The Season D all-state girls lacrosse teams honor the best players in the sport as judged by the leagues and coaches. They are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.

These teams were created following a lengthy process which included nominations from leagues, and then a vote of head coaches.

Player and coach of the year was also selected by a vote of the coaches.

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Class 5A

(Lance Wendt/wendt5280.com)

Player of the year: Jessie Bakes, Colorado Academy

Coach of the year: Kelsey Sheridan, Fairview

Honorable mention:

• Hayden Appel, Chaparral, Sophomore
• Elise Bialecki, M, Mullen, Senior
• Marin Bomgaars, D/M, Colorado Academy, Senior
• Paris Corporon, Regis Jesuit, Junior
• Alex Cutone, M, Rock Canyon, Sophomore
• Anna Gawthrop, A, Cherry Creek, Sophomore
• Cami Johnson, A, Fairview, Sophomore
• Maya Kendall, M, Colorado Academy, Junior
• Rachel Kennedy, M, Arapahoe, Junior
• Julie Markovich, D, ThunderRidge, Senior
• Breonna Mason, G, Air Academy, Sophomore
• CJ Meehan, M/A/D, ThunderRidge, Sophomore
• Eliza Osburn, M, Valor Christian, Freshman
• Madison Riley, M, ThunderRidge, Senior
• Lilly Rowell, Chaparral, Junior
• Darby Sherrod, M/D, Arapahoe, Senior
• Courtney Smith, D, Dakota Ridge, Junior
• Danielle Srdoc, D, ThunderRidge, Senior
• Ava Welty, D, Fairview, Junior

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Class 4A

(Lance Wendt/wendt5280.com)

Player of the year: Margo Miller, Evergreen

Coach of the year: Rachel Sanford, Evergreen

Honorable mention:

• Maryn Brown, M, Fruita Monument, Junior
• Libby Claassen, M/A/DM, Roaring Fork, Senior
• Allie Elliott, M/D/A, Durango, Senior
• Ava Ganter, M/A, Golden, Junior
• Sophie Gebhardt, Dawson School, Junior
• Julia Harty, Battle Mountain, Senior
• Sophie Hodgson, M/A, Roaring Fork, Sophomore
• Charlotte Katz, Telluride, Junior
• Necia Knoedler, A, Liberty, Junior
• Melena Krownapple, Telluride, Senior
• Phoebe Ramirez, A, Cherokee Trail, Senior
• Talei Ricketson, A/M, Smoky Hill, Sophomore
• Sophia Rinn, M/A/D, Eagle Valley, Senior
• Reese Ripley, M, Denver North, Freshman
• Araceli Sanchez, Heritage, Junior
• Mia Seltzer, Aspen, Junior
• Sage Sorrells, A, Cherokee Trail, Sophomore
• Maleah Sosa, M/A, Horizon, Junior
• Devin Thomas, D, Aspen, Junior
• Alex Young, Denver South, Sophomore

Evergreen won the school’s first girls lacrosse title Wednesday night at Legacy Stadium with a 19-5 victory in the Class 4A state title game against Castle View. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

AURORA — Rachel Sanford knew when she took over Evergreen’s girls lacrosse program three years ago the Cougars could win a state championship.

“It’s crazy,” Evergreen senior Margo Miller said. “Rachel (Sanford) when she first came to our school she looked at the (trophy) wall and said one day you are going to be state champs. I was a sophomore then and we all kind of laughed, but today is that day.”

Top-seeded Evergreen finished off its historic season by winning the first-ever Class 4A girls lacrosse state championship Wednesday night at Legacy Stadium in Aurora. The Cougars took a 19-5 victory over No. 10 Castle View.

“This is awesome,” Evergreen sophomore Bella Reece, who had six goals in the state title game. “To make a name for Evergreen. This is so big. All of our seniors they hyped us up and brought our team together this year. I’m so excited.”

The Cougars (11-2 record) never trailed in the title game. Evergreen scored 10 unanswered goals in the final 13 minutes of the first half to grab a commanding 14-2 lead after halftime.

