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Leading up to the start of the high school season, we will count down the Top 50 preseason teams every day as part of our comprehensive season coverage. 

Like any preseason ranking for any sport, last year our list created a lot of fun conversations, debate, and opinions among players, coaches, and families. To see what we got right, and what we got wrong in 2017 Click Here

What makes our list unique is it combines all classifications (1A through 5A), and leading up to the start of the high school season, we will count down the Top 50 preseason teams every day as part of our comprehensive season coverage.

Factors that are considered when creating the Top 50 List are the following:

- How many current players are returning that are in PBR Colorado rankings
- How many overall players committed or non-committed are returning
- How many starting pitchers are returning
- Success the previous season
- History of success in the program

* We expect the teams in the Top 50 Countdown will compete for at least a district playoff spot in 2018

Team No. 32: Dakota Ridge Eagles

2018 Preseason Rank: 32
2017 Preseason Rank: 30
2017 Record: 13-7
Conference: 5A Jeffco
CHSAA Class: 5A 
Head Coach: Jeff Legault
2017 Playoff Run: Lost to Legend 5-3 in the 5A Final 8
2017 Final Rank: 60
Returning Offensive Starters: 5
Returning Pitchers: 5
Returning Innings on Mound: 81
Returning RBI's returning: 17

STAT RAT: 
In 2017, the Eagles played in 8 games that were decided by one run. Four of the games the final score was 3 to 2. In these 8 games the Eagles went 7 and 1. 

X-FACTORS: 
For a team that made the 5A Final 8, The Eagles had one of the lower team batting averages in 2017 hitting .263 as a team, and their OBA was .353 with only a overall .693 OPS. This will need to improve if they expect to make to make a third straight Final 8 appearance. 

 BOTTOM LINE: 
In a year where the Eagles were suppose to be rebuilding, they made another deep run last year eventually losing to Legend 5-3 in the Final 8 round of the 2017 State Playoffs. The Eagles gained valuable experience for some of their younger players returning that will try to make the 5A final 8 for the 3rd year in a row, a feat that many programs at the 5A level can say they have had an opportunity to do, and they are one of the smallest 5A schools in the state. Led by Jeff Legault, the only head coach in Eagles history, the Eagles will always puts a fundamentally sound product on the field and competes in every game, look for the 2018 version to follow suit.

Key Player Lost: 

 

 

 

Carter Akerfelds RHP / 3B / Dakota Ridge, CO / 2017 Rankings  StateRank: 19 / POS: 9 Akerfelds is going to be a tough one to replace for the Eagles. An ultimate gamer on the mound, the 6-foot-2, 185 pound RHP was the heartbeat of this team in 2017. Akerfelds, who was an advanced high school hitter but was overcoming a back injury that limited him to just pitching, threw 57 innings for the Eagles going 4-3 on the season. The Iowa Western CC commit will be missed.

 

 

 

 

Ryan Stohr RHP / 3B / Dakota Ridge, CO / 2019 Rankings  StateRank: 29 / POS: 8 Committed to Air Force, the 6-foot, 205 pounds has a compact square delivery. Four-seam fastball lived was 84-85 at recent Preseason All-State Event. Throws a 2-seamer that has good arm-side run between 80-82 mph. Curve has late break at 72-73 mph. Does a good job of commanding both sides of the plate. Gets the ball and goes. Good pace. Threw 45 innings in 2017 going 4-4 with a 2.49 ERA striking out 50 whiled giving up 42 hits. Also hit .376 with 5 doubles and a homerun.

 

 

Cooper Legault 1B / 2B / Dakota Ridge, CO / 2018 Rankings  StateRank: 111 / POS: 6 A 6-foot-2, 140-pound right hand hitting 1B/RHP who ran a 7.80 60.  At the plate he stands tall with a wide stance.  A short stride for timing gets his weight transferring forward.  Hips rotate through the zone and swing plane is level.  Exit Velocity was 77 MPH.  In the field he covers a lot of ground with long strides.  He throws from a high ¾ arm angle and delivers an accurate ball to 2nd on a double play.  Arm velocity is 68 MPH. Last season hit .297 in 64 at-bats

 

 

Jake Collins C / 3B / Dakota Ridge, CO / 2018 Rankings  StateRank: 89 / POS: 15 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. Bats and throws right. Wirey frame that could still add some more muscle. Athletic looking. At the plate has a tall balanced stance. Short stride and soft load. Bat path is short to the ball and short through. Quick hands. Line drive hitter up the middle. Good live round. Has bat speed. Produced an 88 mph exit velo off the tee. Behind the dish Beats the ball when framing and is still. On throw downs has slight pause after glove to hand exchange but still was 1.94-2.1 off the coach down to second. Arm velo was 72 mph. At 3B had good feet to both sides and fields the ball out in front. Same arm velo to first. Ran a 4.1 home to first time.  Led the team in RBI's in 2017 while hitting .306.

 

 

 

Players that Could Help

 

 

 

 

Cade Akerfelds 2B / SS / Dakota Ridge, CO / 2019 Rankings  StateRank: 56 / POS: 5 5-foot-8, 140-pound right hand hitting MIF who ran a 6.90 60.  At the plate he hits from a balanced setup with compact swing.  Level path, average bat speed.  High exit velocity of 80.  Throws from the infield topped at 69.  Athletic in the field and plays through the ball with a clean exchange into long, loose arm action.

 

 

Elliot Pigati LHP / 1B / Dakota Ridge, CO / 2019 Rankings  StateRank: 67 / POS: 8 Left-handed pitcher who had to be shut down early in the season. If healthy will be a big asset as one of their main starters.