The baseball program at Cherry Creek, aced with a pitching staff touting a miniscule 2.43 ERA this spring, look ready to make a deep postseason run.

CHSAA’s Class 5A No. 6 Bruins can clinch the 5A/4A Centennial League title outright — and likely secure a top-eight seed and a home regional next week — with a win over Cherokee Trail their regular-season finale Saturday.

With the regular season ending for the 5A and 4A classifications Tuesday, followed by the unveiling of their respective 32-team regional brackets, let’s dive into a few leagues to see where things stand.

5A/4A Centennial

Postseason locks: No. 6 Cherry Creek (17-4-1), No. 12 Cherokee Trail (15-6), 4A No. 12 Mullen (12-9) and No. 16 Grandview (13-8).

Should be in: No. 25 Arapahoe (13-8).

On the bubble: No. 32 Eaglecrest (11-10).

If No. 12 Cherokee Trail can beat No. 5 Cherry Creek on Saturday, they’d split the season series and both finish 7-2 in league play.

The Bruins are looking strong heading into next week’s postseason, and much of that is thanks to a staff led by ace Wyatt Rudden, who has the league’s lowest ERA (0.95 in 35 2/3 innings) for a starter.

Their No. 2, Ryan Falke, meanwhile, has been just as good with a 1.08 mark across 26 frames.

Meanwhile, No. 25 Arapahoe could be a 20-something seed sleeper in regionals. The Warriors are led by slugger Andrew Smart, who is tied for the state lead with seven home runs.

5A Continental

Postseason locks: No. 2 Regis Jesuit (16-6), No. 3 Castle View (17-5), No. 4 Rock Canyon (18-5), No. 8 Legend (14-7), No. 13 Chaparral (15-7) and No. 18 Ponderosa (11-12).

Should be in: No. 21 Mountain Vista (9-12-1), No. 23 Douglas County (10-10) and No. 24 Heritage (11-11).

No. 3 Castle View clinched the league title with a 16-1 win over No. 8 Legend on Wednesday. Junior Tommy Feldhake led the way with a pair of doubles and four RBIs for the Sabercats, who lost to the Titans, 8-1, back in April.

No. 2 Regis Jesuit finished a game back in the league standings at 7-3. No. 4 Rock Canyon, led by the state’s RBI leader, David Brabb (40), finished 8-2 alongside Castle View but lost the tiebreaker.

Meanwhile, the league’s last state champ, No. 21 Mountain Vista — which won it all in 2021 — could be a dangerous road team in next week’s regionals. The Golden Eagles’ ace, Grant Shepardson, has a 2.65 ERA in 39 2/3 innings. His 77 strikeouts are seventh-most in the classification.

5A Front Range

Postseason locks: No. 1 Fossil Ridge (20-1), No. 7 Fort Collins (18-3), No. 9 Prairie View (18-4) and No. 15 Broomfield (14-7).

Should be in: No. 17 Rocky Mountain (13-8), No. 22 Horizon (12-9), No. 26 Legacy (10-10) and No. 28 Brighton (10-11).

On the bubble: No. 30 Fairview (11-10), No. 31 Monarch (10-12), No. 34 Loveland (10-12) and No. 36 Erie (10-13).

No. 30 Fairview is already one of the best turnaround stories on Colorado’s prep baseball scene in 2024.

The Knights, a four-win team made up mostly of freshmen a year ago, are flirting with the postseason bubble with two games remaining. They’re home against No. 15 Broomfield on Saturday and are at 4A No. 38 Skyview on Tuesday.

To stay in contention, Jackson Wier had four hits and drove in three to lead the Knights to a much-needed 9-3 win over 4A No. 23 Mead on Tuesday. They were edged by No. 9 Prairie View, 6-5, on Thursday.

League champion Fossil Ridge, led by ace Easton Miller (1.04 ERA over 47 1/3 innings), an Air Force commit, can wrap up the overall top seed in the 5A regional tournament with two games remaining. They’re home against No. 24 Heritage on Saturday and No. 25 Arapahoe on Monday.

5A Jefferson County

Postseason locks: No. 11 Valor Christian (15-7) and No. 14 Arvada West (16-6).

Should be in: No. 19 Ralston Valley (13-8).

Defending champ Valor Christian wrapped up its regular season with a league title, going 7-0 in it. The Eagles were the 15th seed in last year’s regionals before going on to win it all.

Though likely out of postseason contention, No. 38 Chatfield got a big season from junior Collin Metz, who led the league in slugging (.940), average (.520) and on-base percentage (.625).

4A Jefferson County

Postseason locks: No. 2 Golden (21-2) and No. 10 Green Mountain (17-5).

Should be in: No. 28 Evergreen (12-9-1).

On the bubble: No. 30 D’Evelyn (13-10), No. 35 Conifer (11-12) and No. 36 Standley Lake (11-10-1).

The Demons won their fourth straight league title thanks in part to a pitching staff headed by Sawyer Brinkman (1.17 ERA in 42 innings), Taden Svendsen (0.86 in 32 2/3 IP) and Tyler Sherrill (0.00 in 11 IP).

Their offense is led by the league’s top-two RBI-getters in Lucas Casali (33) and Braeden McCarroll (28).

McCarrol and Green Mountain’s Craig Busse lead the league in home runs, with six. Casali has five.

5A/4A Pikes Peak

Postseason locks: No. 7 Lewis-Palmer (15-7), No. 11 Cheyenne Mountain (14-7), No. 14 Discovery Canyon (12-8) and No. 15 Lutheran (12-10-1).

Should be in: No. 25 Palmer Ridge (9-13).

On the bubble: 5A No. 35 Air Academy (8-14).

No. 7 Lewis-Palmer wrapped up the league title this week, sweeping 5A No. 35 Air Academy in their two-game series.

Danny Cook has driven in at least a run in 10 straight games and has 30 RBIs for the Rangers this season. In May, he’s 10 of 14 from the plate with six RBIs. He stole his 21st base of the season in Thursday’s 10-4 win over the Kadets.

4A Longs Peak

Postseason locks: No. 8 Thompson Valley (16-6) and No. 13 Riverdale Ridge (16-6).

Should be in: No. 19 Severance (14-7), No. 22 Roosevelt (12-9) and No. 27 Skyline (12-10).

On the bubble: No. 32 Niwot (11-10).

With one game remaining each, No. 13 Riverdale Ridge and No. 8 Thompson Valley are tied atop the conference at 14-3. Though, the Ravens own the tiebreaker after sweeping the two-game season series last month.

Thompson Valley’s Riley Suarez (33 RBIs, six home runs) and Evan Raabe (32, five) are one-two in the league in RBIs and home runs.