Come this time of year, the Regis Jesuit and Arapahoe boys lacrosse teams know each other all too well.
Long established among the handful of elite programs in Colorado, the Raiders and Warriors met in last season’s Class 5A state championship game — won by Regis Jesuit — and will face off again in the deep rounds of the state playoffs for the seventh time in the past nine years.
While last season’s meeting at Sports Authority Field at Mile High decided the state champ, this season’s semifinal meeting — set for 7 p.m. May 17 at Legacy Stadium — decides who gets to play top-seeded Cherry Creek or No. 5 Kent Denver for the crown at 7:30 p.m. May 19 in the home stadium of the Denver Broncos.
Coach Jim Soran’s Raiders (14-3) have gotten the better of the rivalry in recent years with a 4-2 mark in those postseason meetings and look to extend that against a 13-4 Arapahoe team it beat 12-6 on May 2. Regis Jesuit led by two until a five-goal fourth quarter sealed it.
To get to the semifinals, the Raiders had to beat a much-improved Columbine team that they played previously at Peter Barton Stadium on the campus of the University of Denver. Regis Jesuit won that meeting and captured the playoff meeting as well with a 10-4 victory May 13 at Legacy Stadium.
Another well-rounded performance from the Raiders saw Reed Babcock, Grant Breeden, Nick Ringhofer and Jake Taylor tally two goals apiece and Anders Erickson collect two assists.
Senior goalie Braden Host turned aside 17 of the 21 shots he faced and the Raiders’ star-studded defense accomplished its every game goal of holding the opposition to five or fewer goals.
Arapahoe upset Mountain Vista 11-9 in another quarterfinal contest, preventing Regis Jesuit from the chance to avenge a regular season loss to the Golden Eagles.
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 BOYS LACROSSE SEMIFINALS
NO. 6 ARAPAHOE VS. NO. 2 REGIS JESUIT
7 p.m. May 17 at Legacy Stadium
Breakdown: Arapahoe and Regis Jesuit renew their rivalry in the semifinals, a season after they played for the state championship. The Raiders own a 4-2 edge since 2009 in the series between programs that have won six of the past seven state championships. The state final will include either Arapahoe or Regis Jesuit for an eighth straight season….ARAPAHOE (13-4): The Warriors beat Mountain Vista 11-9 in the quarterfinals, posting their second victory over the Golden Eagles on the season. Bobby Baltzer, Ryan Carlson and Jake Hall scored two goals apiece to lead eight players who scored. Carlson has six goals in two playoff games, including four in the first round against Rock Canyon…REGIS JESUIT (14-3): The Raiders downed Columbine 10-4 in the quarterfinals and have now scored 24 times in two postseason rounds, including 14 in a first round win over Grandview. Reed Babcock, Grant Breeden, Nick Ringhofer and Jake Taylor tallied two goals apiece against the Rebels and Ringhofer and Taylor have five goals apiece to lead the way in the postseason. Senior goalie Braden Host piled up 17 saves against Columbine and has stopped 20 of the 27 shots on goal…Winner gets: The Arapahoe-Regis Jesuit winner moves into the 5A state championship game, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. May 19 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, where it will meet either Cherry Creek or Kent Denver.
