Class 5A/4A/3A Granite Peaks League

Teams: Broomfield, Erie, Fairview, Frederick, Holy Family, Horizon, Legacy, Longmont, Mead, Monarch, Niwot, Silver Creek, Skyline

Broomfield Eagles

Coach: Kale Gilmore

Last year’s result: 27-1; won the league title and bowed out in the 5A semifinals.

Testing 1-2-3: What’s better than winning 27 straight games in 2024? For Broomfield, it’s the fact its bringing back its entire starting lineup a year later. It’s no wonder why the Eagles are ranked No. 1 in 5A’s CHSAA preseason polls.

The tea: Senior P Ireland Heer and Daily Camera softball player of the year Kiley Wheaton lead the way, after each of them were named to 5A’s all-state first team a year ago. Heer went 16-1 in the circle in 2024, posting a 1.42 ERA across 98 2/3 innings. She struck out 31% (117 of 383) of the batters she faced. Wheaton, meanwhile, had the 62nd-highest batting average in the nation at .607. She led the team in RBIs (37), extra-base hits (25) and home runs (seven). Also expected back are Sr. C Lauren Martinez and INF Avery Gines, who had 31 and 30 RBIs, respectively.

Erie Tigers

Coach: Ryan Sanchez

Last year’s result: 18-9; reached the 5A state tournament

Testing 1-2-3: Sanchez comes over from The Academy softball program, replacing Tobin EchoHawk, who became the head softball coach at the Colorado School of Mines.

The tea: Senior INF Sydnie Snook hit .427 with 27 RBIs in 2024. And now Sanchez expects his star infielder to have her “breakout season” in 2025. She’s back alongside Sr. 3B Natalie Fetters, who hit .415 a year ago. In the spring, Fetters won the 5A girls shot put. In the circle, Jr. P Sophee Horovitz had a great offseason, per her coach, after posting a 4.53 ERA in 58 2/3 innings last season. And 1B Keyanna Reeves is back healthy after she missed last season with an ACL injury.

Fairview Knights

Coach: David Castillo

Last year’s result: 6-17

Testing 1-2-3: Senior OF/INF Julia Savage was among the best hitters in the nation last season. She hit .574 with 38 RBIs and 15 home runs.

The tea: Savage is back at Fairview, and that’s good news. Her 15 home runs were the second-most in the state and 13th-most in the country last season. Her slugging percentage of 1.492, meanwhile, was 11th-best in the nation. She’s joined on the 2025 roster by Jr. C Brooklyn Dangott, who led the team with a .597 average and 40 RBIs in 2024. Among others back, Sr. Kate McCall hit .450 and drove in 23 runs last year, while Jr. Payton Cowin hit .377, driving in 17.

Frederick Golden Eagles

Coach: Roger Dufour

Last year’s result: 15-11; reached the 4A regional tournament.

Testing 1-2-3: Senior 1B Brealea Stendel returns after she hit .359 with a team-leading 28 RBIs and four home runs in 2024.

The tea: Alongside Stendel, the Golden Eagles get back So. Ella Stromberg, who hit an impressive .380 with 19 RBIs and 16 stolen bases as a freshman. Meanwhile, Sr. P Elayna Fisher returns to the circle after posting a 4.70 ERA in 25 1/3 innings. Sr. C Izzy Horne (.365 BA) and OF Natalie Sias (seven RBIs) also return. “As always, our goal is to qualify for the 4A state tourney,” said Dufour, who is in his 31st season ahead of the program.

Holy Family Tigers

Coach: Moriah Nguyen

Last year’s result: 21-7; reached the 4A semifinals.

Testing 1-2-3: Senior P Emmaline Humphreys returns after missing last season with an ACL tear. Last month, she committed to Stanford University.

The tea: Getting Humphreys back is big for a Tigers team that graduated one of the best to ever come through the program, Izzy Arroyo. Humphreys appeared in 40 games in her first two seasons of high school, posting a 19-3 record on the back of a 1.53 ERA. Senior INF Jaelyn Sandoval and OF Giuliana Magnetti also return after leading the team in RBIs in 2024, with 28 and 26, respectively.

