Grand Junction Cheerleaders Score High at State

The Grand Junction High cheerleading team finished 20th out of 47 teams in the Class 5A all-girls division Dec. 9 at the Cheerleading State Championships.

Tigers cheerleading coach Katie Goddeyne, who was a cheerleader for two years at Colorado Mesa University, and the rest of the cheeleaders drove about four hours and 30 minutes to Denver Coliseum for a two-and-a-half minute routine.

"It was stressful," Goddeyne said. "But this is big for Junction cheer.

She said the cheerleaders had been working since June, primarily for that competition.

Said cheerleader Jessica Leeds: "We were astonishing."

Chadron coach caught up in officiating

Anyone sitting near the Chadron State (Neb.) College bench Friday night for the Colorado Mesa men's basketball game, couldn't help but notice Chadron State coach Brett Bargen complaining.

Sure, coaches spend a significant amount of time trying to persuade officials to make calls in their favor, but Bargen seemed to devote the entire second half on whining about calls.

As his team fell further behind, Bargen kept complaining about Colorado Mesa coach Jim Heaps asking about officials calls. You would think Bargen would've been more concerned about making adjustments to keep the Eagles in the game.

With or without Bargen's help, the Eagles did get back in the game, trailing by five points with two minutes left. Mesa put the game away, making 9 of 11 free throws in the final two minutes for a 76-70 victory.
 

Respect, likeability not enough for Ramunno

Joe Ramunno was a much-loved and respected coach.

Players, fans and peers have all said he is a class act and wanted the Colorado Mesa University football coach to succeed, but it wasn't enough. Ramunno resigned Friday morning.

The team's lack of success the past three seasons and lack of Academic All-Conference players likely added up to the end. Ramunno was disappointed more than anyone there wasn't more wins and academic All-Americans.

On the field, the lack of an experienced quarterback hurt. In 2009, the Mavericks went back and forth between two redshirt freshmen. The following year, Mesa started with sophomore Robert Felberg the first game, but went to sophomore Michael Mankoff the rest of the season. He threw 13 interceptions and had eight touchdowns.

This season, they started with Felberg again, but three games into the season, Mesa put in redshirt freshman Steve Romero against nationally-ranked Nebraska-Kearney. Romero showed some ability in running the offense, but was injured. By the fourth game of the season, Mesa started four different quarterbacks.

When Romero returned, he held the position the rest of the season, but went through growing pains. He completed 48 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Romero may prove to be the right quarterback in time, but  for the Mavericks to consistently win, they will need to get closer to the RMAC limit of 28 full-time equivalent scholarships.

Rockies meet and greet

One thing kept popping into my head Tuesday as I chatted with various members of the Colorado Rockies and Grand Junction Rockies front office.

Just how many purple shirts do these men own?

Dick Monfort had on a light purple dress shirt. Jay Alves, the Rockies' VP of communications and public relations, had on white dress shirt with purple and silver/gray stripes. You've gotta get creative when purple is your domiant color — too much can be overwhelming.

But Grand Junction will be awash in purple, black and silver this summer when the Grand Junction Rockies debut at Suplizio Field somewhere around June 18. The Pioneer League schedule hasn't been released yet, so Tim Ray, the club's affable general manager, doesn't know if the GJ Rocks will open at home or in one of the other seven Pioneer League cities in Utah, Idaho and Montana.

Here's the official club logo... what do you think?

The caps haven't been approved by Minor League Baseball, but they'll have an interlocking GJ, just like the big club's CR. The Rookie club will wear Rockies unis and the lettering will be the same.

Right now, Dick Monfort said, there are no plans to rename the team in a year or two, like Casper did. That club started out as the Casper Rockies, then changed to the Casper Ghosts. Monfort likes the link between the Western Slope and the Mile High City, starting with the club's name.

"Everything is always open and we’d have to have the OK (from Minor League Baseball),” he said. “I believe it is our desire for them to be the Grand Junction Rockies.”

The club has already sold more than 400 season tickets at $299 each (38 home games). Call 255-ROCK to order, and in the next few days, the club's website, gjrockies.com, will be running. And soon, I'm guessing, just as soon as the cap logo is approved, Grand Junction Rockies caps, T-shirts, sweatshirts, seat cushions and anything else you can put a logo on will be on sale.

No word on if we'll get our own baby Dinger...now THAT's a lot of purple.

The Rookies are coming!

Not sure if it's the best worst-kept secret in town, or the worst best-kept secret in town, this whole Rookie league baseball team moving to Grand Junction. Even though no one will confirm ... or deny ... on the record, after at least a half-dozen tries to land pro baseball in this baseball town, we're extremely close to having a team of our own.

For right now, let's not worry about if beer will be sold at the minor league games (I'm pretty sure that's a done deal, or this deal won't get done). Let's not worry about if this club will hurt our ability to make JUCO the successful event it's always been (I'm confident JUCO will be taken care of). Let's not worry about scheduling baseball games in the early fall when there are football games being played across the way (that's the easiest fix of all; you just adjust baseball game time. The Ghosts share a stadium in Casper with the American Legion baseball team, which has the first rights to use Mike Lansing Field. The athletic directors in town will work with the new guys for the two or three weekends there will be conflicts.).

Let's get serious: This team is gonna need a name.

In keeping with the tradition of Minor League Baseball, we have to have something clever, with a unique logo, something that fits with Grand Junction or Western Colorado. If you're not familiar with the minors, check out minorleagebaseball.com. Under the "shop" link, go to the caps. That's where the money is in Minor League Baseball. The Las Vegas 51s? Who doesn't want a baseball cap with an alien on the front? The Everett Aquasox? A baseball-cap wearing frog, catching a baseball with his tongue? Toledo Mud Hens? That's Klinger's team from M*A*S*H! My favorite has always been the Chattanooga Lookouts, with the big eyeballs popping out of the C.

So here's your chance, Grand Junction baseball fans. Let's hear some chatter; reply to this blog and give this club some quality choices for Grand Junction's own professional baseball team.