DENVER, PUEBLO and GREELEY — The 2019 state baseball championship games in 3A, 4A and 5A are on Saturday. The 3A and 5A tournaments have semifinals prior to the title games, with three teams remaining in those brackets.
Brackets:
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Tag: University
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University tops Resurrection Christian to repeat as 3A baseball champion
(Ernie Derrera/CHSAANow.com) GREELEY — University has featured a wealth of good hitters the past two seasons. These guys lifted the Bulldogs to back-to-back Class 3A baseball titles.
On Saturday, they defeated Resurrection Christian 10-3 in the championship game at Butch Butler Field.
“University has been a very storied high school with baseball and there’s been great team after great team after great team dating back to the 1950’s,” coach Casey Miller said. “We are the first to go back-to-back.”
When Resurrection Christian pinned a rare loss on University in Friday’s semifinals (6-5), opening the door for Lutheran and Rez to play another elimination game Saturday morning, UH responded by swinging the bats well in the title game.
This wasn’t a big surprise. A team that closed with a 27-2 record, University carried a .391 batting average as a group. They recorded 13 hits in the finale.
“We’re pretty grimy one through nine and if one guy is struggling, another picks him up,” Miller said. “We have hero after hero after hero. Anybody can do it, any given time. They just wear down pitchers.”
University was favored again this season, but Resurrection Christian was carrying plenty of momentum. They knocked out Lutheran 5-3 in what amounted to be another semifinal game. Cooper Strong pitched five innings and gave up only four hits and two runs. He struck out four batters.
After Brody Schneider smashed an RBI double and Lutheran took a 2-0 lead on the Cougars in the first, Rez tallied five hits and five runs in the fourth inning. That flipped the game and pushed the program into their first-ever 3A baseball finals. Resurrection Christian won 2A in 2012 and 2014 and this year’s team was on fire.
But, as is often the case in state tournaments, pitching depth played a role. Resurrection Christian started Will Schrotenboer, a talented freshman, in the championship game. He had pitched just over 11 innings this season, but kept his team in the game for awhile.
Colton Widler’s RBI groundout put University on the board first in the opening frame. Resurrection Christian tied the game on a balk in the top of the third. Then, the Bulldogs hitters really came alive.
A 2-RBI triple by Andre Chacon followed with a run scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the third inning. Alex Martinez connected for an RBI double and freshman River Jackson smashed a 2-RBI double.
“It was for the team,” Jackson said. “We play for the team, play as one. You just have to do it for the person behind you, the person next to you. You have to do it for your brothers.”
University’s scoring binge gave the Bulldogs a 7-1 lead after three innings. But, the challengers continued to grit their teeth. Zach Parrish’s RBI double pulled Rez within 7-2 of University in the fifth.
“They put balls in play and touched us up a little bit,” Miller said. “We haven’t given up 10 hits to very many teams this year. They put barrel to baseball and did that yesterday as well. They did a good job with their hitting approach.”
Nonetheless, University was in control on Saturday. Sophomore Nolan Johnson (.518 batting average), a key cog during both title runs, laced a double in the bottom of the fifth inning that plated two runs. Another run scored on a Rez error and the Bulldogs all but clinched the championship as they opened up a 10-2 advantage.
“I have some friends on that team that I know pretty well and I really like them a lot,” Jackson said. “It feels pretty good to come out on top though.”
University was able to save Kalob Padilla, a senior who pitched all four seasons for the Bulldogs. He entered the game with a 6-0 record and a 1.92 ERA this year. Against Resurrection Christian, Padilla only gave up two runs on seven hits in 4 ⅓ innings. He mostly cooled off a hot Cougar lineup.
“I’m overcome with how proud I am of this group of guys,” Miller said. “Ever since we won it last year, everyone was talking back-to-back. Winning one championship is really, really hard, especially when you’re surrounded by good teams from all around the state.”
Three of the final four teams came from the Patriot League. Eaton was knocked out by Lutheran on Friday.
“We had to bang with them all year,” Miller, in his second year as the University head coach, said. “It compliments our league and Northern Colorado and what we have brewing here. The Patriot is going to be really tough the next couple of years, because there’s a lot of young teams that made noise this year.”
University has now claimed six state titles in baseball. They took out Lamar 21-2 in last year’s final and won championships in 1997, 1992, 1982 (AA), and 1955 (as College High).
“I’ve always taught at University, so I’ve seen what the program is all about,” Miller added. “It’s the attitude and the effort that these guys bring to practice every day and bring to off-season workouts. They grind and they embrace challenges.”
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3A baseball: Resurrection Christian, Lutheran and University still alive
(Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com) GREELEY — All great teams are persistent.
