Regis Jesuit the early-season favorite on the big-school circuit
VIDEO: Regis Jesuit pitcher Bo Weiss.The
Regis Jesuit (Aurora) baseball team doesn't merely have a Division-I pitching rotation. It conceivably could be looked back upon as a Division-I all-star team.
The Raiders' three right-handed fireballers made them an easy choice for No. 1 in the CHSAANow.com preseason poll, with
Travis Marr (Clemson),
Nick Spiliotis (Dayton) and
Bo Weiss (North Carolina) all capable of bringing big-time heat. Add in the talents of Grand Canyon-bound center fielder
Quin Cotton and Regis Jesuit looks like the team to beat.
Don't crown the Raiders champs yet, however. The Class 5A landscape is loaded this spring, with No. 2
Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) bringing back Arizona-bound righty
Nate Sweeney and sophomore outfielder
Tanner O'Tremba, who was an All-American for his freshman age group last season.
Defending champion
Rock Canyon (Highlands Ranch) checks in at No. 3 although the Jaguars were hit pretty hard by graduation. Pitcher/infielder
Matt Givin is among the key contributors back in the fold. Fourth-ranked
Grandview (Aurora) boasts two Division-I signees in pitcher
Grant Schroeder (Arkansas State) and pitcher/outfielder
Travis Parker (Utah Valley) and No. 5
Rocky Mountain (Fort Collins), like always, should be in the mix.
Among the myriad contenders are No. 6
Pine Creek (Colorado Springs), which boasts 6-foot-6 left-hander
Brice Johnson, who has signed with Crieghton.
In Class 4A,
Green Mountain (Lakewood) will be aiming for its third straight crown and brings back Western Kentucky-bound outfielder
Wyatt Featherston. The Rams, though, begin the season ranked No. 4. Instead, it's Jeffco League-rival
D'Evelyn (Denver) that is garnering the preseason love after making a state-tournament appearance and finishing 22-3 last season.
The top-ranked Jaguars return four of their top six hitters and two key pitchers, including
Cameron Brown, who falls into both categories.
Lewis-Palmer (Monument) follows at No. 2 behind Nebraska signee
Paul Tillotson, a junior All-American last season. Tillotson went 8-1 with a 1.62 ERA and added six homers, 32 RBIs and a .446 batting average.
One team to watch is loaded
Longmont at No. 7. The Trojans return top hitters
Mason Peterson and
Cooper Rothe in addition to emerging lefty
Dagin Renck.
Everything in 3A, naturally, goes through
Eaton. This season, however, will be a year of transition for the Reds after the messy exit of the state's all-time wins leader Jim Danley. Newly anointed coach Bob Ervin will attempt to fill those enormous shoes, and voters still tabbed the Reds No. 1 in the preseason with players such as
Matt Burkart still in the fold.
As usual, the Reds' Patriot League competitors also are tabbed to be key factors with
Brush checking in at No. 3,
University (Greeley) at No. 4 and
Valley (Gilcrest) at No. 8.
The only team other than Eaton to corral first-place votes, however, was No. 2
Bayfield. The Wolverines return several key contributors, including
Kelton McCoy and
Zane Phelps. Bayfield has started 1-2, but the losses were to quality out-of-state schools.
The 2A landscape has a bit more of a wide-open feel this season after
Rye ran the table with a 25-0 mark last season. After losing many to graduation, the Thunderbolts check in at No. 6.
Resurrection Christian (Loveland), which played Rye to a 12-10 game in the championship, checks in at No. 1 with talented pitcher
Jake Tomcheck ready to assume ace duties. RC edged
Sedgwick County (Julesburg) by two votes for the top spot in the rankings – both boast the Cougars moniker – and Sedgwick County will look to rebound from being upset in the first round as a No. 3 seed by No. 14
Burlington last season. Burlington advanced all the way to the final four last season and checks in at No. 8 this season.
Another final-four participant,
Hotchkiss, begins the season No. 3. The Bulldogs return do-it-all senior
Cesar Gonzalez to the diamond.
After defeating
Granada in the championship game at All City Stadium last season,
Dove Creek returns as the top-ranked team
in Class 1A. Pitcher
Jordan Ernst is among several returning Bulldgos players who received all-state recognition of some sort last season.
Junior pitcher
Ricardo Juarez is a primary reason why
Holly checks in at No. 2, and the same for pitcher Jaxon King at
Fleming, which enters the season ranked No. 3. Fourth-ranked
Eads is among a handful of additional contenders, a lengthy list that also includes
Nucla,
Community Christian (Northglenn) and 2015 runner-up Granada, which starts at No. 7.
