Brendan Ploen
Brendan Ploen is a freelance sports reporter for The Denver Post, covering the Colorado Rapids, Colorado soccer news, preps and more. He started writing for the publication in December 2020. He previously covered preps, outdoors and college sports for The Durango Herald from 2018-20, and before that, worked in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sports department. A Chicago native, he is a Marquette University graduate.
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Rapids decline option on Younes Namli as part of flurry of end-of-season moves
The Rapids will have all three Designated Player spots at their disposal as they look to improve the roster after declining a purchase option for midfielder Younes Namli.

Rapids sign Michael Barrios to one-year contract extension
The Colorado Rapids will have their leading goal scorer back in burgundy next season.

5A boys soccer: Grandview drops Fossil Ridge 3-1 to claim program’s first state championship
Charlie Lucero created plenty of problems against Fossil Ridge in the Class 5A state championship game Saturday at Weidner Field.

5A state football: Rock Canyon takes down Smoky Hill on last-minute field goal in wild back-and-forth affair
When neither team in the Class 5A state playoff game between No. 19 Rock Canyon and No. 14 Smoky Hill was able to get a stop, kicker Breck Saenger kept his...

Class 4A softball: Ava Kuszak crushes two home runs in Holy Family’s run to third state title
Aurora -- On her visor, Holy Family High School senior Ava Kuszak wrote two phrases that have kept her going throughout the 2021 season. The one underneath her cap is...

Legend softball beats Columbine to win Class 5A state title
The Titans pitching ace, junior Cameron Ponich, was masterful. She went all seven innings, struck out 12, issued no walks, and gave up four hits.

Legend holds on late, outlasts Pine Creek behind big nights from Jackson Brush and Bryce Vaz
The Legend High School football team needed everything from its two senior playmakers to hold off a late surge from Pine Creek in a highly-anticipated 5A-4A South showdown to open...

Alamosa’s Joshua Medina delivers moving 3A 1,600 victory to cap three-title weekend
Chris Medina looked up to the heavens and smiled through a stream of tears. He had just given his son, Joshua, the most honest and sincere embrace he could.

Colorado state track meet, Day 3: Live results from Jeffco Stadium
Itap Day 3 of the Colorado high school state track and field meet at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood. The Denver Post is there throughout the weekend providing live coverage.

Vista Ridge sophomore Brandon Hills makes most of last jump for first 5A long jump title
Vista Ridge sophomore Brandon Hills had two options heading into his last jump in the Class 5A boys long jump Friday at Jeffco Stadium: reach for a title, or land...