Player of the Year

Cooper Vais, Jr. RHP/SS, Arvada West

The Texas commit was an unstoppable force for the Class 5A runner-ups, batting .458 with seven homers plus a 0.62 ERA and 113 Ks on the mound.

Coach of the Year

Matt Eades, Pueblo County

In his ninth season, the 2005 Pueblo County graduate guided the Hornets to their first crown with a 4-0 mark the Class 4A state tournament.

Pitchers

Blake Swift, Sr. RHP, Pueblo County

The CHSAA Class 4A Player of the Year and Otero College commit put the Hornets on his back en route to the title with a 1.51 ERA in 15 games.

Hudson Alpert, Sr. RHP, Regis Jesuit

After returning at midseason from elbow surgery, the Vanderbilt commit had a 1.91 ERA in seven games, and also hit .449 for the Class 5A champs.

Ethan Wachsmann, Sr. RHP, Grandview

The Wake Forest commit touched 100 mph this season as opponents hit .159 vs him; threw a no-hitter, and had a 2.10 ERA in 9 games with 66 Ks.

Hunter Vitello, Jr. RHP, Denver South

The DPS standout threw a no-hitter against Ralston Valley in the Class 5A regional opener. He logged 101 strikeouts and just 15 walks, with a 2.17 ERA.

Gunnar Garrison, Sr. RHP, Eaton

The Arizona State commit with a mid-90s heater was a centerpiece of Eaton’s Class 3A Final 4 team, with a 1.62 ERA in 11 games with 116 strikeouts.

Jake Watts, Jr. RHP, Ralston Valley

The Mustangs’ ace and Evansville pledge posted a 2.50 ERA in 8 games, with 70 strikeouts while limiting hitters to a paltry .146 average.

Colten Smith, Jr. RHP, Legend

The BYU commit with a low-90s fastball was critical in Legend’s Class 5A Final 4 run, posting a 3.00 ERA in 10 games and rising up down the stretch.

Mikey Kroll, Jr. RHP, Regis Jesuit

A one-two punch in the Raiders’ rotation behind Alpert, Kroll threw four shutout innings in the Class 5A title game and had a 2.73 ERA in 8 games.

Josh Weaver, Sr. RHP, Fruita Monument

In addition to being a force in the lineup, the Wildcats’ ace and Cowley commit had a 1.52 ERA in 11 games, including 92 Ks to just 11 walks.

Sawyer Tipton, Sr. RHP, Mountain Vista

With a 1.84 ERA in 12 games, Tipton was the Golden Eagles’ unquestionable ace, and the Lehigh commit also racked up 79 strikeouts to 23 walks.

Max Goldberg, Sr. LHP, Cherry Creek

The Boston College commit dominated this spring, with a 1.79 ERA in 10 games, 73 Ks to 21 walks, and held opponents to a .195 average.

Catchers

Cole Teltschik, Sr., Discovery Canyon

The Thunder’s powerful backstop and Missouri State commit led all classifications with 13 homers while hitting .593 with a ridiculous 2.096 OPS.

Brayden Reiner, Sr., Arvada West

A two-way senior pillar for the Class 5A runner-ups, the Newman University commit had a .410 on-base percentage; also was 11-0 with a 0.92 ERA.

Peter Worth, Sr., Northfield

The Washington University in St. Louis commit dominated with a .492 average, 26 RBIs and a 1.428 OPS in a spring that featured a natural cycle.

Walker Blanchard, Sr., Elizabeth

The Scottsdale Community College commit helped the Cardinals to the Class 3A state tournament, hitting .403 with a .494 on-base percentage.

Infielders

Damian Alvarez, Sr. SS, University

CHSAA’s Class 3A Player of the Year and centerpiece of UHS’s title team hit .546 with 26 extra-base hits; McLennan Community College commit.

Luc Gaca Thiele, Sr. 3B, Fossil Ridge

The Columbia commit batted .479 with a .585 on-base percentage and 33 RBIs as part of a dynamic infield duo alongside junior Brady Bradford.

Bret Baldwin, Jr. SS, Ralston Valley

The Washington commit hit .429 with a team-high seven homers while showcasing range, athleticism and arm strength from the middle infield.

Deion Cesario-Scott, Sr. 1B, Regis Jesuit

The Alabama A&M commit was a feared power presence in the Raiders’ lineup, batting .427 with seven homers, a .780 slugging and 1.344 OPS.

Cory Dean Carver, Sr. SS, Montezuma-Cortez

The Navy commit showcased speed, power and a high-contact approach, with a .580 average, seven homers, 21 steals and a .649 on-base percentage.

Matt Hegerle, Sr. SS, Bear Creek

The athletic UC Davis commit was the heartbeat of Bear Creek; he batted .477 with a .575 on-base percentage, 26 steals and a 1.267 OPS.

Chase Massey, Sr. SS, Regis Jesuit

The Continental League Player of the Year and Boston College commit led the Raiders with nine homers; hit .404 with an .830 slugging, 1.317 OPS.

Hunter Howard, Sr. SS, Palisade

The Glendale Community College commit hit .463 with six homers, 30 RBIs and only six Ks; also dominated on the mound with a 1.22 ERA.

Nick Hernandez, Sr. 2B, Pueblo County

The Hornets’ intelligent, dynamic leadoff hitter was the highlight of a deep lineup, hitting .435 with a .547 on-base percentage and 1.123 OPS.

Bryce Jackson, Sr. 1B, Broomfield

The Fort Hayes State commit was a force to be reckoned with in the box, with a team-high .480 average, .570 on-base percentage and six homers.

Outfielders

Zach Mediavilla, Sr., The Classical Academy

TCA’s do-everything speedy superstar batted .527 with seven triples, 25 RBIs, 31 steals and broke the school record for hits in season with 49.

Jackson Crawford, Jr., Mountain Vista

The Golden Eagles’ preeminent power hitter and USC commit blasted seven homers with a .349 average, .476 on-base percentage and a 1.211 OPS.

Dylan Paulson, Jr., Golden

The Demons’ top hitter batted .548 to lead Golden to its sixth straight Class 4A/3A Jeffco League title; had eight homers, 42 RBIs and a .946 slugging.

Silas Meuli, Sr., Legend

The Chandler Gilbert Community College commit was an offensive pillar for the Titans, batting .392 with four homers and a .568 on-base percentage.

Tanner Craytor, Sr., Fairview

The Knights’ slugger and Wofford commit led Class 5A with 11 homers to help Fairview to the Class 5A state tournament; batted .469, 1.660 OPS.

Baylor Schultz, Sr., Ponderosa

Schultz was key to a youth-laden Mustangs team that made the Class 4A Final 4, batting .393 and posting a 1.30 ERA in 12 games.

Tyce Smith, Sr., Cherry Creek

A multi-year cog in the middle of the Cherry Creek lineup, Smith led the Bruins with a .468 average, .602 on-base percentage and 1.279 OPS.

Jacob Olson, Sr., Regis Jesuit

The Oregon commit consistently flashed leather in center field for the Class 5A champs while hitting .388 with six homers, four triples and a .728 slugging.

Beau Friesen, Sr., Arvada West

A breakout star for the Wildcats en route to the Class 5A state title game, the San Diego pledge hit .438 with 44 RBIs and also blasted nine homers.

