Author: Hugh Johnson
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Olivia McEwen’s chaotic nature has been a boon for Widefield softball
Chaos has worked well for Widefield softball. Some parents were skeptical in 2024 when Gladiators coach Nick Leonard placed five freshmen on the varsity roster. Nevertheless, the team finished the year with 19 wins, the most in Leonard’s tenure and most in the school’s recorded history on MaxPreps dating back to 2009. Last year, as…
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Janine Sonis’ late free kick stuns Utah Royals in 2-1 win
It’s difficult to imagine a better start to a rivalry than the one Janine Sonis penned on Saturday night. In the final match of the inaugural Continental Divide rivalry series between the Denver Summit and the Utah Royals, Sonis lifted her team to a 2-1 victory with a goal off a free kick in the…
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Rhode Island wins 2024 USL Championship final rematch, hands Switchbacks second straight loss
Rhode Island got its revenge. Rhode Island FC prevailed 2-0 over the Colorado Springs Switchbacks on Saturday in a rematch of the USL Championship final from 2024. While Rhode Island fell short of claiming a league title in its first year of operation in downtown Colorado Springs two seasons ago, things were different in Pawtucket,…
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Challenged by competition and fewer minutes, Matt Mahoney remains standard-bearer for Switchbacks
Matt Mahoney has been synonymous with the Colorado Springs Switchbacks since the dawn of the Weidner Field downtown era in 2021. The defender has been the team’s captain since 2023 and a mainstay in the club’s lineup since he arrived. He was a top-three player in minutes from 2021-2025 and in 2024, he was an…
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Summit delays Saturday’s kickoff against Royals to 8 p.m. over extreme temperature forecast
The Denver Summit were originally scheduled to host the Utah Royals at 2 p.m. Saturday, but kickoff has been pushed back to 8 p.m. per a social media message posted Friday afternoon. With a high temperature of 99 degrees forecast for Saturday in Centennial, Colo. and a kickoff temp of 97 degrees according to Weather…
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Denver Summit lose captain Lindsey Heaps to a late decision, fall to North Carolina Courage
Lindsey Heaps’ late removal from the lineup Wednesday served as foreshadowing. No matter the setback, the Denver Summit just have to keep moving. The team captain came into the club’s home match with an issue of swelling in her leg. After a visit with the team doctor, Heaps was not cleared for competition against visiting…
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Derrick White returns to old stomping grounds at second camp with Hillside Connection
Even Derrick White can’t believe how much Colorado Springs has grown. The Colorado native turned UCCS basketball star turned Boston Celtics guard was in town on Sunday for his second consecutive youth basketball camp with Hillside Connection, a community organization that uses the sport to create opportunities for kids living in Southern Colorado Springs. “My…
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Switchbacks can’t find back of net at New Mexico, fall to rival
Switchbacks forward Sadam Masereka’s chance in the 86th minute told the story of the game. He corralled a long pass from fellow forward Yosuke Hanya with a brilliant touch inside the box that created space between him and New Mexico United defender Kipp Keller leading to a wide-open chance inside the box. Masereka’s strike soared…
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Superfans Mark and Catherine Gonzales and Bill Sunderland built a lifelong friendship over Switchbacks and U.S. Soccer
Bill Sunderland made his 18-year-old self proud this summer. A vibrant memory for the Switchbacks season ticket holder is attending a World Cup match in Chicago with his uncle in 1994. “I had never seen soccer like that,” he said. “I had never seen the fans and the fandom and the craziness, right? Again, I’m…
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Jonas Fjeldberg’s late goal lifts Switchbacks to thrilling win over visiting Charleston Battery
“We don’t listen to words, we listen to actions,” Switchbacks coach Alan McCann said of his team’s resilience on Saturday night. Forward Jonas Fjeldberg had the biggest action of them all. Midfielder Steven Echevarria sent in a cross and found Fjeldberg on the back side, who sent his header past Charleston Battery keeper Luis Zamudio…