Comment on No surprise in Italy squad for crucial qualifier in Spain

Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds practiced for the first time in a month on Wednesday, opening his 21-day window to return to the 53-man roster. Reynolds was placed on the injured reserve last month after undergoing minor finger surgery. He sustained the injury while falling to the ground following his touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of the team’s Week 5 win over the Raiders. “It’s just getting back into the football mindset,” Payton said of Reynolds, who was a full participant at practice.

The CHSAA girls’ state volleyball tournament is dynastic. Valor Christian, Platte Valley, Thompson Valley, Lewis-Palmer, Fowler and Eaton quickly come to mind. But no team has bumped, set, and spiked in recent years with more authority than Merino. The No. 1 Rams enter Thursday’s opening day of the Class 1A tournament at the Denver Coliseum seeking its fifth consecutive title and 15th overall. “Tradition is such a part of this and is such a part of this community,” said coach Christin Sutter, who was a freshman on the Rams’ 1993 title team.

The time for tough decisions is coming for the Colorado Avalanche. Valeri Nichushkin is expected to return to the lineup Friday, assuming he is fully reinstated by the NHL and NHLPA from the player assistance program. Avs coach Jared Bednar intimated that Jonathan Drouin and Miles Wood, who have shed the non-contact jerseys for two days, could also be back against the Washington Capitals at Ball Arena. That means three forwards have to come out of the lineup, and at least two players have to be removed from the active roster.

ENGLEWOOD — Greg Maffei is stepping down as president and chief executive of Liberty Media, the company that owns Formula 1. Liberty Media said Wednesday that Maffei would leave his role when his contract expires at the end of the year and become an adviser. The company’s 83-year-old chairman, John Malone, will be the interim CEO. “While it’s never easy to leave an organization as dynamic as Liberty, I am confident that this is the right time,” Maffei, 64, said in a statement. He was a leading figure in the takeover of F1 in 2017 from long-time rights holder Bernie Ecclestone.

In some cases, the grass actually is greener. The Broncos return home Sunday after two straight tough losses on the road against the Atlanta Falcons. When they take the field at Empower Field, they’ll be doing so on a grass surface that’s been replaced since they beat Carolina at home in late October. The Broncos set about removing the grass immediately following the team’s 28-14 win over the Panthers on Oct.

The CHSAA state football playoffs are down to 16 teams in the top three classifications. Here’s a look at this weekend’s slate in all three with quarterfinal spots up for grabs. Class 5A The chalk Upsets happen all the time in prep football. But in regards to these matchups, we’ll go with “highly unlikely” the underdog wins. No.