Utility

Maddox Burnett, Sr. RHP/UTL, Erie

A BYU commit who could hear his name called in the upcoming MLB Draft, Burnett hit .551 and also posted a 1.77 ERA with 105 Ks in 11 games.

Dane Dial, Soph. 3B/RHP, Pine Creek

Dial was key in Pine Creek’s Class 5A Final Four run, batting .400 with a .504 on-base percentage and seven homers; also had a 1.77 ERA in 12 games.

Aaron Jaquez, Sr. RHP/1B/OF, Falcon

The centerpiece on the Class 4A runner-ups was a two-way behemoth; McLennan Community College commit hit .629, and also had a 2.60 ERA.

Tristan Mullis, Jr. INF/OF, Pine Creek

Mullis paced Pine Creek with a .514 average, which included 6 triples, 6 homers, a .581 on-base percentage, .916 slugging and 1.497 OPS.

Andrew Henderson, Sr. 3B/RHP, Grand Junction

The Indiana State commit was the Tigers’ star en route to the Class 4A state tournament; hit .437, and posted a 1.53 ERA in 11 games with 86 Ks.

That was the message Eades delivered to his team on April 1, following a 9-6 road loss to then-No. 2 and undefeated Falcon. The Hornets bought it: From then on, Pueblo County went 17-1, including a flawless 4-0 in the state tournament to capture the Class 4A title, the first in the program’s history.

That feat earned Eades the honor of The Denver Post’s 2026 All-Colorado baseball Coach of the Year.

“When that game (on April 1) ended, I laid it out there to my team that if this was perhaps the best team in the state (in Falcon), we’re right there, too,” Eades recalled. “We talked about if there was a handicapper for the rest of the season, we’d be the favorite the rest of the way in every game we played. The boys took that to heart, and we really got rolling.”

The Hornets (23-6, 4A South Central League champions) became the first Home of Heroes baseball team to win a title since Pueblo West did so in 4A in 2019. And it was redemption for Pueblo County after losing to Holy Family in the championship two years ago. In that game, Hornets ace Blake Swift made his varsity debut in mop-up work in the 13-6 loss.

Swift was the centerpiece to Pueblo County’s title run this season, Eades’ ninth as head coach and 14th overall in the program. The senior right-hander bound for Otero College was 8-2 with a 1.51 ERA in 15 games, with 78 strikeouts as opponents hit just .184 against him.

An All-Colorado selection and the Swift dominated the state tournament. He pitched a complete-game shutout in a 2-0 win over Grand Junction in the tournament opener, then with still room left in his daily pitch count, started the second game that followed with two more shutout innings in a 6-1 win over top-seeded Palisade.

In the title game, Swift notched a quality start with three earned runs across six-plus innings as the Hornets beat Falcon 9-4. While Swift did the heavy lifting on the mound, the Pueblo County offense — headlined by All-Colorado senior second baseman Nick Hernandez, who was 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs in the title and led the team with a .435 average on the season — couldn’t be stopped.

“When Blake’s on the mound, we were a different team confidence-wise,” Eades said. “And we were deep on offense. We had a lineup that overwhelmed pitching staffs with nine guys that can really swing it.”

The championship marked a pinnacle for Eades, who was overcome with emotion after hoisting the trophy at the Air Force Academy. Eades, a 2005 Pueblo County graduate, didn’t play high school baseball.

But he has long been infatuated with the game and spent his high school days umpiring. From there, his first coaching gig was at the youth level for a 12U team while in college at CSU Pueblo. He coached that team until those players reached high school, then joined the Pueblo County staff as a volunteer assistant in 2013.

“Coaching that youth team gave me that fire like, ‘Man, I would really like to see how I do at the high school level,'” Eades said. “When I finally got the chance, I just ran with it.”

The Hornets haven’t had a losing season with Eades at the helm, as they’ve made the playoffs every year and made five state tournament appearances. The 39-year-old is 148-55 in his tenure, including 18-11 in the playoffs.

Swift says Eades’ combination of leadership, humor and passion helped propel the Hornets to the title. It’s only for a school that’s been open since 1953, joining titles in wrestling (2016 and ’17), softball (1995) and girls basketball (1981).

“We knew this was possible,” Blake Swift said. “We just had to just break through and show the state what we had. (Eades) kept us together and on track all season to reach our ultimate goal.”

All-Colorado Coach of the Year Finalists

Matt Darr, Regis Jesuit — The Raiders’ boss earned his third state title, and second in Class 5A, as loaded Regis Jesuit avenged two straight runner-up finishes with a masterful state tournament performance by beating Arvada West in the winner-take-all championship, 5-3.

Casey Miller, University — The Bulldogs felt short in the Class 3A title four years in a row, but University didn’t leave a doubt this year, rampaging through the state tournament by a combined score of 36-4. That included smashing rival Eaton 19-2 in the semifinals.

Danny Vais, Arvada West — The Wildcats reached their first title since 1995 and came up a few runs short in the championship defeat to Regis Jesuit. Vais coached the core of A-West’s senior impact players, as well as his son, junior superstar Cooper Vais, since elementary school.

Sr. | F | 6-foot-8

Stats: 29.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 steals, Class 6A Sweet 16

The CSU signee and 2026 Mr Colorado Basketball was dominant for the Raiders despite being the sole focus of opposing game plans every single time he stepped on the floor. He shot 47% from the floor and dropped 30-plus points on a dozen occasions.

Sr. | PF | 6-foot-9

Stats: 19.0 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.6 blocks, 1.6 steals, Class 5A state champion

The Indiana State commit didn’t play until after winter break after transferring back from a prep school in Oklahoma. He was the driving force behind the Lions’ run to the title, shooting 58% from the field while also locking down the paint on the defensive end.

Sr. | G/F | 6-foot-6

Stats: 24.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.0 steals, Class 4A state champion

The Air Force commit was the centerpiece of the Sun Devils’ back-to-back titles. He could play every position on the floor, from bringing the ball up to knocking bodies in the paint. He was capable of taking over the game in the half-court and in transition.

Jr. | G | 6-foot-2

Stats: 19.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, Class 6A Final Four

The uncommitted Wolverines star helped Chaparral to the Continental League title and another Denver Coliseum appearance. Perhaps the best pure scorer in the state, Williams shot 42% from 3 and his run-and-gun style had opposing defenses reeling.

Jr. | G | 6-foot-5

Stats: 19.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.9 steals, Class 6A Final Four

The CSU commit was the other half of the Wolverines’ dynamic duo alongside Williams. He was named the MaxPreps Colorado Player of the Year after consistently stuffing the stat sheet, affecting the game in every way while also playing dynamic defense.

Sr. | SG | 6-foot-3

Stats: 19.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.7 steals, Class 6A state finalist

The Black Hills State commit was critical in leading the Mustangs to their first title game appearance in 23 years, along with senior forward Zeke Andrews. Braketa shot 44% from 3-point range, with 103 long-range makes, leading Colorado’s biggest classifications.

Soph. | PG/F | 6-foot-5

Stats: 18.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 blocks, 2.3 steals, Class 6A Final Four

The uncommitted hooper switched from forward as a freshman to point guard this season, a reflection of his ability to do it all. He was part of Rangeview’s three-headed monster, along with Archie Weatherspoon V and Aidan Perez; he dominated the paint.