Legacy Lightning

Coach: Allie Hufford

Last year’s result: 6-17

Testing 1-2-3: Hufford takes over for the Lightning who last year suffered their first losing season since 2015.

The tea: The Lightning bring back star Sr. CF Prisca Smolens, a four-year varsity player with a .519 career batting average. They also get back Sr. SS/C Megan Sandusky, a three-year varsity player, and Jr. P Kady Cosyns, who has 31 career appearances in the circle. Others to watch include So. SS/2B Charlie Trujillo and Sr. 3B/2B Sophia Dingman. Said Hufford: “Expect a scrappy, competitive group ready to battle every inning and put Legacy High School softball back on the map.”

Longmont Trojans

Coach: Adam Hoffman

Last year’s result: 10-13

Testing 1-2-3: Junior Alex McGregor returns with a .358 batting average, 19 hits and 26 runs.

The tea: The Trojans hope to build on last year and finish above .500 with a shot at making regionals. McGregor will by joined by Sr. Sydnee Conway, who batted .371 a year ago, and So. Sophie Magley (5.81 ERA) at the top of the ticket.

Mead Mavericks

Coach: Amanda Macaluso

Last year’s result: 14-13; reached the 4A state tournament.

Testing 1-2-3: Senior SS Halie Gippe averaged .481 with a 1.297 OPS last year.

The tea: The Mavericks will field a young team with plenty of competitive softball experience and a strong pitching staff led by So. RHP Abbie Hausotter, who struck out 14 through 24 1/3 innings. Freshman RHP/UTIL Zoey Hawkinson will be another arm to watch this season.

Monarch Coyotes

Coach: Jason Reese

Last year’s result: 9-14

Testing 1-2-3: Junior C/3B Kate Church led the team offensively last year with a .394 batting average, 17 RBIs and 28 hits.

The tea: The Coyotes will look to improve upon last year’s record with the help of their upperclassmen as they lean on several underclassmen and their pitching depth to carry them forward. Sophomore CF/P Capri Polluconi (5.11 ERA through 38 1/3 innings) and Sr. P/1B Caroline Katzin (4.93 ERA, 85 strikeouts) will be other names to watch this season.

Niwot Cougars

Coach: Bobby Matthews

Last year’s result: 16-10; reached the 4A state tournament.

Testing 1-2-3: Sophomore INF May Herrera led the Cougars in the batter’s box with a .459 batting average, 16 RBIs, 34 hits and 25 runs.

The tea: The Cougars hope to build up their offense this year after losing RHP Kianna Butler, but they know the GPL will challenge them. Matthews hopes that Herrera, Jr. RHP/UTIL Camryn Legh, So. P Mandy Roth (17 strikeouts through 19 2/3 innings), So. OF/SS Payton Stokes (.319 batting average), Sr. INF Payton Johnson (.320 batting average, 24 RBIs), Jr. OF Anna Halverson (.373 batting average, 28 hits) and So. C/OF Angie Arosemena (.250 batting average) can help them rise above.

Silver Creek Raptors

Coach: Payton Garcia

Last year’s result: 14-11; reached 4A regionals.

Testing 1-2-3: Junior CF Josie Etcheverry is the top returning batter, having averaged .392 with 22 RBIs and 20 hits.

The tea: “After graduating 10 seniors last year, we have a lot of new talent ready to compete,” Garcia said. “We are excited to surprise some people.” She will lean on Etcheverry, Sr. Abby Bennett, Sr. P Abby LaCrosse (18 strikeouts through 16 1/3 innings), So. P Rylyn Fordham (38 strikeouts through 33 2/3 innings) and Jr. Keyshia Vigil-Rabun (.288 batting average) to help get the job done.

