5A State Baseball: Creek and Grandview move on
The 2024 Colorado State Baseball Championships began on May 24 at All-Star Park in Lakewood and at All-City Stadium in Denver. Beautiful spring weather was the rule at both sites, and all three CCSD clubs won their opening round contests in the double-elimination series.
Last Friday at All-Star Park, No. 16 Grandview defeated No. 8 Prairie View 13-5. The Wolves, led by junior Jax Pfister’s grand slam, scored 9 runs in the top of the 7th inning to get the win.
In the day’s first game at All-Star Park, No. 5 Cherry Creek, on the strength of junior pitcher Wyatt Rudden’s 3-hit performance, shut out No. 13 Chaparral 8-0. Senior Will Taylor, junior Connor Larkin, and sophomore Tyce Smith all went deep for the Bruins to help move the team on to the second round.
So it was Grandview and Creek in the third game of the day. Coach Marc Johnson’s Bruins had another strong pitching performance, this time from junior Ryan Falke on the way to a 4-1 win over the Wolves. Connor Larkin homered for the second game in a row to pace Cherry Creek, which advanced to Saturday’s semifinal undefeated. Grandview entered consolation play at All-City Stadium on Saturday at 1-1.
At All-City Stadium, Cherokee Trail also started off with a win last Friday. The No. 11 Cougars defeated No. 19 Horizon 3-2. CT did all their scoring in the 3rd inning and that held up as the Cougars advanced to play No. 2 Regis Jesuit. Strong Raiders pitching in second round play was evident as Regis shut out Cherokee Trail 3-0. CT, at 1-1, moved to the consolation round on May 25 at All-Star Park.
On Saturday, another nice weather day, Cherokee Trail was eliminated by Prairie View 5-2. The Cougars ended their season at 19-9.
In the big semifinal game, Regis Jesuit’s strong pitching continued as Cherry Creek was shut out by the Raiders 3-0, advancing undefeated (3-0) Regis to the Championship round, again at All-Star Park on June 1. Cherry Creek fell to 1-1 and will begin fourth round consolation play against the winner of Grandview/Prairie View – also at All-Star Park – on May 31.
At All-City, Grandview defeated Fort Collins 6-3 to get to the final four and will play in a third round consolation game against Prairie View on May 31. The contest will be the first of the day at All-Star Park. Final championship games will played on Saturday, June 1.
The complete 5A bracket is here.
5A Baseball: Cherry Creek names new head coach
The Cherry Creek Baseball program has announced who will take the helm starting next season, replacing 52-year Bruins coaching legend, Marc Johnson.
Assistant Coach Joe Smith will assume head duties beginning in 2025. Smith has been with the program for 12 years and also is the current third base coach for the club. Smith, 35, has also taught 9th and 10th grade history at CCHS for the last five years.
Smith came to Colorado from Ohio. He’s a native of Dublin, which is a suburb of Columbus. He played four years of club baseball at Ohio University, getting a Bachelors degree in education in the process. Smith then was the freshman baseball coach at Dublin Coffman High School for two years before coming to our state. He has been with the Cherry Creek program for 12 years.
“It’s exciting,” Smith said. “I’ve learned from the best. I was able to learn a lot under Coach Tim Saunders at Dublin Coffman High School - a coaching legend in Ohio, and obviously, Coach Johnson for the last 12 years.”
Coach Smith made sure to point out that the job in 2024 is not over yet, and his focus will be to support Coach Johnson in the State Championships final consolation rounds starting May 31. He said his role is not all about baseball.
“The reason you teach or coach is really about building relationships, and it’s about the future,” he said. In the case of baseball, it’s about developing good young men, good young people to become leaders in our school and our community. It’s beyond baseball with me. It’s about life.”
Congratulations to Coach Joe Smith
5A Girls State Golf: Cherry Creek takes fourth in state
The 5A Girls State Golf Championships took place last week at Broadlands Golf Course in Broomfield. Day 1 saw Cherry Creek junior Caitlyn Chin finish in a 3-way tie for fourth place in individual play on May 20, shooting a 2-over 74. Creek teammate and senior Cecelia Murray finished in a 3-way tie for 17th, along with Grandview senior Caroline Ryan. They both came in to the clubhouse with scores of 80. In team play, Cherry Creek ended Day 1 in third place behind Valor Christian and Rock Canyon.
Day 2 had a brief rain and lightning delay in the early afternoon, but play was then completed. The Bruins’ Chin shot a 1-over 73 to come in tied for third overall for the tourney. The Wolves’ Ryan finished 20th.
Cherry Creek finished fourth overall in the team standings. Head Coach Randy Smith said the result was not what his team hoped for.
“I think the girls are understandably a bit disappointed because they knew they could play better,” Smith said. “It just came down to a couple of holes where we didn’t manage things as well as we wanted to, and that’s all it takes to knock yourself out of a top position, especially with this type of competition.”
Spring Sports: All-State Teams announced
All-State Teams for 5A Boys Volleyball, Girls Tennis, Boys Swimming and Diving, 5A Girls Golf, 5A Boys Lacrosse and 5A Track and Field were announced last week. Cherry Creek School District student athletes were well represented in the rolls.
In Boys Swimming, Cherry Creek’s Chris Loftis was named Coach of the Year and Bruins’ Luke Ogren Diver of the Year. The Bruins won the boys' team state title on May 11.
In 5A Track and Field, Grandview’s Gabriella Cunningham – winner of the 100 and 300 Meter Hurdles – was named 5A Athlete of the Year.
See the Boys Volleyball honorees here.
See the 5A Girls Tennis teams here.
See all the Boys Swimming and Diving names here.
See the list of Girls Golf honorees here.
See the list of Track and Field athletes here.
See the list of Boys Lacrosse honorees here.
Posted 5/27/2024.
