While Colorado Academy and Cherry Creek are clear favorites, several other squads are lurking
Erin O'Shaughnessy (6) is one of the key components for the Kent Denver girls lacrosse team this season. The senior midfielder will continue her career at the University of Michigan.
File photo by Ray Chen
While their rankings atop the CHSAANow.com poll are completely justified, the spring season of girls lacrosse will about more than just
Colorado Academy (Denver) and
Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village).
Yes, Colorado Academy broke through last year to become the first team in a decade other than Cherry Creek or
Air Academy (US Air Force Academy) to win a state championship. Yes, Cherry Creek has appeared in every championship game since the sport was sanctioned in 1998, and the Bruins have won 10 of them.
But while the sport admittedly is top-heavy and never features a field of, say, a dozen legitimate contenders, there is reason to look beyond the top two. Squads such as
Mullen (Denver) and
Kent Denver (Englewood), for instance, are teams that the favorites would be foolish to take lightly come playoff time.
"I think CA and CC are definitely deserving of receiving top ranks in the polls," Kent Denver first-year coach Melissa Rausch said. "In addition, Mullen has clearly pulled ahead as a top team who should be considered a threat to both. So far the top four teams in the polls – Colorado Academy, Cherry Creek, Mullen and Kent Denver – have all proved themselves worthy of their top ranks."
Kent Denver is fueled by senior midfielder
Erin O'Shaughnessy, a high-scoring midfielder bound for the University of Michigan, and midfielder
Dani Murray, who will play at Washington and Lee. Junior
Madi Wifall and injured senior
Louisa Benson will play at Colorado.
Under the guidance of Rausch, who also serves as the senior manager for 3D Lacrosse's central region, the Sun Devils' lone loss was a two-goal decision to Mullen. Kent Denver has the look of a final-four contender, perhaps beyond, particular with O'Shaughnessy in the fold.
"Erin is a top player, both in Colorado and in the country," Rausch said. "We were just in Florida for spring break and played a team from New Jersey and from Maryland. Even against those East Coast teams, she was one of the best players on the field. She has always been a great one-on-one player; she has the field sense and timing to know how and when to beat her defender."
Mullen (4-1) features seven players who will be moving on to the college ranks next season, including two to Division-I schools.
Payton Gabriel will play at Colgate and goalie
Lynne Frankel at LaSalle. Mustangs top scorer
Ali Vanek will play at Division-II Regis University.
The Mustangs have been in San Diego for spring break and lost their first game of the season Thursday. That was to Torrey Pines, who is ranked No. 4 in California and 11th in the nation in the
MaxPreps rankings.
The talent pool stretches even deeper as the sport continues to take hold across the state.
Denver East (4-1) and
ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch) (3-0) also are off to stellar starts and teams such as
Arapahoe (Centennial) (2-1), Air Academy (2-1) and
St. Mary's Academy (Englewood) (4-0) also have the potential to work themselves into the conversation of top-flight contenders. And although
Regis Jesuit (Aurora) and
Centaurus (Lafayette) have gotten off to rocky starts, each squad is loaded with talent and can quickly right the ship.
Out west,
Grand Junction (5-0) has throttled foes by a combined 80-23, but it remains to be seen if the Western Slope has caught up with metro-area lacrosse.
Of course there's a reason why Colorado Academy and Cherry Creek remain the favorites at the outset. CA, a unanimous preseason No. 1 in the CHSAANow.com poll, is led by midfielder
Emma Richards (University of Denver) and defender
Anna Gallagher (Marquette). Cherry Creek counters with midfielder
Holly Sutherland (CU), midfielder
Regan Kinney (Lafayette) and goalie
Sara McGuire (Winthrop).
Class 5A
Defending Champion: Colorado Academy
Returning All-State players:
Hannah Clauss, Sr.,
Aspen (2nd team);
Lexi Davis, Sr.,
Chaparral (Parker) (2nd team); Leah Donnelly, Sr.,
Wheat Ridge (2nd team);
Marin Felsoci, Sr.,
Ralston Valley (Arvada) (2nd team); Anna Gallagher, Sr., Colorado Academy (1st team); Andrea Kim, Sr., Centaurus (1st team);
Jen Lanuza, Sr.,
Chatfield (Littleton) (2nd team); Erin O'Shaughnessy, Sr., Kent Denver (2nd team);
Eliza Radochonski, Jr., Cherry Creek (1st team);
Kathleen Roe, Sr., Regis Jesuit (1st team);
Alex Searles, Sr., Denver East (2nd team);
Bridget Sutter, Jr., Colorado Academy (1st team); Ali Vanek, Sr., Mullen (1st team);
Maddie Wells, Jr., Denver East (2nd team).
