Wild Card points help determine the postseason fields in 3A, 4A and 5A, with 4A and 5A also using them for seeding. Find a more detailed breakdown here.
Baseball’s Wild Card point standings for April 9 are below.
Regis Jesuit walked away with a win over Arapahoe in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown on Saturday. Monday, the Raiders are the unanimous pick to lead CHSAANow.com’s Class 5A boys lacrosse poll.
Cherry Creek moved up one spot to No. 2, Kent Denver jumped two places to No. 3 and Arapahoe fell to fourth. Mountain Vista rounds out the top five.
Chaparral (No. 8) and Columbine (No. 10) joined the 5A ranking this week.
Wheat Ridge extended its stay at No. 1 in 4A.
Behind the Farmers, Ponderosa moved up four spots to No. 2. Likewise, Steamboat Springs went from No. 7 to No. 3. Aspen is fourth and Thompson Valley rounds out the top five.
Air Academy is the lone newcomer this week at No. 10.
Chatfield junior Kendra Lanuza, left, tracks down Wheat Ridge senior Sydnie Kroneberger during Thursday’s Jeffco League girls lacrosse opener for both teams. Lanuza tallied five goals in the Chargers’ 19-3 victory. (Dennis Pleuss)
LAKEWOOD — A handful of premier girls lacrosse players from the Jeffco League were on display Thursday at Trailblazer Stadium.
Chatfield freshman Tess Albert (11) advances the ball up the field against Wheat Ridge junior Jamie Nguyen during the first half Thursday. (Dennis Pleuss)
“It’s hard to rank our priorities, but league is definitely is probably my top priority,” Chatfield coach Adam Everett said of defending the conference title it won last year. “It’s my top priority to do well in the Jeffco League. It’s always a tough conference.”
The Chargers showed its offense depth early and often Thursday afternoon. Chatfield scored the first 11 goals against Wheat Ridge. Senior Shelby Piper led the way scoring four times in the first half, including three straight goals in a span of two minutes.
Piper finished with five goals and four assists. Junior Kendra Lanuza also pitched in five goals and senior Rachael Walker found the back of the net four times for the Chargers.
“We want everyone on the team to be a threat,” Chatfield senior defender Allie Sale said. “We want everyone to be able to handle the ball, all the defense can go in the attack and all the attack can go on defense. That is really important to us this year.”
Senior Tess Albert (three goals), sophomore Jen Lanuza (one goal) and junior Summer Stafford finished up the offensive barrage for Chatfield. Senior Emily McMinimee was solid in goal for the Chargers allowing just three goals.
“Our offense has been doing really well, but our defense has really come together,” Everett said. “Emily (McMinimee) has just been outstanding the past couple of games. We’ve got come experience back there on defense. Allie Sale really organizes everything. The chemistry is really there.”
Wheat Ridge senior Gianna Ossello (16) has 164 career goals for the Farmers. She will take her talents to Duke University next school year. (Dennis Pleuss)
Chatfield had the task of trying to contain Wheat Ridge senior Gianna Ossello, who will play for Duke University next school year. Ossello has tallied 148 goals and 52 assists in her first three years as a Farmer.
Despite the efforts of Sale, one of her good friends, Chatfield couldn’t keep Ossello off the score sheet. The senior scored two goals and assisted on the third goal for the Farmers.
“My goal all four years is not to let Gianna get a point against us,” said Sale after she took photos with Ossello at the conclusion of the game. “She has gotten it every year.”
Ossello had 16 goals so far in her four games played this season for Wheat Ridge.
“She (Ossello) is an incredible player,” Everett said. “It’s been a privilege to have my teams play against her. She presents different challenges. I think we did a fairly good job against her.”
Junior Amanda Malecki picked up the goal off the assist from Ossello. Wheat Ridge scored the final two goals of the first half to break the shutout.
While losing to Chatfield was disappointing, Ossello hopes for the best for the Chargers for the remainder of the season.
“I’m definitely rooting for them,” Ossello said. “I’ve got a lot of really good friends on that team. They are well composed. They are good sports. I’m looking forward to seeing how far they go.”
Chatfield hopes to ride its balanced scoring attack and stingy defense where no Jeffco team has ventured. Jeffco has never won a state title in girls lacrosse.
“You can already feel the momentum we’ve already picked up,” Piper said. “Hopefully we’ll take it into playoffs and state. That is what our dream is.”
