(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

State championship season rolls on as the boys golf tournaments are set to begin play on Monday. The Class 5A tournament will take place at Rolling Hills in Lakewood, the 4A tournament will be played at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs and the 3A tournament is at Dos Rios in Gunnison.

Each classification has several standout teams as well as multiple teams that can battle for a team state championship. Below is breakdown of what to expect at each tournament when the boys start launching them Monday morning.

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Class 5A

(Brad Cochi/For CHSAANow.com)

Course: Rolling Hills Golf Course in Lakewood

2019 individual champion: Will Kates (Arapahoe)

2019 team champion: Fairview

Weather forecast: Sunny, temperatures in high 70’s (both days)

Outlook: The 5A tournament might have some of the best talent the state has on display. Cherry Creek sophomore Charlie Flaxbeard and teammate TJ Hicks both shot career rounds at regionals and will take a lot of momentum into state. Combined with the veteran presences that players like Kates and teammate Matthew Wilkinson bring and it could make for a fun two-day battle at Rolling Hills. The team race between Cherry Creek, Arapahoe, Lakewood and Ralston Valley should also be fun to track.

Others to watch: Ralston Valley’s Gage Messingham is the top-ranked 5A player according to iWanamker rankings, Lakewood’s Ryan Liao has finished in the top four in the last two years of the 5A tournament and Prairie View’s Jeff Nelson has put together some of the best rounds in the state during the course of the regular season.

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Class 4A

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

Course: Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs

2019 individual champion: Micah Stangebye (Montrose)

2019 team champion: Montrose

Weather forecast: Sunny, temperatures in mid-to-high 70’s (both days)

Outlook: After winning the last three team championships, Montrose is going to have its work cut out for it this year. Micah Stangebye is gone but Jordan Jennings has done a great job of leading the team as a senior. The individual race should be an intriguing one as Discovery Canyon’s Kaden Ford and Northfield’s Hunter Swanson return after tying for second place. Lewis-Palmer’s Greg Lewis was right there as a sophomore and has only gotten better in the last year. The team race could come down to host Cheyenne Mountain battling it out with the likes of Mullen, Pueblo West and Windsor.

Others to watchk: Falcon’s Reese Knox has been on fire lately as has Coronado’s Noah Keller. Frederick’s Jake Chesler has been steady all year and Durango junior Levi Tichi has found himself under par on several occasions.

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(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

Class 3A

Course: Dos Rios Country Club in Gunnison

2019 individual champion: Westin Pals (Lutheran)

2019 team champion: Lutheran

Weather forecast: Sunny, temperatures in low 70’s (both days)

Outlook: The 3A tournament certainly brings the most collective talent from the widest range across the state. Aspen’s Nic Pevny finished with in a three-way tie for third with Kent Denver’s Jeffrey Zhou and Stering’s Tayleb Schaefer at the end of last year’s tournament. All three competitors are back which means the second day of the tournament could look more like a men’s club Friday night shootout than a final round of stroke play. Aspen, Kent Denver, St. Mary’s, Sterling and Vail Christian will all have a shot to make a run at a team title and it could be the results on the first day that could put either of those teams in the driver seat.

Others to watchk: Montezuma-Cortez’s Thayer Plewe has more poise on a golf course as a sophomore than most men have in their 30’s. He’s looking to keep his hand steady and play his way into contention. Primero’s Lance Peters has shown no fear when feeling the need to pull driver out of his bag. The narrow fairways of Dos Rios might give some players pause before going for the big dog, but if Peters has a spot in mind and needs driver to get there, he’ll waste no time swinging away.

D’Evelyn junior Mia Riebe slides back into second base ahead of a tag by Conifer sophomore Regan Pell during the 4A Jeffco League game Tuesday in Conifer. The Jaguars won 11-4 to remain tied for first in the competitive 4A Jeffco League. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

CONIFER — D’Evelyn softball closed out its regular season in style Tuesday.

The Jaguars — No. 3 in the Class 4A CHSAANow.com rankings — jumped out to an early double-digit lead on the road against No. 6 Conifer.

“We knew how good Conifer is and how good Cheyenne is,” D’Evelyn coach Dan Porreco said of facing the Lobos and their junior ace Cheyenne Prieto, who sported a 1.68 ERA heading into the game. “That first inning kind of set the tone. I think it shocked them a little bit.”

D’Evelyn (15-1, 7-1 in 4A Jeffco League) put up four runs in the top of the first inning and eventually finished with an 11-4 victory in the Jaguars’ conference finale.

D’Evelyn freshman Peyton Marvel races down the line during a bunt single during the Jaguars’ 4-run first inning against Conifer on Tuesday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

Freshman Peyton Marvel set the table reaching on a bunt single to start the game. Junior Avery Garbarek drove in Marvel with an RBI single and senior Savannah Robberson added a 2-run single later in the inning.

“She (Prieto) is a great pitcher,” said Garbarek, who went 2-for-4 from the plate with 3 RBIs and a 2-run home run in the fourth inning. “I just told my team to get contact. See ball. Hit ball. We all contributed with the little things.”

Marvel scored again in the top of the second inning after a single. The freshman reached base four of her five at-bats, scoring three times.

“It’s really big. It’s my first year and I really want to win,” said Marvel, who in following in the footsteps of her two older sisters that played softball for the Jaguars.

D’Evelyn stretched its lead to 10-0 through four innings with a 5-run fourth inning. Senior Eve Dalla had a 2-run double before Garbarek belted her 2-run home run. The Jaguars managed 14 hits off Preto.

