This is a reminder that according to the Colorado High School Activities Association Bylaw 5010, we will utilize the first available day to conclude tournament games in the case of unplayable fields.
The Aurora weather forecast for Friday is calling for 54 degree temperatures with a chance of rain/snow.
If games are postponed or delayed on Friday (Oct. 18) or Saturday (Oct. 19), the bracket will be moved to Saturday (Oct. 19) with the conclusion of the tournament on Sunday (Oct. 20). The Aurora Sports Park has been reserved for complexes to be available to complete the tournament. The basic philosophy of this tournament is to push game times back until we can get on the field. If we must postpone, we will attempt to maintain the game time schedules.
All schools will need to communicate this information to their players, parents, administrators and fans. CHSAANOW.com will be updated with complete and current information with any delays and or postponements.
Rachelle Foos struck out 19 batters over two games, and Dakota Ridge easily advanced to the Class 5A state softball tournament.
The Eagles were joined by Chatfield as a state qualifier out of Region 3. Both teams will play at the tournament next Friday and Saturday at Aurora Sports Park.
Dakota Ridge cruised through the regional, first topping Fruita Monument 9-2, and then beating Chatfield 9-2.
Eagles coach Marv Van Lingen approached regionals as he would any regular season game.
“We came in with the same mentality that we have tried to maintain all year long. We preach to the girls work ethic and discipline, that’s what you work for,” Van Lingen said. “Nothing fancy, we want fundamentals.”
Last season, Dakota Ridge reached the 5A championship game, where it lost to Loveland. This year’s Eagles entered the regional tournament as the No. 5 seed.
Saturday was Van Lingen’s first appearance at regionals as the varsity coach — he replaced Dave Atencio this offseason after Atencio took the job at Valor Christian. Van Lingen previously headed the JV team for Dakota Ridge.
“A lot of these girls have been under me in the JV program,” he said. “There is a familiarity with this group, each one has come up with me on the at the JV level.”
(Jordan Morey)
Chatfield had to get to state the hard way. The Chargers started the day hot by beating Greeley West 16-6. But the loss to Dakota Ridge set up an elimination game between Chatfield and Fruita Monument.
“I told them if they really want it, they needed to dig down deep and find it,” said Chargers coach Nicole Janssen.
Through the first three and a half innings, it appeared that the game would be a defensive struggle between the two teams. Both pitchers hadn’t given up any runs until the Chargers scored three in the bottom of the third. The Chargers led thereafter and won 5-2.
Sophomore pitcher Jessica Jarecki had a fantastic game against Fruita with eight strikeouts and only one earned run in six innings. Jarecki said that her rise and curve balls were blowing by Fruita.
Jarecki prepared her team ready to play following the tough loss to Dakota Ridge, and has a gameplan for state.
(Jordan Morey)
“When we were in a circle I started jumping up and down and said ‘Let’s go, let’s get this!” Jarecki said. “We need to continue to keep being a team. In the huddle, our coach said that we play as a team and not as individuals.”
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day out of 5A regional play was 14th-seeded Castle View. After beating No. 19 Rocky Mountain, No. 14 Castle View defeated No. 3 Legend 5-4. Legend, however, rebounded to make the field.
ThunderRidge, a No. 26 seed, also made the 5A tournament.
There weren’t any major upsets in 4A regionals. No. 1 Wheat Ridge dominated both of its games, winning 13-1 against Mead and 13-3 against Palmer Ridge. No. 23 Roosevelt was among the 16 qualifiers.
In 3A, No. 9 Lamar upset No. 4 Eaton 2-1 — however, both teams will make the tournament.
On Sunday, a CHSAA committee will seed the 5A, 4A and 3A brackets. Each bracket will be announced on CHSAANow.com.
AURORA — Douglas County, Wheat Ridge and Strasburg are the top seeds in their respective classifications for the regional softball brackets released on Sunday.
Douglas County, 17-2 this season, heads the Class 5A field. Rock Canyon (No. 2), Legend (No. 3), Fossil Ridge (No. 4), Dakota Ridge (No. 5), Legacy (No. 6), Ralston Valley (No. 7) and Brighton (No. 8) will also host regionals.
In 4A, Wheat Ridge (18-1) is the top seed. Other hosts are No. 2 Erie, No. 3 Ponderosa, No. 4 Pueblo East, No. 5 Discovery Canyon, No. 6 Broomfield, No. 7 Frederick and No. 8 Berthoud.
Strasburg is the No. 1 seed in 3A. Additional regional hosts include Sterling (No. 2), Holy Family (No. 3), Lamar (No. 4), Burlington (No. 7) and Basalt (No. 8).
Here are the links to each classification’s regional brackets:
The regional brackets were all seeded by committees. The 32-team fields in 5A and 4A, and 24-team 3A field are all determined using (but not limited to) the following criteria:
Any automatic qualifiers not listed in the top 32 (or, in 3A, 24) of the MaxPreps rankings will be placed on the bracket. This may cause teams to be removed out of the top 32 or 24 teams listed in the final rankings before the regional tournament.
Strength of schedule.
Overall schedule.
Head-to-head competition.
Strength of competition.
Geography will be a factor in considering the final pairings.
Of note when seeding the brackets and setting matchups:
League opponents may be paired against one another.
A school in any league may be paired above a school that finished above it during the regular season.
The committee is comprised of the following:
One representative for each 3A District (1-6).
One representative for each 4A/5A League plus Independent.
One non-voting representative from the CHSAA office.
