Softball season kicks off high school sports calendar in Colorado

The Colorado high school sports calendar begins in earnest this week as all sports returned to the practice field. But it's the start of softball games later this week that will mark a return to competition for the first normal calendar year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like all sports last year, softball played a condensed schedule that saw it end the way it normally does, with state championship games contested in Aurora. That remains the ultimate goal for each as they begin that journey this week.

Here is a brief overview of a few teams to watch in each classification as well as notable players expected to return to the field.  Colorado softball scoreboard // stat leaders

Class 5A
Cherokee Trail (Aurora): Last year's runner-up surprised a lot of people with their run to the championship game. That won't be the case this season as the Cougars are loaded with talent coming into the fall.

Jenna Medhus is an early player of the year candidate and should have a strong season after batting .500 and blasting nine home runs last year. She also served as the staff ace, going 14-1 and striking out 106 batters. Senior Ryleigh Cruz will add to the powerful Cherokee Trail lineup as she hit .479 with six home runs a year ago. She also led the team with 31 RBI.

The Cougars will have to battle their way through a tough Centennial League slate, but should very much be in the championship picture in 2021.

Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins): After so many close calls, the Sabercats finally claimed the 5A state title in 2020. In true fashion, they had to battle their way through the bracket before getting a 5-1 win over Cherokee Trail at the Aurora Sports Complex.

The thrill of the victory isn't making them shy away from making another run in 2021. Kodi Alvord and Elizabeth Browning – the only players to bat over .400 last season – are back and ready to pace an offense that scored 150 runs last season. There's plenty of power in that lineup once again as Alvord and Jordan McKinnon each blasted six home runs last year, while Katelyn Hays added five. Senior Nikki McGaffin was a steady hand in the pitching circle, going 16-3 with a 1.89 ERA.

Legend (Parker): The Titans could be coming into their own this fall as they return a lot of talented players who were simply inexperienced last year. Legend advanced to the 5A state tournament only to be ousted in the first round by Grand Junction Central.

A solid junior class should learn from that loss and power the Titans to a deep playoff run this year. Eva Hokanson was a steady hitter in the lineup, batting .405 in 17 games. Emma Harrington put together a solid campaign in just 12 games as she hit .459 with three home runs and 15 RBI. In addition to batting .345, Cameron Ponich went 12-5 in the circle and maintained a 2.67 ERA during the season.

The Titans open the season on Aug. 16 against Rangeview (Aurora).

Players to watch: Delaney Farnsworth, Smoky Hill (Aurora); Tatjana Harris, Vista Ridge (Colorado Springs); Jenna Madison, Douglas County (Castle Rock); Maddie Rodgers, Denver East; Kaylie Whidden, Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch).

Class 4A
D'Evelyn (Denver): Last year, it felt like an all-Jeffco League state title game was a lock, but both D'Evelyn and Wheat Ridge fell in the semifinals. D'Evelyn has no intention of letting a state title game appearance slip away from them for a second straight season.

After a breakout freshman year in which she batted .521 and scored 28 runs, Peyton Marvel will look for an even stronger sophomore outing. Her classmate Ingrid Dalla (.467, 16 RBI in 2020) will also look to build on her successful first season with the Jaguars. They also get plenty of pitching back as staff ace Avery Garbarek (9-1, 2.83 ERA) returns along with Kensley Arbaugh, Sydnee Fark and Mia Riebe, all of whom threw at least 10 innings last season.

Holy Family (Broomfield): After suffering back-to-back losses early in the regular season, Holy Family went on a 16-game winning streak that ended with the Tigers claiming the 4A state championship. They lost some significant players from that title team, but they also return a lot of talent that can play a crucial role in their search for another state crown.

Abby Edwards displayed a lot of patience and, perhaps, even more power every time she stepped to the plate. She finished her junior year batting .526 and blasted four home runs. She led the team with 32 RBI. Ava Kuszak and Annika Manzanares also return after they each batted better than .400 and combined for seven home runs and 52 RBI last season.

The Tigers waste no time trying to get into championship form as they open the season against Valor Christian.

Mead (Longmont): A promising season ended one win short of a state championship for the Mavericks. This year, they have every intention of finishing the job as they return a lot of players who felt that championship game heartbreak last season.

Claire Adams, Emily Sauvageau and Katelyn Wisecamp all tied for the team lead in home runs with five apiece. They also return a crucial piece of their defense as junior Joslynn Veltien comes back after going 14-2 with a 2.68 ERA and 109 strikeouts.

The Mavericks have three games to warm-up before getting a highly anticipated state championship game rematch with Holy Family on Aug. 27.

Players to watch: Emily Abraham, Pueblo South; Ayiana Cordero, Northfield (Denver); Teagan Kehm, Durango; Kennedi LeDuff, Vista PEAK Prep (Aurora); Cheyenne Prieto, Conifer.

Class 3A
Eaton: As emotional as the softball season was for everyone throughout the state, it had a storybook ending for Eaton, an athletic department rich in championship history. What was missing from that history was a state softball crown, and the Reds finally got their hands on a state championship trophy in 2020.

That title game, a 5-1 win over Lutheran, also served as a breakout party for Sadie Ross. The then-freshman was a bona fide stud in Eaton's title run and will head into her sophomore year with lofty expectations. She finished the season batting .525 and drove in 24 runs while scoring 29 of her own. She was also the steady hand in the circle. She went 14-1 with a 1.55 ERA and 116 strikeouts.

She isn't the only significant player coming back, either. Seniors Olivia Comer and Emma Pinkstaff each batted better than .300 and drove in at least 12 runs. Julia Meagher, a sophomore like Ross, hit .357 and scored 16 runs. Eaton lost some senior leadership, but it still has a good chunk of its foundation from its state championship team.

Limon: The Badgers entered the 2020 state tournament as the No. 7 seed and advanced to the second round of the bracket before losing to No. 2 University (Greeley). They return the entire roster with the exception of two graduated seniors. Brynlyn Owens comes back as a junior after batting .667 in 54 at-bats last year. Fellow junior Paige Hutsell was also significant for the offense, hitting .491 and driving in 29 runs.

While teams like Eaton and Lutheran are returning significant contributors from their 2020 seasons, the Badgers return the most overall depth in the 3A classification. That depth will be on display early in the season when the Badgers take on Eaton on Aug. 20.

Lutheran (Parker): The Lions outscored their opponents 32-7 in their first three games of the state tournament before running into trouble against Eaton and Sadie Ross. Nevertheless, the Lions are poised for another run at the 3A championship as they return a slew of talented players.

Junior Taylor Cramer led the team with a .588 batting average last season and scored a team-high 30 runs. She totaled seven extra-base hits, which included a triple and a home run. Fellow junior Faith Byler tied the team-high in RBI at 21, along with sophomore Zoe Stanzyk.

Perhaps the biggest loss from last year was graduated senior pitcher Alyssa Ponich, who went 10-1 with a 1.91 ERA. The Lions will likely lean on sophomore Hailey Maestretti, who held her own in 11 games, going 6-0 with a 2.57 ERA.

Players to watch: Taylor Fells, Fort Lupton; Correy Koellner, Holyoke; Abby McElroy, Rocky Ford; Brylyn Owens, Limon; Sadie Ross, Eaton.