Colorado District Playoff Preview: 5A through 3A
May 10, 2018
At last, the baseball postseason is here … and so, apparently, is the wet weather.
Elimination play for the top three classes will begin on Saturday with regionals. The object is to win twice to advance to the Championship Series and its double-elimination.
As usual, the RPI qualifying has raised some eye brows – Pine Creek No. 3 in Class 5A? – and permission is there to play on Sunday – on Mother’s Day? – if there are weather problems, this is Colorado and this is what happens.
Below are the lineups, some names and some facts of what you’ll need to know before watching:
** Times are subject to change due to weather, or other potential delays **
CLASS 5A
Region 1 at Mountain Vista
Mullen vs. Mountain Vista, 12:30 p.m.
Lakewood vs. Legend, 10 a.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 2 at Arapahoe
Prairie View vs. Arapahoe 10 a.m.
Fort Collins vs. Douglas County 12:30 a.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 3 at Legacy
Highlands Ranch vs. Legacy, 10 a.m.
Rocky Mountain vs. Grandview, 1 p.m.
Winners: 4 p.m.
Region 4 at Fruita Monument
Castle View vs. Fruita Monument, 10 a.m.
Boulder vs. Cherokee Trail, 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 5 at Heritage
Dakota Ridge vs. Heritage, 12:30 p.m.
Columbine vs. Chaparral, 10 a.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 6 at Mountain Range
Abraham Lincoln vs. Mountain Range, 10. a.m.
Loveland vs. Ralston Valley, 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 7 at Pine Creek
Regis Jesuit vs. Pine Creek, 10 a.m.
ThunderRidge vs. Chatfield, 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 8 at Cherry Creek
Broomfield vs. Cherry Creek, 10 a.m.
Rock Canyon vs. Monarch, 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Thoughts on 5A Districts
Sure things: Mountain Vista and Pine Creek. Duh!
Place a bet, but not the house deed: Cherry Creek, Heritage, Legacy and Ralston Valley.
What happened here? Abraham Lincoln’s schedule contained several 4A foes and Mullen dropped its past six games, including a victory that was turned into a forfeit.
Bases loaded: Pine Creek senior Justin Olson (Kentucky) is batting .545 with 15 home runs, 33 runs batted in and 22 extra-base hits.
Full count: Mountain Vista’s Sam Ireland, (Minnestoa) a junior, and Jack Liffrig (Utah) a senior, are a combined 17-0, with Ireland 9-0.
Scouting report: These playoffs should be about Mountain Vista and Pine Creek, or, if you prefer, Pine Creek and Mountain Vista. Prove otherwise. They clearly have distinguished themselves – the Golden Eagles in Highlands Ranch are undefeated and the Eagles in Colorado Springs haven’t lost an in-state game. Interestingly, Colorado’s big-school power has been out of the Denver area (see: Rocky Mountain) and it could occur again.
CLASS 4A
Region 1 at Windsor
Greeley Central vs. Windsor, 10 a.m.
Pueblo County vs. Canon City, noon
Winners: 2 p.m.
Region 2 at Palisade
Montrose vs. Palisade, 10 a.m.
Lewis-Palmer vs. Roosevelt 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 3 at Fort Morgan
Northridge vs. Fort Morgan, 10 a.m.
Mead vs. Cheyenne Mountain, 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 4 at Palmer Ridge
Elizabeth vs. Palmer Ridge, 10 a.m.
Falcon vs. Evergreen, 12;30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 5 at Valor Christian
John F. Kennedy vs. Valor Christian, 10 a.m.
Berthoud vs. Thomas Jefferson, 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 6 at Denver North
Wheat Ridge at Denver North, 12:30 p.m.
D’Evelyn vs. Holy Family, 10 a.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 7 at Longmont
Standley Lake at Longmont, 10 a.m.
Erie at Discovery Canyon, 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 8 at Pueblo West
Durango vs. Pueblo West, 10 a.m.
Glenwood Springs vs. Golden, 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Thoughts on 4A Districts
Sure things: Longmont, Roosevelt, Valor Christian, Windsor
Place a bet, but not the house deed: Fort Morgan, Holy Family, Roosevelt, Pueblo West,
What happened here? Denver North, which lost in the first round a year ago, finished 12th in RPI, yet is hosting.
Bases loaded: Denver North senior outfielder Harris Williams (San Francisco) is batting a robust .652 and Fort Morgan senior Trey McBride, headed to play football at Colorado State, is hitting .633 with 6 homers and 38 hits.
Full count: Palmer Ridge senior J.C. Watne is 9-1 with two saves, and Valor Christian senior Josh Danyliw (Colorado Mesa) is 8-1.
Scouting report: It’s a very top-heavy class. Along with defending state champion Valor Christian, the northern area of the state is salty. But keep in mind two things as 4A hits the playoffs – this class tends to run out of pitching in the postseason that leads to slugfests and it’s Valor’s last year in 4A. The Eagles know how to leave a mark.
CLASS 3A
Region 1 at Lamar
DSST Stapleton vs. Lamar, 10 a.m.
The Academy vs. Jefferson Academy 12:30 p.m.
Winners: TBA
Region 2 at Bennett
Brush vs. Bennett, 10 a.m.
Lutheran vs. La Junta, 12;30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 3 at Sterling
Kent Denver vs. Sterling, 10 a.m.
Valley vs. Cedaredge, 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 4 at Faith Christian
Bayfield vs. Faith Christian, 10 a.m.
Bishop Machebeuf vs. Resurrection Christian, 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 5 at University
Basalt vs. University, 10 a.m.
Rye vs. Buena Vista, 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 6 at Delta
Centauri vs. Delta, 10 a.m.
Platte Valley vs. Colorado Academy, 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 7 at Eaton
Fort Lupton vs. Eaton, 10 a.m.
Aspen vs. Pagosa Springs, 12:30 p.m.
Winners: 3 p.m.
Region 8 at Alamosa
St. Mary’s vs. Alamosa
Weld Central vs. Peak to Peak
Winners: TBA
Thoughts on 3A Districts
Sure things: Lamar, Sterling, University
Place a bet, but not the house deed: Eaton, Faith Christian.
What happened here? Fort Lupton finished second – to 4A Fort Morgan -- in the 4A/3A Colorado 7, but was credited for winning it. As for its reward? A first-round meeting with host and usual 3A power Eaton.
Bases loaded: The Academy’s John Zamora, a junior, is batting .579.
Full count: In 33.2 innings, Lamar’s Dalton Chandler (Cal State Northridge) is 4-0, has given up only one hit and amassed a whopping 80 strikeouts.
Scouting report: This Lamar Savages team is bidding to become the program’s best since the 1990s days of Ryan and Scott Elarton. Indeed, the usual suspects will be there to provide the competition, but the name of the 3A game remains chasing, as in chasing the Savages.