In the Class 3A baseball Final 4, Resurrection Christian was facing an uphill battle. They trailed University, the top seed in the bracket and the defending state champions, 4-0 heading into the fifth inning. The Cougars kept their focus, started chipping into the lead, and eventually crossed the plate for five runs in the seventh inning.
Rez advanced to what amounts to a semifinal with a 6-5 upset of University, the only team who was unbeaten (3-0) entering the final weekend. The Cougars will now face Lutheran, 2-1 winners over traditional powerhouse Eaton, at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Butch Butler Field.
The winner of that game will have another crack at University (26-2 record) at 12:30 p.m. for the championship.
And so, Resurrection Christian (two-time state champions in 2A), has a shot to clinch their first title in 3A. They moved up a class in 2017.
Will Schrotenboer “It feels great,” freshman Will Schrotenboer said of reaching the final day of the state tournament. “They deserve it. I love playing with those guys. We haven’t been there in 3A.”
All three remaining teams, University, Rez, and Lutheran, have one loss. The Bulldogs will only have to play one game instead of two on Saturday, but Resurrection Christian proved again just how dangerous each of the teams have been in the playoffs. No one is going out quietly.
The crucial 6-5 win over University was every bit as challenging as the one-run difference would indicate.
Senior pitcher Colton Widler, one of the talented arms for the Bulldogs, had only given up two hits in the game through four innings. University had tallied runs on a two-RBI single by Jerry Martinez and an RBI triple by Andre Chacon in the third frame. A wild pitch allowed Chacon to score as well. At that point, the favored Bulldogs held a 4-0 advantage.
Resurrection Christian found a spark.
Zach Cook’s RBI single (two outs) pulled the Cougars within 4-1 of University in the top of the fifth inning. Then, Cook came through with another two-out RBI single in the seventh. Andrew Iwanicki and Zach Parrish followed with RBI hits of their own.
Amazingly, the game was tied at 4-4. Will Schrotenboer, carrying a .367 average as a first-year hitter, stepped up to the plate. This was the biggest moment of the season.
“Our coach is really good at talking us through it and getting us calmed down,” he said.
Schrotenboer connected for a base hit and drove in two more runs. With five runs in the top of the seventh, the Cougars took a 6-4 lead against University.
The defending champions were down to their last three outs, but Jerry Martinez came through with a sac fly to make it 6-5.
Cook sealed the win for Resurrection Christian though. He pitched the final three innings after Sawyer Shepherd struck out six batters and scattered five hits. He gave up four runs, but limited the damage often. Shepherd also hit a double.
“Zach Cook came in for relief and he pitched great,” Schrotenboer said. “Zach Parrish came in clutch with that hit at the end of the game.”
Resurrection Christian boasts a 20-7 record. Their opponent in another semifinal game is Lutheran. The Lions began the season with four straight losses, three against teams from other states. One was a close loss against University (4-2), so they did show grit early on.
Lutheran has a young group, but freshman Dorian Pacheco (RBI single to tie the game in fourth) is just one of many players who has shown growth. They are riding a 9-1 record in the past 10 contests.
“We struggled to get things going,” Lutheran coach Seth Sorensen noted. “We couldn’t get any rhythm in the season with all the cancellations. Then, all of a sudden we started to come together as a team and get some momentum.”
Pacheco is a key cog for the Lions, batting over .350 as a freshman. He delivered in crucial hit against Eaton.
“Being a freshman, it is not easy at this level,” Sorensen said. “That kid competes all the time and for him to do what he did in that position, it was huge for us.”
Sophomores Macy Barnhart and Saxton Sorensen combined for seven strikeouts and only one run given up despite facing one of 3A’s best lineups.
Brody Schneider clouted a solo home run to left field, giving Lutheran a 2-1 advantage in the sixth inning. That was Schneider’s 11th homer this season. He has a .551 batting average.
“He is truly a game-changer,” Sorensen said. “It is unbelievable and he’s such a humble kid. It’s pretty special.”
Sorensen snuffed out Eaton’s attempts at tying the game. Ryan Ure did nail a triple for the Reds in the seventh, while adding a single and two walks. Jared Ure fanned eight Lutheran batters and gave up two runs. Eaton finished their season with a 22-5 record.
Now only three teams are left standing in the 3A baseball playoffs. Lutheran, Resurrection Christian, and University, one will be crowned as the champion on Saturday at Butch Butler Field.
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A look at the 12 remaining teams in this weekend’s state baseball tournaments
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) The 2018-19 athletic season comes to an end this weekend with the conclusion of the Class 5A, 4A and 3A state baseball tournaments. Four teams remain in each class and champions will be crowned at three different sites.
Heading into the weekend, here’s a brief breakdown of each remaining team and the outlook of each remaining classification.
