How Sweet has it been at Gateway in Aurora?
In his 20th season, boys basketball coach Jeff Sweet remains one of the few constants in the neighborhood off the intersection of Mississippi and Sable. He’s the same soul who deftly negotiates the balancing act of encouragement and drill instructing.
Sweet, 49, has always had boundless energy. He even doubled as Gateway’s head football coach for seven seasons.
“It wore me out a bit,” Sweet said.
Consider him now refreshed. The Olympians, whose style is based on defense and patiently moving the ball, have been struggling so far at 4-7. They have never had a losing season with Sweet in command. But Gateway may have gotten the victory it needs to turn around its season when it downed Montbello, ranked third at the time in The Denver Post/9News Class 5A poll, 55-51 on Tuesday night. It was a clash of styles among the big schools, with Gateway slowing it down and Montbello wanting to run.
“We have to play that way because we’re just not talented enough,” Sweet said. “You want to compete, so you adapt to who we are.”
Who they are is identifiable — a bunch of sound, overachieving, gritty Aurorans who are willing to listen to direction. They are close to handing their coach his 300th career victory. Sweet stands at 297, putting him in excellent company of leading Aurora coaches of the era, such as Bruce Brown (Overland-Cherokee Trail soccer), Steve Cavnar (Smoky Hill-Regis baseball), Tony Manfredi (Overland football), John Pounder (Hinkley football) and Terry Taylor (Rangeview boys basketball).
Next season, the Olys and their city district foes will move from the diverse Continental League and join Skyline schools.
“I think it really is good,” Sweet said when asked to assess his upcoming mark. “But that area and school, how it has changed, I think it’s pretty good.”
Army strong.
At the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio, the West handled the East 30-14 in front of 34,126 fans — more than an average Coloradan may play in front of in an entire season.
Steamboat Springs quarterback Austin Hinder completed his only pass attempt for 20 yards for the West and had two carries for minus-9 yards. Grandview linebacker Chris Martin was credited with a tackle for the East. Both are headed to the California Bears.
Footnotes.
Two former prep draftees were named organizational pitchers of the year — right-hander Evan Anundsen (Columbine, now with Milwaukee) and lefty Anthony Capra (Arvada West, Oakland). . . . Ron Johns, who heads Chatfield girls swimming and diving, has been named national coach of the year for 2009 by the national federation of state coaching associations. . . . Columbine honored former boys basketball coach Rudy Martin on Friday when the Rebels played Green Mountain, Martin’s most recent coaching stop. He compiled a 265-78 record, including the 1997 big-school title. . . . Denver Christian will be at Denver Lutheran in boys basketball tonight. It’s one of the oldest rivalries of the 3A Metropolitan League. DC coach Dick Katte first joined the school in 1960 and has more than 800 victories.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