Jr. | F | 6-foot-6

Stats: 18.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, Class 6A state champion

The uncommitted rising star was the most heralded player on the Jaguars’ first title team. His play, along with teammates Kai Valentine, Cooper Ellwood and Davis May, propelled Rock Canyon to Coliseum upsets in the Final Four and championship game.

Coach Kent Grams, Rock Canyon

Record: 25-3, Continental League runner-up, Class 6A state champion

In his 14th year helming the Jaguars, Grams’ squads had been consistent Coliseum contenders, but could never quite break through to the trophy. That changed this year as his balanced team took on the identity of its relentlessly competitive coach.

Honorable Mention

Zeke Andrews, Sr. F, Ralston Valley; Noah Adkins, Soph. G, Denver East; Oliver Junker, Sr. F, Mountain Vista; Archie Weatherspoon V, Jr. G, Rangeview; Aidan Perez, Sr. G, Rangeview; Preston Brunton, Sr. F, Mountain Range; Cooper Ellwood, Jr. G, Rock Canyon; Kai Valentine, Sr. F, Rock Canyon; Madden Smiley, Sr. PG, Windsor; Noah Sokolowski, Jr. F, Horizon; Keegen Balistreri, Sr. G, Arvada West; Jordan Dotson, Jr. PG, George Washington; Cash Boykin, Sr. F, Columbine; Drew Paine, Sr. F, ThunderRidge; Luke Schmeeckle, Sr. G, Silver Creek; Jonas Miller, Sr. G, Lewis-Palmer; Judah Michael, Sr. G, Northfield. ]]> 7463125 2026-03-29T06:00:55+00:00 2026-03-30T15:07:30+00:00 /2026/03/29/kent-grams-all-colorado-coach-of-year/ Sun, 29 Mar 2026 12:00:42 +0000 /?p=7464025 Rock Canyon’s championship run was punctuated by two declarations of confidence that came nearly a quarter-century apart.

Back in 2002, Jaguars boys basketball head coach Kent Grams was a centerpiece on ThunderRidge’s first title team. When one of Wheat Ridge’s stars went on a scoring binge in the championship game, Grams told ThunderRidge head coach Joe Ortiz at halftime that he would “shut him down.”

Grams delivered, holding Wheat Ridge’s Tony Bolling scoreless in the second half. Fast forward 24 years, and Grams’ star player delivered a similar proclamation to him. “We got this,” All-Colorado forward Jacob David asserted during a fourth-quarter timeout when the Jaguars were down one point — en route to a Class 6A championship victory over Ralston Valley.

The win gave Rock Canyon its first title, and earned Grams the nod as the 2026 All-Colorado boys hoops Coach of the Year.

“Kent played with pure passion in everything that we did, and that fueled us to move forward in the state tournament in 2002,” Ortiz recalled. “He was the leader and the key to our team. (Another coach) sent me a note during the season saying, ‘You’ll go as far as that guy takes you.’

“He was tough and fearless and willing to do whatever it took to win. That’s how you have to play at times, and that’s what Rock Canyon did this year. Some people were saying Rock Canyon was the least talented team in the Class 6A Final Four. But all his players are like him. They took on his personality and drive and belief in each other.”

‘Anything to win’

In Grams’ 14th year at Rock Canyon, his Jaguars finally broke through after coming up empty in seven previous trips to the Great 8 and two previous appearances in the Final Four.

Rock Canyon lacked the star power of the other teams at the Denver Coliseum, but like the ’02 ThunderRidge team — which didn’t have a single all-state or first-team all-league player, and won games with defensive gusto — the Jaguars triumphed in all three Coliseum games by double-digits thanks to their complete team makeup.

“It was sometimes a bloodbath in practice when I would have to separate kids because it got so intense,” Grams said with a laugh. “And that was who I was in high school. I remember Ortiz kicking me out of practice many times. But that’s who we were. We were gritty. We would do anything to win. That’s how this Rock Canyon team was. ”

The Jaguars were just and lost their leading scorer to graduation. But something clicked this winter, when Rock Canyon (25-3) lost just one in-state game, a 54-50 road setback to Chaparral on Jan. 23 in a showdown that ultimately decided the Continental League championship.

“Losing that one actually helped us, because it made us come together as a team,” David said. “We were thinking we were all this, we were all that — but it brought us back to where our heads were level, and right.”

Rock Canyon avenged that loss in the Final Four, beating the Wolverines 75-60 before going on to topple Ralston Valley the next day, 68-58. The Jaguars were led by the 6-foot-6 David, but senior guard Davis May, junior guard Cooper Ellwood and senior forward Kai Valentine also played critical roles.

“I didn’t agree with us being the darkhorse, but that was the color commentary that I heard on the (game broadcasts),” Grams said.

In the end, Grams got the payoff he’s been working his life towards, in a game he almost veered away from a couple of times, only for the hardcourt to draw him back in.

Ahead of his senior year at ThunderRidge, Grams was going to quit basketball and go out for the wrestling team instead. Until Ortiz caught wind of it.

“He found me in the hallway and got after me,” Grams said. “There were words that can’t be repeated. I had bought wrestling shoes and he took them out my hands and said, ‘You’re not doing that.’ So that stopped my wrestling career before it even started.”

After graduation, Grams went to Fort Lewis to play football as a safety, but missed basketball so much that he eventually became a preferred walk-on with the Skyhawks’ basketball team. He played both sports for one year and eventually quit football to focus full-time on basketball in Durango.

Post-college, Grams remained in the game as an assistant coach for Ortiz, coaching the Grizzlies’ freshman and sophomore teams over a seven-year stint. Ortiz said he hoped Grams would take over the ThunderRidge program when Ortiz retired, but the timing didn’t work out.

As it turned out, it was a great under-the-radar hire in 2012 by Rock Canyon, which quickly evolved into a hoops heavyweight under Grams’ leadership. The Jaguars got an apple that didn’t fall far from the Ortiz coaching tree. David describes the tough-love yet also humorous Grams as “an aggressive coach who loves players who hustle, who loves defense and scrappy teams that can win games.”

“He’s going to tell it to you straight, he’s going to be honest and direct,” Ortiz said of Grams’ coaching style. “And sometimes it’s going to be harsh, and sometimes it’s going to be how much he loves you. But he loves his players. I know his players love him.”

The then-6-foot-5 freshman wanted to play Division I basketball, but at 260 pounds, he lacked the stamina and the skill to make that happen. He had gotten a few minutes a game on the Regis Jesuit varsity that season, but just like on his club teams all throughout middle school, Fiedler didn’t stand out except for his height.

So decided to put in the work necessary to change his trajectory. Strict dieting, including intermittent fasting. Wake-up calls at 5:30 a.m. all summer and into the school year to hit the weight room and the court. Sprints, jogging, and incline walking on the treadmill every morning.

The Denver Post¶¶Ňőap 2026 All-Colorado boys basketball team

The result of that disciplined effort brought Fiedler more success than that hopeful freshman could've imagined that day in his bed.

