Season Preview: Frontier League
In this article:
How it all shook out in ‘19-20 The Academy (11-0) ran the Frontier table. Middle Park (10-1) and Denver School of Science and Technology-Montview (9-2) also had strong loop showings, and Arrupe Jesuit (8-3) was another game back. Overall, seven…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingHow it all shook out in ‘19-20
The Academy (11-0) ran the Frontier table. Middle Park (10-1) and Denver School of Science and Technology-Montview (9-2) also had strong loop showings, and Arrupe Jesuit (8-3) was another game back. Overall, seven of the dozen Frontier teams finished with losing records and another, Sheridan, finished at 11-11.
Teams – Arrupe Jesuit, Bennett, Bruce Randolph, DSST-Montview, Jefferson, KIPP Denver Collegiate, Lake County, Middle Park, Platte Canyon, Sheridan, The Academy, The Pinnacle.
Which playoff team advanced the furthest?
It was a very lean, quick and disappointing postseason for the Frontier. The Academy, which entered the 3A 32-team Colorado field undefeated at 22-0 and as the second seed, smoked Sterling in the first round, then fell to Brush in the Sweet 16 … and that was it for the league.
A few returning players to watch
Felisha Chavez Felisha Chavez 5'7" | SG DSST: Montview | 2021 State CO , DSST-Montview, 2021, G, 5-6
Chavez shot 56 percent from the floor in ’19-20, while leading her team in scoring with 16.4 points per game. She also had a team-high 3.4 steals and averaged 5.3 rebounds a night.
Mikylah Espinosa Mikylah Espinosa 5'8" | PG Skyview | 2022 State CO , The Academy, 2022, G-F, 5-8
Averaging 16.9 points as a sophomore, Espinosa was part of a deadly one-two punch that is back for this upcoming season. Espinosa also averaged 4.7 rebounds, 7.2 steals, 2.1 blocks and 5.5 assists to set the pace for The Academy in 2019-20.
Aryanna Perez Aryanna Perez 5'6" | SG The Academy | 2022 State CO , The Academy, 2022, G-F, 5-6
If Espinosa was the jab last winter, Perez was the right hook. Frontier’s leading scorer (18.5 points) returns for another run after finishing possession after possession for the Wildcats in 2019-20. Also a dynamic player like Espinosa, Perez averaged 3.4 rebounds, 2.6 assist and four steals a night. It’s safe to say The Academy is in good hands.
Aspen Riesberg, Platte Canyon, 2021, G-F, 5-8
It takes a thief — Riesberg averaged 4.2 steals as a junior. She also led her team in scoring with an average of 12.3 points per game that included a season-best scoring output of 29 points in a 67-34 win over Bruce Randolph on Jan. 22.
Emily Sanchez Emily Sanchez 5'0" | SG Sheridan | 2022 State CO , Sheridan, 2022, G, 5-8
Sanchez led the Frontier a year ago with 52 made 3-pointers. She also averaged 15.3 points and 3.7 steals a night, and will likely be thrust into an even bigger role with senior leader Arianna Drake Arianna Drake 5'6" | SG Sheridan | 2020 State CO now graduated.
Some other names to know
Allyssia Hurtado, Jefferson, 2022, C, 5-10
Destiny Jacobo, The Pinnacle, 2021, G, 5-3
Chyann Kelly, Platte Canyon, 2022, G, 5-6
Eloisa Macias, Arrupe Jesuit, 2022, G, 5-6
Kaytlin Sprague, Lake County, 2021, G-F, 5-6
A quick, early look to Season B
This is a recording – it will be about The Academy … again. The Wildcats lost only two seniors and are the clear Frontier leader.