The boys lacrosse postseason can bring a little bit of everything to the table in early May.
Nail-biters. Upsets. Snowstorms.
Okay, so the latter one is somewhat of a rarity, but after a relatively warm and dry spring, Mother Nature threw a curveball at the start of the postseason. The first round of the Class 4A state was played in less than ideal conditions, or in some cases, even temporarily postponed. The majority of the schedule did go off as planned though, with one contest – a 20-2 victory for No. 9 Cheyenne Mountain over Denver North – taking place a day earlier than the rest of the slate.
Much of the 5A first round was set for Wednesday, but the snowstorm forced most of those contests to get pushed to Thursday. Two 5A games did make it in ahead of schedule, with Cherokee Trail advancing to the second round with a victory over Chatfield and Ralston Valley moving on after beating Pine Creek 15-5.
Here is a look at the two classifications headed into the remainder of the first round and beyond – weather permitting, of course:
Class 5A
Top Seeds: 1. Valor Christian, 2. Cherry Creek, 3. Regis Jesuit, 4. Arapahoe
Defending State Champion: Cherry Creek
Upset Potential: Fairview. The sixth seeded Knights (12-3) dropped their three games by a combined four goals, including a 10-9 loss to No. 5 Lakewood on April 27. Fairview could draw No. 11 Legend in the second round, a rematch of a game played just four days ago that the Knights won 17-6. From there, No. 3 Regis Jesuit could be waiting. Senior Kai Modica had a remarkable 54 assists during the regular season to go along with 39 goals, and senior Hook Dancy led the team with 57 goals.
Notes: The only second-round matchup set in stone is No. 5 Lakewood hosting No. 12 Cherokee Trail. The Tigers (14-1) were an overtime loss to Rock Canyon to being unbeaten in the regular season. … No. 1 Valor and No.2 Cherry Creek have not lost to an in-state opponent this spring. The Eagles have won 10 consecutive games, and the Bruins have won 11 in a row – closing out the regular season with impressive victories over Arapahoe and Regis Jesuit.
Class 4A
Top Seeds: 1. Air Academy, 2. Evergreen, 3. Grand Junction, 4. Aspen
Defending State Champion: Dakota Ridge
Upset Potential: Cheyenne Mountain. The ninth-seeded Red-Tailed Hawks (10-6) had three losses come by just one goal, including an OT defeat to No. 2 Evergreen. The team also played No. 1 Air Academy as tough as anyone in 4A, falling 9-7. Freshman Sage Bowen scored five goals in a first-round victory over Denver North on Monday and senior Liam Morrison had four assists. Cheyenne Mountain visits Steamboat Springs on Friday, with the top-seeded Kadets a potential quarterfinal opponent.
Notes: Air Academy (14-1) dropped its regular-season finale to 5A’s Legend. Junior Alex Sirois has 52 goals this spring. … No. 3 Grand Junction (14-1) doesn’t have an easy path, with defending state champion Dakota Ridge hitting the Western Slope on Friday. The Eagles upset Fruita Monument 9-8 in the first round. From there, No. 6 Telluride could be a quarterfinal opponent. The Miners are the only team to defeat the Tigers this spring, though that came back on March 16. … Telluride has to wait to see who it will play, as the lone first-round game postponed was between Holy Family and Conifer. The Tigers boast a pair of 40-plus goal scorers in seniors Browen Wills and Rocco Bertagnolli. … One of the better second-round matchups has an 11-win Battle Mountain team hosting a 13-win Prairie View squad.
