Perhaps this is the way it should be: one final, frantic push to season’s end.
After all, those who will be competing are used to multitasking, such as texting, tweeting, chatting and the like – all at the same time – so why should the games they play be any different?
State championships in multiple sports will be awarded this weekend – many at the same time - as the Colorado high school season draws to a close. Whether baseball or lacrosse is your game, or perhaps track and field or swimming are more your style, it doesn’t matter. The avid high school fan can take it all in during the next few days.
Let’s take a look at what’s on the schedule between now and when the season officially closes May 20:
TRACK & FIELD
For the first time, all four classifications will compete at the same site – Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood – beginning Thursday. In the past, Class 5A and 4A were staged in the metro area, with 3A and 2A out in Pueblo.
The championships also have spread out over three days, instead of two, to accommodate the venue and format change. It should be a sight to behold. While diehard track fans certainly relish the thought of all of the state’s top athletes at one site, the change also benefits the casual observer this year who wants to catch a glimpse of greatness.
Much deserved attention will be focused on Buena Vista’s Mason Finley, the 3A athlete who just happens to be the national high school record-holder in the discus. Finley set the record April 25 at a meet in Alamosa with a throw of 236 feet, 6 inches, which bettered the old mark of 234-3. The UCLA recruit will compete in the finals of the discus at 3 p.m. Thursday.
For a complete schedule of events, click here.
BASEBALL
All five classifications are down to the final four, which resume Friday. In Class 5A, Rocky Mountain is the lone unbeaten remaining in the double-elimination Championship Series (the Lobos are after their third consecutive state title), while Mountain View and Eaton hold that distinction in the 4A and 3A events, respectively.
Still alive in the top three classifications: 5A – Rocky Mountain, Cherry Creek, Mountain Vista and Rampart; 4A – Mountain View, Wheat Ridge, Cheyenne Mountain and Silver Creek; 3A – Eaton, Manitou Springs, Holy Family and Faith Christian.
The 5A title game is set for noon Saturday at All City Field in Denver (the “if” game would be played at 4 p.m., if necessary), while the 4A championship will be played at 10 a.m. at the same site (2 p.m. game, if necessary). The Class 3A crown will be awarded at 10 a.m. at Jackson Field in Greeley (1 p.m. game, if necessary).
The Class 2A and 1A events will be played out at the Runyon Complex in Pueblo. Of note, the Class A tournament will be completed Friday to accommodate Herzl/Rocky Mountain Hebrew Academy. The Jewish faith-based school cannot compete on Saturdays – the religion’s Sabbath – so the Colorado High School Activities Association moved the scheduled championship game from Saturday to 1 p.m. Friday.
Rocky Mountain is still alive in 5A baseball.
Photo By Patrick Miller
BOYS SWIMMING
The Class 5A and 4A championships begin Friday with preliminaries at the Edora Pool Ice Center in Fort Collins and Mountain View High School in Loveland, respectively. Championship heats begin at 2 p.m. Saturday in 5A and 3:30 p.m. Saturday in 4A. Regis Jesuit will be after its 15th consecutive big-school crown, while Silver Creek is the defending 4A champion.
For a complete schedule of events, click here.
LACROSSE
The boys state championship will be contested at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Invesco Field at Mile High. Top-seeded Arapahoe still is alive in the brackets, while sixth-seeded Cherry Creek assured there will be a new champion with a 13-12 upset of Kent Denver in the quarterfinals. Regis Jesuit and Mullen also are in the semifinals.
The girls final four will play out Saturday at the University of Denver. Those games are scheduled for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., with the title tilt set for 5 p.m. on May 20 at the same site. Three-time defending champion and top-seeded Cherry Creek is the favorite. The Bruins have played in every title game since the sport was sanctioned in Colorado in 1998.
GIRLS GOLF
After a day of rest Sunday, the title drive continues Monday with the Class 5A and 4A state tournaments. Collindale Golf Club in Fort Collins is the site for 5A, while 4A golfers again will take on the course at Patty Jewett Golf Club in Colorado Springs.
Highlands Ranch is the defending champion in 5A, and Loveland’s Bethany Buchner is the medalist favorite after finishing runner-up the past two years. Colorado Academy won it in 4A last season and returns champion Elizabeth Kresock.
GIRLS SOCCER
While Class 5A has whittled its field to the final four, 4A and 3A will have its semifinalists by Thursday. That sets up a huge soccer Saturday, with an eye on the state championships May 19-20.
For soccer aficionados, Englewood High School is the place to be Saturday. Top-seeded Chatfield scored its second 1-0 win in a row and will meet No. 4 Fairview at 3:30 p.m. That will be followed by third-seeded Arapahoe and No. 10 Air Academy at 5:45 p.m., which will close out a busy day at the site. That’s because the 4A semifinals already will have been played there at 11 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.
But wait, there is more that day. The 3A finalists will be determined Saturday with 5 and 7:15 p.m. semifinals at All City Stadium in Denver.
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, home of the Colorado Rapids, will play host to all the soccer championship games, with 3A set for 7 p.m. on May 19. The 4A (5 p.m.) and 5A (7:30 p.m.) close out the prep season on May 20.
In a soccer-related note, Alexander Dawson’s Olivia Wagner has been selected the state’s girls soccer player of the year by Gatorade. Wagner, who will play collegiately at Maryland, has tallied 29 goals and nine assists this season (73 goals and 38 assists for her career). Alexander Dawson is the second seed in the 3A tournament.
GIRLS TENNIS
This was the first sport to crown its champions this spring, with Cherry Creek winning its 13th consecutive 5A championship while claiming three individual championships. Poudre’s Natalie Dunn won the coveted No. 1 singles title.
In 4A, Cheyenne Mountain won its 14th straight team title, while Kent Denver sophomore Sammie Watson won her second No. 1 singles crown.