Class 5A
Defending State Champion: Rock Canyon
Returning All-State Players: Quin Cotton, Sr., Regis Jesuit, OF (HM); Gavin Gifford, Sr., Brighton, P/1B (HM); Maverick Handley, Sr., Mullen, C/INF (2nd team); Conner Nantkes, Jr., Cherokee Trail, P/OF (HM); Tanner O'Tremba, So., Cherry Creek, OF (HM); Sam Schroeder, Sr., Fruita Monument, P (HM); Josh Schumacher, Sr., Rangeview, 2B (HM).
Class 4A
Defending State Champion: Green Mountain
Returning All-State Players: Cameron Brown, Sr., D'Evelyn, P/OF (1st team); Jake Greenwalt, Sr., Windsor, P/3B (HM); Dane Kapande, Sr., Evergreen, INF (HM); Brandon Maes, Sr., Pueblo South, C/3B (HM); Dylan Norsen, Jr., Mountain View, P/OF (HM); Mason Peterson, Sr., Longmont, 2B (HM); Hunter Roberts, Sr., Alameda, 2B (HM); Christian Robles, Sr., Denver North, OF (HM); Cooper Rothe, Sr., Longmont, OF (HM); Paul Tillotson, Sr., Lewis-Palmer, P/OF (1st team); Austin Wood, Sr., Silver Creek, P/1B (HM).
Class 3A
Defending State Champion: Eaton
Returning All-State Players: Colby Archuleta, Sr., Gunnison, C (HM); Matt Burkart, Sr., Eaton, P/INF (1st team); Donovan Contreraz, Sr., Sheridan, INF/P (HM); Ty Hanzlicek, Sr., Valley, P/INF (HM); Christopher Martin, Sr., Centauri, SS (HM); Kelton McCoy, Sr., Bayfield, C/P (2nd team); Will McKissick, Sr., Kent Denver, OF/P (2nd team); Joe Mondragon, Sr., Eaton, 1B/OF (HM); Zane Phelps, Sr., Bayfield, P/3B (2nd team); AJ Stephens, Faith Christian, P/1B (2nd team); Brady Wilson, Sr., Gunnison, P/INF (HM).
Class 2A
Defending State Champion: Rye
Returning All-State Players: Bailey Benz, Jr., Rye, C (2nd team); Bryce Buhr, Sr., Crowley County, CF (HM); Miles Caldon, Sr., Sanford, C/P (HM); Jeff County, Jr., Burlington, P/INF (2nd team); Jonathon Cowles, Jr., Dayspring Christian Academy, C/P (HM); Christian Dellamaestra, Jr., County Line, P/3B (HM); Chance Dunker, Sr., Sedgwick County, P (2nd team); Caden Eastin, Sr., Evan Finley, Sr., Peyton, P/INF (2nd team); Tanner Fulkerson, Sr., Dawson School, SS/P, Junior (HM); Cesar Gonzalez, Sr., Hotchkiss, P/SS (2nd team); Spencer Kelly, Jr., Calhan, 2B/SS (HM); Bryar Kirkland, Sr., Swink, INF/P; Ryan Nolin, Sr., Yuma, C (HM); Kasey Nusbaum, Sr., Kiowa/Simla, P/INF (HM); Trevor Smith, Jr., Paonia, P/IF (2nd team); County Line, P/OF (2nd team); Joe Stephen, Sr., Limon, P/SS (1st team); Taylor Thorman, Peyton, Sr., P/Util. (2nd team); Jake Tomcheck, Sr., Resurrection Christian, P/OF (2nd team); Steven Weber, Jr., County Line, P/C/INF (HM); Ty Woodhams, Sr., Sedgwick County, P (1st team).
Class 1A
Defending State Champion: Dove Creek
Returning All-State Players: Jordan Ernst, Sr., Dove Creek, INF/P (1st team); Tyler Fields, Sr., Cornerstone Christian Academy, C/P (2nd team); Spencer Gatlin, Sr., Dove Creek, 1B (2nd team); Ricardo Juarez, Jr., Holly, INF/P (1st team); Ryan Keoller, Jr., Granada, P (2nd team); Derek Kibel, So., Dove Creek, OF (2nd team); Paul Kiddler, Jr., Community Christian, P (1st team); Jaxon King, Jr., Fleming, P/SS (1st team); Kyle Schultz, Sr., Dove Creek, P/INF (1st team); Eli Sievert, Sr., Rocky Mountain Lutheran, INF/P (2nd team); Marc Solis, Sr., Eads, INF/P (2nd team).
