BASEBALL
LEAGUE RACES
All five classes at warning track
Baseball for schoolboys is fun, of course, but baseball that really counts this time of year is better. We are six days from having district pairings confirmed; and the regular season, originally scheduled to end Saturday, will have until Tuesday for makeup dates (yes, it snowed again). Multiple league races have yet to be decided, let alone finishing in the top halves of leagues to ensure extra baseball. Today is indicative with after-school first pitches for Rocky Mountain at Monarch in the Class 5A Front Range and Cherry Creek at Mullen in the 5A Centennial. Also, small-school nonleague action should have an expected pitching dual between Wray (Dylan Hochevar) and Idalia (Scott Cure) in 2A-1A. As for Friday, Mountain Vista, state runner-up a year ago, at Highlands Ranch will be vying for the 5A Continental title, and Fort Lupton at Cherokee Trail looms large in the 4A Skyline. Saturday will be key for Fountain-Fort Carson at Cheyenne Mountain in the 4A Colorado Springs Metro at 10 a.m.
LACROSSE
BOYS-GIRLS
Final glory days
Pick up your sticks, boys. Less than two weeks remain for regular-season shuffling. Regis hosting Cherry Creek at 6 p.m. Friday should be further indication of the sport’s upper end. As for Saturday, Columbine at Fort Collins will be at noon and Cheyenne Mountain will be at East at 1 p.m. In girls, which will complete the regular season Saturday, Regis will visit Kent Denver (the 2005 champion and last year’s runner-up) at 3:15 p.m. Friday.
TRACK & FIELD
LIBERTY BELL INVITATIONAL
Let freedom ring
One of the don’t-miss stops on the annual track-and-field circuit is the Liberty Bell Invitational, which will have dozens of individuals and teams competing as fine-tuning for state has begun. Littleton Public Schools Stadium will have a 4 p.m. start Friday for boys and girls, then pick it up Saturday morning at 9. Otherwise, get off at Akron, Alamosa, Burlington, Denver, Fountain-
Fort Carson, Kiowa, Longmont, Moffat County, Pagosa Springs, Springfield or University for Saturday afternoon exchanges of talent within two weeks of the postseason.
GIRLS SOCCER
CLASSES 5A-4A
Big games
Today will be capped in the 5A Continental with a match in Highlands Ranch’s backyard between Rock Canyon and Mountain Vista, 6 p.m. In Broomfield, the defending state champion Eagles will welcome Thompson Valley in the 4A Northern. By the way, 10 of Broomfield’s 12 matches – the Eagles are 6-3-3 – have involved a shutout, including two nil-nil ties.