It earned the Regis Jesuit star a scholarship to Colorado State, led him to finish as the Raiders' all-time scoring leader, and then came the awards: CHSAA Class 6A Player of the Year. And now, The Denver Post's Mr. Colorado Basketball.

"I knew I wasn't going to get to where I wanted to go at 260 pounds," Fiedler said. "I had to switch what I did, what I ate, how I worked out, who I worked out with, the people I surrounded myself with. I had to change my whole life around. And to see the payoff over the last couple years has been the most rewarding thing."

Sophomore jump

Fiedler was down to 235 pounds as a sophomore, and then cut to 195 pounds as a junior. As his frame stretched to 6-foot-6 and he added muscle, he played this season at about 210 pounds, turning in a dominant campaign from start to finish.

The senior averaged a double-double this season with capping a sensational high school career that started to take flight in his sophomore season. Early in that year, Fiedler posted a 34-point, 10-rebound effort in a win against Mullen that foretold the type of player he could be without all the extra weight.

Fiedler surprised himself with that performance and eventually quit baseball to focus on basketball full-time.

"That was my first 30-piece in my life, and at that point, I was blown away because I never thought I could do that," Fielder said. "After that game, I just kind of thought, 'I can really do something with this.'"

And the omens kept coming.

As a junior, the forward dropped 37 points in at the Denver Coliseum. And as a senior, his double-double in a win over ThunderRidge (career-high 46 points with 11 rebounds) underscored what Division I coaches saw in the player who also had offers from CU, Stanford, and Kansas State, among others.

"Eric carried us down the stretch of that Rangeview game," former Regis Jesuit head coach Ken Shaw said. "And when we played at ThunderRidge this year, a stellar program for a long time, he kept making big plays, and big shots, just when it looked like (the Grizzlies) were going to get back into it. He is the type of player who is impossible to stop when he's locked in."

Easy points

Fellow Regis Jesuit senior Joe Haubert, who witnessed Fielder's transformation from pudgy freshman to program all-timer, noted that sometimes, opposing defenses underestimated the forward at the beginning of games. That didn't last long, as Fielder often saw double-teams, triple-teams and junk defenses that became standard by the latter stretch of the season.

"I think some defenses were almost like, 'Can he really be that good? Let's just have one guy guard him,'" Haubert said with a laugh. "And then when he has the first, say, 12 points for us, the other coach would be like, 'OK, we probably need to double him now.'"

Regis Jesuit lost to eventual state runner-up Ralston Valley in the this season, as the Raiders didn't have the firepower around Fiedler to have the type of success they were aiming for. But it is safe to say the Raiders wouldn't have gone 15-10 and 7-3 in the league without their superstar carrying them.

Fiedler, who was the co-Continental League Player of the Year along with Chaparral's All-Colorado junior guard Luke Howery, had his scoring binges fueled by his ability to draw fouls. He shot 76% from the stripe, averaging 8.2 points per game from there, and with 196 free-throw points.

ThunderRidge head coach Joe Ortiz called Fiedler "the best high school player I've seen in several years."

"He beats you off the dribble, he can shoot mid-range, but really his biggest strength is that he'll just overpower you," Ortiz said. "He shares the ball well when he needs to. Regis would isolate him, and he'd find open shooters or he'll beat you two-on-one, too. He's a unique scorer... And when he gets to the free-throw line, that's just easy points."

Ortiz believes Fiedler has a chance to play early at CSU because he has "the whole package of skills."

"He's like a post body, playing a guard game," Ortiz said. "CSU is getting a steal with him."

Sr. | G/F | 6-foot-3

Stats: 28.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 blocks, 3.2 steals, Class 6A Great Eight

The blue-chip Texas signee led the state in scoring in the final chapter of a historic career. She finished as with 3,073 points; the McDonald’s All-American could play any position and is a two-time Ms. Colorado Basketball.

Sr. | SG | 5-foot-11

Stats: 17.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.9 steals, Class 6A Final Four

The Wichita State commit has been the centerpiece of the Cougars’ rise to prominence over the past few seasons. A multiple-level scorer who could take over a game at a moment’s notice, Broadus’ leadership was also key for Cherokee Trail’s prominent freshmen.

Sr. | PG | 5-foot-11

Stats: 25.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 4.4 steals, Class 5A Great Eight

Asp could do it all for the Kadets, consistently stuffing the stat sheet as she did as an underclassman at Colorado Springs Christian. A shutdown defender, too. She was committed to Boston College, but reopened her recruitment earlier this week.

Sr. | G/F | 6-foot-2

Stats: 27.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 2.0 steals, Class 5A Sweet 16

The CSU signee was second in the state in scoring to Crittendon and has been a four-year force for the Roughriders, a run that included two state titles. Dominant in the paint while averaging a double-double, Hollier was also a threat from beyond the arc.

Soph. | F | 6-foot-4

Stats: 17.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 4.2 blocks, 3.0 steals, Class 6A Sweet 16

She’s uncommitted, but not for long. Colorado’s next phenom and the early frontrunner for 2027 Ms. Colorado Basketball, Gilpatrick already has a stack of offers from Division I powers. She won gold last summer with the USA Basketball U16 team.

Sr. | SG | 5-foot-11

Stats: 23.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 blocks, 3.5 steals, Class 6A Great Eight

The Utah commit has been unstoppable the last three seasons for the Eagles. Jones is an elite defender who can score through doubles and junk defenses, and is lethal from 3, shooting 41% from distance in her career. Lengthy, athletic, smart baller.

Soph. | PG/SG | 5-foot-8

Stats: 17.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.5 steals, Class 6A state champion

The centerpiece of a young Falcons squad that ran the table to the title in a classification defined by parity, Banks-Thomas was equal parts dynamic scorer and flashy facilitator. The upside of being a pillar in more titles as the Falcons move to 5A is high.

Sr. | F | 6-foot-3

Stats: 16.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 blocks, 1.8 steals, Class 6A Final 4

The San Diego State commit led the Angels to their first Final Four in 16 years, and her leadership and play also accelerated the progression of Serbian sophomore Mia Avramovic. She consistently dominated the paint and boards and shot 57% from 3-point range.

Coach Caryn Jarocki, Highlands Ranch

Record: 25-3, Continental League champion, Class 6A state champion

The 30th-year Falcons boss and Colorado’s all-time winningest girls coach won her eighth title, but first since 2011. This season was probably her best coaching job yet — the Falcons were young and inexperienced, but Jarocki got the most out of their talent.

Honorable Mention

Delaney Dennis, Jr. F, Northfield; London Taylor, Jr. G, Northfield; Jojo Martin, Fr. G, Standley Lake; Grace Worsley, Jr. F, Windsor; Jayda Rogers, Soph. G, Highlands Ranch; Courtlynn Yaussi, Jr. PG, Loveland; Lauren Thompson, Sr. G, Chaparral; Kennedy Spellman, Sr. G, Eaglecrest; Kiarra Spellman, Jr. G, Eaglecrest; Makenzie Jones, Jr. G, Mullen; Addie Evans, Jr. G, Green Mountain; Austin Duncan, Sr. F, Kent Denver; Berkeley Schenider, Sr. G, Lutheran; Jaya White, Jr. G, Arapahoe; Grace Hall, Jr. G, Denver East; Kantyn Pearson, Sr. G, Green Mountain; Mayce Oberg, Sr. F, Montrose; Izzy Johnston, Sr. G, Arapahoe; Chloe Parker, Sr. G, Riverdale Ridge.