Brackets
- Class 5A (All City Field, Denver)
- Class 4A (UC Health Park, Colorado Springs)
- Class 3A (Butch Butler Field, Greeley)
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Class 5A
Regis Jesuit
(Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com) - Season record: 23-5
- State tournament record: 3-0
- Next game: vs. Mountain Vista (12:30 p.m. Friday)
- Offensive leaders: Caden Wagner (.432 avg., 10 HR, 38 RBI), Geno Macias (.389 avg., 9 2B, 2 HR, 25 RBI)
- Pitching leaders: Patrick Strawbridge (1.50 ERA, 41 K, .174 OBA), Brent DiBiase (2.47 ERA, 47 K, .170 OBA)
- Weekend outlook: The Raiders enter the second weekend of the tournament in firm control having not dropped a game last week. They’ll battle the defending 5A champion on Friday afternoon. A win over Mountain Vista would both eliminate a tough competitor and ensure that the Raiders must be beaten twice on Saturday.
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Mountain Vista
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) - Season record: 25-3
- State tournament record: 2-1
- Next game: vs. Regis Jesuit (12:30 p.m. Friday)
- Offensive leaders: Sam Ireland (.426 avg., 12 2B, 5 HR), Grant Magill (.495 avg., 5 HR, 39 RBI), Drew Stahl (.391 avg., 8 HR, 40 RBI)
- Pitching leaders: Ireland (8-0, 1.04 ERA, 54 K), Clay Burke (6-1, 2.22 ERA, 46 K)
- Weekend outlook: A second-game loss to Grandview boxed the defending champs into a corner. With a lineup that is not short on power, the Golden Eagles will have to come out swinging and hope that there is enough pitching depth to work through three games. Ireland pitched a gem on April 20 when Mountain Vista beat Regis Jesuit so it wouldn’t be a shock to see the ball in the ace’s hand first thing on Friday.
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Cherry Creek
(Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com) - Season record: 21-7
- State tournament record: 2-1
- Next game: vs. Grandview (10 a.m. Friday)
- Offensive leaders: Brice Martinez (.412 avg., 6 3B, 31 RBI), Clay Cutter (.402 avg., 22 RBI, 25 R)
- Pitching leaders: Nathan Mitchell (10-0, 2.52 ERA, 54 K), Nolan Livsey (3-1, 5.41 ERA, 53 K)
- Weekend outlook: Down 7-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth, the Bruins rallied back to advance to the second weekend of the state tournament. They’ll see league foe Grandview in an elimination game. Cherry Creek swept the regular season series against Grandview, winning 8-4 on April 6 and 13-9 on April 9. Both Livsey and Mitchell threw in those games so coach Marc Johnson could go either way with his starters.
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Grandview
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) - Season record: 19-9
- State tournament record: 2-1
- Next game: vs. Cherry Creek (10 a.m. Friday)
- Offensive leaders: Jayden Martinez (.407 avg., 3 3B, 27 R), Peter Goldy (.365 avg., 4 HR, 31 RBI)
- Pitching leaders: Josh Hojnowski (7-4, 2.70 ERA), Goldy (5-0, 2.16 ERA, 47 K)
- Weekend outlook: The Wolves battered the Mountain Vista pitching combination of Ben Cole and Tyler Mejia to stun the defending champions in the second day of the tournament. The had a chance to take control of the tournament, but fell to Regis Jesuit last Saturday. It’s win or go home for the Wolves and so far in 2019, their luck against Cherry Creek hasn’t been good. But all it takes is one game to advance.
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Class 4A
Silver Creek
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com) - Season record: 26-2
- State tournament record: 3-0
- Next game: vs. Fort Morgan (1:30 p.m. Friday)
- Offensive leaders: Spencer Rich (.505 avg., 7 HR, 45 R), Justin Swenson (.427 avg., 10 2B, 35 RBI)
- Pitching leaders: Michael Wegleitner (8-1, 1.81 ERA, 41 K), Tanner Regan (7-0, 3.00 ERA, 53 K)
- Weekend outlook: Silver Creek enters the final weekend of the state tournament as the lone undefeated team. In fact, the Raptors have no lost to a Colorado team at all in 2019. A win over Fort Morgan on Friday means that they’ll head into Saturday needing to lose twice to not come away with a state title.
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Fort Morgan
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com) - Season record: 19-9
- State tournament record: 2-1
- Next game: vs. Silver Creek (1:30 p.m. Friday)
- Offensive leaders: JP Hamer (.395 avg., 6 3B, 5 HR), Nick Norris (.370 avg., 3 HR, 24 RBI)
- Pitching leaders: Jacob Ortega (8-2, 3.96 ERA, 36 K), Mateo Salcido (5-1, 2.29 ERA, 38 K)
- Weekend outlook: A seven-run fifth inning against Cheyenne Mountain powered Fort Morgan into the second weekend of the 4A tournament. If the Mustangs are going to have any hope of advancing to Saturday, they’ll have to beat Silver Creek, a team that hasn’t lost to a Colorado team all year.
