AURORA | Standing in the way of the Cherokee Trail softball team’s hopes to win its first state championship in a decade was the team that had a title to defend.
Broomfield — the 2025 Class 5A state champions — were not ready to relinquish the throne, however, and played like it in a 13-2 victory over the top-seeded Cougars Saturday morning at the Aurora Sports Park.
Coach Caley Mitchell’s Cherokee Trail team — which had hoped to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the program’s first state title with another — finished the season 24-4. It was the Cougars’ second straight loss in the semifinals after a runner-up finish in 2024.
Cherokee Trail’s only two in-state losses of the season came to the 5A state champion (Broomfield, which turned around and beat No. 2 Lutheran 6-2 in the final) and Windsor, which went undefeated and won the 4A state title.
Cherokee Trail came into the semifinal contest on a roll after two strong performances Friday, which included an 11-1 opening-round victory over No. 16 Grand Junction followed by a 10-0 blanking of No. 9 Legend in the quarter.
But Broomfield (20-9) — which had to rally out of six- and seven-run holes to get past No. 12 Liberty and No. 4 Columbine, respectively, the previous day — came out feeling loose.
Leadoff hitter Myah Becker and Kohyn Pottorff both worked walks off Cherokee Trail senior ace Emma Rice before Brynlee Taga belted a three-run homer to left field. That was just the start for the Eagles, who capitalized on four errors and a combined six walks issued by three Cougars pitchers — Rice, senior Sydney Cobb and freshman Sophia Jans — to score in every single inning.
Cherokee Trail’s offense, meanwhile, had trouble getting going against Becker, who was not on the mound during the Oct. 2 meeting between the teams (a 12-2 Cougars’ win), plus the sure-handed defense behind her.
It wasn’t until they faced a 6-0 deficit before the Cougars got on the scoreboard when senior Delaney Falzone’s deep drive to center field brought in senior Tayah Burton. Burton tagged up and scored just before a relay throw to second base doubled off junior Taylen Shaver to end a once-promising third inning.
Cherokee Trail’s final run came in the fifth inning when junior Kayla Kee crossed the plate on a passed ball. The Cougars needed two more runs to extend the game and had Burton reach with her second hit of the game, but left her at third base.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2026 CLASS 5A STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Semifinals, Oct. 24 at Aurora Sports Park
(5) BROOMFIELD 13, (1) CHEROKEE TRAIL 2
Score by innings (r-h-e):
Broomfield 312 34 — 13 11 0
Cher. Trail 001 01 — 2 7 4
BROOMFIELD (ab-h-r-rbi)
Myah Becker p 3-2-1-1, Kohyn Pottorff 2b 3-2-0-0, Bynlee Taga c 2-3-2-4, Analicia Esparza ss 2-2-1-1, Ella Smith 3b 4-2-1-0, Malia Zufall cf 4-0-1-1, Callie Smith rf 2-1-1-1, Hailey Kurazawa 1b 4-1-2-0, Magdalena Hlavinkova dh 4-0-2-1. Totals 28-13-11-9. Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Myah Becker (5-7-2-2-2-0)
CHEROKEE TRAIL (ab-h-r-rbi)
Tayah Burton cf 3-1-2-0, Taylen Shaver ss 3-0-1-0, Delaney Falzon c 2-0-0-1, Sydney Cobb p 0-0-0-0, Charlotte Aldridge 3b 2-0-1-0, Sophia Jans dh 2-0-1-0, Kayla Kee rf 2-1-0-0, Rylee Holsten 1b 2-0-1-0, Corrine Becker lf 2-0-1-0. Totals 18-2-7-1. Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-so): Emma Rice (L, 0-1-3-3-2-0), Sydney Cobb (5-8-8-3-2-3), Sophia Jans (0-1-2-1-2-0)
2B — Broomfield: Myah Becker, Malia Zufall. Cherokee Trail: Corrine Becker, Taylen Shaver. HR — Broomfield: Brynlee Taga (2 on in 1st inning)
