Greater moments will be ahead for members of the Regis Jesuit baseball team, but it would be hard to tell them that May 30.
Coach Matt Darr’s Raiders completed a rollercoaster journey to a Class 5A state championship that had been long awaited and were awash in the emotion that came following a gritty 5-3 win over Arvada West at All-Star Park.
Twice denied the title — and again stretched to a second game on the final day — the feeling of the right result was incredibly cathartic for Regis Jesuit.
“I could never imagine this feeling I have right now, it’s amazing,” senior shortstop Chase Massey said. “After losing the last two back-to-back, we knew we had the team to do it. Those two hurt more than anything I’ve ever felt, so to get one is truly amazing.”
Certain members of the team (namely Massey and fellow senior Hudson Alpert) were definitely more longsuffering than others in terms of the wait for a championship, which was the fourth all-time in Regis Jesuit program history and its first since 2019.
In four years on the varsity team, Alpert made it to the double-elimination Championship Series every time and each one of those teams made it to at least the semifinals.
After they lost to Cherokee Trail 1-0 in an elimination game in 2023, the Raiders made the final day of the tournament each time. Alpert pitched the final game of the 2024 tournament and allowed two hits in five innings, but Regis Jesuit fell to Cherry Creek 5-2.
He was unable to play in the final last season (an 8-1 loss to the same Bruins) when he suffered an elbow injury on the opening weekend of the tournament.
Alpert — a Vanderbilt signee — worked his way back from injury and was a key contributor on the mound, in the field and at the plate to help the Raiders finally earn their desired prize.
“It’s the best feeling I’ve ever experienced, partially because of the last two years watching another team do it, so I’m happy we were able to get it done,” Alpert said. “I wouldn’t change a single path or step I took in the recovery process. I was just happy to help our team as best as I can.”
Massey, meanwhile, played in all five of the championship games over the last three seasons and went a combined 4-for-12 while playing a key role at shortstop. In the midst of the celebration chaos after the final out, the Boston College signee made sure he found Alpert so the two could share the feeling.
“I ran over to Hudson because it’s been two years that we’ve gone through losses, so it definitely was a special moment for me and him,” Massey said. “But just seeing all the boys with tears of joy in their eyes was truly amazing. Words are hard to describe it.”
Darr knew the championship-winning feeling having guided Denver Christian to a 2A title before he arrived at Regis Jesuit, where he also piloted the 2019 squad to victory. He felt especially good that his players — especially Alpert and Massey — got to experience it.
“The hugs were a little longer for Chase and Huddy because they’ve been through all the finals,” Darr said. “Huddy’s been through so much and we’ve spent a lot of time together. There’s been a lot of work and a lost of disappointment with some questions of what is it going to take to get over the hump. It’s big for all the seniors, but for those two, it’s a little bit more special.”
Other seniors were absolutely crucial to the championship run.
On the first weekend, first baseman Deion Cesario-Scott homered in wins over No. 6 Mountain Vista (3-2) and No. 7 Legend (8-3), while catcher Jack Manthey had a back-breaking three-run double in a 14-8 win over top-seeded Arvada West in the championship semifinals to put the Raiders in prime position to win the tournament. On the final day, it was outfielder Carter Rathbun who delivered a three-run double that gave Regis Jesuit the margin it needed to eventually win the game.
“I remember talking with all my senior buddies back in freshman year when we were coming into Regis about how we were going to win a state championship our senior year and we did it,” Manthey said. “It feels unreal. The boys put in so many hours and all the hard work paid off. I’m stunned right now.”
The specter of a Cherry Creek team that had twice denied Regis Jesuit its title and always seemed to find a way in the postseason didn’t loom over the tournament this time, as upset Legend prevented the Bruins for making it into the eight-team tournament.
Arvada West, however, loomed as the potential championship spoiler this time.
The Wildcats wanted a championship in the worst way as they hadn’t appeared in a state championship game since 1995 and hadn’t won one since 1994. They were undefeated against Colorado teams before the loss to Regis Jesuit in the semifinals May 23.
