Defending champions in Colorado softball ready to hit the diamond

After years of clamoring just to qualify for the state tournament, the Mountain Range (Westminster) softball team made the most of things after finally breaking through last season.

Now the defending Class 5A state champs are in uncharted territory. They've gone from the hunter to the hunted – although they still have Hunter.

That would be 5A player of the year Hunter Huser, who went 23-2 with a 2.00 ERA last season. Now the Mustangs, who begin the season ranked No. 1 in the CHSAANow.com poll, will begin the unfamiliar journey of entering the season as a favorite.

"The vibe in Mustangs camp this week during tryouts has been tremendous," eight-year coach Dane Craig said. "I had a record number of tryout kids at 53 this year. I didn't even have enough for a C team last year, let alone three this year. However, at the varsity level, there is a sense of repeat and knocking the notion that we were a one-hit wonder."  

While Mountain Range will have to replace All-Colorado players in third baseman Riley Craig and catcher Val Ortega, in addition to the middle infield, the Mustangs will have their entire outfield back, including talented junior Ellery Sherman. Trinity Gallegos (.439 average) will take over behind the plate.

The Mustangs have an ambitious nonleague schedule, including a title-game rematch with No. 7 Pomona (Arvada) on Aug. 26 and an under-the-lights matchup with 4A champ Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) on Aug. 27 at Metro State. The Mustangs begin the season at home Wednesday against No. 8 Grandview (Aurora).

Other 5A contenders include Chaparral (Parker), Legend (Parker) and Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins), the Nos. 2-4 teams in the rankings, respectively. Of note, Legend received two first-place votes. The Titans return standout Jess Smith, who batted .568 with seven home runs and 42 RBI last season.

In 4A, the last two seasons have nearly been mirror images. Three of the same teams qualified for the semifinals each season – Valor Christian, Erie and Wheat Ridge – and Valor won the title each time. It should serve as no surprise, then, that Valor enters the season atop the rankings and the trio of semifinalists all are among the top four.

Mountain View (Loveland), a semifinalist last season, begins at No. 3. Frederick, runner-up in 2014, checks in at No. 5.

Valor will remain the favorite behind standout junior pitcher Alexandria Kilponen (23-1, 0.70 ERA) and senior shortstop Lauren Foster (.500, 11 homers, 51 RBI). Erie figures to be right back in the mix with senior pitcher Rio Sanchez while runner-up Wheat Ridge will return a solid contingent of seniors. Frederick will be led by dual-threat senior Alicia Hernandez.

Silver Creek (Longmont), Berthoud and Air Academy round out the preseason top eight.

In 3A, as usual, all eyes are on Strasburg. The Indians have won three of the past four crowns and are 69-1 over the past three seasons. The lone loss came against La Junta in the 2014 final.

Strasburg will be buoyed by the return of junior Dakota Stotyn, who went 14-0 with a 1.28 ERA last season. But that's only half the story. She also batted .485 with nine homers and 47 RBI.

The Indians, unanimous picks for the top spot in the rankings, will face challenge from No. 2 Eaton. The Reds played Strasburg to a 7-5 game in the finals last season. Rocky Ford and pitcher Selena Medina begin the season No. 3 and La Junta checks in at No. 4.

Sterling and Brush, semifinalists last season, being the season Nos. 5 and 7. Valley (Gilcrest), a longtime power prior to Strasburg's dominance, is ranked No. 6. Larissa Amador had 19 extra-base hits as a junior last season and is a major reason why The Academy (Westminster) begins the season ranked eighth.

Returning All-State selections:

Class 5A
Melisa Gellermann, Grand Junction Central, P/OF, Sr. (2nd team); Malory Eldredge, Ralston Valley (Arvada), OF, Sr. (1st team); Hunter Huser, Mountain Range, P, Sr. (1st); Lindsey Malkin, Broomfield, 3B/C, Sr. (1st); Shea Mauser, Arvada West, P/1B, Jr. (2nd); Tatum Rembao, Loveland, OF/P, Sr. (2nd); Jesse Smith, Legend, OF/1B, Sr. (1st); Sloane Stewartson, Rock Canyon (Highlands Ranch), C, Sr. (2nd); Emily Taggart, Legacy (Broomfield), C, Sr. (2nd); Alexandra Velazquez, Grandview, OF/P, Sr. (2nd).

Class 4A
Jessica Bellatti, Evergreen, SS, Sr. (2nd team); Lauren Foster, Valor Christian, SS, Sr. (1st team); Alicia Hernandez, Frederick, P/OF, Sr. (2nd); Alexandria Kilponen, Valor Christian, P, Jr. (1st); Mikayla Marquez, Kennedy (Denver), P/OF, junior (2nd); Rio Sanchez, Erie, P, Sr. (1st).

Class 3A
Lanessa Amador, The Academy, Util., senior (2nd team); McKenna Gubanich, Faith Christian (Arvada), SS, Sr. (1st team); Dakota Stotyn, Strasburg, P/1B, Jr. (1st); Selena Medina, Rocky Ford, P/INF, senior (2nd).