By John Cackowski
Director of Scouting

The Class 5A Final Four will be played at All-City Stadium Friday and Saturday.  Cherokee Trail enters the weekend with an automatic bid in the 5A state championship game, and will have to be beaten twice.

Here's a capsuled look at each team:

Cherokee Trail (20-4) vs. Mullen (15-9) 12:00 P.M. (All-City Field)

About the Cherokee Trail Cougars:
Under the new R.P.I. point system the Cherokee Trail Cougars were seeded 13th in Districts even though they were co-champions of the tough Centennial Leauge (who by the way is representing three Final Four teams) and had a record of 15-4 during the regular season. Right now there is not an easy out in the Cougars lineup, case in point they have gotten two homeruns from their 9-hole hitter 2016 LHP/OF Jerome Bohannon (Metropolitan State) last weekend. They also have the hottest pitcher in the state with 2017 LHP/OF Connor Nantkes. Nantkes last two starts have gone the distance limiting Heritage to 1 run and 4 hits, then in the Final 8 threw a 2-hit complete game shutout against Rocky Mountain. On the season Nantkes is 7-1 with a 1.53 ERA in 50 innings pitched.  Between Nantkes, and LHP Bohannon who also has been stellar on the mound this year with a 6-0 record in 39 innings with a 1.78 ERA while also striking out 54, there isn't a team in the Final Four with that type of left-handed production. 2016 LHP Keven Mackintosh (Lamar) provides insurance in relief, and last time out threw a solid 6 innings against Cherry Creek giving up 3 runs striking out 6 in the play-in game to the 5A state championship. At the plate the Cougars can beat you in a variety of ways whether it's power or small-ball. 2016 1B Ryan Sullivan (Iowa Western CC) has been one of the best hitters in the state. The 6-foot-5 right-handed hitter has a .539 batting average on the year with 12 doubles, 4 homeruns, and 31 RBI's. 2016 OF Matt Meraz is hitting .414 with 19 RBI's and 3 homeruns. The Cougars have three juniors with similar production. 2017 OF Eric Cox is hitting .402 with 22 RBI's and an impressive 17 doubles. 2017 3B Nick Perez is hitting .473 with 20 RBI's, and Nantkes is hitting .468 with 21 RBI's and 10 doubles. 2017 SS Michael Morris is hitting .333 and has driven 21. 2016 OF Travis Lynch is a plus .300 hitter with 4 homeruns. With all of that production in the top and middle of the lineup, what makes the Cougars even tougher is how hot 2016 infielder John-Michael Osley has been in the playoffs (5 for his last 14 driving in 4) hitting at the bottom of the order. The Cougars will beat you with power, and won't care if they have to bunt Sullivan. They put pressure on you knowing  you probably can't match up with them offensively or on the mound. The only dent in their armor right now is the occasional mistake on defense. They will be tough to beat twice this weekend.

About the Mullen Mustangs:
The Mustangs broke through to the Final 8 for the first time since 2010, and make the Final Four for the first time since the playoff format changed in 2004. A big reason why has been 2016 C Maverick Handley (Standford). Handley has been a one man wrecking crew. Handley is 6 for 14 in the playoffs with 2 homeruns. On the season Handley is hitting .438 with 6 homeruns and 33 RBI's.  2017 SS Joey Salvato has also been hot in the playoffs going 8 for 16 and is hitting .362 on the season and leads the team with 24 runs. On the mound the Mustangs have two solid options with 2016 RHP Andrew Nuanes (Marian University) and 2017 RHP Rocco Porreco. On the season Porecco is 5-1 with a 2.33 ERA and in 39 innings he has struck out 47. Nuanes is 6-3 with a 3.21 ERA in 43 innings pitched. 2016 OF Jonathan Miranda is second on the team with 21 RBI's, and is hitting .358. 2016 INF Marcus Salvato leads the team with 8 stolen bases. 2018 INF Jacob Barr is in his 2nd year starting for the Mutangs and has driven in 17 runs. Cherokee Trail was very tough match-up for the Mustangs this year. The Mustangs were dominated by Cherokee Trail in Centennial League play this spring losing 11-1 and 7-1, and to advance past Friday the Mustangs will have to go to the drawing board. 

Rocky Mountain (17-7) vs. Cherry Creek (17-7) 2:30 P.M. (All-City Field)

About the Rocky Mountain Lobos:
This game provides the fans with two of the most successful programs in our state's history with Rocky Mountain winning 5 state championships since 2007, and Cherry Creek winning 8 titles in their history last one coming in 2012. The Lobos came into playoffs as the 17th seed in District Play, but went down to Pine Creek and dominated Fruita and the No.1 overall seed Pine Creek. When 2016 LHP Austin Alarid (Eastern Arizona) the Lobos are a very tough matchup. On the season Alarid hasn't lost going 7-0 with a 1.78 ERA. In 43 innings he has struck out 66 only giving up 30 hits. On the season he is also hitting .444 with 3 homeruns and 24 RBI's. 2017 SS/RHP John Sorensen leads off for the Lobos, but the left-handed hitter isn't your typical leadoff hitter. He's hitting .411 on the season and brings power to the 1-hole with 7 doubles and 3 homeruns. Sorensen also is the Lobos No. 2 pitcher and is 3-3 on the season with a 3.83 ERA in 30 innings pitched. 2017 C/1B Jadon Uhrich is hitting .437 on the season leading the Lobos with 5 homeruns and 25 RBI's while also swiping 13 bases.  2016 INF/OF Alex Gonzalez is hitting .420 and is second on the team with 21 RBI's. 2017 1B Spencer Gendreau is hitting .442 with 6 doubles. 2016 C Chris Diehl is very solid behind the plate, and is hitting .340 with 15 RBI's. 2017 2B Kalen Hammer is solid up the middle and is hitting .357. 2016 OF Easton Dolan is carrying a .385 batting average. The real story of the playoffs for the Lobos has been 2016 OF Brendan Paul. A part-time player, Paul has been incredible going 7 for his last 16 driving hitting 3 homeruns and driving in 8. If the Lobos beat Cherry Creek with Alarid, and get production on the mound they have a great chance to get their 6th state championship in the last 9 years.

About the Cherry Creek Bruins:
The Cherry Creek Bruins seem to be on a mission to prove their 18th seed in districts under the new R.P.I. system was a little off. In District play they rolled both Grand Junction and No. 2 overall seed Regis Jesuit both by the scores of 11-0. 2018 OF Tanner O'Tremba has set the tone in the playoffs and is 10 for 18 in the playoffs with 2 homeruns and 10 RBI's. On the season he is leading the Bruins with a .493 batting average, 6 homeruns, 34 RBI's and also has 11 stolen bases. The Bruins also depend on offensive production from three seniors, INF Cody Shultz 1B Alex Zhang, and 3B Clayton Gill. Schultz is hitting .466, Zhang is hitting .444, and Gill is hitting .459 with 4 homeruns. 2016 RHP/SS Nate Sweeney (Arizona) is hitting  .389 with 4 homeruns and 26 RBI's. 2016 RHP Javis Steward has not lost this season going 7-0 with an impressive 0.83 ERA. Steward has thrown 34 innings and has struck out 43 batters. In his last start he dominated Grandview throwing 6 innings striking out 10 while only giving up 3 hits and 1 unearned run. 2016 RHP Carter Van Gytenbeek (Army) has been the Bruins No. 2 option on the mound. He has a 5-1 record in 39 innings striking out 45. 2017 RHP Sam Colehower has contributed 32 innings on the mound as well and has 3 wins. Like mentioned earlier this game brings two storied programs and only one will be left standing. Should be a packed house.

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