Prep Baseball Report

5A District Preview



By Neil H. Devlin and PBR Staff
Denver Metro Senior Writer

  Welcome to the 2017 Class 5A baseball postseason, otherwise known as the Continental League Invitational.

Don’t gripe or smirk. The suburban group centered in the southern metropolitan area sports eight of the 32-team field, notably four doubling as hosts for sites.  

And look around – the Centennial League isn’t nearly as strong as in past seasons, the Front Range turned top heavy and do we really have a clear-cut favorite?  

Probably not.  

Below is a district-by-district analysis as elimination baseball for big-schoolers opens on Saturday: 

 

Region 1 At Cherry Creek H.S.  

Chatfield (9-10) vs. Cherry Creek (14-5), 10 am 

ThunderRidge (10-9) vs. Bear Creek (12-7), 12:30 pm 

Winners, TBA  

At the dish: As the No. 1 overall seed, Cherry Creek remains the target. Chasing junior outfielder Tanner O’Tremba and the Bruins remains the name of the game despite their recent (eye-opening) setback to Smoky Hill. ThunderRidge and Bear Creek are two of the many teams that had ups and downs throughout the regular season, but the Grizzlies have the better recent pedigree. And, clearly, the Bruins had the foresight to compile the toughest schedule of any big-school team.  

 Players to Watch:
2018 OF/RHP Tanner O'Tremba (Cherry Creek),  2017 INF Cody Schultz (Cherry Creek), 2017 3B Andrew Chavez (Cherry Creek) 2017 RHP Sam Colehower (Cherry Creek), 2018 C Brennen Dorighi (Cherry Creek), 2018 INF Jake Haze (ThunderRidge), 2017 RHP Tim McIntyre (ThunderRidge), 2017 OF Walker Rumsey (Bear Creek), 2017 SS Jack Winkler (Chatfield), 2017 1B Jack Radford (Bear Creek)
 

Region 2 at Legacy H.S.  

Mullen (10-9) vs. Legacy (14-5), 10 a.m.  

Pine Creek (13-6) Brighton (16-3), 12:30 p.m.  

Winners, 3 p.m.  

At the dish: It’s an interesting group. Legacy surprised more than a few with a strong front Range League showing, although it’s first-round foe, Mullen, clearly has improved as much as any team in the field after a slow start. Pine Creek has lots of talent and perhaps a worse record than anticipated. But concerning Brighton, headed by Liam Eddy (.633, 22 extra-base hits, including 10 HRs, and 37 RBIs), the Bulldogs may proceed as the largest surprise of the class. And it’s the only group without a Continental team.  

 Players to Watch:  
2018 1B Justin Olson (Pine Creek),  2018 RHP/OFJay Onken (Pine Creek),  2017 OF Toby Scoles (Pine Creek), 2017 INF Joey Salvato (Mullen) 2017 2B Marcus Salvato (Mullen) 2017 RHP Rocco Porreco (Mullen), 2017 1B Paul Thompson (Legacy), 2018 LHP/1B Ryan Overboe (Legacy), 2017 RHP Liam Eddy (Brighton), 2017 2B Javier Saenz (Brighton), 2017 RHP Jose Treto (Brighton)


Region 3 at Rocky Mountain H.S.

 

Abraham Lincoln (12-7) vs. Rocky Mountain (14-5), 10 am 

Denver East (13-6) vs. Douglas County (12-7), 12:30 pm 

Winners, 3 p.m.

At the dish: Two Denver Prep League teams in the same big-school postseason setting? Alert the media! Denver East is the regular city postseason entrant in 5A, but Abraham Lincoln? It seems it has been almost as long as the tenure of the President the school is named after. However, the city will have to get past two truths, one recent and one long term. Douglas County was an upstart this season and Rocky Mountain (senior John Sorensen, 33 RBIs), runner-up a year ago, has won five times since 2007.  

 Players to Watch: 
 2019 SS Murphy Gienger (Douglas County) 2017 3B John Sorensen (Rocky Mountain), 2017 2B Kalen Hammer (Rocky Mountain), 2017 C Jadon Uhrich (Rocky Mountain), 2017 1B Spencer Gendreau (Rocky Mountain), 2020 Moses Dokes (Denver East), 2019 OF John Emerson (Denver East)


Region 4 at Rock Canyon H.S.  

Grandview (9-10) vs. Rock Canyon (13-6), 12:30 p.m.  

Grand Junction (11-8) vs. Heritage (12-7), 10 a.m.  

Winners, 3 p.m.  

At the dish: Not one, but two Continental teams – Rock Canyon (senior Matt Givin, .532 batting average, 4-0, pitching record, 1.72 ERA) and Heritage (Casey Opitz, .426 batting average). So Grandview, which entered the season with zero pitchers with varsity experience, and Grand Junction, which lost 16-2 to Rock Canyon earlier in the season, have opportunities to make waves. However, Rock Canyon’s six setbacks and Heritage’s seven haven’t sat well, even with the craziness of the loop.  

 Players to Watch: 
2017 C Casey Opitz (Heritage), 2018 RHP Riley Egloff (Heritage), 2017 RHP Jacob Hilton (Heritage), 2017 SS/RHP Matt Givin (Rock Canyon), 2018 INF Nick Merone (Rock Canyon), 2018 INF Cayden Zimmerman (Rock Canyon), 2017 C Tyson Hays (Grandview), 2018 INF Zack Owens (Grand Junction), 2018 OF/RHP Preston Ederhoff (Grandview), 2019 1B Eric McKnight (Heritage)


Region 5 at Legend H.S.  

