Preseason high school baseball rankings are starting to trickle out, and
Regis Jesuit (Aurora) is considered among the nation's best, according to the
Perfect Game.
The web site lists the Class 5A defending champion Raiders at No. 43, and they are the only Colorado team listed in the top 100.
Regis Jesuit, which has a new head coach in former Major Leaguer Walt Weiss, returns two all-state players. That includes junior shortstop
Brody Weiss, the coach's son, and sophomore pitcher
David Peterson. Right-handed pitcher
Peter Bayer, who recently signed with the University of Richmond, also returns.
* The Class 5A girls swimming state meet continues to generate national buzz, largely because of
Missy Franklin, an Olympic hopeful from
Regis Jesuit. Franklin was on the cover of the New York Times on Thursday and Saturday's 2 p.m. finals will be broadcast live by ESPN3. (Click
here for the direct link.)
The event understandably is a hot ticket, one that has been on sale for six weeks. All-session passes are sold out, which has drawn concern from parents who fear they might not be able to watch their daughters compete. The event is not officially a sell-out, though.
More than 350 tickets remain for the preliminaries, which begin at 4 p.m. Friday, and about a 100 are left for the finals. Yes, it will take a little effort to get there early and wait in line, but state officials are confident most people who want a seat will be able to get one.
The Edora Pool Ice Center in Fort Collins seats 1,000, making it the largest swim facility in the state with regard to spectator seating. For those who can't get a seat within the pool area, EPIC staff is setting up two large screen projectors in the facility and will stream the event live.
In the event of a sellout, the Colorado High School Activities Association also is guaranteeing that one parent or support person will be able to watch their swimmer/diver compete in person. Those in that situation will be allowed in for that particular event, then trade places with the next group.
Certainly the attention on the 5A meet has created some challenges all around, but it also will create a competitive environment the participants will never forget. That's great for the sport and great for Colorado.
*
Sierra (Colorado Springs) might have a similar seating situation tonight, as the boys basketball team, ranked second in Class 4A by MaxPreps, will play host to No. 1
Lewis-Palmer (Monument). The top spot in the Colorado Springs Metro League is at issue, as is perhaps the state's No. 1 seed when the postseason begins.
Sierra officials acknowledged earlier in the week they might have to turn away spectators because the gym is expected to fill up quickly for the 7 p.m. start. On display will be two of the state's top players in Sierra's
Wesley Gordon and Lewis-Palmer's
Josh Scott. Both will continue their careers at the University of Colorado.
The Gazette broke down their previous head-to-head matchups.
* That matchup will not be the only one between top teams Friday. In the Class 5A Continental League,
Chaparral (Parker) will be at three-time defending champion
Regis Jesuit in a game that has major league and state implications.
* In additional news coming from the Colorado Springs area,
Canyon Barry of
Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs) could be out for the season after injuring his left ankle Tuesday, according to
The Gazette. Barry is the son of NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry and he has signed to play with Division I College of Charleston.
The Gazette reported Barry suffered a high ankle sprain and is in a walking boot until Feb. 20, when he will have it reevaluated.
"He goes in the day before the playoffs start, so we'll find out then if we have him," Cheyenne Mountain coach J'on St. Clair told the newspaper. "He's disappointed. It's not the way you want to end your senior year, of course. He's worked hard to get where he is."
* While the rest of the state continues regular-season league play, the Class 4A Jefferson County League begins its postseason tournament tonight, with four games each in boys and girls. The league's Nos. 5 through 12 seeds meet, as the top four seeds received first-round byes. D'Evelyn is the No. 1 seed in both boys and girls.