuhler races at the Colorado 5A girls swimming state championships on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, at Veterans Memorial Aquatics Center in Thornton, Colo.

Wrestling

First Team

  • Billy Greenwood, Poudre (5A boys)

  • Banks Norby, Poudre (5A boys)

Poudre High School boys wrestler Billy Greenwood walks in the parade of champions before the finals at the Colorado state wrestling tournament at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.
Poudre High School boys wrestler Billy Greenwood walks in the parade of champions before the finals at the Colorado state wrestling tournament at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

Second Team

  • Nico Bekkedahl, Poudre (5A boys)

  • Brett Lamb, Poudre (5A boys)

  • James Pantoja, Windsor (4A boys)

Windsor's James Pantoja celebrates a win after his semifinal match at the Colorado state wrestling tournament at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024.
Windsor's James Pantoja celebrates a win after his semifinal match at the Colorado state wrestling tournament at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado all-state teams: 26 Fort Collins-area athletes earn top honors