Caryn Jarocki, the architect of the Falcons’ girls basketball dynasty that ripped off seven state titles in the first dozen seasons of this century, hadn’t been to the pinnacle

So in the fall, Jarocki assigned her team some reading: “What It Takes to Win Championships” by Jeff Janssen. Once a week at the start of the Falcons’ open gym, players would sit in a circle on the floor to discuss the book and its relevance to Highlands Ranch’s goals for this winter.

“The book talks about how unselfish you have to be to win a championship, and how you have to be a servant leader and look out for the people on the team, not just yourself,” Jarocki said.

“It’s really kind of an interactive book because there’s questions at the end of every chapter that make them reflect upon themselves and their teammates. The cool thing was that they were really honest with each other about themselves and about their teammates, and they were really good at discussing it.”

The book was a launchpad for the Falcons’ season, which culminated in a Class 6A championship victory over Northfield, earning Jarocki the title of All-Colorado girls’ hoops Coach of the Year.

It was Jarocki’s youngest title team, considering the Falcons had just one major senior contributor in Kniyah Dumas. Highlands Ranch saw four freshmen play significant minutes. Its leading scorer was All-Colorado sophomore guard Kimora Banks-Thomas, and its two main veterans, besides Dumas, were junior twin sisters Addie and Katie Moon.

Getting young Falcons to soar

Jarocki molded that talent and got it to gel at the perfect time with decisive wins over Arapahoe in the Great 8 and Denver East in the Final 4 before beating Northfield 54-51 in a back-and-forth championship. That victory left Highlands Ranch as the last team standing in a parity-laden 6A field with as many as 10 teams that could make a run at the title when the playoffs started. The Falcons ended up winning it as the No. 7 seed.

“At the end of the day, our freshmen didn’t see themselves as freshmen,” Banks-Thomas said. “They saw themselves as contenders, and that’s a credit to Coach J continuing to tell us, ‘Even though you’re young, you can do this. You can win the title.’

“She kept instilling that in us and didn’t stop until we were all dousing each other with water in the locker room (after the championship).”

Kniyah Dumas and freshman Na’Ziah Newbins split the point guard duties this season. Freshman guard Kaze Dumas, as well as freshman forwards Kennedi Toliver and Kylah Murdock, also played important roles. Fittingly, for a team that had to grow up as  it went, it was Newbins who sank two free throws in the waning seconds of the championship to clinch the trophy.

Prior to Newbins stepping to the line, Jarocki pulled Kniyah Dumas aside and told her to pump up her fellow point guard.

“Coach J told me to go over to Newbins and (breathe some) confidence into her,” Kniyah Dumas said. “Basically, calm her down, make sure she wasn’t worried about the crowd. I told her to knock them down and that this was the moment she’s been waiting for all season. It worked, and I think Coach J knew that message would be more effective coming from a fellow player, and not her.”

The Falcons also overcame key injuries en route to the crown. That included being without sophomore guard Jayda Rogers (ankle) and Addie Moon (knee) for about the first month of the season. Then Katie Moon injured her knee late in the regular season but returned in the playoffs and contributed 15 points off the bench in the championship game.

Katie Moon had played just nine combined minutes across the Great 8 and Final 4, but a side chat with Jarocki following those games enabled the junior to finally find her rhythm when the Falcons needed it most.

“(Katie) was forcing things offensively and making a ton of mistakes, so her and I talked after (the Great 8) about that,” Jarocki. “She recognized she was forcing things. I told her to just let the game come to her.

“She had been out for weeks with her injury and she just wanted to be where she was when she left, which was in a great place. But after we talked, she figured it out. And she had a whale of a game in the championship.”

A softer side of Coach J

While Jarocki was pressing all the right buttons, the Falcons coming into their own before her 64-year-old eyes unveiled a different side of the seasoned, usually serious coach. That was evident when she came into the Highlands Ranch locker room following the team’s Great 8 victory.

“We had the Final 4 plaque in the middle and we were all sitting around it, chanting, ‘Final 4! Final 4!’ and Coach J walked in and started chanting it with us,” Banks-Thomas said. “That was a family moment for this team, because we definitely tapped into a side of Coach J that I’ve never seen before. We tapped into her happy side. We saw so many smiles.”

And tears, too, which was a first for Kniyah Dumas.

“She actually cried when she talked to me and another senior after the championship,” Kniyah Dumas said. “It was sort of a medium cry, but still — I thought was pretty awesome because everybody could see that sometimes she could be pretty tough, but it showed her vulnerability and how she really cared for everyone like we knew all along.”

If the dominance by the Continental League champs this season is any indication, there’s probably more smiles and happy tears in Jarocki’s immediate future.

Because of Highlands Ranch’s ongoing, dwindling enrollment affecting program numbers — the Falcons had only 19 total players this year and no JV team — the Falcons are moving down to Class 5A for the next cycle.

The returners are disappointed about it, even though they’ve known about it for a couple of years now. Jarocki maintains it’s “the appropriate move for us.” With every primary contributor minus Kniyah Dumas coming back, the Falcons are the immediate heavy 5A championship favorite in 2026-27.

Entering her fourth decade as the Falcons’ boss — and with 10 championship games, 19 Final Fours and 27 Great Eights on her blue-and-white resume — Jarocki’s trophy case probably isn’t complete quite yet.

“Our mentality going into next year is just the only person in the way of another championship is ourselves,” Banks-Thomas said. “And I don’t think Coach J is going to let ourselves get in the way.”

Next stop, nationwide.

capped her historic prep career this year, breaking the CHSAA scoring record while leading the Ravens to a fourth straight Denver Coliseum appearance.

For her supremacy — the Texas-bound guard/forward led the state with 28.5 points per game while also averaging 6.7 rebounds, 3.2 steals, 2.4 assists and 1.2 blocks — she swept every top honor. She won the state Gatorade Player of the Year, MaxPreps state Player of the Year, the CHSAA Class 6A Player of the Year and, for the second time, The Denver Post’s Ms. Colorado Basketball.

The Denver Post¶¶Ňőap 2026 All-Colorado girls basketball team

The 6-foot-3 hooper now takes her generational talents to the national stage over the next month. First, the in Arizona. Then, the in Oregon, where she'll make her debut. And finally, the Jordan Brand Classic in Los Angeles, another high school senior all-star game.

"I'm definitely super excited for this (all-star game tour)," Crittendon said. "These are games you see online when you're a kid, and I've wanted to be a part of for a long time. So it's awesome that all my hard work is translating in that aspect, and not just in my own state.

"With these types of games, there's so much talent on the floor and it's hard for the ball to be spread around everywhere. So I'll try to find different ways to affect the game without having the ball in my hand, like getting stops or steals or rebounds on defense and hopefully letting those things translate into points on the other end."

Crittendon's primetime exhibit actually began before her senior season, when she competed in the SLAM Summer Classic at historic in August. Crowds lined up around the block to get into the high school showcase at the Manhattan streetball mecca. Crittendon scored double-digit points in the game and ended up on

From Harlem, Crittendon traveled straight to Los Angeles for the Nike Academy, a camp for elite high school prospects, and then to the Mamba League Invitational.

