Lurking just outside MaxPreps nationally-ranked Class 4A teams Windsor (No. 18), Elizabeth (No. 25) and Palmer Ridge (No. 46) is something of a giant killer.
Pueblo Central – the No. 5 team in 4A – knocked out another state elite this past weekend, beating No. 3 Palmer Ridge 6-4 on Saturday.
The Wildcats could be as dangerous as anyone in the class as they are making the habit of taking down top-tier teams this month.
They beat Lakewood during the first week of September — the same week the Tigers were ranked No. 1 in 5A (they’re now eighth).
They beat No. 11 Fruita Monument the same day. No. 2 Columbine, the next.
Against the Bears over the weekend, the Wildcats tamed senior slugger Corinna Arellano, who had two home runs in each of her previous two games. She went 1 for 3 and no RBIs against Central, then got right back on track two days later in a win over Lewis-Palmer, driving in four runs while hitting her eighth bomb of the year.
For the Wildcats, sophomore Sophia Perez had two hits, including a triple, and swiped a bag. Classmate Bella Moreno drove in a run for the sixth time in her last seven games.
Central (12-3-1) will now look to snap a three-game losing streak to 4A No. 15 Pueblo County when it travels to face the Hornets on Wednesday night.
After losing to County twice last season, both Pueblo teams eventually reached the 4A state tournament. Central made the quarterfinals and County got to the semis.
Below are some interesting matchups over the next week
Class 5A
No. 3 Cherokee Trail at No. 4 Eaglecrest; Monday at 4:15 p.m.
The Cougars (8-3) are looking more and more like the team that reached the 2024 finals.
This past week, they outscored teams 49-4. Even their 11-inning win over No. 19 Chaparral on Friday ended up as a 7-0 final.
The Raptors (13-2), in the meantime, have won seven straight. The bats of Abby Files (.524 avg., 21 RBIs and three home runs and Ryleigh Stufft (.425, 21 and four) have been a big part of it.
Class 4A
No. 7 Air Academy at No. 9 Widefield; Friday at 3:30 p.m.
Both teams lost their first game of the season this past week.
Widefield (9-1-1) fell to 5A No. 12 Pine Creek, 8-3, on Saturday.
Then, Air Academy was walked-off, 10-9, by Cheyenne Mountain on Monday. Katelyn Scism’s sacrifice fly brought in the winning run in the seventh.
The Gladiators are led by pitcher Olivia McEwen, who is 8-1 with a 2.09 ERA this fall.
The Kadets are getting great production from outfielder Rideau Dravida, who is 12th in the state with a .750 on-base percentage.
Class 3A
No. 1 Eaton at No. 4 Brush; Thursday at 4 p.m.
Kenzie Braddy and Bria Foster both have two no-hitters this season for Eaton (12-3).
Johanna Galvan, who has the nation’s fourth-best ERA (0.68) this fall, has another, while Emma Anderson has six home runs and 1.286 slugging percentage.
That’s a lot of firepower to handle for the Beetdiggers (10-4), who have lost to the Reds nine straight times.
Sophomore Jolie Tuck, though, has been red-hot this month for Brush, with hits in eight of nine games. In September, she is 13 of 23 with 11 RBIs.
