News Archive

Sometimes it happens, a game where one team has a game full of hard contact that finds gaps, and there isn’t anything the opposing team can do. That was the case on Saturday, April 6, when the Mustangs hosted the Front Range Christian Falcons and fell 0-12. 

Nolan Monasch would start the game on the mound for the Mustangs and get out of the first inning after only giving up one run. The inning would end with the Falcons’ Wesley Marshall attempting to steal home following his triple, but the ball was waiting for him when he arrived. The game would continue at a slow burn with Front Range only adding two to three runs per inning. Monasch would be pulled following the fourth inning, having given up eight runs (five earned) on eight hits. Freshman Teddy Peterson would then come in from the bullpen for the fifth and final frame and give up four runs.

Offensively for the Mustangs, not much happened. Josh Ortman had the lone hit in the second consecutive one-hit contest for Denver Academy. At the same time, the highly anticipated high school debut for Spencer Gosh went off flawlessly, reaching in all three plate appearances, walking twice, and getting hit once. Overall, though, there was a lot of hard contact for the Mustangs, but none fell for a hit. The resounding opinion was that Front Range absolutely outplayed the Mustangs on both sides of the ball.

The second game of the twin bill was slated to begin at 4 P.M. facing Rocky Mountain Lutheran High School, but that never happened. One of the hazards of hosting four teams on one field throughout a single day is that games inevitably get pushed back because of other games running long. On a cold day like the 6th, sometimes the delay is due to the weather as well. Unfortunately, due to a myriad of circumstances, the second game of the day, between Front Range Christian and DSST Montview, started over an hour late and the third game, between DSST Montview and Rocky Mountain Lutheran, began at 3:30, a mere half hour before the Mustangs second was supposed to begin.

The Mustangs’ next game is today, Tuesday, April 16, away against Denver Jewish Day School, followed by a rematch on Wednesday, April 17, against Front Range Christian right here at Denver Academy. Come out and support the team!

Just before DA’s Spring Break in March, students had the opportunity to participate in a variety of Experiential Education Immersives (EEI). Elementary students visited with and read to neighborhood preschoolers; built aluminum foil boats and tested their sea-worthiness on our campus pond; and played creative on-campus games like Minute to Win It. Our middle and high school students were able to choose their own adventure from local options such as birding, mountain biking, visiting sports venues, trying new foods, to regional trips for cross-country skiing and volunteering at the Pine Ridge Lakota Reservation in South Dakota, and even national and international trips including visits to Chicago, Hawaii, Key Largo in the Florida Keys, Cuba, and Panama.

EEI is an integral part of the DA curriculum, designed to provide students with a wide range of academic, personal, physical, community, and social challenges outside of the regular classroom. They give students the unique opportunity to “learn by doing and reflecting” while mingling with students from other grades/divisions, working with teachers from other grades/divisions, and fully immersing themselves in transformative experiences.

DA’s recent performance of Anastasia: The Musical performed for a sold-out crowd in its final of three shows last month. The show featured DA students in grades nine through 12 acting, singing, dancing, and managing tech. Congrats to the entire cast and crew! 

If this is timed right, Happy Opening Day!

That’s right, the Denver Academy Mustangs High School Baseball Team opens their season AT HOME against Lyons this afternoon (March 11) at the Mike Hampton Baseball Field. Last season was a harrowing experience for the team, as they played all their games on the road due to the construction of the new DA theater. The result of the road warriors last year was a middling 6-10 record, which was just not good enough for a trip to the dance, as they would have to be content with being left on the bubble for the second year in a row. 

Something about this team seems different this time around. The venerated Brady Jenkins and Will Plank both graduated after two seasons on the team, sure, but that’s not it. Much like the basketball team, this is a team with real depth for the first time since before the pandemic, and a team that’s looking to shock the league. Senior shortstop Nolan M. looks to go out on a high this year, and his replacement may already be a team member in Spencer G. or Chris J.. Another freshman, Josh O., gives the Mustangs a catcher and another bat in a lineup full of offense. Teddy P. gives the Mustangs a likely second baseman and one of many options out of the bullpen for manager Joe Senne. At the same time, Jack Wood (yes, I am playing as well as covering the squad, but just know I will be as objective as possible) returns to first base and is another arm from the pen. The depth isn’t just limited to the infield, though. Seniors Jonathon H. and Parker L. lead the outfield this season, as well as sophomore Mason N., bringing with them the biggest on-field improvement from last season.