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Pueblo West
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com) - Season record: 25-3
- State tournament record: 2-1
- Next game: vs. Holy Family (11 a.m. Friday)
- Offensive leaders: Kyle Jameson (.477 avg., 7 3B, 51 R), Tyler Barth (.325 avg., 4 HR, 37 RBI)
- Pitching leaders: Nate Denniston (8-0, 1.43 ERA, 64 K), Devon Neff (6-1, 4.47 ERA, 51 K)
- Weekend outlook: When Pueblo West advances to the second weekend of the state tournament, it’s typically as the only undefeated team in the bracket. That’s not the case this year. Now the guesswork when it comes to pitching matchups is gone for coach Dan Sanchez. His boys just have to win and move on.
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Holy Family
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com) - Season record: 22-6
- State tournament record: 2-1
- Next game: vs. Pueblo West (11 a.m. Friday)
- Offensive leaders: Collin Kringlen (.476 avg., 6 HR, 25 RBI), Zach Becker (.368 avg., 3 HR, 29 R)
- Pitching leaders: Weston Siefken (1.58 ERA, 99 K, .195 OBA), Jordon McFarland (7-2, 2.55 ERA, 56 K)
- Weekend outlook: Collin Kringlen put on a show last week, homering in each of the Tigers three games. If Holy Family is to get by Pueblo West and have a chance on Friday, he needs to continue swinging a hot bat and Siefken and McFarland need to shine on the mound just like they did against Cheyenne Mountain and Erie, respectively.
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Class 3A
University
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com) - Season record: 26-1
- State tournament record: 3-0
- Next game: vs. Resurrection Christian (10 a.m. Friday)
- Offensive leaders: Nolan Johnson (.513 avg., 9 2B, 39 R), Andre Chacon (.432 avg., 1 HR, 29 RBI)
- Pitching leaders: Koy Jorgensen (10-0, 2.14 ERA, 66 K), Kalob Padilla (7-0, 2.19 ERA, 63 K)
- Weekend outlook: Needing just two wins this weekend, the defending 3A champs have a solid one-two pitching combination and a wide distribution of offense through the lineup. Five players have driven at least 20 runs on the year and although University hasn’t blown anyone out in this state tournament, the play has been consistent. If that consistency carries over this week, they could easily defend its title.
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Resurrection Christian
(Geoffrey Sager/MaxPreps) - Season record: 19-7
- State tournament record: 2-1
- Next game: vs. University (10 a.m. Friday)
- Offensive leaders: Sawyer Shepherd (.432 avg., 4 HR, 34 RBI), Jackson Romero (.403 avg., 4 3B, 33 R)
- Pitching leaders: Zach Cook (4-3, 1.11 ERA, 34 K), Sawyer Shepherd (5-3, 4.62 ERA, 42 K)
- Weekend outlook: If there’s one big thing Resurrection Christian has going for it this week, it’s the confidence that they can beat a team that they didn’t in the regular season. The Cougars lost a 13-inning nail-biter to Eaton on April 25 but came out strong last weekend, beating the Red 10-2 to open their state tournament. Rez lost to University back on April 18, but get a second crack on Friday. A win over the Bulldogs would setup a true semifinal situation on Saturday with the winner getting a crack at the defending champs.
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Lutheran
(Geoffrey Sager/MaxPreps) - Season record: 16-10
- State tournament record: 2-1
- Next game: vs. Eaton (12:30 p.m. Friday)
- Offensive leaders: Brody Schneider (.551 avg., 10 HR, 42 RBI), Nick Crandall (.416 avg., 26 SB, 32 R)
- Pitching leaders: Macy Barnhart (5-1, 2.73 ERA, 35 K), Landin Latino (0-1, 4.67 ERA, 35 K)
- Weekend outlook: At first glance, Lutheran scores a lot of runs, but the rest of the 3A field isn’t exactly shy of getting runners across the plate. After beating Rez Christian 16-6, the Lions hung with the defending state champs in a 9-7 loss last Saturday. They’ll have to beat Eaton if they want another crack at University.
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Eaton
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) - Season record: 22-4
- State tournament record: 2-1
- Next game: vs. Lutheran (12:30 p.m. Friday)
- Offensive leaders: Ryan Ure (.506 avg., 5 HR, 50 RBI), Bryce Leafgren (.407 avg., 10 2B, 34 R)
- Pitching leaders: Jared Ure (7-1, 1.98 ERA, 92 K, .195 OBA), Ryan Ure (4-0, 0.89 ERA, 69 K)
- Weekend outlook: The Ure brothers have made Eaton a strong team all year. A loss in the first game of the state tournament set back the traditional 3A power, but with each game meaning potential elimination, the siblings will look to hit the cover off the ball and mow down hitters at every opportunity.
