Colorado high school girls lacrosse teams set with two classifications

Last year's shortened season saw Evergreen emerge with the Class 4A state championship, while Colorado Academy (Denver) won 5A, which was also its sixth consecutive state title. Both classes have teams that are looking to build on the successes of last year and translate that development into deep playoff runs.

Here is a quick look at some of the notable teams in both classifications, as well as some individual players that hope to have solid seasons in 2022.

Class 5A
Air Academy (US Air Force Academy): The Kadets didn't lose a lot from a team that went to the 5A quarterfinals last year. They had four players score at least 19 goals, and every one of them returns this season. Marguerite Schipfer led the team with 39 goals, and Madison Chidester added 33 as just a freshman. In their first three games of the 2022 season, the Kadets put up 56 goals while their opponents scored only nine. Air Academy was the last team other than Colorado Academy to claim a 5A (or unclassified) girls lacrosse state championship, and the program looks like it's trying to build back to that standard this season.

Colorado Academy: There's no reason to think the Mustangs won't be in line to win a seventh consecutive state title. They rolled through the 5A playoffs last year, winning their three games by a combined score of 51-10. They return three players who scored at least 22 goals last season, including sophomore Zoe Martin. She netted 26 goals as a freshman. In just three games this season she has already buried 10 shots. Colorado Academy also has goalie Olivia Aguirre coming back. She made 35 saves and racked up a .466 save percentage last season.

Regis Jesuit (Aurora): The Raiders lost a lot of senior leadership but return a lot of experienced talent heading into 2022. The sophomore duo of Carly Kennedy and Emily Bradac combined to score 34 goals. As juniors, they will take on the bulk of the offensive responsibilities for this new-look Regis Jesuit team. Senior Ellie Johnson and Elsa Pater totaled 28 goals between them last season and figure to provide much-needed leadership on the field. Goalie Brynne Dixon enters her senior season after a solid junior year in which she turned away 87 shots an maintained a .540 save percentage.

Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch): The Eagles' only two losses last year came to Colorado Academy, and they return enough fire power that this could be their year. Tess Osburn is back for her senior season after scoring a team-high 46 goals on 66 shots in 2021. Reagan Digby scored 39 goals as a sophomore last season, and Eliza Osburn added 30 as a freshman. Valor beefed up its non-league schedule with a couple of out-of-state opponents, but have beaten Colorado opponents 35-9 so far this year.

Individual players to watch
Lily Assini, Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village): The senior provided the Bruins some balance in their offense in 2021. She scored 28 goals and dished out 21 assists to total 49 points, 12th best in the classification.

Heather Hawkins, Palmer Ridge (Monument): As a freshman, Hawkins had a goals against average of 9.1, which was top 10 for goalies in 5A. She heads into the season more experienced and more polished, which will be a big boost for the Bears.

Cami Johnson, Fairview (Boulder): As a sophomore, Johnson scored 36 goals, putting her into the top 10 for 5A. The Knights stumbled toward the end of their season, but Johnson should provide stability in scoring to generate a stronger finish.

Class 4A
Aspen: The Skiers went into the 2021 state tournament as the No. 2 overall seed but suffered an upset loss to Castle View. They return Michele Seltzer, Michaela Kenny, and Georgia Hollander, all of whom scored at least 11 goals during the season. Goalie Isabella Haneman is also back after recording 42 saves in 2021. With plenty of firepower back on the field and an experienced goalie in the net, Aspen has ambitions of making the state tournament once again and making a chase for the state title.

Castle View (Castle Rock): The Sabercats went 5-5 in the regular season before catching fire in the playoffs. What was more impressive was that they did it with underclassmen leading the way. Freshman Tessa Boehm led the team with 34 goals, while sophomore Riley Schultz added 30. Two other sophomores each scored at least 20 goals. Freshman Rhyann Marie and sophomore Gabby Goodwin split time in front of the goal and combined to make 49 saves. A more experienced Castle View team could easily make its way back to the state championship and even hold steady to win a title.

Evergreen: The Cougars rolled to the 2021 4A championship, and a big reason was that there was little difficulty finding the back of the net. They had three players score 47 goals. The bad news for the rest of the state is that Bella Reece and Averi Gardner were two of those players and they are back in 2022 as juniors. They also combined to record 46 assists, which will be crucial as they need to find other players on the field who can score. Both players got off to a hot start this season as they combined to score 22 goals in the first two games of the season, both Evergreen wins.

Grand Junction: The Tigers' biggest problem was not seeing a level of competition that properly prepared them for the playoffs. Grand Junction rattled off 11 straight wins before falling to Castle View in the state semifinals. Senior Riley Pope returns after scoring 26 goals, and sophomore Myka Neville is expecting a big year as she scored 19 goals a freshman last season. Junior goalie Teagan Wilkins will also provide a steady presence in front of the net after recording 52 saves last season. Grand Junction is off to a slow start in 2022, but Neville already has eight goals, which is an encouraging sign for late March.

Individual players to watch

Morgan Avila, Pueblo West: The Cyclones senior has a knack for finding teammates who are in a position to score. She was second in 4A with 29 assists last season. Pueblo West had a bit of a rough year in 2021, but having someone like Avila on the roster lends hope for a solid 2022 campaign.

Annabelle Biggar, Dawson School (Lafayette): The junior led the classification in goals scored last year with 68. And that was in just 10 games played. She figures to have a more impactful season with a full slate of contests in 2022.

Sophie Shepard, Telluride: The junior played just 250 minutes last season, but racked up an impressive .568 save percentage while tending the net. That number will have to remain consistent this season for Telluride to reach the playoffs.