This year's schedule features 14 games at home, something all returning players and coaches appreciate, and a minuscule two road games. Highlights include a doubleheader this Friday, March 15 against Skyview (2 p.m. first pitch) and home games versus Denver Christian and Front Range Christian. Familiar foes Gilpin County and Longmont Christian are absent from the slate as neither currently has a team. The Mustangs will miss both teams, as they beat them in the last two seasons. The schedule currently sits at 16 games, one short of the 17 required to be eligible for the CHSAA playoffs. 

The story of last season was all seniors, with Brady Jenkins leading most of the stat categories, both offensively and on the mound. This season, the story IS the team. One of the most significant and visible developments from last year to this season is that this team has chemistry, which hasn’t been the case in recent seasons.

The key to this team’s success this year is how they work together. Nolan M. can only hit once every time through the lineup, so how the bottom of the order and bench produce is crucial to the team this year. Defensively, making the routine plays is huge, and if they can do that, they put less stress on the offense to pick up the slack. The biggest thing for the pitchers will be to keep it on the ground and in the infield, limiting big hits.

Once again, the Mustangs have expectations to meet, and the ultimate test of a good team is how they cope with those expectations. Nothing has changed in the way the DA Varsity Basketball Team has, but there is still a sense that this team genuinely believes they have the tools to succeed on the diamond.

Once again, the Mustangs open their campaign tonight against Lyons at 4 p.m. and play again this Friday versus Skyview, so come out and support them!

The Mustangs gave everyone who made the trek to Black Hawk something to cheer about on Thursday night, Jan. 18, as they made the 0-8 Gilpin County Eagles 0-9, thrashing them by an astounding 43-point margin. It was the first league win of an already successful campaign for the Mustangs, which tied them for fifth in the Mile High League at 1-1, with an additional loss to Clear Creek.

A shortened week for the Mustangs meant that they had ample time to recover from their 65-50 win over rivals Cripple Creek and prepare for the long and arduous stretch ahead. Thus well-rested, the Mustangs loaded up the bus for the trip up I-70, eventually leading them to victory. Much like the drive to Gilpin, the whole game kept going up and up for the Mustangs. They immediately jumped out to a 9-0 lead, which they would not relinquish for the rest of the night. Even as the Eagles tried to claw back into the game, coming to within three points early, the Mustangs kept the pressure on and finished the first quarter by 10.

The rest of the night would prove to be one of the more uneventful ones for the Mustangs, as they kept attacking the basket and scoring a lot of layups and short jump shots. The Mustang's onslaught of two-pointers showed how the Mustangs can deviate from their typical reliance on long-three-point baskets, especially at the capable hands of Nolan M. and Riley A. The Mustangs had a miniscule amount of three-point baskets go in, only netting three. One from Nolan, one from Riley and one from Luc S., all three of whom scored more than 20 points, combining for a total of 73 of 79 total points for Denver Academy.

More than anything, the game showed that the Mustangs were good at adapting to different situations throughout the game, which they will need in their upcoming games this season. They had two back-to-backs on the 22nd and 23rd and the 26th and 27th of January. The Mustangs would take only one of the games that week and take their two worst losses of the season at Denver Christian School and Bishop Machebeuf, losing by 57 and 48 points, respectively.

The Mustangs need the support of fans now more than ever. Join the stands for the High School Mustang basketball games this week at home on Tuesday, Feb. 6 and Thursday, Feb. 8. Check out the DA Athletics Calendar here for details.

The January 12 basketball tripleheader was the third time this season that the Mustangs have walked away holding multiple wins. Although they still lack the elusive clean sweep, the Junior Varsity Boys and Varsity Girls teams exemplified everything positive about the new era of Denver Academy Basketball, including the ability to play through adversity. Neither team held the lead until late in the fourth quarter (3:50 left for the boys, and inside of two minutes for the girls).