A generational record for a generational player

By the time Riverdale Ridge's season began on Dec. 4, Crittendon picked up right where she left off, dropping 30 points in a win over Fossil Ridge.

She broke Tracy Hill's 43-year old scoring record of 2,934 points on Feb. 14, and after the Ravens lost in the Class 6A Great 8, Crittendon finished her career with 3,073 points. Ravens head coach Tim Jones predicts it will be decades before anyone sniffs Crittendon's scoring mark.

"It's a shot in the dark to break it," Jones said. "It's one of those things where you've got to be something different, something generational like Bri is. I don't see it being broken any sooner than another 40-some years."

After committing to Texas on Nov. 19 — choosing the Longhorns over her other finalist, CU — Crittendon had nothing left to prove entering her senior season from an individual standpoint. Yes, she was chasing Hill's record, but she was clearly the de facto best player in the state, and the five-star was also ranked among the in the country.

Crittendon maintained that her focus was on "staying present with my team and enjoying our last year together, and even enjoying the hard moments, while staying excited about the future and continuing to grow."

That's exactly what Jones saw from the versatile, three-level scorer who played every position for the Ravens but profiles as a wing/small forward at the next level.

"She adjusted a lot defensively by guarding different positions, forcing herself to be uncomfortable in spaces, coming to the perimeter and playing smaller, quicker guards," Jones said. "She also became more keen on how defenses were playing her and finding new, different spaces to score. Overall, she became more strategic in her game."

Best on the biggest stages

Amid Crittendon's rise, there was some behind-the-scenes criticism by coaches and basketball pundits around the state about who she was putting up wild scoring numbers against. Riverdale Ridge played her freshman and sophomore seasons in Class 4A, winning the title there in 2024, before moving up to Class 6A for her junior and senior seasons.

Even after jumping two classifications, the Ravens ran roughshod over their Rocky Mountain League opponents. Over the past two seasons, Riverdale Ridge was 24-0 in league, with a 70.5-point average margin of victory. But Jones points out that Crittendon usually played half the game or less in those blowouts, and that when Riverdale Ridge played marquee opponents in its non-conference schedule or in the state tournament, her scoring didn't dip.

As a case-in-point this season, Jones cited Riverdale Ridge's game against Ontario Christian, the California powerhouse filled with blue-chip recruits, which won the CIF open division state championship before finishing Crittendon scored 31 points against Ontario Christian despite facing consistent double-teams by fellow Power 4 recruits.

"Look at all the biggest matchups she's had, and she excelled," Jones said. "We've played the best of what Colorado had to offer the past few years, even in scrimmages. We played nationally-ranked teams out of state. She's produced on the biggest stages. She did it with her club, averaging over 30 points a game in one of the toughest circuits (the Select 40) in the country.

"So we can't keep saying (her scoring averages) are because of the league or classification she played in."

Ex-Regis Jesuit star , another two-time Ms. Colorado Basketball who went to Texas, agrees.

Akigbogun, who is currently an assistant coach at Denver East, calls Crittendon a "remarkable" scorer who "can consistently make something out of nothing."

"I think people are foolish if they say that there could be an asterisk next to that record because to score 3,000 points, you have to score the ball," Akigbogun said. "It doesn't matter who you're playing against — to be able to score at that high of a level in every single game, it's hard to do."

Amid all her success and accolades, Crittendon's teammate Chloe Parker noted that No. 3 remained level-headed and coachable.

"She set the bar high for our school and for Colorado girls basketball going forward," said Parker, an Air Force pledge. "She's consistent. She's never going to be super high or super low — whether she just broke the scoring record, or we lost at the Coliseum, it was the same Bri every single day."

Akigbogun says that no matter what the future holds for Crittendon — Texas coach Vic Schaefer said he believes she can be an All-SEC player, while Crittendon's ultimate ambition remains the WNBA — the Riverdale Ridge superstar's legacy is cemented in Colorado high school girls basketball lore.

"She's going to continue to strive to do great things, and it's good to look at different seasons of your life with separation," Akigbogun said. "What you've done in high school is different than what you'll do in college.

"But no matter what she does or doesn't do, it doesn't take away from what she's done now. What she's done in this state at this level in her four years is going to be forever remarkable, regardless of what happens later on. Anybody that's going to be watching high school basketball, her name is always going to come up in those circles when talking about the great players Colorado has produced."

It was March 22 of last year, and Rudden started for Cherry Creek in a travel tournament against Valley Vista. An elbow injury cut short his sophomore season, so the then-junior was still looking to establish himself within Colorado’s most successful big-school program.

RELATED: Meet the finalists for the inaugural Roy Halladay Award

threw a complete game, one-hit shutout in a 1-0 win, dominating with his fastball-slider combo in a preview of what was to come as the right-hander became a central force in the Bruins’ back-to-back Class 5A championship seasons.

“He showed us his bulldog mentality,” Cherry Creek pitching coach Dave Veres recalled. “It was one of those (ah-ha) moments. No pitch clock needed for this guy. He’s a get-it-and-go type of guy. Puts all the pressure on the hitters. And once we got that one-run lead, he was like, ‘That’s all I need. That’s plenty.’

“And as that game went on, he got tougher and tougher to hit, which foreshadowed what he would do the next couple years. Once he got the ball, you couldn’t take it out of his hand.”

Rudden came up clutch for Cherry Creek in the biggest moments. Last year, he delivered under do-or-die circumstances in the penultimate game of the state tournament against Regis Jesuit, setting up Creek’s ninth ring. And this spring, he sealed the program’s 10th title with a masterful start, again against the Raiders, in the championship game.

Along the way, the Michigan commit excelled in the classroom (4.3 GPA) and set a high standard with community service and school club involvement. For all of that, Rudden is the winner of the inaugural Roy Halladay Award, to be presented annually to Colorado’s top senior ballplayer, scholar and community steward.

“To have my name in the same conversation as Halladay is such a blessing,” Rudden said. “The kind of player he was and the status he had is something that every Colorado baseball player hopes to achieve. So I’m blessed to get this honor.

“I believe this has a ton of potential to be a big-time award in the years to come. And I hope it motivates more high school players in the community to not just be good players, but good students and good people.”

Intensity is one of Rudden’s best intangibles that led to his impressive prep career on and off the diamond.

In this year’s title game, where Rudden threw five innings of one-run ball in an 8-1 Cherry Creek win, Regis Jesuit threatened to take an early lead with two runners on in the first inning. But Rudden struck out a pair of batters to escape the jam, then yelled toward the Raiders’ dugout.

“That was our chance, and then he slammed the door on us after that,” Regis Jesuit head coach Matt Darr said. “That first inning epitomized how there’s a competitiveness to him that’s another level compared to most. … You feel like you’re up against somebody who’s almost invincible even though we’ve seen guys with better stuff, but they’re not as tough as him.”

Rudden’s competitiveness translated to leadership in the dugout. Cherry Creek head coach Joe Smith said the senior routinely pulled fellow players aside for chats if they weren’t playing up to the program’s expectations of effort and hustle.

