AURORA | Both of the city’s qualifiers for the girls state lacrosse playoffs will be in action in the first round.
Regis Jesuit — a state semifinalist last season — and Grandview, which last appeared in the postseason in 2011, made up a portion of the 20-team postseason field revealed Monday by the Colorado High School Activities Association.
The top 12 seeds received first-round byes, while eight teams — including both Aurora qualifiers — battle to join them in the second round.
A year after making the deepest run in program history, coach Billy Corbett’s Regis Jesuit team returns to the postseason despite the graduation of a massive class of talented players.
The Raiders lost their last two games of the regular season and finished with just a 6-9 overall record, but had the fourth-strongest strength of schedule in the state. They will welcome No. 17 Dakota Ridge (8-7) at 6 p.m. Tuesday, with the winner advancing to face No. 1 Centaurus (14-1) — which edged Regis Jesuit 16-15 in last season’s semifinals — in the second round.
Grandview, meanwhile, finished the season strong and secured the best record in program history at 9-6 with a victory over Valor Christian on May 2, capping a season in which is faced the 25th-toughest schedule among 49 teams in the state.
Coach Kevin Mortimer’s Wolves won four of their final five games — which included their first-ever victory over Mullen — and ended up with the No. 19 seed overall, which sends them on the road to face No. 14 Heritage (7-8) in the first round at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Littleton Public Schools Stadium.
Third-seeded Air Academy (13-2) awaits the Grandview/Heritage winner in the second round.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2014 GIRLS STATE LACROSSE PLAYOFFS
First round
May 6
No. 20 Mullen (9-6) at No. 13 Aspen (12-3), 5 p.m.
No. 18 Rampart (10-5) at No. 15 Ralston Valley (10-5), 5 p.m.
No. 17 Dakota Ridge (8-7) at NO. 16 REGIS JESUIT (6-9), 6 p.m.
May 7
NO. 19 GRANDVIEW (9-6) vs. No. 14 Heritage/Littleton (7-8) at Littleton Public Schools Stadium, 5 p.m.
Full state playoff bracket/schedule, here.