Centennial League softball eyeing rare Colorado crown

The title drought is lengthy enough that it can be fairly termed as significant. It's been eight years, to be precise.

But odds are Centennial League softball won't have another protracted amount of time before wrangling in another.

A few months maybe?

OK, let's not get ahead of ourselves here. It's not fair to crown a Centennial League squad a Class 5A 2013 champion yet. It is fair, however, to note that the league's top three squads from last season were stocked with a bevy of quality underclassmen and all come back seasoned and improved.

"I think the Centennial League is a force to be reckoned with," Eaglecrest (Centennial) coach Yvette Hendrian said. "Our conference is young with extreme talent. My squad lost one starter from last season and has everyone returning."

Hendrian's Raptors are reigning league champs after going 13-1 in league play and 19-5 overall. Eaglecrest also is the league's most recent title-winner, doing so as a No. 13 seed in 2005 behind pitcher Kyla Velasquez.

The Centennial League's other top-flight contenders are Cherokee Trail (Aurora) (16-7, 12-2 last season) and Grandview (Aurora) (17-7, 11-3).

Beginning with Eaglecrest, the Raptors have three returning seniors, five juniors and five sophomores who all saw quality time last season. Senior infielder Rayle Glover (.448, two home runs, 28 RBIs) and junior outfielder Lauren Buckley are among the standout hitters who return. Buckley went 46-for-92 at the plate as a sophomore — an even .500.

Mikayla Faulkner, Taylor Menard and Tayler Mashburn are among additional standouts who return to the lineup. But perhaps most impressive about the Raptors' trip to the quarterfinals last season (they lost 5-4 to then five-time champ Legacy) is that they did it with two freshmen pitchers.

Sarah Bushman (11-3, 2.91 ERA) and Alexa Romero (7-1, 2.84) were in the pitching circle last season and will compose perhaps the best sophomore pitching duo in the state.

"With being so young last year with so much talent, this year our focus is playing more mature and staying mentally tough," Hendrian said. "If we do that, we should return to regionals and the state tournament."

Cherokee Trail has a similar vibe as the season commences, although the Cougars are relatively senior heavy. Longtime coach Dick Hormann returns a three-pronged pitching staff composed of all seniors. Christian Bobian, Kayla Mashburn and Taylor Leill all split time last season for a Cougars squad that earned a No. 13 seed in the state tournament (they were ousted by eventual champ Loveland).

In addition, three senior hitters will lead the way after stellar junior campaigns: first baseman Chelsea Clay (.412, two homers, 14 RBI), catcher Emily Sparks (.382-0-18) and infielder Zoe Hinton (.365-1-27).

"We expect to compete for the Centennial League championship once again in our sixth year at 5A," Hormann said. "We will be a senior/sophomore dominated team."

The Cougars have gone 153-65 in their 10 seasons as a varsity program and never have had a losing season.

"Once again, we will not have to rebuild but just retool," Hormann said.

Grandview has a strong stable of juniors returning and a pitcher in Courtney Browne who went 16-7 with a 2.54 ERA as a freshman. The Wolves earned a No. 12 seed at state last season and, after upsetting No. 5 Arvada West in the opening round, lost 6-2 to Loveland in the quarterfinals.

Dave Thies' squad returns three junior standouts in center fielder Ande Troutman (.427, five homers, 23 RBI last season), third baseman Katelyn Maynard (.390-5-15) and shortstop Emily Supercynski (.368-1-20).

Is this the year for a Centennial League title? Maybe, maybe not. But there's no disputing that the league will showcase some top-flight talent this fall.

"It's nice to see that softball is growing stronger on this side of town like it used to be," Hendrian said. "My oldest daughter is 10, so I get to see the talent that is headed to Eaglecrest, Grandview, and Cherokee Trail and these schools are only going to get stronger and stronger."