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Game times set for final weekend of the state baseball tournaments
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com) AURORA — The game times have been set for the final weekend of the state baseball tournaments.
With four teams remaining in the class 5A, 4A and 3A brackets, the CHSAA office released game times for the Friday games at each site.
Note that on Saturday, game times at each site will be 10 a.m. and, if necessary, 12:30 p.m.
If weather is a factor, play will be completed on the next available day, which includes Sunday.
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Class 5A
At All-City Field, Denver
Remaining teams:
- Regis Jesuit (3-0)
- Cherry Creek (2-1)
- Grandview (2-1)
- Mountain Vista (2-1)
Friday:
- 10 am: Grandview vs. Cherry Creek (Game 12)
- 12:30 pm: Regis Jesuit vs. Mountain Vista (Game 13)
Saturday:
- 10 am: Winner of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 13 (Game 14)
- 12:30 pm: If Regis Jesuit loses game 13 or Game 14, this game will be necessary (Game 15)
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Class 4A
At Vibes Stadium, Colorado Springs
Remaining teams:
- Silver Creek (3-0)
- Fort Morgan (2-1)
- Holy Family (2-1)
- Pueblo West (2-1)
Friday:
- 11 am: Pueblo West vs. Holy Family (Game 12)
- 1:30 pm: Silver Creek vs. Fort Morgan (Game 13)
Saturday:
- 10 am: Winner of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 13 (Game 14)
- 12:30 pm: If Silver Creek loses Game 13 or Game 14, this game will be necessary (Game 15)
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Class 3A
At Butch Butler Field, Greeley
- Bracket
- First weekend: University lone unbeaten; Lutheran, Eaton and Resurrection Christian also move on
Remaining teams:
- University (3-0)
- Eaton (2-1)
- Lutheran (2-1)
- Resurrection Christian (2-1)
Friday:
- 10 am: University vs. Resurrection Christian (Game 12)
- 12:30 pm: Lutheran vs. Eaton (Game 13)
Saturday:
- 10 am: Winner of Game 12 vs. Winner of Game 13 (Game 14)
- 12:30 pm: If University loses Game 12 or Game 14, this game will be necessary (Game 15)
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3A baseball: University lone unbeaten; Lutheran, Eaton and Resurrection Christian also move on
(Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com) GREELEY — University won their first baseball crown in 21 years when they topped Lamar last season. That team was deep with hitters as 10 Bulldogs finished with a .400 or better average.
Jerry Martinez is a talented batter, but he was not in the lineup back then. In fact, he moved from California around three months ago. He had heard about the stacked blue and white ball club though.
“I just knew they were a really great squad,” he said. “My dad was here before and he talked to me about the schools. I looked into them and their record last year was incredible.”
On Saturday, during a matchup between the only 2-0 teams in the Class 3A state tournament, Martinez and his fellow Bulldogs were able to fend off Lutheran 9-7 in a memorable game. With the victory, University is the only 3-0 team remaining in the bracket. They will be joined by Eaton, Resurrection Christian, and Lutheran in next weekend’s semifinals.
Jerry Martinez. (Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com) Martinez did his part for his new club, pitching four scoreless innings before finally allowing two earned runs in the fifth. A hot Lutheran lineup, one that produced 17 hits and 15 runs against Resurrection Christian on Friday, was mostly quieted by the junior. He only allowed three total hits and had a pair of hits himself.
“I was going with a fastball and a curveball most of the time,” Martinez said. “Those were working. I needed to stick to that and stick to my mentality.”
He did, but his pitching counterpart, Landin Latino (5 1/3 innings, 4 strikeouts, 3 earned runs), kept Lutheran in the game as well.
The contest was still scoreless after four innings. Finally, University broke the tie as Nolan Johnson’s infield single allowed River Jackson to cross home plate to give University a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth.
The Lions responded by loading the bases in the bottom of the inning and scoring on a wild throw and a sacrifice fly Brody Schneider. Lutheran held a 2-1 advantage with only two innings to go.
Then, the bats really came alive as each team began dipping further into their pitching staff. A young Lutheran (16-10) team that is growing up quickly was challenging the defending state champions and this year’s favorites.
University’s offense is potent though and the Bulldogs went on a scoring binge in the top of the sixth inning. Mason Ewing scored on a fielder’s choice, and then sophomore catcher Alex Martinez cranked a towering triple to drive in another run.
