Looking Back: First Time State Champions in 2023
AURORA – With 2023 coming to a close, the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) is looking back at some of the moments that made 2023 so special.
Some of CHSAA’s fondest highlights were getting to see the celebrations of 38 different first-time state champions. Of those 38 state championship teams, 13 captured their school’s first championship in their current classification, while 25 secured their school’s first-ever state championship in that particular sport or activity and four won their school’s first-ever state title, period.
Those four schools that brought home their first-ever state championship hardware include Denver Jewish Day School – which won the 1A boys basketball championship, Severance – which won the 4A baseball championship, Golden View – which claimed the 2A boys cross country championship and Arrupe Jesuit – the 2A/3A game day cheer championships in just their first year as a program.
No activity boasted more first-time champions than basketball, where four of the six boys championship squads and five of the six girls champions had never won a title in their current classification. With 2023 also representing the first year of Class 6A in basketball, Grandview brought home the inaugural 6A girls title, while Denver East won the first-ever 6A title for the boys.
In addition, Class 5A champions Mesa Ridge and the aforementioned Denver Jewish Day School won its first-ever championship in any classification of boys basketball. And, on the girls side, Roosevelt captured the 5A girls title, while Sedgwick County won 2A and Briggsdale secured the 1A title, marking each of its first-ever championships in any classification of girls basketball. The Holy Family boys and Holy Family girls teams also swept the Class 4A championships for the school’s first state titles in 4A basketball.
The Spring 2023 season also featured the first sanctioned esports championships, as Rocky Mountain swept both the Mario Kart and Super Smash Brothers titles.
In fact, all four esports champions in 2023 were first-time winners in some way, as Valor Christian won its first esports championship in any game, nabbing the Rocket League championship this fall, and Cherry Creek won the 2023 League of Legends state championship this fall. The League of Legends title marked Creek’s second esports championship, but its first in League of Legends (Creek won the 2022 Rocket League title).
In boys golf, Rock Canyon captured its first 5A title, while Evergreen was victorious in 4A and Resurrection Christian came away with the 3A championship, as each notched their first team championships in any classification. In gymnastics, 4A Palmer Ridge secured its first championship in any classification, while Mountain Range won its first 5A title (it had previously won 4A in 2017).
Meanwhile, unified bowling not only saw its first 27-team tournament due to expanded participation, but it also saw Windsor becom ethe first non-Pueblo area team to win a title, as it set a record for the highest pinfall (651) at a state championship event.
Baseball also had a trio of first-time champions, as Severance won the 4A title and Haxtun claimed the 1A championship, to mark each of its first baseball championship in any classification. Valor Christian also secured its first title in Class 5A.
Along with 2A/3A game day cheer champions Arrupe Jesuit, Roosevelt’s 4A co-ed cheer became first-time champions, as they brought home Roosevelt’s first co-ed cheer title.
In track and field, four teams reached new peaks, while cross country celebrated three such teams.
The Dayspring Christian 2A girls track and field team and the Cheraw boys 1A track and field team each earned its school’s first track championships, as Dayspring Christian posted the third-best 2A girls team score at the state championship since 2017, and Cheraw recorded the best 1A boys team score since 2016. The other first-time champions in track and field were Lutheran’s boys team, which won its first 4A title, and Alamosa’s girls team, which won its first 3A title.
In cross country, the Rock Canyon boys team (5A), the Golden View Classical Academy boys team (2A) and the Heritage Christian girls team (2A) each brought home its respective schools’ first state championship in any classification of cross country.
In 8-man football, Mancos completed an undefeated season to capture its first-ever football championship, while Erie won its first 4A title after previously winning in 1A. Holy Family also won its first 3A title, after previously winning in 2A.
The Mead girls lacrosse team won its first 4A lacrosse championship and the Colorado Springs Christian girls soccer team won its first-ever 2A girls soccer title.
Among the teams that had previously won at another classification, Dakota Ridge captured its first 4A girls soccer title and Resurrection Christian girls volleyball won 3A volleyball, marking the first titles in a new classifications.
