The 2016 high school sports season in Colorado brought not just great moments, but great teams to the preps scene.
There were the powerhouses of the Colorado sports world that seem to have more state championships than they have students.
There were the first-time state champions, new to the feeling of holding up that trophy at the end of the year.
And, there were the upset stories, as several teams knocked off traditional heavyweights on their way to a state title.
Of all the schools, we narrowed down our list to what we thought were the top nine teams in the state in 2016.
9) Colorado Academy Girls' Lacrosse
The Mustangs had a perfect sweep through the state in 2016. Colorado Academy went 18-0 to win its second straight lacrosse state championship.
8) Valor Christian Football
The Eagles football program is on one of the most impressive state championship runs in Colorado state history. After getting revenge on Pomona from a loss earlier in the season, Valor has now won seven football state titles in the past eight years.
7) Rocky Ford Softball
Number seven on the list goes to a first-time state champion in the sport. Rocky Ford capped off an impressive 23-1 season with a dominant run through the state 3A softball bracket.
6) Regis Jesuit Hockey
The Raiders celebrated a lot in 2016. Not only did they win their fourth ever state championship on the ice, they also scored at least ten goals a remarkable eight times on their way to a 22-1 season. In total, Regis outscored its opponents 190 to 27.
5) Grandview Girl's Soccer
Aside from one tie, the Wolves were perfect in the 2016 campaign. Grandview went 18-0-1 on its way to the school's third state title, winning back-to-back championships. Not only that, but Grandview notched 75 goals on the season, compared to just seven given up to the competition.
4) Dayspring Christian Volleyball
Speaking of perfection, the Eagles won their first state title in volleyball by going 29-0 in 2016. Dayspring Christian was nearly unstoppable, losing just twelve sets all season. The school ended its undefeated year with a 3-1 victory over defending champion Yuma in the state title match.
3) Fairview Girls' Tennis
Earlier, we spoke of first-time champions and upset teams. Fairview was both in 2016. The Knights knocked off Cherry Creek -- who had won a staggering 19 straight girls' tennis titles -- to win their first tennis championship in school history. The victory was the exclamation point on a perfect 11-0 season.
2) Sanford Boys' Basketball
Speaking of streaks, Sanford did something remarkable in 2016. The Indians finished undefeated on the year for a second straight season, winning the state championship for the third straight year. On top of that, Sanford came out on top in a ridiculous 74 games in a row.
1) Boulder Boys' Soccer
Our number one preps team in 2016 finished ranked number two, in the entire nation, according to MaxPreps. Boulder went 20-0 this season, but certainly didn't coast to victory down the stretch. The Panthers showed their resiliency with a thrilling victory in the 5A state championship -- a game against Broomfield that went into 13 rounds of penalty kicks. Boulder is our best team of 2016.