Chatfield senior Rachael Walker (21) prepares to shoot a shot past Wheat Ridge senior goalie Jenna Yoches on Thursday. Walker scored four goals in the Chargers’ 19-3 victory. (Dennis Pleuss)Chatfield junior Summer Stafford (2) closes in on Wheat Ridge junior Nora Ridgeway (9) during the first half Thursday at Trailblazer Stadium in Lakewood. The Chargers improved to 5-0 on the season with a dominating 19-3 victory. (Dennis Pleuss)
Wheat Ridge junior Sarah Painter, left, challenges Green Mountain junior Mia Dobbin as she tries to get a shot off during the second half Wednesday at Lakewood Memorial Field. The Farmers took a 1-0 victory in the Class 4A Jeffco League opener for both teams. (Dennis Pleuss)
LAKEWOOD — Wheat Ridge continues to have Green Mountain’s number on the girls’ soccer pitch.
The Farmers scored the game-winning goal in the 76th minute Wednesday at Lakewood Memorial Field to pull off a 1-0 victory. It was the Class 4A Jeffco League opener for both Wheat Ridge and Green Mountain.
“We knew going in it was going to be a really tough game,” Wheat Ridge senior Shelly Browne said. “I’m glad we were able to put it away. It came down to the end.”
Wheat Ridge sophomore Susan Whitney (11) gets a pass away before Green Mountain senior Kelli Van Tassel can close in Wednesday at Lakewood Memorial Field. Whitney had the game-winning assist in the 76th minute for the Farmers in the 1-0 victory. (Dennis Pleuss)
Browne scored the game-winning goal with under five minutes to play in regulation time. Wheat Ridge sophomore Susan Whitney did most of the work to score the lone goal. Whitney raced up the field with the ball on a counter attack and fed the ball to Browne. The senior slipped a shot past Green Mountain senior goalie Lindsey Hendon for the game-winner.
“I just thought it was really well composed. Susan made the turn and took somebody on, but had the composure to see Shelly come open,” Wheat Ridge coach Dan Watkins said of the game-winning goal. “It’s a great goalkeeper (Hendon), great defense. To be able to sequence one together and put one in the net was a great goal.”
Green Mountain had given up just two goals in its pervious four games, including shutout victories against Brighton and Lakewood.
It was the first goal of the season for Browne, who leads the team with four assists so far for Wheat Ridge (4-2, 1-0 in league).
“It was awesome,” Browne said. “She (Whitney) just found an opening and played the perfect ball. I just tapped it right in.”
The conference rivals tied 0-0 in league play last season. Wheat Ridge pulled off the upset with a 2-1 victory in the second round of the 4A state tournament in the rematch against Green Mountain last year. The tie and loss to the Farmers were the only blemishes for the Rams last season.
“When you play good programs and programs that deserve your attention I think you come out and give it your best effort,” Watkins said. “To get the first one in league and put us in position to get some momentum after spring break bodes well for us.”
Wheat Ridge freshman Abby Bausch makes a juggling save during her shutout victory in net for the Farmers on Wednesday against Class 4A Jeffco rival Green Mountain. (Dennis Pleuss)
Wheat Ridge freshman goalkeeper Abby Bausch picked up her third victory in net for the Farmers this season. Bausch’s biggest save came in the 23rd minute when she snagged a shot on a one-on-one chance by Green Mountain junior Mia Dobbin.
“Sometimes you just react and don’t think. That is what goalkeepers do,” Watkins said. “We are throwing her (Bausch) into the fire and she has stood up to the challenge.”
Green Mountain (4-2, 0-1), ranked No. 9 in the latest CHSAANow.com 4A girls soccer poll, had its four-game winning streak snapped. The Rams opened the season with a 4-1 loss to 5A Jeffco’s Columbine, but reeled off victories against Dakota Ridge, Evergreen, Brighton and Lakewood before spring break.
The Rams, defending 4A Jeffco champs, get back into action when they face Denver South in a non-league game scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at Green Mountain High School. The Rams return to conference play against Golden at 4 p.m. April 8, back at Lakewood Memorial.
Wheat Ridge’s next game is a league contest against Conifer at 6 p.m. Friday at the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada.
“We can’t just sit here and enjoy one win,” Watkins said. “We’ve got to figure out how to get the next one.”
Green Mountain junior Brittany Hensley (24) attempt to settle the ball in front of Wheat Ridge freshman Corina Wing (16) during the second half Wednesday at Lakewood Memorial Field. (Dennis Pleuss)
Wild Card points help determine the postseason fields in 3A, 4A and 5A, with 4A and 5A also using them for seeding. Find a more detailed breakdown here.
Baseball’s Wild Card point standings for April 2 are below.
Wheat Ridge continued to lead the 4A boys lacrosse ranking. (Dennis Pleuss)
Things are tight atop the Class 5A boys lacrosse ranking this week.
Arapahoe held on to the top spot in the CHSAANow.com poll, though only leads No. 2 Regis Jesuit by one overall point. The Warriors got six first-place votes; Regis got five.