For the second straight playoff game Evergreen induced a running-clock with a 10-goal lead in the first half.

“We had to come out super strong and look for that extra pass,” Reece said. “We were hyped. We were able to get that running-clock before halftime.”

The Cougars had one of the most potent offensive attacks in 4A this season. Miller, along with sophomores Averi Gardner and Reece all finishing the season with 40-goal seasons.

“That’s pretty sweet,” Miller said about the three 40-goal scorers. “ Bella and Averi are studs. I’m so excited to see what they do in the future with this program. It was so great to have so many offensive threats.”

Senior goalie Lauren Spence and Evergreen’s defense held all opponents under double-digit goals during the Cougars’ 11-game winning streak to finish the year. Spence will head to continue her playing career at Loyola University Maryland.

The Cougars had defeated the Sabercats earlier this season. Evergreen took a 14-7 win against Castle View back on May 28.

Castle View actually entered the state tournament with a 5-5 record, but the Sabercats went on a remarkable run in the state tournament. They upset Golden, Aspen and Grand Junction to make Castle View’s first girls lacrosse season a memorable one, but the Cougars ended the Sabercats run in the title game.

“We have really been building to the level of play that we are showing now all season long,” Sanford said. “We have prepared all week and pretty much all season to show up today and they did.”

Evergreen got off a bit of a rough start this season with opening losses to 5A programs ThunderRidge and Fairview. However, the top-seeded Cougars hit their stride winning 11 straight games to close out the season. Eight of those victories were by double-digit margins.

“After the first two game we really learned what we needed to do,” Reece said of the 0-2 start. “We got to play two amazing 5A teams and were able to grow from that. Our team has developed so much.”

Evergreen becomes the first Jeffco Public School to ever win a girls lacrosse state title.

“It’s so great to end it like this,” said Miller, who will play lacrosse at Cornell University.

(Brad Cochi/CHSAANow)

AURORA – The Colorado Academy girls lacrosse team has done it again.

On Wednesday at Legacy Stadium, the top-seeded Mustangs won 14-3 over No. 2 Valor Christian to claim the Class 5A state championship. Colorado Academy has now won the last six 5A state championships and boasts seven in total.

For as long as the Mustangs have dominated Class 5A, this current group of seniors hardly remembers what it feels like to lose. When playing for their high school team, in fact, they never have.

“It’s been crazy, but this is so nice,” Mustangs seniors defender Mya Rutherford said. “We lost our season last year but we brought everybody back together, got back on the road and it just feels so good to be back on the field together and playing. And winning the state championship, it’s unbeatable.”

(Brad Cochi/CHSAANow)

Unbeatable is a good way to describe Colorado Academy girls lacrosse in recent years. The last time the Mustangs lost a game was April 20, 2017.

On Wednesday against Valor Christian, a team they beat 15-12 during the regular season, the Mustangs rode a flurry of late first-half goals to an 8-2 halftime advantage. They followed up that early-game performance by holding Valor Christian to one goal in the second half.

After entering the state tournament with a first-round bye, the Mustangs outscored their three postseason opponents 51-10 and did not allow more than four goals in any playoff game. The Mustangs defense, anchored by Rutherford, was as stout as ever in Season D’s final game. Against it, Valor Christian’s talented scoring leaders Tess Osburn (45 goals) and Regan Digby (39), Eliza Osburn (30), Kaley Kakac (29) and Lauren Rismani (23 goals, 46 assists) combined for combined for just two goals.

“Tonight, we played really well,” Mustangs senior Jessie Bakes said. “All of our hard work throughout the season has helped us clean up all of our little mistakes. In practice, we’re playing the best defense and they’re playing the best offense because we’re playing each other. We just gave it our all and left it all out on the field.”

Bakes, who finished the season with a team-high 54 goals, scored twice on Wednesday. Teammates Zoe Martin and Katharine Merrifield each recorded a hat trick in the title game.

Wednesday’s title game was the first 5A championship game that didn’t include Cherry Creek since the sport was sanctioned in 1998.