Skyline Falcons

Coach: Pablo Villavicencio

Last year’s result: 1-19

Testing 1-2-3: Junior captain P/OF Ariday Landeros comes back into the fold to lead the team.

The tea: Villavicencio says his girls have an “unwavering will to succeed” behind Landeros, Fr. Lucy Caruthers and Jr. Amaya Esparza. “The energy and enjoyment of playing ball exudes from freshman Lucy Caruthers,” he said. “It is contagious, and has her team remembering the fun and uplifting spirit of graduated senior Mayra Salomon!!”

5A/4A Rocky Mountain League

Teams: Boulder, Brighton, Mountain Range, Northglenn, Prairie View, Riverdale Ridge, Westminster

Boulder Panthers

Coach: Courtney Geib

Last year’s result: 12-11

Testing 1-2-3: The Panthers have put together four straight winning seasons.

The tea: To make it five winning campaigns in a row, they’ll need new production after graduating 11 seniors from their 2024 team. Junior Alissa Zacharewicz will lead the way in the circle after she went 1-1 in 5 2/3 innings last season. She’ll have Jr. Kendal Evans behind the plate. Evans drove in 10 runs in just 51 at-bats in 2024. “The lineup will also feature several freshmen and players new to the program who are looking to make an impact right away,” Geib said.

4A/3A Frontier League

Teams: Arvada, Bennett, Centaurus, Englewood, Fort Lupton, Jefferson, Middle Park, Platte Valley

Centaurus Warriors

Coach: Micci Reed

Last year’s result: 15-8; won the league title

Testing 1-2-3: Junior P Nora Midness and So. 1B Emery Fannin had near-identical numbers from the plate last season. Midness hit .471 with 34 RBIs, while Fannin hit .473 with 33.

The tea: As good as she was with her bat, Midness will likely be more vital in the circle, where she went 12-6 with a 4.08 ERA in 106 1/3 innings last season. Behind her, So. SS Kaitlyn Long and Emi Sanders each drove in 25 runs in 2024. Soohomore C Morgan Sizemore brought in 24, while Sr. OF Noble Paw had 18. “I look for continued growth and a high level of competition this year,” said Reed, who is in her fifth year ahead of the program.

3A Patriot League

Teams: Brush, Eaton, Lyons, Platte Valley, Resurrection Christian, Sterling, Strasburg, University, Valley, Weld Central

Lyons Lions

Coach: Julie Vasquez

Last year’s result: 18-9; regional champions, and reached the 3A state tournament.

Testing 1-2-3: Juniors P/1B Gretta Wynja and C Ava Vasquez led the Lions with a 2.21 ERA and .483 batting average, respectively.

The tea: The Lions look to continue their postseason success as of late with the goal of making it deeper into the state tournament. They return seven starters and will add two freshmen into the mix, as Jr. SS Leora Hagan (.352 batting average, 39 runs) and Soph. CF/1B Dahlia Oviatt (.304 batting average, 25 runs) round out the crux of the lineup. “As a small 2A school competing in 3A and arguably the strongest league, Lyons consistently makes a strong post-season showing despite competing against much larger schools,” Vasquez said.

Denver Metro League

Teams: Forge Christian, Jefferson Academy, Peak to Peak, The Academy.

Peak to Peak Pumas

Coach: Brandin Becher

Last year’s result: 14-8; reached 3A regionals.

Testing 1-2-3: Senior P Karina Lefort has started for the Pumas since her freshman year and boasts a 4.43 ERA and .467 batting average.

The tea: The Pumas look to rebuild with a young squad this year that has “a lot to learn,” per Becher. He’ll look to Lefort, seniors OF Peyton Eckert (.208 batting average), C Evie DeeMurrie (.367 batting average), OF/INF Haley Haskins (.314 batting average) and Fr. P Margot McCune to help guide the team toward success. “I expect this team to come out every day, play hard, learn from and support each other and represent the Pumas the best they can. If we can do those things, then we will find success in the wins, the losses, and everything in between,” Becher said.