Cherry Creek stayed at No. 3 this week, while Colorado Academy and Kent Denver flipped spots in the top five.
Rock Canyon was the lone newcomer in 5A, joining at No. 9.
Wheat Ridge extended its run in 4A’s No. 1 spot. The Famers got all six first-place votes in that poll.
Valor Christian made a big jump in going from No. 5 to No. 2 following a close win over former No. 2 Aspen. Aspen dropped to No. 3 this week.
Thompson Valley also had a big leap, moving from eighth to fourth after beating then-No. 3 Cheyenne Mountain. Cheyenne Mountain is now fifth.
Conifer joined the 4A poll at No. 8.
The next new ranking will be out on April 7, due to the large number of out-of-state games this week, and thus, a lack of in-state competition.
Wheat Ridge senior Tyler Knott, left, congratulates sophomore Dan O’Connor after a Wheat Ridge goal in the first quarter Friday at Pennington Field. Knott led the Farmers with three goal in the 11-0 victory against Air Academy. (Dennis Pleuss)
WHEAT RIDGE — Even a shorthanded Wheat Ridge boys’ lacrosse team is pretty darn good.
The defending Class 4A state champion Farmers played without leading goal scorers junior Dima Makarov and senior John Roach late Friday afternoon against Air Academy. Wheat Ridge’s starting goalie Jensen Makarov also missed the game because he was in California looking at colleges.
Wheat Ridge senior Max Marcum (3) fires a shot past Air Academy senior Spencer Dodder during the first quarter Friday at Pennington Field in Wheat Ridge. The Farmers won the Class 4A championship rematch from last year with a dominating 11-0 victory. (Dennis Pleuss)
The absence of key players didn’t show on the scoreboard as 4A’s top-ranked Farmers blanked the No. 6-ranked Kadets 11-0.
“I’m really pleased with the way it went down,” Wheat Ridge coach Chris Knott said. “We had a bunch of young guys step up and fill those shoes. That is all we could really ask for. Our back-up goalie went in and pitched a shutout. What more can you ask?”
A few nagging injuries caused Knott to sit a few players. Knott said he should have everyone back when Wheat Ridge begins its three-game stretch of games during its spring break trip to California next week.
Seven different Farmers found the back of the net against Air Academy. Senior Tyler Knott, son of Wheat Ridge’s head coach, led the way with three goals. The senior captain’s first goal came on the Farmers’ first offensive possession.
“Right off the bat it was definitely good,” Tyler Knott said of the Farmers taking command early. “We got a good lead. It got our team pumped and set the mood for the rest of the game.”
Wheat Ridge scored on its first three offensive possessions. Junior Regan Devine scored on an assist from sophomore Dan O’Connor for the Farmers’ second goal. Junior Bennie Pachello gave the Farmers a 3-0 lead after winning a faceoff and racing down the field before putting a hard shot past Air Academy senior goalie Mikey Smith.
“I think it’s a really good thing,” said Tyler Knott of getting some experience for its younger players. “It lets us expand our team and expands our depth. It gives the younger kids a chance to step up and see what they are made of.”
Devine and freshman Zach Hall each finished with a pair of goals in the bounce-back victory for Wheat Ridge. Class 5A powerhouse Cherry Creek, No. 3 in this week’s CHSAANow.com poll, defeated the Farmers 11-4 earlier in the week.
“We really practiced hard for this week coming in,” Wheat Ridge senior defender Caleb Cerf said. “We brought it out hard and did well.”
Led by Cerf, the Farmers’ defense was able to shut down Air Academy’s leading goal scoring tandem of senior Mitchell Miller (19 goals) and sophomore Jake Thornally (12 goals). Senior Chris Tuuk picked up the victory in goal for the Farmers.
Friday was a rematch of last year’s 4A state championship game. Wheat Ridge won its first lacrosse state title, along with the first boys or girls lacrosse championship for Jeffco, with a dominating 14-2 win against Air Academy.
Air Academy sophomore Jake Thornally, right, and Wheat Ridge senior Cody Bartusiak battle for a loose ball Friday afternoon. (Dennis Pleuss)
The Farmers cruised through the 4A tournament last season outscoring their four opponents 61-10.
Wheat Ridge will head to California for during next week’s spring break. The Farmers play a trio of California teams before kicking off its 4A Foothills League play April 2 against rival Evergreen.
“It’s the best thing for us, to go out and challenge our team,” coach Knott said of facing out-of-state teams and playing top 5A programs in Colorado. “The worse thing that can happen is they get better. When you player higher competition it’s going to make your guys play better. That is what has happened for us in the past and that is what we are going to count on going to California and everything else.”
Air Academy will also head to California for spring break next week. The Kadets will play Cathedral Catholic and Carlsbad.