(Brad Cochi/CHSAANow)

AURORA — A thrilling night was capped with the crowning of Evergreen and Colorado Academy as the 2021 girls lacrosse state champions.

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Colorado Academy 14, Valor Christian 3

Story | Bracket

By Paul DiSalvo and Lance Wendt

• Link to gallery

(Lance Wendt/wendt5280.com)

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Evergreen 19, Castle View 5

Story | Bracket

By Paul DiSalvo and Lance Wendt

• Link to gallery

(Paul DiSalvo/PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)

HIGHLANDS RANCH — Four teams met up at Shea Stadium on Monday evening to decide which two programs would have the honor of playing in Colorado’s first ever Class 4A girls lacrosse state championship. By the time the stadium lights were shut off, top-seeded Evergreen and No. 10 Castle View had punched their ticket to the new classification’s inaugural title game.

The Cougars and Sabercats will square off for the 4A trophy on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Legacy Stadium in Aurora.

(1) Evergreen 17, (5) Thompson Valley 5

There were nerves, but Evergreen’s girls lacrosse team projected complete confidence during the program’s first state semifinal game Monday night at Shea Stadium.

“I have lot of faith in this team. Everyone worked together,” Evergreen senior Kate Nierenberg said after the Cougars’ 17-5 victory over Thompson Valley punched their ticket to Wednesday’s Class 4A state championship game at Legacy Stadium in Aurora. “To have a running clock before halftime was pretty great.”

Evergreen senior Margo Miller (7) spins away from Thompson Valley sophomore Rachel Shannon (6) during the first half Monday night at Shea Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

Nierenberg and sophomore Bella Reece had four goals each for the No. 1-seeded Cougars. Senior Margo Miller and sophomore Averi Gardner poured in three goals each.

“We have a lot of offensive threats,” Evergreen coach Rachel Sanford said of Evergreen having four different multiple goal scorers against Thompson Valley (10-3). “They really moved the ball well and shot well. I’m proud of the chemistry of the team looking for one more pass.”

Evergreen (10-2 record) actually induced a running clock with 2:09 left in the first half when senior Carly Poole scored to give the Cougars a 12-2 lead.

Senior Lauren Spence — who has signed to play women’s lacrosse at Loyola University Maryland — was stellar in net facing the Eagles’ Carr sisters. Sophomore Aidan Carr and freshman Rory Carr had combined for 89 goals so far this season.

“They (Thompson Valley) has some very good shooters,” Spence said. “The Carr sisters are very good. I was ready for those.”

Evergreen hasn’t allowed double-digit goals by an opponent since the Cougars’ opening season loss to ThunderRidge. The Cougars actually started the season 0-2 with losses to ThunderRidge and Fairview.

“She (Spence) is just incredible,” Sanford said. “She is so fast and her decision making is amazing.”

The Cougars will enter Wednesday’s title game on a 10-game winning streak.

“It’s really exciting,” Sanford said of the Cougars headed to the title game against the winner of Castle View and Grand Junction that played in the night cap at Shea Stadium. “I hope we bring it like we did tonight.”

Thompson Valley sophomore Aidan Carr (26) gets pressure from Evergreen senior Carly Poole (8) and sophomore Averi Gardner (12) during the Class 4A girls lacrosse state semifinal Monday night at Shea Stadium in Highlands Ranch. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

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(10) Castle View 17, (3) Grand Junction 4

The 2020 season was canceled on the same day the Castle View girls lacrosse team was scheduled to play its first game last spring, which was meant to be filled with excitement surrounding the first season of Class 4A girls lacrosse in Colorado.

Just over a year later, the Sabercats are making up for lost time in a big way.

With the shot to play in an historic title game on the line, the Castle View girls lacrosse team didn’t take any chances in securing its spot against Grand Junction on Monday night. The 10th-seeded Sabercats (8-5) raced out to an early lead over the higher-seeded and unbeaten No. 3 Tigers (11-1) at Shea Stadium and powered their way to a 17-4 semifinal victory.

On Wednesday night, the Sabercats will have a chance to become the first 4A state champions in Colorado history.

