State title ends long slump for Caon City

CAON CITY - Mike Gunkel played in the first game at Citizens Stadium in 1966 against Salida. He went on to coach with Caon City's Lee Hitchcock for 25 years and has spent the last four seasons as a member of the team's chain gang.

Except for his college days, Gunkel has played, coached or worked every game at the stadium.

But never in those 34 years had he seen anything like Saturday.

Gunkel was part of a standing-room-only crowd that watched his friend, Hitchcock, guide Caon City High School to its first state title since 1929, a 39-12 win over Woodland Park in the Class 3A championship game.

Gunkel recalled his rookie year (1973) with Hitchcock when they lost 63-0 to Trinidad. Those were some frustrating times, he admitted.

"We were a couple of kids," Gunkel recalled. "He was 24 and I was 23. To have this turn around, especially now in his career, is tremendous."

The day was also special for Gary "Bubba" DiOrio, an assistant coach who was seriously injured this fall in a head-on traffic accident on Colorado Highway 115.

DiOrio, who owns a downtown sporting goods store, has coached with Hitchcock for 15 years. DiOrio, with several members of his family, watched the game from a wheelchair behind the south end zone.

DiOrio sustained a broken pelvis, hip and foot in the accident. With time running out in the game, Hitchcock pumped his fists in the direction of his close friend.

Then the chants of "Bubba, Bubba," started in unison from the packed house. After the game, senior Gil Caley and the rest of the Caon City team carried the state championship trophy over to DiOrio.

"Hitch finally got it, that's the most important thing," DiOrio said. "I wanted to see him get that state championship."

It all happened before a crowd bigger than any before at Citizens Stadium.

"I think the biggest crowd I'd seen up to this game was the game with Florence in 1992," said Caon City athletic director Hal Wiebers, whose been at the school for 28 years. "But we didn't have the people around the north edge like we do today and look at those standing. In my 28 years here, it's the largest crowd I've ever seen here."

Wiebers said 2,700 tickets were pre-sold to Caon City residents, with another 1,100 to folks in Woodland Park. With game-day sales, he estimated total attendance between 4,500 and 5,000.

For Gunkel and Wiebers, the victory was extra special because it is the first championship for either after three decades of friendship.

"I can't think of anyone more deserving of a state championship than coach Hitchcock," said a misty-eyed Wiebers. "He's labored hard and long. He's always had competitive teams, and always put out a team the community could be proud of."

- Troy Schwindt may be reached at 636-0250 or gtsports@gazette.com

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