AURORA | The quest to make it to the Aurora Sports Park begins at the Aurora Sports Park for two Aurora softball teams.
Top-seeded Eaglecrest and No. 16 Cherokee Trail who played in the semifinals of last season’s Class 5A state tournament at the same venue, return Oct. 14 for their most important day of the season, the Region 1 tournament.
The Raptors and defending 5A state champion Cougars seek the two available spots in the Oct. 20-21 state tournament, same as No. 15 Smoky Hill will do at the Region 8 tournament at Brighton and No. 20 Grandview will aim for at Region 4 at the Broomfield Industrial Park.
All four Aurora teams have come through the fires of tough regular season schedules and seem more than equipped for the postseason, especially given they will have have to be beaten twice to be eliminated in regional play. Two teams from each of the eight four-team regionals advances to state.
Eaglecrest (18-1) seems most postseason ready as it finished an unbeaten regular season against Colorado teams — losing only to Oklahoma powerhouse Broken Arrow at the Erie Tournament of Champions — capped by a 15-5 win over Cherokee Trail in the regular season finale.
Coach Yvette Hendrian often uses the word “hungry” to describe her Raptors and they have indeed feasted all season with a blend of veteran pitching, explosive offense and tons of confidence.
Slugger Kailey Wilson missed last season’s postseason run for Eaglecrest due to injury, but the Creighton commitment has returned with a vengeance as a senior. The left-handed hitting Wilson has homered 10 times — including six in her last four games — to go with a .735 batting average that ranks second in the state regardless of classification.
Couple Wilson with junior shortstop Rachel Sabourin (six homers, 29 RBI) coming up behind senior Brandee Morris, plus their protection in senior Hannah Jensen, junior Shayelyn Allen and senior Braelyne Crenshaw and the Raptors are definitely loaded for bear.
Senior pitchers Crenshaw and Mackenzie Hochstetler know they have some margin for error given Eaglecrest’s offense has generated 204 runs in 19 games (10.7 per contest).
Cherokee Trail has some cornerstones back from last season’s title-winner in seniors Megan Medhus and Lexi Gillen and junior Delanie Cox, but the double-barreled senior pitchers coach Caley Mitchell had last season graduated.
Mitchell knew that pitching would be the determining factor for the Cougars this season and it has been thus far during an 11-8 campaign. Cherokee Trail’s youthful group of arms has had some great games in the circle, but also had some struggles.
The first task ahead for the Cougars at regionals is a rematch with Mountain Vista, a team that dealt them an 11-1 loss on Aug. 29.
Smoky Hill (11-8) certainly has a tough task in front of it in the same regional with second-seeded Brighton — which matched Eaglecrest for best record in the classification, with only a loss to the Raptors as a blemish — but the Buffs have competed well against top teams all season.
Senior pitcher Kayla Banks held Valor Christian — undefeated and seeded No. 1 in the 4A playoffs — to two runs in six innings in the season finale, while senior slugging catcher Emilie Roberts has nine home runs and leads a power-packed offense.
Grandview (8-11) finished the regular season with big wins against Mullen and Cherry Creek and coach Dave Thies’ team has seen the best the state has had to offer this season.
Seniors Sophie Herrera and Morgan Quimby were on the roster for the Wolves’ run to the 5A state championship in 2014 and will try to push their team through Region 4 that includes Legacy, Chatfield and Douglas County.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2017 CLASS 5A SOFTBALL REGIONALS
Oct. 14 at various sites
Region 1 (at Aurora Sports Park)
Game 1: Eaglecrest vs. Denver East, 10 a.m.; Game 2: Cherokee Trail vs. Mountain Vista, 10 a.m.; Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner (winner goes to state tournament), 12:15 p.m.; Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 12:15 p.m.; Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner (winner goes to state tournament), 2:30 p.m.
Region 4 (at Broomfield Industrial Park)
Game 1: Legacy vs. Chatfield, 10 a.m.; Game 2: Grandview vs. Douglas County, 10 a.m.; Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner (winner goes to state tournament), 12:15 p.m.; Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 12:15 p.m.; Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner (winner goes to state tournament), 2:30 p.m.
Region 8 (at Brighton H.S.)
Game 1: Brighton vs. Rampart, 10 a.m.; Game 2: Smoky Hill vs. Loveland, 10 a.m.; Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner (winner goes to state tournament), 12:15 p.m.; Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 12:15 p.m.; Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner (winner goes to state tournament), 2:30 p.m.
