Class 5A. The four tops on Colorado’s big diamond will be at All-City Field on Friday, mostly to try to unseat defending champion Rocky Mountain.
The Lobos have the likes of Marco Gonzales, Alex Kelly, Bryan Peters, Chris Roglen, Jake Stewart and Nik Wunsch, and can afford to bat super shortstop and top prospect Andy Burns first. Not too shabby. First up will be Arapahoe.
Air Academy, here for the second season in succession, is about as deep as any of the four, notably with Ron Burton, Dexter Price and Ross Yeager. However, a tough, spirited Chatfield is playing well and in tune. The Chargers put out a CD featuring Casey Coy and Jake Davis, and a backup mix of juniors and seniors.
Class 4A. Thomas Jefferson is making noise in the city. The 3-0 Spartans sit in the catbird seat heading into play Friday against Fossil Ridge and will likely face SaberCats ace Cory McEvoy at 2:30 at All-Star Park in Lakewood. McEvoy, who will walk on next season at Oregon, fanned 16 Conifer Lobos last Saturday to keep Fossil Ridge alive.
The first game Friday will eliminate either Skyline or Ralston Valley; the winner plays one more day at All-City Field.
Class 3A. Eaton skipper Jim Danley’s record is exceptional. To date, he stands 639-149-2. He’d like nothing more than to add two more wins and help the Reds run their state championship total to eight. The Reds, who got stellar pitching performances last Friday from Bo McLavey and Kyle Ottoson, open Friday at Greeley’s Butch Butler Field against Patriot League foe Brush (13-11).
Last year’s runner-up from Erie is still alive — one of three Patriot squads still in it — and the Tigers will try to slow down the streaking Lamar Savages.
Class 2A. Do you know the way to Pueblo? With the exception of Jefferson Academy, the teams here all have experience at Runyon Complex. Paonia, last crowned in 2003, opens semifinal play against the Jaguars at 3 p.m. The winners meet Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Class 1A. The little guys still play good ball — especially in the Arkansas Valley. Eads and Granada have been on a collision course since the start of the season, and with one more win each, that collision could become reality.
TRACK AND FIELD State championships. Mason Finley is so big, he single-handedly moved the state meet. Finley and the rest of the 3A discus field will have to throw Saturday morning at Pueblo South instead of Dutch Clark. Keep an eye on Crowley County’s Shaylee Robinette, who, if she repeats her 2007 season, could become an 11-time champion. The big schools will be at Lakewood’s Jeffco Stadium.
GIRLS SOCCER Just super. CHSAA is billing it Super Soccer Saturday, and Englewood is the place. Two semifinals each in 5A and 4A start the proceedings, with the Class 3A title game the nightcap at 7:30 p.m.
BOYS LACROSSE Sounds familiar. Fort Collins and Kent Denver played for the title last year, with the Vipers winning the initial championship game at Invesco Field at Mile High. The two meet again to decide it all at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