University tacked on three more runs on an error, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly by Johnson and led 6-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth. They had five hits and five runs in the inning.
And yet, Lutheran matched University in hits and runs in the bottom half of the frame. An RBI single by Aaron Morgan and an RBI double by Kyle Budnack pulled the Lions within 6-4. Then, Nate Nejedlo cracked a two-RBI single to tie it. Teagan Rae added an RBI double as Lutheran took a 7-6 lead.
How would University respond?
“For us, we’ve been down before but that doesn’t mean anything,” Jerry Martinez said. “These guys can really hit. No matter what the score is, what inning, how many outs, we just bang the ball. No matter what, we always bounce back.”
While Lutheran again showed off their firepower, and they will be very dangerous in the semifinals, it is difficult to beat the champions. They have a 26-1 record for a reason.
Only a freshman, River Jackson came through again with a game-tying RBI double in the top of the seventh inning. Then, senior Joe Medina singled in two more runs. Another senior more than did his part, as well, in the final inning.
“I have to give it to Braden Furister,” Martinez said proudly. “He came in seventh inning, two outs, behind in the count, and he draws a walk. That allows River to score him in.”
Furister closed the game out by retiring all three Lutheran batters.
“Everybody in the lineup can hit, everybody can pitch,” Martinez added.” If we need someone to pinch run, they do their job. There’s excellent talent on this team.”
With how many members of the team contribute for University, the Bulldogs (Patriot League champs) remain the title favorites going into the last weekend. Lutheran has also advanced to the semifinals.
They are joined in the final four by two Patriot League rivals in Eaton and Resurrection Christian. Eaton piled up 25 runs on Saturday, beating St. Mary’s 9-3 and Delta 16-1. The Reds are also the only team who has beaten University this season, a 10-4 home win on April 6.
Resurrection Christian, a two-time state champion in 2A, reached the Final 4 for the first time in 3A (they moved up in 2017) by defeating Alamosa 18-7 on Saturday. They have a number of talented hitters and pitchers, as well.
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3A baseball: Lutheran, 2-0 in the tournament, is getting hot at the right time
(Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com) GREELEY — On a team full of capable hitters, Brody Schneider often leads the way. So when Lutheran watched their senior shortstop crank a two-run homer in the first inning of the Class 3A state baseball tournament, a beauty over the left field fence, the Lions’ other hitters stepped up too.
They did enough damage in wins over St. Mary’s (6-3) and Resurrection Christian (15-5) to put them in a favorable position heading into Saturday with a 2-0 tournament record. Lutheran will face University on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Butch Butler Field in Greeley.
In a double-elimination playoff, with two losses needed to knock a team out, the winner of that game will be the only remaining 3-0 group in the bracket. Yes, Lutheran is in a good position.
“It was really important for us to start 2-0,” Schneider said. “We’re getting super hot at the right time and that’s all that matters.”
How did Schneider, a senior, feel about starting Lutheran’s scoring binge with a home run against St. Mary’s?
“It was super cool,” he said. “I try to keep level-minded and hit line drives. To put that one out is absolutely awesome.”
Brody Schneider. (Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com) Schneider now has 11 of the team’s 21 homers on the season, while also leading the Lions in batting average (.551 entering Friday) and RBI (45). He spoke humbly after the game, giving plenty of credit to his teammates, but Schneider carries a big stick.
After Teagan Rae scored on a wild throw in the first inning against Resurrection Christian, the Cougars’ Cooper Strong tied the game at one on a Lutheran error in the third. Schneider, who had an RBI single against St. Mary’s as well, came up with a big play in the bottom of the third.
Lutheran loaded the bases and then an unusual play occurred. A hard hit ball made contact with the foot of Rez pitcher Zach Cook, and then a throwing error to first base by another infielder allowed all three runners to score. Lutheran led 4-1, but the Cougars responded with RBI hits by Cooper Strong and Cook. The game was tied at four heading into the fourth frame.
That’s when the Lions really heated up.
Griffin Webb lined an RBI double. Nick Crandall, Carson James, freshman Dorian Pacheco, and Aaron Morgan also had RBI hits as Lutheran recorded eight consecutive hits in an amazing display of prowess in the batter’s box. The scoreboard read Lutheran 9, Resurrection Christian 4.
The Lions pushed the lead to 12-5 in the sixth and the game ended one inning early as Nate Nejedlo cleared the bases with a single, then an error by Rez. The Lions are sitting in a good position with a 2-0 record. University, the defending champions, are also 2-0 after claiming wins over Colorado Academy 5-3 and Delta 9-3 at the other 3A site, Butch Butler Field.
“That was our overall goal,” Lutheran coach Seth Sorensen said. “We needed to get two today. The bats were hot. We got a lot of young guys. For them to go up there and have some intent and some focus, I was just super proud of the way we approached the plate today.”