“It was devastating,” Castle View head coach Samantha Silverman said. “It happened right as we were getting ready to play. We actually had a lot of freshmen on our team last year and they never got to play. So to come out this year and make it all the way to the championship game is extremely exciting.

“We are super excited. It feels great and not having a season last year, coming together as a team this year was really special to make it happen. It was awesome.”

In the state championship game on Wednesday, Castle View will play No. 1-seeded Evergreen at Legacy Stadium in Aurora.

(Brad Cochi/CHSAANow)

(Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)

PARKER — Four teams met up at EchoPark Stadium on Monday evening to decide the final two teams that would be playing for a Class 5A trophy at the end of Season D. No. 1 Colorado Academy and No. 2 Valor Christian prevailed.

In the final game of the Season D campaign on Wednesday night, the Mustangs and Eagles will play for the 5A championship at Legacy Stadium in Aurora.

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(1) Colorado Academy 16, (5) ThunderRidge 4

Champions miss the championship feeling, so the Colorado Academy girls lacrosse team felt the same emptiness that every spring athlete experienced last spring when the coronavirus pandemic wiped out the season.

The Mustangs had won the last five state championships in the sport.

Top-seeded Colorado Academy will have a chance to get that championship experience again after advancing to Wednesday’s Class 5A state championship game with a methodical 16-4 victory over fifth-seeded ThunderRidge on Monday evening at EchoPark Stadium. The Mustangs will face No. 2 Valor Christian.

“You don’t know what you have until it’s gone,” Mustangs senior captain Katharine Merrifield said. “It was so tough not having playoffs last year and not having that excitement. You really miss all of that. It makes you appreciate the little things, the practices, the games and just getting to hang out with teammates.”

Colorado Academy turned in the epitome of team play in topping the Grizzlies, who came into the game after becoming the team that kept Cherry Creek out of the championship game for the first time in the sports’ sanctioned history. ThunderRidge downed the Bruins 13-12 in the quarterfinals.

Senior Jessie Bakes scored just 38 seconds into the game and finished with five goals, a total matched by freshman Zoe Martin, while Merrifield added four in a thorough performance that pleased Colorado Academy head coach Laura Sandbloom.

“We played very well as a team; it was a complete performance, which was nice since we only had a 10-game season, which made it a challenge,” said Sandbloom, an assistant on the Mustangs’ five championship teams under Steph Sanders who had her first season as head coach canceled last season.

Sandbloom and her coaching staff prepared Colorado Academy to face a difficult defense in ThunderRidge and the Mustangs looked ready, especially after going against the team’s own veteran defense in practice.

Bakes, who passed the 50-goal mark on the season with her performance, said Colorado Academy was ready.

“They are scrappy and a great defense, but we practice against the best defense in the state with our own players, so that just helps us prepare for games like this,” Bakes said. “We know how to move the ball fast. It was really a team effort.”

ThunderRidge evened the game early on a goal by Lucy Munro, but faced an eight-goal deficit at halftime that grew to double digits in the second half after back-to-back goals by Bakes.

Munro scored twice for the Grizzlies, who finished the season 11-2 overall.

“There’s no woulda, coulda, shouldas, they put it all out there from the beginning to the end,” ThunderRidge coach Dana Srdoc said. “We went up against a team that you can’t make mistakes against and if you do, they take advantage.”

Colorado Academy’s victory was its 22nd in a row in the postseason dating back to a quarterfinal loss to Centaurus in the 2014 quarterfinals.

The Mustangs will play for the state championship for the seventh time and for the first time, Cherry Creek won’t be the opponent. Colorado Academy defeated both Valor Christian and Regis Jesuit this season, but know that whoever emerges from the other semifinal will be ready to play.

“We played both those teams early on in our season and obviously things have progressed since then,” Bakes said. “You’re fighting 10 times harder for that win, so I’m excited to see what either of those teams brings.”

Added Merrifield: “Both are really great teams, but our goal is focusing on CA lacrosse and how we can play together as a team.”

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(Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)

(2) Valor Christian 11, (6) Regis Jesuit 7

The foundation had been set for the Valor Christian girls lacrosse team and some new additions have helped take it over the top.