Rudden’s edge seeped into his schoolwork, too, where even as a senior he refused to let up in his final high school semester despite having a scholarship to Michigan in the bag.

“Wyatt had just come home from a game this spring, and he had pitched well,” said Rudden’s dad, Nick, who won a pair of baseball championships with the Bruins in the late 1990s. “Postgame, he lifted. Then he gets home at about 9:30, and I go, ‘What’s going on?’ He goes, ‘I’ve got to go study (for an AP test).’ This was routine for him. He would often be up until like 2 in the morning studying.

“That night, my wife (Megan) and I just looked at each other. Even with college already set, he was going up to study because he believes it’s his obligation to be the best he can be. He’s not the kind of kid who is going to leave anything on the table.”

Rudden’s younger brother, Cherry Creek junior second baseman Walker Rudden, saw that in Wyatt from a young age.

When Walker was 11 and Wyatt was 12, they played a tournament together in Cooperstown. When Walker hit a homer before Wyatt, the older brother was peeved.

“So then he came up the next at-bat and crushed one of the longest homers I’ve ever seen a little kid hit,” Walker said with a laugh. “Then he just smiled at me when we got back into the dugout.”

Outside of baseball and school, Rudden’s desire to give back didn’t waver.

Since childhood, Rudden’s been heavily involved in the Bags of Fun Foundation, which puts together backpacks with toys and games for children . Since middle school, he’s volunteered about 15 weekends a year for , with projects such as cleaning up farms that target food scarcity, serving at food kitchens, and most recently painting planter boxes for a senior living facility. And this winter and spring, he’s been an assistant coach for a 9U Little League team.

Inside the walls of he’s also involved in Link Crew, National Honor Society, DECA and Leadership Club.

“A quote I come back to a lot is, ‘Who you are when you do anything is who you are when you do everything,'” Rudden said. “Going through the motions at school will never better you, and neither will doing that in the community. If you want to be a great player and a great person, every time you have an opportunity to better yourself and better others, you have to take it.”

As Rudden heads off to Michigan, the 6-foot, 180-pound hurler’s hyperfocus in all aspects of life won’t sway. And as Cherry Creek senior teammate Mason Scott explains, neither will Rudden’s confidence on the mound, although he’ll need to further develop his curveball and changeup to be a more dynamic pitcher at the Division I level.

“There is no hitter that Wyatt is ever scared to pitch to,” Scott said. “He’ll throw inside. He’ll throw any pitch in any count. That’s what makes him make so difficult to hit off of — he’s not scared of you, and you know that. Wyatt’s favorite pitch is a two-seam on your hands, and I think that says everything you need to know about him.”

The Roy Halladay Award

The Roy Halladay Award honors the top senior baseball player, scholar and community steward in Colorado. The award, named after the late Hall of Fame pitcher who attended Arvada West before becoming a Cy Young winner with the Blue Jays and Phillies, factors in on-field performance as well as grades and community service.

The award is backed by a non-profit, the Colorado High School Baseball Player Award Corporation, led by board president Ed Henderson, treasurer Alan Bossart and secretary Justin North. The winner is decided by a 14-person selection committee, which votes on the winner and finalists based on a system that gives candidates three points for a first-place vote, two points for a second-place vote and one point for a third-place vote.

The trophy for the award, named “The Mighty Casey,” is made by the Lundeen Sculpture company in Loveland. It is an approximately 15-inch-tall bronze sculpture of an old-time ballplayer leaning on his bat. The winner also receives a $1,000 scholarship and an honorary luncheon put on by the non-profit in downtown Denver.

Anyone wishing to make a tax-deductible donation to the award should email reporter Kyle Newman at knewman@denverpost.com.

Roy Halladay Award Winner

RHP Wyatt Rudden, Sr., Cherry Creek

One of several aces on a stacked Bruins’ pitching staff, the Michigan commit dominated in the title game win over Regis Jesuit and finished the season 9-2 with a 2.46 ERA and 85 strikeouts. He won the inaugural Roy Halladay Award for his play in addition to his grades (4.3 GPA) and service in the community.

Coach of the Year

Jackie McBroom, Golden

The 10th-year Demons coach led Golden to its first state title in 22 years, and second overall, amid their third straight Class 4A Final Four appearance. When McBroom took over the Golden program a decade ago, the Demons were perennially on the outside looking in when it came playoff time. Now, they’re a prominent 4A force.

Pitchers

RHP Ethan Wachsmann, Jr., Grandview

The Wake Forest commit dominated hitters with a fastball that ran into the high 90s while helping the Wolves to the Class 5A Final Four. Wachsmann was 8-1 with a 1.77 ERA in 11 games, with two complete games and 80 Ks.

RHP Hudson Alpert, Jr., Regis Jesuit

The Vanderbilt commit was a central reason for the Raiders’ return trip to the 5A state title game, even though he missed the final weekend of state due to injury. He was 6-3 with a 1.76 ERA and 65 Ks in 10 games.

RHP Ryan Falke, Sr., Cherry Creek

Another one of the Bruins’ big guns, the Washington State commit was a factor in why Cherry Creek only lost one time in state all season. Falke was 6-0 with a 2.72 ERA, one save and 70 Ks in 13 games.

RHP Sawyer Brinkman, Sr., Golden

The Dodge City Community College commit helped pitch the Demons to the title and was the Class 4A Jeffco League MVP in the process. He was 10-1 with a 1.52 ERA, 112 Ks and just 18 walks in 13 games.

RHP Ross Frank, Sr., Rocky Mountain

The Monterey Peninsula College commit and Roy Halladay Award finalist was the Lobos’ ace for three seasons while leading them back to the 5A tournament. He went 10-2 with a 1.28 ERA, 106 Ks and only eight walks in 14 games.

RHP Luke Reasbeck, Sr., Regis Jesuit

The North Greenville commit formed a formidable one-two punch alongside Alpert, going 5-1 with a 1.85 ERA in 10 games with 53 Ks and only four walks. He was pure nails during the Raiders’ state tournament run.

LHP Carter Wilcox, Sr., Cherokee Trail

The Iowa commit was a finalist for the Roy Halladay Award as the Cougars’ centerpiece. He went 5-4 with a 1.85 ERA in 12 games. His dominating swing-and-miss arsenal paced 5A with 116 strikeouts.

RHP Blake Swift, Jr., Pueblo County

The still-uncommitted Hornets ace was virtually untouchable this season with a 0.33 ERA and 11-1 record in 14 games, including 74 strikeouts and no homers given up as PCHS made the 4A state tournament.

LHP Maverick Scarpella, Jr., Broomfield

One of two aces for the Eagles alongside BYU commit Ethan Zufall, the Indian Hills commit routinely came up clutch during Broomfield’s deep playoff run. He threw a no-hitter in the regional final and went 8-1 with a 2.13 ERA and 75 Ks in 12 games.

Catchers

Brendan Fritch, Sr., Broomfield 

The Davidson commit could hit for average and power. He led 5A with a .545 average and also paced the classification with a .613 on-base percentage and hit five homers as the offensive soul of the Eagles’ Final Four team.

Spike Magill, Sr., Mountain Vista

The Evansville commit was a dominant backstop for the Golden Eagles and also Mountain Vista’s best offensive player with a .494 average, .556 on-base percentage and 1.361 OPS.