This basketball season is about the team, not the individual. Yes, the Mustangs have had their share of individual performances throughout the season to this point, namely Gianna Giordano and Henry Stettner. But the defining trait of this season is the ability to care less about the individual than the team. 

It was a frankly demoralizing first quarter for the Lady Mustangs, being shut out and down, 7-0, but they pulled within five points at the half. The third quarter was ho-hum, and the lead was more-or-less unchanging. The fourth quarter was soon upon the team, and behind a strong performance by Gracie Turner, the Mustangs went up by one with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter thanks to a free throw from Gianna Giordano.

More drama ensued late in the contest as the scoreboard operator would fail to restart the clock not once, but TWICE after free throws in the final minute of play, giving the Clear Creek Golddiggers more chances to come back and take a slim lead with almost no time left.

Fortunately, this didn’t happen, and the Mustangs would go on to get their first legitimate win (the Mustangs Varsity Girls Team is 2-3, with the other of their wins coming via forfeit from the Poudre Community Academy Warriors.) 

The amount of calmness it takes to return from an early deficit, especially when you are held scoreless in the first quarter, is huge. This win is a big morale boost for this team and shows they are on the right track after a slow start to the season. Both Denver Academy boys’ teams have set blistering paces to start the season, with the J.V. team being 4-1 and the Varsity team being 3-2. The girls’ team opened up their campaign at 1-3 but looked strong in their first game back from the break. It remains to be seen if they can carry the momentum from their first win into the rest of an unforgiving January, with seven more games for the Mustangs before the end of the month.

The next battle for the Mustangs is a second bout against the Cripple Creek-Victor Pioneers on January 13 at home. The girls' team leads off the doubleheader at 2:00 p.m., and the boys' varsity squad plays at 3:30 p.m.

The annual varsity boys basketball matchup against the Cripple Creek-Victor High School Pioneers is one of the favorite matchups for the players. It’s one that the Mustangs have taken in the last four matchups, and it’s a budding rivalry for the two schools. It was evident to everyone in attendance that the Mustangs came in expecting to win against the 2-1 Pioneers. The Mustangs didn’t just win, though. On the back of a 37-point triple-double for Nolan M., the Mustangs put together a spectacular team display to win their second straight game by 30 points, walking away with a 77-47 win.

The Mustangs jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter, scoring a quick 20 points and leading by ten against the Pioneers. The defense for the Mustangs was the story in the first quarter as they stood their ground, and most of the points for Cripple Creek came via free throws. The Pioneers were strong in the second quarter, outscoring the Mustangs by one. However, they were still down by nine, making their efforts somewhat meaningless.

The Mustang's offense exploded in the second half, especially during a 28-point fourth quarter that led to the game's dominance. Nolan M. played well on both sides of the ball with 11 rebounds and 10 steals, in addition to the 37 points. Freshman Riley A. also had a solid night with 13 points, four steals, and three assists, as well as showing grit after getting shoved and flying a long way through the air before coming to a hard landing and going back into the game after a short, 30-second stint on the bench.

The Mustangs followed up their 77-47 win at Cripple Creek with another win in Longmont against Twin Peaks in dramatic fashion, winning on two clutch free throws from Riley A. and Henry S. Going into final exams and winter break, the Mustangs sit atop the Mile High League standings, tied with Bishop Machbeuf High School. They are ranked 10th in the Colorado 2A Division, according to MaxPreps. Nolan M. has had a phenomenal start to the season, and he ranks a whopping SIXTH among all players, regardless of division in Colorado, and first in Division 2A.

The Mustangs begin the next part of the so-called “revenge tour” with a triple-header featuring the girls and boys JV teams at home against Clear Creek on Jan. 11. The Mustangs also square off against Cripple Creek again on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 3:30 p.m. at home in the James E. Loan Athletic Center, following the 2 p.m. girls game.

Learn more about DA Athletics here or check out the DA Athletics Calendar here.