Pomona (10-9) vs. Legend (14-5), 10 am 

Fairview (12-7) vs. Central (G.J.) (12-7), 12:30 pm 

Winners, 3 p.m.  

At the dish: Hand it to Legend. It fought through the Continental, tied for the league crown and earned the No. 2 seed. Jordan Stubbings helped with a .533 batting average and 32 RBIs. The Titans are lumped with three other grinders – Pomona, which battled through Jefferson County, Fairview, a survivor of a top-heavy Front Range, and Central (G.J.), one of the regular mysteries to the metro area from the Western Slope.  

  Players to Watch: 
 2017 SS Kyle Cardona (Legend), 2017 1B Jordan Stubbings (Legend), 2018 LHP Brody McCord (Legend), 2019 SS Justin Boyd (Legend) 2019 3B Billy Pospisil (Pomona), 2017 LHP Matt Erickson (Fairview), 2017 1B Tyler Carpenter (Fairview), 2019 OF Henry Rock (Fairview)

 

Region 6 at Regis Jesuit H.S.  

Loveland (10-9) vs. Regis Jesuit (14-5), 12:30 pm 

Arapahoe (11-8) vs. Broomfield (14-5), 10 am 

Winners, 3 p.m.  

At the dish: Head to the Aurora site for some of the state’s top pitching. Regis Jesuit has Caleb Sloan (8-1 record, 2.15 ERA). And Broomfield has two top arms belonging to James Notary (5-0, 0.68 ERA) and Blake Rohm (5-1, 3.38 ERA). Loveland may have had to scruff around in the Front Range and Arapahoe took some hits in the Centennial, although both are capable of advancing.  

Broomfield would seem to have an edge with one of the only legitimate 1-2 punches from the mound.  

 Players to Watch: 
2017 RHP Caleb Sloan (Regis Jesuit),  2017 3B Austin Chouinard (Regis Jesuit), 2018 OF Jake Heimlicher (Regis Jesuit), 2018 OF Tyler Gayle (Regis Jesuit), 2017 1B Matt Turner (Broomfield), 2017 RHP James Notary (Broomfield), 2017 RHP Blake Rohm (Broomfield), 2017 C Mason Speirs (Broomfield), 2019 LHP Mitchell Morales (Broomfield)

 

Region 7 at Mountain Vista H.S.  

Coronado (13-6) vs. Mountain Vista (14-5), 12:30 pm 

Ralston Valley (11-8) vs. Fruita Monument (13-6), 10 am 

Winners, 3 p.m.  

At the dish: Mountain Vista enjoyed multiple quiet and unsung moments in the regular season, and may have been one of 2017’s surprises. Junior Jack Liffrig is 6-1 with a 2.39 ERA. Cole Blatchford and Sam Ireland each added four victories from the mound. Coronado pushed itself into the Colorado Springs-area mix, and Ralston Valley and Fruita Monument made assorted noise in the Jefferson County and Southwestern leagues, respectively.  

Players to Watch:
2018 C Luke Leisenring (Ralston Valley), 2017 RHP Levi Leisenring (Ralston Valley), 2017 RHP Drake Davis (Ralston Valley), 2019 3B Zach Rush (Fruita Monument), 2019 1B Sam Ireland (Mountain Vista), 2017 RHP Cole Blatchford (Mountain Vista), 2017 OF John Krysa (Mountain Vista), 2019 C Grant Magill (Mountain Vista)

 

Region 8 at Mountain Range H.S.

Dakota Ridge (10-9) vs. Mountain Range (16-3), 10 a.m.

Highlands Ranch (10-9) vs. Eaglecrest (15-4), 12:30 p.m.

Winners, 3 p.m.

At the dish: Many of you out there expected Mountain Range to fold after it was dominated by Notary and Broomfield in the front Range regular season. It didn’t. The Mustangs won nine of 12 Font Range games and rode the run production of Tyler Smith (18 RBIs), Jacob Arellano (17 RBIs) and Austin Anderson (16 RBIs). Another emerging squad, Eaglecrest, has its own ideas of advancing to double-elimination play. That leaves a couple of regulars, Dakota Ridge and Highlands Ranch, to keep it interesting.

Players to Watch:
2017 SS Jacob Arellano (Mountain Range), 2017 Jake Kleszczynski (Mountain Range), 2018 C Jake Collins (Dakota Ridge), 2019 RHP Ryan Stohr (Dakota Ridge), 2018 C Jordan Medina (Highlands Ranch), 2018 RHP Josh Thompson (Highlands Ranch), 2018 1B Sean Arnold (Highlands Ranch). 2017 RHP Garrett Tisdale (Eaglecrest), 2018 OF Stilian Balasopoulov (Eaglecrest), 2018 SS Andrew Danko (Eaglecrest)

Stats that Stand Out:

Liam Eddy brings his 5A leading 10 homeruns into action for the Bulldogs

10 of the top 15 hitters in the state are hitting over .500 at the 5A level and are featured in games on Saturday.

Jordan Stubbings 32, John Sorensen 33 and Liam Eddy 37 are the 5A RBI leaders in action on Saturday

8 wins:   Caleb Sloan and Garrett Tisdall both finished the regular season with 8 wins on the year

James Notary had 79 K's in 41 innings pitched