Colorado Academy will face Alamosa, who lost 5-4 to Delta, in an elimination game on Saturday. Eaton and St. Mary’s will face off in the other early elimination contest as Resurrection Christian (10-2 winners over Eaton) and Delta are also keeping title hopes alive.
Sawyer Shepard drove in a pair of runs in the fourth frame of Rez’s win over Eaton, with the help of the glaring sun in the left fielder’s eyes as he wasn’t able to find the ball on a deep fly. Andrew Iwanicki had a sac fly to lift the Cougars’ lead to 6-2. Will Schrotenboer tacked on a sac fly of his own and Ethan Wheeler notched an RBI single to open up an 8-2 margin.
In the bottom of the fifth, sophomore Zach Cook found the outfield grass for a two-RBI single. The Cougars could be very dangerous on Saturday.
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All-state girls tennis teams for the 2019 season
The 2019 all-state girls 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 championships at their classification were named players of the year. Coaches of the year were awarded to the coaches of championship teams.
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Class 5A
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) Player of the year: Valerie Negin, Smoky Hill
Coach of the year: Chris Jacob, Cherry Creek
First Team Name Year School Pos. Valerie Negin Sophomore Smoky Hill 1S Sophie Pearson Senior Fairview 1S Alexis Bernthal Sophomore Fairview 2S Sayuri Garud Senior Cherry Creek 3S Halley Mackiernan Sophomore Cherry Creek 1D Anna Fusaris Sophomore Cherry Creek 1D Kaki Cantor Junior Cherry Creek 2D Miranda Kawula Junior Cherry Creek 2D Wesley Sternberg Freshman Chatfield 3D Kaitlyn Speer Freshman Chatfield 3D Ella Barclay Sophomore Cherry Creek 4D Dahlia Rappaport Sophomore Cherry Creek 4D [divider]
Class 4A
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com) Player of the year: Lucy Lu, Niwot
Coach of the year: Dave Adams, Cheyenne Mountain
First Team Name Year School Pos. Lucy Lu Sophomore Niwot 1S Josie Schaffer Senior Kent Denver 1S Jensen Enterman Junior Cheyenne Mountain 2S Tessa Rothwell Sophomore Palmer Ridge 3S Emma Delich Sophomore Cheyenne Mountain 1D Sydney Wagner Sophomore Cheyenne Mountain 1D Maedee Trank-Green Junior Niwot 2D Lily Sieben Junior Niwot 2D Anna Sallee Freshman Niwot 3D Georgia Lang Freshman Niwot 3D Paige Shrader Freshman Windsor 4D Emmy Butler Freshman Windsor 4D [divider]
Class 3A
(Adam Hothersall/CHSAANow.com) Player of the year: Trisha Somasundaram, Peak to Peak
Coach of the year: Eric Carlson, Peak to Peak
First Team Name Year School Pos. Trisha Somasundaram Senior Peak To Peak 1S Mae Thorp Junior Steamboat Springs 1S Trini Somasundaram Senior Peak To Peak 2S Elizabeth van der Torre Senior University 3S Olivia Sanders Senior D’Evelyn 1D Emily Reschl Senior D’Evelyn 1D Sarah Devereux Senior Dawson 2D Julia Garfinkel Senior Dawson 2D Maria Christofferson Freshman D’Evelyn 3D Maddie Dietzler Freshman D’Evelyn 3D Cheranne Wang Freshman D’Evelyn 4D Ella Whatley Freshman D’Evelyn 4D -
State track: Recapping some of the best performances from Day 2
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) LAKEWOOD — Just two years ago, Yasin Sado was a soccer player with a hidden gift for running.
By the end of Friday’s state track and field competitions, plenty of spectators at Jeffco Stadium became well aware of that gift. After all, he did clinch the Class 3A 3,200 and 800 titles on the same day.
As someone who is still a newcomer to being part of a track team (second track season), he was confident but also unsure of just how fast he could go in the 3,200, the first event of the day. Sado, donning the orange and black colors of Denver West, had only raced the distance once before in 2019, recording a time of 9 minutes, 42 seconds at the Denver South Rebel Invite on March 31.
To upset the No. 1 seed, Mason Norman (9:24 season best), Sado knew he needed to go faster. He did, posting a winning time of 9:29.
Norman, a two-time winner of state cross country for The Classical Academy, led most of the race, pulling William Ledden (Peak to Peak) and Sado through the first 1,600 meters in 4 minutes, 46 seconds. Then, with only 800-meters left, Sado and Norman were still even with one another.
“I felt pretty good with two laps to go, but my coach said to just wait until the last lap,” Sado said of staying patient before making his winning move.
