The final week-plus of the Colorado high school sports season is not for the faint of heart. There is so much going on in so many sports, at countless sites, trying to keep it all straight can be overwhelming. Here is a quick snapshot of the week that was and the final week ahead:
Baseball
Easily the biggest surprise of the first weekend of the double-elimination Championship Series came in Class 3A, where Holy Family (Broomfield) snapped the state-record 60-game win streak of two-time defending champion Eaton with a 19-14 victory in a winner’s bracket game Saturday.
It was the first loss for the Reds (23-1) since April 15, 2008, according to the Greeley Tribune. Eaton had beaten the third-seeded Tigers (22-2) 19-5 during the regular season.
"(The streak) had to end at some point," Eaton coach Jim Danley told the Tribune. "It was a good run, but (the streak) was at least a distraction and it probably adds pressure, as well. ... But, we're still in (the tournament), and we're going to play hard."
As a result of the win, Holy Family clinched a berth in the title game as the lone remaining unbeaten in a field that includes Eaton and Metro League rivals Faith Christian (21-3) and Kent Denver (20-4). The Tigers will meet Faith Christian next at Butch Butler Field in Greeley on Friday. The teams split during the regular season.
In Class 4A, top-seeded and 2009 runner-up Mountain View (Loveland) escaped the first weekend unbeaten, the latest win a 26-0 pounding of Rock Canyon to clinch a title-game berth. The Mountain Lions (23-1) have won 20 in a row behind a stellar pitching staff that has allowed only 33 runs all season.
Northern League rival Broomfield (20-4) will get the first shot when play resumes Friday, while Rock Canyon (Highlands Ranch) (19-5) and Greeley West (16-8), also from the Northern League, play in the other semifinal at All-Star Park in Lakewood.
Three-time defending champion Rocky Mountain (Fort Collins) continued its dominance in the Class 5A bracket, ensuring an opportunity at a fourth consecutive title by winning against Ponderosa, Mullen and Regis Jesuit by a combined score of 29-7.
"The thing that we can't allow ourselves to do as a team is to start reading our headlines and all that stuff," Rocky Mountain coach Scott Bullock told The (Fort Collins) Coloradoan. "We've still got a lot of work to do and it starts Monday at practice and then it goes into Friday."
The Lobos (22-2) have not lost to an in-state opponent this season and are ranked No. 11 nationally by MaxPreps. They will meet perennial power Cherry Creek (20-4) at All City Field in Denver on Friday. Also still in contention are Regis Jesuit (17-7) and Ralston Valley (19-5).
Class 2A and 1A settled matters this past weekend, with Limon rallying to win the 2A title and Stratton rolling behind Zeb Baylie in the small-school final. Senior Matt Brown was the standout for Limon, delivering the go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning in a 6-5 victory against Resurrection Christian. Brown also earned the complete-game win.
His effort was matched by Baylie, as the Eagles beat Fleming 10-2 for their first state crown. Baylie went 2 for 4 with two RBI, which came on a homer. He also struck out 12 in five innings to earn the pitching win.
Girls lacrosse
As expected, the top two seeds will play for the championship when top-ranked Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) meets No. 2 Denver East on Wednesday (7:30 p.m.) at the University of Denver. It will be a rematch from a May 4 regular-season game won 14-10 by Cherry Creek.
The challenge for Denver East (17-1) will be to slow a Bruins attack that posted 28 goals against Columbine in the semifinals and one that has scored 65 times in three playoff games. Cherry Creek (18-0) senior Kameryn Downing is second in the state with 84 goals and has tallied 18 times (with four assists) in the postseason. She scored five goals in the first game against the Angels.
Denver East is paced offensively by Lizzie Larson (46 goals) and Maxwell Blair (32 assists). Cherry Creek will be after its eighth title, Denver East its first in girls lacrosse.
Boys lacrosse
Second-seeded Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) won its first title since 2006 with relative ease, rolling to an 11-4 victory against No. 5 Regis Jesuit on Saturday at Invesco Field at Mile High. It was the Bruins’ fourth title since the sport was sanctioned in Colorado in 1999. Sophomore Kendall Williams led Cherry Creek with four goals. The Bruins (18-2) outscored their four playoff foes 43-16.
"Teamwork won this one for us, because everyone loves each other on this team," Williams told The Denver Post. "We expected a really close game; Regis is a good team. We just played for each other and won it."
Girls soccer
The season finishes with a flourish, with the Class 3A championship Tuesday and the 5A and 4A title games Wednesday. All three games will be played at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City.
Top-seeded The Classical Academy (Colorado Springs) (19-0) will attempt to complete a perfect season en route to its first title in the sport. To do so, the Titans will have to beat defending champion St. Mary’s (15-3-1). TCA has outscored its competition 97-2 this season and advanced to the championship game with a 3-0 win against Manitou Springs in the semifinals. Molly Bender scored all three goals for the Titans.
St. Mary's (Colorado Springs) (15-3-1), which lost to TCA 2-0 on April 6, clinched its title-game berth with a 3-1 win against St. Mary’s Academy. The Pirates are paced by senior Christina Whitelaw, the second-leading scorer in 3A with 35 goals (13 assists).
In Class 4A, fourth-seeded Wheat Ridge (16-1-2) will attempt to defend its title against No. 2 Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) (17-1-0) in a rematch of the 2009 championship game.
The Farmers boast perhaps the state’s top player in Annie Kunz, who scored two twice in a 4-0 win against top-seeded Lewis-Palmer in the semifinals to raise her season total to 28. Eleven of those goals have come in four playoff games. Valor Christian counters with a defense that has allowed only five goals all season, none in the playoffs. The Eagles have outscored their competition 100-5 overall.
The big-school matchup pits perennial powerhouse Arapahoe (Littleton) (15-2-2) against No. 2 seed Fairview (Boulder) (17-2). This one will be a rematch of a March 13 regular-season game won 1-0 by Arapahoe.
Fairview advanced to the title game on the strength of two goals by senior Annie Stuller in a 2-0 semifinal win against Mountain Vista. Stuller, who recently committed to play for the University of Colorado, has 17 goals this season. Fairview will be after its first soccer crown, Arapahoe its 10th.
Etc.
Former Ponderosa girls basketball coach Marty Fletcher has taken the same position at Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch). Mountain Vista also hired Ron Quintana to head the baseball program. ... Holy Trinity’s Catherine Jimenez has signed to play basketball at the Colorado School of Mines. ... The girls golf state championships will be played today and Tuesday at CommonGround Golf Course in Denver (Class 5A) and Cobble Creek Golf Course in Montrose (Class 4A). ... Of note, Highlands Ranch won the Class 5A boys state swimming title this past weekend, ending the 15-year run by Regis Jesuit. ... Next up on the prep calendar are the Colorado High School Coaches Association’s All-State Games in Greeley. The games will be played June 9-12.
