Keegan Ghidotti has been waiting all year – well, 12 years, actually – for this week. Now that it’s finally here, plans have been altered for the Ponderosa centerfielder.
"I think we’re going to have to bag senior week," Ghidotti said. "We need a good week of practice and nothing can distract us."
Ghidotti doesn’t mind having to scrap the activity, because it means he’s one of the few seniors in the state who still is afforded the opportunity to step on the baseball diamond after school and prepare for the Class 5A state tournament.
Ponderosa (16-5) hardly is the favorite, as the Mustangs earned the eighth and final seed and open Friday against three-time defending champion Rocky Mountain (Fort Collins) (19-2) at All City Field. But unlike the district playoffs, this isn’t a one-and-done thing. The state tournament, or championship series, as it is dubbed, closely mimics the College World Series and abides by a double-elimination format.
"It’s a little less stress, but we’d like to get that first one," Ghidotti said. "With Rocky Mountain, it’s going to be tough."
File photo by Patrick Miller
Grant McCabe, Cherry Creek
Other first-round action Friday includes No. 2 Grandview, with pro prospect Kevin Gausman and junior home-run machine catcher Greg Bird against No. 7 Regis and fireballing pitcher Alex Goetz; No. 3 Cherry Creek, with Division I-bound pitchers Tito Nava (Duke) and Ben Mordini (Utah) against hard-hitting No. 6 Ralston Valley, which is led by shortstop Matt Jones; and No. 4 Mullen against No. 5 Pine Creek, a Colorado Springs Metro League representative making its first appearance in the state tourney.
Diamond notes from the rest of the state
The state tournament also kicks off Friday for the lower classifications, with 4A and 3A also following the double-elimination format that will allow the tournament to be spread out over two weeks. In 4A, top-seeded Mountain View (Loveland) (20-1) is the favorite, although the field has something of a wide-open feel. Interestingly, the Mountain Lions will open against the one team that beat them, Northern League rival Silver Creek.
The Northern League accounts for five of the eight teams in the fray, as Skyline, Greeley West and Broomfield also qualified. Second-seeded Montrose, No. 4 Pueblo South and No. 6 Rock Canyon are the only non-Northern teams in contention.
In 3A, Eaton brings its ridiculous 58-game winning streak to the tournament. The Jim Danley-coached Reds surpassed the previous state record of 45 in the regular season with a win against Valley and have continued to ascend.
The lone surprise in the final eight is Legend (9-11), which navigated its way through districts as the No. 24 seed. The Titans, though, will have to open against Eaton (21-0). Stalwart Metro League squads Holy Family, Faith Christian and Kent Denver all qualified, with upstart Florence (20-1), Olathe and Erie rounding out the competitors.
The 2A and 1A classes follow a traditional bracket, and each is down to the final rounds. In the 2A semifinals on Friday, Matt Brown-led Limon takes on Las Animas while pitching-heavy Resurrection Christian clashes with Paonia. The winners will meet in the championship game Saturday, which will come after the 1A title game featuring Fleming and Stratton.
Girls soccer notes
The 5A bracket has gone according to plan, as the top eight seeds of the 32-team bracket advanced to tonight’s quarterfinals. If that trend maintains, a Nos. 1-versus-2 matchup featuring Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) and Fairview (Boulder) would be in the offing May 26 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
First, Cherry Creek must get past Rocky Mountain and Fairview past Smoky Hill. Pine Creek and Mountain Vista also clash in a Nos. 3-vs.-6 matchup, while No. 4 Air Academy plays host to No. 5 Arapahoe. And don’t count out the fifth-seeded Warriors, who are back on track. They began the season 10-0, endured a 1-2-2 stretch, but now are rolling again after two playoff wins.
"We play as a team and the girls have determination to finish," Arapahoe senior striker Laura Feehs said.
The top eight seeds also remain alive in the 4A bracket (which resumes Wednesday), and while many are talking about top-seeded Lewis-Palmer, don’t count out defending-champ Wheat Ridge. The Farmers have blitzed the competition 16-1 in the first two rounds with junior sensation Annie Kunz, nearing 100 percent health after dealing with an injured ankle, having produced eight goals.
There is a lone bracket-buster in 3A, in which only seven of the top eight seeds survived. That notable exception was No. 2 Holy Family, which was shocked 2-1 in double-overtime by No. 15 St. Mary’s. The favorite in 3A, which resumes Thursday, is top-seeded Classical Academy (17-0).
Lacrosse notes
Tell us if you recognize any of these boys lacrosse programs: Arapahoe vs. Regis; Kent Denver vs. Cherry Creek. Sound familiar? Those four boys lacrosse teams, venerable programs in the state, will face off in the semifinals Wednesday for the right to play in the title game Saturday at Invesco Field at Mile High.
The girls bracket, still in the quarterfinals stages, features top-seeded Cherry Creek, led by Kamelyn Downing (71 goals, 20 assists), and No. 2 Denver East among its favorites. The girls final is slated for May 26 at the University of Denver.
Etc.
This weekend also features the state track championships (Thursday through Saturday at Jeffco Stadium for all classifications) and the state swimming finals (5A at Edora Pool and Ice Center in Fort Collins, 4A at Mountain View Aquatics Center in Loveland). Tennis championships were completed Saturday.