That move was a speedy 57-second final lap. He stayed smooth the entire way, then raised his arms in celebration as he crossed the finish line.
Norman, also a junior, was the runner-up in a time of 9:41. Sado’s brother, Ahmed, closed hard to secure third place in 9:42.
A few hours later, with a 3,200 on his legs, the Denver West junior hoped to capture the 800 championship as well.
Holy Family’s Braden Bartlett had something different in mind, accelerating the pace enough to drop all 3A challengers except Sado in the final 200 meters.
“I was just staying behind [University‘s Noah Smith], then the Holy Family guy was going pretty fast,” Sado said. “I just kicked during the last 400.”
The Denver West junior (1:56.25) found a burst, passing Bartlett (1:56.95, second) with only a few strides to go.
In just his second-ever track season, Sado has now won a pair of state titles. He did finish as the 800 runner-up as a sophomore, but as the No. 1 seed in the 1,600 on Saturday, a lofty time of 4:16, Sado could be a three-time champion.
What a way to kick off a track career.
He was a club soccer player, and just a soccer player in his eyes, only two years ago. The fact Sado’s brother, Ahmed, was third and fifth in the 800 (1:59) made Friday that much sweeter.
“He has been injured for cross country and track, but he’s really happy with how he did today,” Sado noted. “He didn’t believe he could get third.”
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Class 5A
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) Cole Sprout, the owner of an all-classification state record in the 3,200 – 8:57 earlier this season — won the event in a time of 9:11.84. Sprout is still only a junior for Valor Christian, but has been a record-breaker many times already. Dakota Ridge’s Austin Vancil (9:17) was second on Friday.
As for the 800, David Cardenas (1:53.47) will bring a gold medal back to Grand Junction Central. Connor Ohlson, also of Dakota Ridge, was second in 1:54.
Fairview’s superstar senior Marlena Preigh won the girls 800 in 2:08.55, defending her title.
Micaylon Moore, the triple jump winner on Friday, represented Fort Collins well in clinching back-to-back titles in long jump. His best mark was 24 feet, 0.25 inches.
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Class 4A
Niwot put their stamp on the 800 once again as sophomore Taylor James beat former Cougar great Elise Cranny’s 4A state meet record of 2:08.50 with a mark of 2:08.28. She
Soon after, junior Cruz Culpepper (1:52.93) won an 800-meter title of his own for Niwot.
Pueblo West’s Cisco Padilla (6-5) claimed the high jump gold medal.
Grace Scuzs of Palmer Ridge (11 feet, 4 inches) bettered everyone in pole vault.
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Class 3A
(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com) In a race that was reminiscent of the 4A girls 3,200 yesterday, Sierra Bower (Basalt) and Kaylee Thompson (The Classical Academy) pulled away from the field and matched wits, stamina, and speed for eight consecutive laps. A better sprint down the homestretch allowed Thompson to clinch the title in 10:58.0 seconds. Bower was just behind in 10:58.3.
Lutheran’s Noah Kelly (14-6) finished as the pole vault king of 3A.
Mason Anthony of Elizabeth set a 3A record in the 300 hurdles (37.82).
Gunnison’s Kelita Baroumbaye (47-00.75) captured the triple jump crown with an excellent mark.
Lutheran (1:48.12) broke the 3A state record in the 800-meter sprint medley relay, besting runner-up Elizabeth (1:48.55).
Lily Lavier of Alamosa captured the two-lap crown (800-meters) in 2:13.08.
Moffat County (1:45.83) proved to have the best group of sprinters in the 800-meter relay.
Jordan Lanning of Bayfield (18-2.50) conquered the long jump.
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Class 2A
Colton Jonjak-Plahn of Lyons (1:59.43) topped the 800 field with a diving win.
Hotchkiss (1:50.81) cruised to a near-four second victory in the sprint medley relay.
Hannah Wilkie of Rangely (2:19) was the 800 winner.
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Class 1A
Elton Yarger of Stratton/Liberty set a classification triple jump record, winning with a mark of 44-8.25.
Faith Novess of De Beque cleared 5 feet, 7 inches to capture the 1A girls state record for the first time as a senior. She will compete for the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs next year.
“My goal was to get 5-6 and beat the state record,” Novess said. “I love representing De Beque. A lot of people think since we’re a small school, we don’t have good athletes. They take us for granted.”
They did win the girls sprint medley on Thursday, while also capturing the 4×200 relay crown on Friday.
“I think that really set the mood for the whole weekend,” Novess said of the sprint medley’s victory.
Levi Kilian (1:56) and Seth Bruxvoort (1:58) swept the gold and silver medals and tallied plenty of team points for Heritage Christian. The Eagles posted 10 more points in the boys 4×200 relay (1:33.63).