The hordes of elite girls softball players descended again on the Aurora Sports Park for the annual Colorado Fireworks tournament June 30-July 5.
The annual flock of teams from across the country to Colorado — hundreds of teams also played at the Sparkler in Broomfield — included another fantastic tournament in the Fireworks, which celebrated its 46th anniversary.
Teams from all across the country came to the Aurora Sports Park and put on their best shows for the massive number of scouts from college programs of many different sizes. Over 330 coaches were registered to attend this season’s tournament hosted by Triple Crown Sports, which is regarded as one of the best recruiting grounds in the country.
Gary Wheat of VisitAurora, which tracks visitors to the city, said around 4,000 players took part in the tournament with the highest volume of visitors on July 2 for the Pro Fast Pitch game and some televised contests that drew an estimated 5,000 people through the gates.
Colorado teams have begun to make inroads against powerhouse states such as California and Texas in recent years.
The Colorado Angels Gold team started out on pace for a high finish in the 18-under Super 64 bracket with five straight victories. A pair of losses in the elimination bracket knocked them out of short of placing, however. (For a photo gallery from the tournament, click here.)
Coach John Waller’s squad included two members of the Grandview team that won the Class 5A state championship last fall in Seton Hall-bound shortstop Emily Supercynski and junior-to-be Terran Caldwell, plus Eaglecrest’s Michenzie Pace.
Supercynski played in the Colorado High School Coaches Association 5A All-State Game earlier in the summer and has continued to play well as she prepares to play in college. She missed last season’s Fireworks tournament with an injury. Also on the Angels’ roster was Castle View graduate Savannah Heebner, a pitcher who was picked as Gatorade’s Colorado Player of the Year for the fall season and a variety of other standouts from around the metro area.
In the final game, Pace had two hits and scored a run and Supercynski also had a hit and scored.
A Colorado Styxx team featuring Tayler Mashburn and Jordyn Wiatrack of Eaglecrest suffered the same fate as the Angels in the Super 64 bracket. The Styxx won their opener, but were eliminated with consecutive losses.
The Texas Sudden Impact Gold (Dutton) team ended up winning the 18-under Super 64 championsihp with an 11-2 win over the perennial champion California Firecrackers and coach Tony Rico, while Lakewood (California) Firecrackers Pasco won the 18 Open division by defeating Texas CF Intruders Gold 9-8.
Firecrackers (Arizona) Hinkle claimed the 16U Super 32 bracket with a 13-2 rout of Team NC Elite, while the Ohio Lasers Red secured the 16 Open division crown by edging Texas Sudden Impact 11-10.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2015 COLORADO FIREWORKS SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Championship results, July 5 at Aurora Sports Park
18U Super 64 Championship: Texas Sudden Impact Gold (Dutton) 11, California Worth Firecrackers (Rico) 2
18U Open Championship: Lakewood (California) Fireworks (Pasco) 9, Texas CF Intruders Gold 8
16U Super 32 Championship: Firecrackers (Arizona) Hinkle 13, Team NC Elite 2
16U Open Championship: Ohio Lasers Red 11, Texas Sudden Impact 10