AURORA - With 2025 right around the corner, the Colorado High School Activities Association is taking a look back at some of the special moments of 2024.

While some programs extended long streaks of state championship success, there were 38 teams who won the first-ever state title in their respective sport or activity for their school.

DSST: Cedar won its school’s first-ever state championship by capturing the Co-Ed Cheer competition at state spirit, and The Village did the same in 3A volleyball. Riverdale Ridge won its first girls state championship of any kind by capturing the basketball crown, then followed up with a softball title in the fall. Timnath also doubled down on firsts for girls, winning its first girls state championship in track and field in the spring and then winning a cross country title in the fall.
 
In the recently completed fall sports seasons, highlights included the first ever state championships awarded in flag football as well as for esports’ Splatoon. Cherry Creek won five state championships in the fall, while Thompson Valley and Mountain Vista each earned three.
 
Cross country state titles went to boys winners Niwot in 5A, Thompson Valley in 4A, Salida in 3A and Golden View Classical Academy in 2A, while the girls champions were Mountain Vista in 5A, Timnath in 4A, The Classical Academy in 3A and Heritage Christian in 2A. The Thompson Valley boys and Timnath girls won for the first time in the sport, while The Classical Academy’s girls won for the 16th time.
 
Cherry Creek won the field hockey state title, while the first-ever flag football winners were Mountain Vista in 5A and Mountain View in 4A.
 
Seven football state champions were crowned over three days in two locations. Cherry Creek (5A), Broomfield (4A) and Thompson Valley (3A) won titles on Dec. 7 at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins, while 2A winner The Classical Academy and 1A winner Wray were victorious on Nov. 30 at Dutch Clark Stadium in Pueblo, one day after 8-man champion Haxtun and 6-man winner Cheyenne Wells celebrated at the same site. Thompson Valley and The Classical Academy were both first-time winners, while Cherry Creek captured its 14th football state title.
 
The boys golf state champions were Cherry Creek in 5A, Cheyenne Mountain in 4A, Evergreen in 3A and Golden View Classical Academy in 2A. Golden View Classical Academy’s championship was its first, while Cherry Creek won its ninth but first since 1981.
 
In gymnastics, Mountain Range was the 5A winner, while Niwot won in 4A. Niwot won for the seventh time. The softball champions were Riverdale Ridge in 5A, Lutheran in 4A and Eaton in 3A. Riverdale Ridge won for the first time, while Lutheran has now won four in a row.
 
Boys soccer state champions were Cherry Creek in 5A, Air Academy in 4A, Holy Family in 3A and Forge Christian in 2A, while the boys tennis champions were traditional powers Cherry Creek in 5A and Kent Denver in 4A – Cherry Creek has won 47 times, Kent Denver 14.
 
Northridge was the first-time champion in unified bowling.
 
In girls volleyball, state champions were Valor Christian in 5A, Thompson Valley in 4A, The Village in 3A, Sedgwick County in 2A and McClave in 1A.
 
A total of 15 team state championships were earned in spirit, including two by Cherokee Trail. Arrupe Jesuit (2A/3A Game Day Cheer), Cherokee Trail (4A/5A Game Day Cheer) and Ralston Valley (Game Day Dance) won game-day titles, all-girl cheer championships went to Mountain Vista (5A), Windsor (4A), Prospect Ridge (3A) and Denver Christian (2A), co-ed cheer winners were Castle View (5A), Coal Ridge (4A) and DSST Cedar (2A/3A), hip hop and jazz champions were Eaglecrest and Cherokee Trail, respectively, and poms winners were Rock Canyon (5A), Roosevelt (4A) and University (2A/3A). Coal Ridge’s title was its seventh in a row in the discipline and came in its first year in 4A, while Ralston Valley, Cherokee Trail cheer, Windsor and DSST Cedar all won for the first time in their events. Windsor’s title was its first in spirit.
 
In esports, the fall champions were Denver East in Rocket League, Cherokee Trail in League of Legends and Mountain Vista in the first-ever Splatoon competition. It was the first esports championship for each. Last spring, esports winners were Pueblo West in Mario Kart and Grandview in Super Smash Bros., and those teams were also first-time winners.

Also, in December, a Student Leadership Conference was held over two transformative days at Sand Creek High School. This event brought together student leaders from across Colorado for an unforgettable experience of growth, connection, and inspiration.

In basketball, Valor Christian won the 6A state championships for both the boys and girls divisions. The rest of the boys champions included Mesa Ridge in 5A, Resurrection Christian in 4A, Yuma in 3A, Limon in 2A and Cheyenne Wells in 1A. Limon’s state championship was its first since 1964, while Cheyenne Wells won a title for the first time since 1955. Other girls basketball state champions were Roosevelt in 5A, Riverdale Ridge in 4A, Colorado Springs Christian in 3A, Merino in 2A and Briggsdale in 1A.

In ice hockey, 5A champion Regis Jesuit earned its seventh state crown in the sport, while 4A victor Durango won its first title. Meanwhile, Summit won both the boys and girls titles in skiing, each for the 22nd time.
 
Three state championships were handed out in girls swimming & diving, with Cherry Creek winning in 5A, Pine Creek in 4A and St. Mary’s Academy in 3A. In wrestling, boys’ state champions were Pomona in 5A, Mead in 4A, Mullen in 3A and Meeker in 2A, while the girls’ team champion was Pomona. 
 
In speech & debate, the overall champions were George Washington in 5A,  Delta in 4A and Resurrection Christian in 3A.
 
In the spring, Colorado Academy won three girls state championships, including its ninth-straight in lacrosse, and The Classical Academy swept the boys and girls track & field titles for 3A.
 
The baseball state champions were Cherry Creek in 5A, Holy Family in 4A, Eaton in 3A, Denver Christian in 2A and Merino in 1A. Eaton’s title was its 15th, the most of any CHSAA baseball school.
 
In girls golf, the winners were Valor Christian in 5A, Erie in 4A and Prospect Ridge in 3A. Meanwhile, in girls tennis, the champions were Ralston Valley in 5A, Kent Denver in 4A and Colorado Academy in 3A.
 
In lacrosse, boys state champions were Valor Christian in 5A and Erie in 4A, while for the girls, the winners were Colorado Academy in 5A and Evergreen in 4A. The girls soccer state champions were Mountain Vista in 5A, Evergreen in 4A, Colorado Academy in 3A and Flatirons Academy in 2A.
 
Titles in boys swimming & diving went to Cherry Creek in 5A and Silver Creek in 4A. In boys volleyball, the state champion was Mountain Vista.
 
And in track & field, the boys champions were Cherokee Trail in 5A, Northfield in 4A, The Classical Academy in 3A, Peyton in 2A and Cheyenne Wells in 1A, while the girls’ winners were Rock Canyon in 5A, Niwot in 4A, The Classical Academy in 3A, Timnath in 2A and Merino in 1A.

CHSAA Music Festivals showcased the top musical talent throughout the state of Colorado, hosting 23 festivals all across the Centennial State during the 2023-24 academic year. CHSAA music festivals are an educational opportunity to showcase the student’s talents, and to grow from the experience of receiving feedback from trained adjudicators. CHSAA has around 40,000 students that participate in music throughout the school year, and Colorado offers many opportunities to showcase a plethora of disciplines. In February, CHSAA held its first-ever Mariachi Festival, a one-day collaborative event for students across the state to perform, learn music together, and enjoy a first-class mariachi concert from Mariachi Las Dahlias, a Colorado-based female mariachi group.