The Eagles had never been as far as the state semifinals before, but bolstered by some young talent, earned the chance to play for a state championship for the first time with Monday night’s 11-7 victory over sixth-seeded Regis Jesuit in a Class 5A semifinal at EchoPark Stadium.

Coach Terry Ellis’ second-seeded team has a tall task ahead of it, however, with undefeated and top-seeded Colorado Academy — which has a 22-game postseason winning streak and is in search of a sixth straight state championships — awaiting in Wednesday night’s title game at Legacy Stadium.

“It’s huge for us, it’s incredible to see how the program has grown,” said Ellis, whose team won its 10th game in a row and improved to 11-1. “It’s a testament to all the people that have come before us, the coaches and players. Without having last year, the girls came out really focused and wanting to win and hopefully we can continue doing that.”

The Eagles joined the school’s boys team in playing for state lacrosse championships — Valor Christian also defeated Regis Jesuit in the boys semifinals — and earned the chance to avenge their only loss of the season, a 15-12 defeat at the hands of Colorado Academy back on May 19.

Valor Christian got that chance with a fast start against Regis Jesuit (8-5), another program in search of its first state championship game appearance. The Raiders were playing in the semifinals for the third time and for the first time since 2013.

The Eagles took the edge in the opening minute on the first goal from sophomore Reagan Digby, who finished the half with a hat trick that helped create a 7-2 lead.

“We have a lot of heart on this team, so I think everybody on this team came out from the beginning with everything they had,” said Digby, who finished with a team-high four goals. “We want to win state so bad.”

Regis Jesuit wanted it badly as well and came out on fire in the second half.

Coach Kathyn Ames’ group reeled off four of the first six goals of the half to pull as close as 9-7 with 11:54 remaining when sophomore Emily Bradac converted a free shot opportunity.

That would be the last score Regis Jesuit would get, however, as Valor Christian added goals by juniors Rachel Pallo and Tess Osburn to keep the game out of reach.

“You get nerves in semis and early some of the jitters and mistakes came out, but I’m definitely proud of the fire and energy we had in that second half,” Ames said. “Sometimes you work so hard to get back and then you can’t get it over the hump.”

Osburn finished with three goals and Pallo had two for Valor Christian, which now can turn its attention to Colorado Academy.

The Eagles believe that Ellis has some tricks up his sleeve to help them get over the top against the Mustangs.

“We’re just going to keep playing our game and see what happens,” senior Lauren Rismani said. “And Coach Terry definitely knows what he’s doing.”

Ellis believes his team can match Colorado Academy with talent and he’ll try to keep his team steady during the early stages of the championship game, so they can be ready to take advantage in key situations.

“We have to play our best and we have to come out strong and understand they are a talented team,” Ellis said. “These are the games you look forward to as a coach, the best against the best. I’m looking forward to it and I know the girls are, too.”

(Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)

HIGHLANDS RANCH — The first Class 4A girls lacrosse state championship game is set as Evergreen and Castle View will meet on Wednesday.

Coverage:

Story | Bracket

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Evergreen 17, Thompson Valley 5

By Lance Wendt and David Harvey

• Link to gallery

(Lance Wendt/wendt5280.com)

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Castle View 17, Grand Junction 4

By Brad Cochi

• Link to gallery

(Brad Cochi/CHSAANow)

PARKER — The Class 5A girls lacrosse championship game is set as Colorado Academy and Valor Christian will meet on Wednesday.

Story | Bracket

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Colorado Academy 16, ThunderRidge 4

By Steve Abeyta & Paul DiSalvo

• Link to gallery

(Steve Abeyta)

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Valor Christian 11, Regis Jesuit 7

By Paul DiSalvo

• Link to gallery

(Paul DiSalvo/PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)

No. 5 ThunderRidge advanced to the Class 5A girls lacrosse semifinals with a thrilling 13-12 win over No. 4 Cherry Creek.

No. 2 Valor Christian built a quick lead and held onto it to beat No. 7 Kent Denver 17-7 to reach the Class 5A girls lacrosse semifinals.