“We faced Izzy (Chatfield pitcher Izzy DiNapoli) and she was probably a little faster,” Marvel said. “I feel like we are better against faster pitchers.”

Garbarek pitched four shutout innings for the Jaguars, but the junior did have her struggles at times. She struck out 11 batters, but also walked nine.

D’Evelyn junior Avery Garbarek walked nine, but struck out 11 batters Tuesday at Conifer. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

“We were not at ease the whole game because of the walks,” Porreco said. “We left her in there. She (Garbarek) gutted it out and got it done.”

Conifer got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning with a 2-run home run by sophomore Regan Pell. Prieto crushed a 2-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to make it an 11-4 final.

“It was frustrating,” Garbarek said of the walks. “I just had to adjust. I feel like I figured it out in the end.”

Conifer (12-3, 5-2) concludes its regular season with another big conference game. The Lobos travel to Bear Creek (11-3, 5-1) for a 4 p.m. game tomorrow (Wednesday, Sept. 30). Bear Creek, D’Evelyn and Wheat Ridge each have one league loss. There is a chance it could be a 3-way tie for the 4A Jeffco League title.

Tuesday was the regular-season finale for the Jaguars, who will now wait to see where D’Evelyn is placed in the 4A state tournament.

“Now we just have to focus on the next game which will hopefully be at state,” Garbarek said.

At the start of the day, Wheat Ridge and D’Evelyn were No. 1 and No. 2 in the 4A RPI standings. Conifer was No. 9 and Bear Creek sat at No. 10. Each 4A league champion will earn an automatic bid to the state tournament and the rest of the 16-team field will be filled out by RPI ranking.

CHSAA did make a significant announcement concerning softball. First, rosters were expanded from 12 to 15 immediately due to a variance granted by the Governor’s COVID Response Team.

Also, there was a change in the state tournament format that includes first-round (Oct. 6 or Oct. 7) and quarterfinal (Oct. 8) games being hosted by the higher seed. Semifinals and finals will be played Saturday, Oct. 10, at the Aurora Sports Complex.

“I’m so glad. I really like it,” Porreco said of the changes in the state tournament that originally was set as a one-day state tournament with the winner having to win four games in one day. “These great athletes can’t play four games in one day. It’s nice.”

Conifer junior Ashley Silvernale slides into second base ahead of a tag by D’Evelyn junior Izzy Mussara. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

Avery Garbarek went 2-for-4 with a home run and drove in three runs as D’Evelyn softball beat Conifer 11-4 on Tuesday.

Sophia Valenti’s two RBI’s were just enough to help Golden softball edge Green Mountain in a 3-2 extra-inning win on Tuesday.

Bryna Kapalke went 4-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs to lift Class 5A No. 2 Broomfield softball to an 8-3 win over No. 10 Legacy.

Kayla Locke was 4-for-4 with five RBIs in helping No. 8 Legend beat Heritage 13-3 on Monday.

Ralston Valley softball improved to 8-7 this season with a 10-0 win over Dakota Ridge on Monday.

Caroline Pigati went 2-for-4 with a home run to help Bear Creek softball get a 6-0 Jeffco League win over Evergreen on Monday.

The 2020 all-state boys tennis teams are presented by CHSAANow.com, ColoradoPreps.com and MaxPreps.

These teams were created based upon results at the state tournament.

The athletes who won No. 1 singles championships at their classification were named players of the year.

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Class 5A

(Brent Murphy/brentmurphyphoto.com)

Player of the year: Morgan Schilling, Regis Jesuit
Coach of the year: Art Quinn, Cherry Creek

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Class 4A

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

Player of the year: Neil Wilcox, Niwot
Coach of the year: Mikka Keronen, Niwot

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

The CHSAA office announced some significant developments for the state softball tournament on Tuesday.

First, the rosters will expand from the current limit of 12 to 15, thanks to a new variance which has been granted from the Governor’s COVID Response Team. This change is effective immediately.

“Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green’s work with the state’s COVID Response team will benefit roster size and equitable opportunities as we head into the last week of the season and into the state tournament,” said CHSAA assistant commissioner Bert Borgmann, who oversees softball.

Second, the state softball tournament is changing from a one-day format, and will instead have first-round and quarterfinal games be played at home sites, hosted by the higher seed. First round games will be played Oct. 6, unless both teams agree to play Oct. 7. Quarterfinals will be played on Oct. 8.

The semifinals and championship games will continue to be played at Aurora Sports Park on Oct. 10, with semifinals at 10 and 10:30 a.m., and the championship games at 1:30 p.m. Games will be played on three individual complexes from semifinals to finals.

“We believe this will help with player safety, limit contact among large groups, as well as cut down on travel for some teams and allow more fans to celebrate their teams’ success,” Borgmann said. “With capacity restrictions still in place, playing at home sites will allow for more fans for teams.”

Each classification will have a 16-team state tournament. Teams will qualify and be seeded by the CHSAA Seeding Index, which takes into account the RPI, MaxPreps rankings and CHSAANow coaches poll.

Also of note: CHSAA cannot overturn federal and state guidelines in regards to quarantine, and therefore in the event a team on the bracket is quarantined, that team’s games will be treated as a bye on the bracket. No previously non-qualifying team will be moved onto the state bracket.

State championship shirts and memorabilia are available now: store.kukulskibrothers.com.