The Grandview and Eaglecrest softball teams slugged it out for the Centennial League championship during the regular season.
Come the Class 5A postseason, the rivals can root for each other — respectfully — to represent the league well and maybe, just maybe, meet again.
Both Centennial League powers advanced through different regionals Oct. 11 and find themselves on opposite halves of the bracket for the 5A state tournament Oct. 17-18 at the Aurora Sports Park.
“If we see them that far in state, it’s going to be a tough game, but they deserve it and we deserve it,” said Grandview senior Kat Maynard, who hit a three-run home run to help the Wolves to a 9-3 win over Loveland in the Region 7 championship game.
“We’re rivals, but we both deserve it,” she added.
Grandview earned its third straight trip to the 5A state tournament in three years under coach Dave Thies’ watch with wins over Loveland and scrappy Mountain Vista, while Eaglecrest made it with a pair of wins against Chatfield in Region 1 in Fort Collins.
A third Aurora Centennial League team — Cherokee Trail — lost both its game at the Region 8 tournament to see its season end.
With a stunning loss by No. 2 overall seed Legacy to No. 31 Columbine at that same Region 8 tournament, Thies’ Grandview team rose a spot in the overall seedings from No. 7 to No. 6. The Wolves face No. 11 Chaparral — which has an identical 15-6 record — at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 17 in the opening round.
Perhaps as much as any other year, seeding means nothing.
“It’s always nice to have a high position, but anymore in 5A, any team can come beat you,” Thies said. “It’s very hard to predict what’s going to happen when that 16 seed could come and beat the No. 1 at any time.”
Coach Yvette Hendrian’s Eaglecrest team — which lost the league championship by a run Grandview on the last day of the regular season — could be very dangerous from the No. 12 seed.
The Raptors (14-8) take on No. 5 Legend (18-3) at 10 a.m. Oct. 17 with a lineup full of state tournament-seasoned players and an impact freshman in infielder Kailey Wilson, who hit a grand slam to help Eaglecrest to its first win at its regional tournament.
As Hendrian’s said on many occasions throughout the season, the Raptors always “make things interesting.”
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
2014 CLASS 5A STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
First round, Oct. 17 at Aurora Sports Park
Upper bracket
No. 16 Arvada West (8-14) vs. No. 1 Fossil Ridge (19-1), 10 a.m.
No. 9 Rocky Mountain (14-8) vs. No. 8 Douglas County (15-6), 10 a.m.
No. 13 Pine Creek (13-8-1) vs. No. 4 Castle View (18-3), 10 a.m.
NO. 12 EAGLECREST (14-8) vs. No. 5 Legend (18-3), 10 a.m.
Lower bracket
No. 14 Columbine (13-9) vs. No. 3 Brighton (20-1), 12:15 p.m.
No. 11 Chaparral (15-6) vs. NO. 6 GRANDVIEW (15-6), 12:15 p.m.
No. 15 Horizon (11-11) vs. No. 2 Dakota Ridge (18-3), 12:15 p.m.
No. 10 Central (G.J.) (18-4) vs. No. 7 Broomfield (15-6), 12:15 p.m.
Quarterfinals, Oct. 17
Arvada West/Fossil Ridge winner vs. Rocky Mountain/Douglas County winner, 2:30 p.m.
Pine Creek/Castle View winner vs. EAGLECREST/Legend winner, 2:30 p.m.
Columbine/Brighton winner vs. Chaparral/GRANDVIEW winner, 2:30 p.m.
Horizon/Dakota Ridge winner vs. Central (G.J.)/Broomfield winner, 2:30 p.m.
Semifinals, Oct. 18
Upper bracket winners, 10 a.m.
Lower bracket winners, 10 a.m.
Championship, Oct. 18
Semifinals winners, 1:30 p.m.
