Just 12 short days from now, four teams will descend on Peter Barton Stadium on the University of Denver campus looking to claim the crown.
The challenge of getting there? It’s already underway.
Even with some wet weather in play, the first round of the 2025 boys lacrosse postseason is in the books. The second round runs Friday (Class 4A) and Saturday (5A), with quarterfinal play next Tuesday/Wednesday.
While there weren’t any true “upset specials” in the first round – No. 19 Rock Canyon in 5A and No. 18 Lutheran in 4A were the lowest seeds to advance – that doesn’t mean there weren’t competitive matchups. Two contests in 4A were decided by one goal, highlighted by a late Windsor rally that came up just short in an 11-10 loss at Vail Mountain.
Among the highlights of this weekend’s second round: No. 4 Air Academy finds itself matched up with Southern League rival Cheyenne Mountain. The Red-Tailed Hawks (8-8) lost their first seven games this season, but have won eight of the past nine – that includes a victory over the Kadets on April 25.
Here is a quick look ahead to the second round and beyond:
Class 5A
Of the 16 teams remaining in the 5A postseason, six of them are representing League 4. That inevitably leads to some inter-league playoff games, of which two will take place Friday. No. 1 Cherry Creek faces No. 17 Denver South, while No. 6 Denver East gets 11th-seeded Cherokee Trail. The Cougars, who eliminated last year’s 4A champion Erie on Wednesday, nearly took one from East back on April 9 before falling 11-10. Four players had at least 25 goals for Cherokee Trail in the regular season, with sophomore Bruce Pfeiffer leading the way with 29 goals and 29 assists. … Five teams from League 2 reached the second round. League champion Ralston Valley draws another league foe in Poudre School District on Friday. No. 7 Fairview, which defeated the Mustangs in the league finale, has a tough matchup with No. 10 Legend. The Titans have won eight of their past nine games, including a resounding 19-3 victory over Monarch on Wednesday night in the first round. The only loss during that stretch came to No. 9 Mountain Vista by a single goal. … Speaking of the Golden Eagles, they one-upped the Titans with 20 goals in a first-round victory over Columbine. Mountain Vista visits No. 8 Regis Jesuit on Friday in a rematch of a League 3 contests that the Raiders took 10-5 back on April 17. … Defending state champion Valor Christian, which won League 3, hosts Rock Canyon in another league rematch.
Class 4A
The matchup between Air Academy and Cheyenne Mountain isn’t the only league rematch in round two. No. 7 Telluride and No. 10 Fruita Monument – both of the Mountain League – meet up Friday in Telluride. The two teams split their regular-season matchups, with the Wildcats besting Telluride 8-7 on April 25 behind a combined seven points from Judah Ellis and Garrett Stegelmeier. … The team that won the Mountain League, eighth-seeded Grand Junction, draws a tough Steamboat Springs squad. The Tigers (11-4) dropped three of their last five regular-season games, getting swept by No. 1 Aspen and splitting with Telluride. The Sailors (10-6) dropped four of their first six games, but took undefeated Aspen to overtime May 1 before falling 8-7. Senior George Redfern has been one of the state’s most consistent scoring threats with 37 goals and 38 assists. He had six assists in a 16-3 rout of Conifer in Tuesday’s first round. The winner of that contest could draw Aspen in the quarterfinals. … Two league champions clash in the second round in Northern champ Resurrection Christian and Metro champ Middle Park. The two teams played April 21, with the Cougars taking a 15-7 victory. … Three of the four Foothills League teams remaining are in the bottom half of the bracket. Evergreen and Golden could meet in the quarterfinals with victories Friday, and No. 2 Dakota Ridge could potentially away that winner in the semifinals.