The talented pitching tandem of senior Brayden Reiner and junior Cooper Vais made sure Arvada West would have a fighting chance. Reiner pitched a complete game in the championship semifinals — a 2-1 walk-off win over fourth-seeded Pine Creek May 29 — and Vais (a Texas recruit) followed that up with a stellar performance in the first championship game against Regis Jesuit.
Vais struck out 10 and allowed two runs, while he was able to shut down the Raiders’ rally in the seventh inning for a 3-2 win that forced a second championship game. While that put the Wildcats in position, it meant their bullpen would have to shoulder the load with title at stake.
Senior Cole Eisenreich got the call to start and retired Regis Jesuit senior Jacob Olson and Massey to open the bottom of the first inning. Cesario-Scott singled to start what turned out to be a crucial rally.
Alpert (playing second base after he threw all six innings in the first game) drew a walk, which was followed by an RBI single from senior Eli Shappee, while a walk to junior Brady Wright loaded the bases for Rathbun. With a compact, left-handed swing, Rathbun drilled an Eisenreich offering into the gap in right center field to bring home Alpert, Shappee and Wright before he came in to score himself on a passed ball for a 5-0 lead.
“That first inning was so big, coming off that really tough loss in the first game,” Manthey said. “We had to jump on them early and that unreal hit by Carter cleared the bases and got us started. We weren’t too productive after that…but that inning right there was the reason we won the game.”
For Rathbun — a University of San Francisco signee — it was the high point of an outstanding postseason at the plate. In five Championship Series games, he finished 7-for-14 (with a double and a triple among the hits), drove in three runs and scored four times. He and Manthey (3-for-12 with 4 RBI) made the bottom part of the Regis Jesuit order difficult to handle.
The offensive explosion provided an immediate lift to junior right-handed pitcher Mikey Kroll, who rolled with it.
“An inning like that demoralizes them a little bit right away and makes it easier to pitch,” Kroll said. “It takes a lot of the stress off. If you’re up just one and you give one up, you’re tired, and if you give up another, you’re down. But with five, it’s a pretty big cushion.”
Kroll tossed four scoreless innings and was warming up to pitch the top of the fifth inning when the game was suspended due to lightning in the area. He would not be able to come back after the delay (which lasted 1 hour and 20 minutes), but ended up as the winning pitcher thanks for the performance of fellow junior Cade Filleman.
Kroll (who was 2-0 and did not allow a run in 6 2/3 innings in the Championship Series) said he knew Filleman was a “dog” and the lead would be safe.
The Wildcats benefited from the delay and came out desperate in the top of the fifth inning, as they scored three runs. But the unflappable Filleman retired Arvada West in order in the sixth and then with two runners on in the seventh a fly ball that was snared by a galloping Shappee.
“It was a tough start, but I knew we were going to get through it,” said Filleman, who earned a win and a save in the postseason. “We have a bunch of dudes on the team, so I just let them make the plays. …On the last ball, I was thinking ‘please catch it, I just want to throw my glove in the air and celebrate with my boys.’”
That’s precisely what happened, as players and coaches came pouring out of the dugout, bullpen and from every position on the field.
Darr is pleased with the bar that has been established, as Regis Jesuit is the only team in 5A to make the Championship Series for the last five seasons.
“Making it to the final eight is not easy, but it’s almost like its become expected,” Darr said. “I don’t think these guys realize how hard it really is. If we don’t throw out a guy at the plate against Chap (at regionals), we might not be here. The year before, we beat Vista 3-2 in regionals, so it’s nip and tuck. But the culture is strong.”
The Raiders graduate a significant portion of their offense along with a pitching staple in Alpert, but expect to return both pitchers from the championship game in Kroll and Filleman, the championship semifinal starter in Ryan Neumann plus a bullpen that includes Ezra Christ, Finn Judge and Wright.
That combined with the knowledge of what it takes to navigate the ups and downs of the Championship Series means next season’s team will not lower its expectations.
“We’re definitely going to chase it again next year,” Kroll said.
Note: All-time Regis Jesuit now owns the most state titles among Aurora area prep baseball programs with four, though the 1988 crown came before the school moved from west Denver to its current Aurora campus. Cherokee Trail has two all-time titles (the last in 2016), as does Aurora Central (the last in 1969), while Smoky Hill (2001), Overland (1990) and Hinkley (1979) also have won crowns.
