AURORA — Cherokee Trail’s quick climb to consecutive Class 4A title games and a championship was handed a warning earlier this season.
When the Cougars lost twice by the 10-run rule to New Mexico power Farmington to begin 2008, it was as much a warning as the crazy wind and brisk temperature changes that surround their home field near Aurora Reservoir.
“It was the best thing for us,” coach Allan Dyer said Thursday after his Cougars easily handled Adams City 14-0.
The former coach from Georgia isn’t kidding — Cherokee Trail won its 12th game in a row, is a victory away from tying for the 5A-4A Skyline League title and is ready to roll once district rounds begin May 3.
(Farmington) handed it to us,” Dyer said. “So I think our guys coming into the season after those two games knew we had a lot of work to do, and they took it to heart.”
Cherokee Trail (15-2 overall, 10-0 in league and 78-12 in four seasons) lost enough seniors from 2007 to field a squad, but has reloaded nicely with as much patience as talent.
Zack Dando improved to 6-1 by allowing the Eagles (7-8, 5-5) just two hits. Junior Micah Green took advantage of a deep flyball in the area’s famous wind to turn it into a three-run, inside-the-park home run and catcher Todd Glime added two homers.
Said Dyer: “They have their sights set on being successful in the next couple of weeks.”
Adams City 000 00 — 0 2 1
Cherokee Trail (10)12 1x — 14 8 0
Adams City — Romero 2b 1-0-1-0, Lovatos ss 1-0-0-0, Gonzales c 2-0-0-0, Rodriguez p-cf 2-0-0-0, McCoy 3b-p 2-0-1-0, Hedglin cf-lf 1-0-0-0, Garcia 1b 1-0-0-0, Duran 3b 1-0-0-0, Bills 1b 1-0-0-0, Mascarena srf-3b 2-0-0-0, Esparzo lf-p 2-0-0-0. Totals 15-0-2-0.
Cherokee Trail — Schneider lf 2-2-0-0, Balogh 2b 2-2-1-2, P. Ihme ph 1-0-0-0, Green rf 2-2-1-4, Maring cr-rf 1-2-0-0, Jacobs ss 4-1-1-1, Glime c 2-2-2-3, Gustin dh 1-0-1-0, Norblom 1b 1b 1-0-1-0, Dando 3-0-0-1, Crandell 3b 1-2-0-0, Dickens 1-1-1-1. Totals 21-14-8-12.
E — Garcia. LOB — Adams City 4, Cherokee Trail 3. CS — Romero. SAC — Lovatos, Gustin.
2B — Jacobs. 3B — Dickens. HR — Green, two on in first; Glime 2, solo in second and one on in third.
Batteries — Rodriguez, Esparza (1), McCoy (4) and Gonzales; Dando and Glime. W — Dando (6-1). L — Gonzales. WP — Rodriguez. HBP — Romero (by Dando). T — 1:32.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
