Last season, Fort Collins sneaked onto the scene as one of the top lacrosse teams in the state. Throughout the state tournament, opponents took Fort Collins lightly, and by the time they realized the Vipers were legit, Fort Collins had built an insurmountable lead and was on its way to a state title.
The Vipers are not sneaking up on anyone this season. The unified team is the preseason No. 1 pick in the coaches’ poll.
The Vipers’ biggest challenges will be overcoming the loss of goalie Andy Titterington, who coach Carey Smith said was the MVP of the state championship, and getting past two teams looking for payback: preseason No. 2 Kent Denver and No. 3 Cherry Creek.
Kent Denver lost 7-6 in the final to Fort Collins. The teams already have played each other this year, squaring off in a preseason scrimmage. The teams were not allowed to keep score, but the game was close and Kent Denver proved a worthy title contender. Kent Denver might be the most experienced team this season, with seven starters returning, mostly seniors.
Perennial power Cherry Creek, which lost to Kent 9-8 in the state semifinals, is going to be in the hunt. The teams with the best chance to become this year’s Fort Collins are preseason No. 10 Mountain Vista and unranked Douglas County.
Schedule
Regular season: Runs through April 28.
Postseason: Preliminaries, May 3; round of 16, May 7; quarterfinals, May 10; semifinals, May 13; championship, May 17.
Top players
Henry Miketa, Fort Collins senior attacker; Greyson Konkel, Regis senior midfielder; Henry Clark, Kent Denver senior defender; Chase Clark, Cherry Creek senior long stick; Moses Taylor, Kent Denver senior attacker; Patrick Murray, Kent Denver junior midfielder; Eric Law, Arapahoe junior attacker; Troy Orzech, Regis senior; Josh Russell, East senior; Kyle Wollenhaupt, Mullen senior; Jay Darling, Fort Collins defender.
Top teams
Fort Collins, Kent Denver, Cherry Creek, Regis, Arapahoe, Mullen, Denver East, Heritage, Grandview, Mountain Vista, Douglas County, Colorado Academy.