Wheat Ridge senior Rocco Conca gains control of the ball during the first half Friday during the Farmers’ 11-0 victory against Air Academy at Pennington Field in Wheat Ridge. (Dennis Pleuss)
Wheat Ridge senior Shelly Browne (12) gets her foot on the ball in front of Mullen junior Penelope Arnold (10) during the first half Thursday at Lakewood Memorial Field. (Dennis Pleuss)
LAKEWOOD — The final score didn’t tell the story Thursday night at Lakewood Memorial Field.
Mullen took a 4-1 victory over Wheat Ridge in girls’ soccer action, but the Mustangs (3-3) had to withstand a stretch of 25 minutes in the second half where the Farmers put constant pressure near Mullen’s net.
“Wheat Ridge is a good team,” Mullen’s first-year coach Mark Dougerty said. “They put us under pressure scoring in the first couple minutes of the second half, but I’m proud of my girls. They weathered the storm.”
Wheat Ridge freshman Alexandra Nillen (9) take a corner kick during the second half Thursday night. Nillen had a corner kick set up the Farmers’ lone goal in a 4-1 loss to Mullen. (Dennis Pleuss)
Mullen held a 2-0 lead at halftime with goals by freshman Caleigh Michael and senior Regan Weber off corner kicks. Weber was able to bend her corner kick into the goal in the 36th minute to give the Mustangs’ a two-goal lead.
The only bad news for Weber was she turned an ankle and didn’t play much after halftime.
“The poor girl has had some unfortunate luck this season,” Dougerty said of Weber. “She is a key player for us. In the short amount of time she was out there you could see what she adds.”
Wheat Ridge (3-2) quickly answered in the second half with its own goal off a corner kick. Senior Carlee Flanagan headed in a centering pass from freshman Alexandra Nillen into the back of the net to cut the Mustangs’ lead to 2-1 three minutes into the second half.
Flanagan’s goal energized the Farmers. Wheat Ridge spent the next 25 minutes of play nearly entirely in Mullen’s defensive zone looking for the equalizer.
“We felt like we could get one (goal), control possession and shift the momentum. We did that the first 25 minutes or so,” Wheat Ridge coach Dan Watkins said. “They weren’t clean looks or clean opportunities, but we were putting the pressure on.”
Mullen was finally able to generate its own scoring chance in the 69th minute. The Mustangs worked the ball in front of Wheat Ridge’s goal and junior Natalie DeBartolomieis powered home Mullen’s third goal to regain the two-goal cushion.
“I was just really relived,” DeBartolomieis said. “I knew that once we got the third goal we would have everything under our belts. We just had to focus on defending at that point.”
A minute later the Mustangs took a 4-1 lead. Sophomore Megan Delmonico buried a penalty kick past Wheat Ridge freshman goalie Abby Bausch.
Mullen junior Penelope Arnold (10) tracks down a ball during the opening half Thursday night at Lakewood Memorial Field. (Dennis Pleuss)
“We had such great momentum. I think after Mullen scored again it kind of brought us down,” Flanagan said of the Mustangs’ third goal. “We had the possession. It was just really frustrating. It was unlucky.”
Mullen junior Alexis Glogiewicz picked up the victory in net for the Mustangs. It was the second victory this week for Mullen after suffering back-to-back losses to Regis Jesuit and Castle View last week.
“I think we’ve built a lot of confidence,” DeBartolomieis said. “We are really looking forward to the rest of our season.”
Mullen won’t get back on the field until after spring break. The Mustangs next game is scheduled for April 4 when it travels to face Battle Mountain.
Wheat Ridge will also have its spring break next week. The Farmers return to action against Class 4A Jeffco League rival Green Mountain on April 2 at Lakewood Memorial Field.
“Every one of these girls wants it,” Flanagan said. “We’ll work really hard over (spring) break to go hard against Green Mountain.”
Mullen sophomore Olivia Szeliga (8) tries to clear the ball out of the Mustangs’ defensive zone as Wheat Ridge sophomore Nikki Strickler closes in Thursday night at Lakewood Memorial Field. Mullen took a 4-1 victory. (Dennis Pleuss)
Three new teams dot this week’s CHSAANow.com boys lacrosse rankings in 5A.
Joining are No. 7 Monarch, No. 9 Fort Collins and No. 10 Highlands Ranch.
Arapahoe stayed on top of the 5A ranking, while Regis Jesuit bumped up one place to No. 2. Cherry Creek is third, Kent Denver is fourth and Colorado Academy rounds out the top five.
There were no newcomers to the 4A ranking, though Aspen did make a large jump in going from No. 7 to No. 2 following a 4-0 start. That includes wins over preseason No. 10 Alexander Dawson and preseason No. 2 Air Academy.