Jack Espiritu-Niswonger, Sr., Fairview

The Dartmouth commit has been a stalwart for three seasons behind the dish up in Boulder, hitting over .400 each year. This spring, he batted .411 with a .522 on-base percentage and 1.166 OPS.

Nate Glad, Sr., Cheyenne Mountain

The Northeastern Junior College commit helped the Red-Tailed Hawks to the 4A title game with his glove and his bat, as he batted .459 with seven homers, a .500 on-base percentage and 1.261 OPS.

Infielders

SS Owen Morgan, Sr., Fossil Ridge

The Oregon commit was a centerpiece of Fossil Ridge’s first 5A state tournament appearance, leading the SaberCats with a .538 average and .602 on-base percentage to go along with four homers and a 1.326 OPS.

1B/OF Connor Larkin, Sr., Cherry Creek

The Oklahoma commit cleaned up on postseason honors via the state’s Gatorade player of the year, the CHSAA 5A player of the year and the Centennial League player of the year while hitting .457 with 11 homers.

SS Tate Deal, Sr., Arvada West

The Evansville commit helped the Wildcats to a deep 5A tournament run with slick fielding and a powerful bat. He hit .391 with 12 doubles, nine homers, 32 RBIs and a 1.309 OPS.

SS Tommy Feldhake, Sr., Castle View

The South Carolina Upstate commit flashed leather as Castle View’s defensive leader. He raked, too, with a .472 average, .552 on-base percentage and 1.372 OPS topped off by an impressive performance at state.

INF Jansen Roberts, Sr., Cheyenne Mountain

The Crowder College commit’s play and leadership powered Cheyenne Mountain’s 4A title game trip. He led the team with a .481 average, eight homers, .865 slugging and 1.450 OPS.

SS Jaydon Stroup, Sr., Golden

The Mesa Community College commit was a starter as a sophomore when Golden lost in the 4A title game and has been a pillar in the two seasons since. He hit .402 with a .530 on-base percentage and 1.243 OPS.

SS Chase Chapman, Sr., Grandview

The uncommitted Wolves star provided plus-defense in addition to being the most consistent hitter on a 5A Final Four team; Chapman batted .451 with 21 extra-base hits, good for a .563 on-base percentage and 1.331 OPS.

SS Ethan Fillinger, Sr., Windsor

The UNC commit helped the Wizards to a third-place finish at the 4A state tournament with sure hands and a live arm in the six hole combined with a potent bat that hit .482 with four homers and a 1.354 OPS.

SS Sean Goldy, Sr., Cherry Creek

The West Virginia commit made an array of impressive plays during the Bruins’ 6-0 postseason run, with speed and quickness in the field and on the bases. He hit .368 with four homers, 17 steals and a .451 on-base percentage.

1B Luca Casali, Sr., Golden

The Western Oklahoma State commit was a key cog in the Demons’ title run and could play the outfield, too. As a hitter, Casali batted a team-best .456 with a .568 on-base percentage, .811 slugging and 1.379 OPS.

1B Bricen Moore, Jr., Douglas County

A versatile defender who can also play the outfield, Moore was the Huskies’ best hitter this season with a .429 average, 14 extra-base hits (three homers), .494 on-base percentage and 1.234 OPS.

Outfielders

Mason Griffin, Sr., Fossil Ridge

The UNC commit consistently came through in the clutch for the SaberCats through the state tournament. The Northern League player of the year led 5A with 50 RBIs while batting .511 with six homers and a 1.530 OPS.

Sam Harry, Sr., Castle View

The Cal State Sacramento commit led the Sabercats with a .489 average and .566 on-base percentage and also posted a 1.321 OPS to help Castle View to the 5A state tournament.

Caden Williamson, Sr., Broomfield

Another potent bat in the Broomfield lineup alongside Fritch, the Quinnipiac commit hit leadoff and played a speedy center field, batting .402 with 40 RBIs, five homers, a .728 slugging and a 1.205 OPS.

Colin Metz, Sr., Chatfield

The Dodge City commit who played on the Chargers’ defensive line during the fall was a heavy-hitter, leading Chatfield with a .429 average, 24 RBIs and nine homers plus a .473 on-base percentage and 1.283 OPS.

Christian Lopez, Sr., Regis Jesuit

The Cal Bakersfield commit showcased speed and defensive prowess as the Raiders’ center fielder. As the team’s leadoff man, Lopez also shined, hitting .398 with a .500 on-base percentage and team-best 15 steals.

Aiden Wilson, Sr., Pine Creek

The Garden City commit had a sure glove in the outfield and could also hit for average and power. He hit .463 with a team-best 41 RBIs and 17 extra-base hits, including seven homers and a 1.533 OPS.

Utility

RHP/SS/CF Cooper Vais, Soph., Arvada West

The 5A Jeffco League MVP propelled the Wildcats to a deep run in the 5A tournament. The head coach’s kid hit .347 with five homers, a .600 slugging and 1.022 OPS, and went 8-1 with a 1.29 ERA on the mound.

3B/OF Jack Phiel, Sr., Northfield

The Haverford commit tore up the City League this season while leading the Nighthawks to the league title. The defensively versatile Phiel batted .479 with 33 RBIs and 22 extra-base hits, including eight homers and a 1.650 OPS.

LHP/OF Favi Gaeta, Sr., Prairie View

The Colorado Northwestern commit was 10-1 with a 1.14 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 14 games this season as one of the more dominant arms in the state. He also raked offensively with a .405 average and 1.329 OPS.

RHP/1B Jerry Stone, Sr., Prairie View

The Colorado Northwestern commit was a one-two punch on the mound alongside Gaeta, with a 5-1 record, 1.34 ERA and 64 Ks in 12 games. He also had a .365 average, five homers and 1.152 OPS in the box.

RHP/1B Aaron Jaquez, Jr., Falcon

The North Carolina commit, who posted a 2.25 ERA and 32 Ks in five games pitching, did everything for the Falcons this spring en route to hitting .522 with 26 RBIs, a .570 on-base percentage and a 1.301 OPS.

LHP/1B Ben Simons, Sr., Coal Ridge

The Roy Halladay Award finalist led the state with 51 RBIs and was a dominant two-way player to lead the Titans to their first state title. He hit .565, and was 6-1 with a 1.11 ERA and 85 Ks in 11 games on the mound.

RHP/OF Easton Embrey, Sr., Palisade

The Florence-Darlington Tech commit used his arm and bat to help lead the Bulldogs to the 4A Final Four. Embrey hit .467 with a .508 on-base percentage and was the team’s most-used pitcher with a 4.15 ERA in 14 games.

RHP/SS Thomas Stewart, Sr., Mullen

The Virginia commit was the Mustangs’ unquestioned two-way star this spring, as he led the team with a .459 average, .564 on-base percentage and 1.240 OPS. He also had a 2.67 ERA in nine games on the mound.

RHP/OF/3B Maddox Burnett, Jr., Erie 

The BYU commit was a pillar for the Tigers this season and is one of the top juniors in the state. He hit .419 with a 1.085 OPS, and on the mound, he was Erie’s ace with a 2.74 ERA, 8-2 record and 70 Ks in 11 games.