Class 5A boys

League #1

Teams: Arvada West, Boulder, Douglas County, Eaglecrest, Heritage, Lewis-Palmer, Northfield, Pine Creek.

Boulder Panthers

Coach: Nicholas Voigt

Last year’s result: Finished 7-8.

Testing 1-2-3: Senior A Luke Nathan had career highs in both goals and assists as a junior, scoring 33 times with 23 helpers. Through four games this season, he has nine goals and five assists, giving him 84 and 50 in his career.

The tea: The Panthers are led by a talented attack that includes junior Artie Hoverstock and his brother, freshman Quinton Hoverstock, as well as Nathan. Junior GK Toby Benham returns after totaling 417 saves through his first two seasons. He stopped 59% of the shots he faced last season. D/LSM Trey Wright is also back. “We have a lot of returning players,” the Panthers’ seventh-year coach said. “We are very excited to see what the hard work from the last few seasons will produce.”

League #2

Teams: Chatfield, Columbine, Erie, Fairview, Lakewood, Monarch, Mountain Range, Poudre School District and Ralston Valley.

Erie Tigers

Coach: Nick Mandia

Last year’s result: Finished 15-3, won the 4A Northern League and the Class 4A state title.

Testing 1-2-3: After years of being so close to winning it all, including in an overtime loss in the finals in 2023, the Tigers beat Northfield 14-6 to raise the 4A crown. This season, they’re in 5A.

The tea: The Tigers graduated a lot from their 2024 state champion team, including their all-star attack of Liam Connors and Charlie O’Brien. This season, senior M Cooper Riley returns after being named to CHSAA’s 4A first team in 2024. Senior D Aidan Hill is back after being named to the second team. Their attack is led by the Chivukula brothers. Sophomore Drake Chivukula had 19 goals last season and already has seven through three games this spring. Senior Tyler Chivulka has five goals this year.

Fairview Knights

Coach: Matthew Kelley

Last year’s result: Finished 7-9 and reached the first round of the 5A playoffs.

Testing 1-2-3: The Knights may have the best goalie room in the state with three varsity keepers, led by seniors Sam Rich and Jackson Viverito. Rich is headed to play at Colorado College after this spring. Viverito is going to Baldwin Wallace College in Ohio. Meanwhile, sophomore Kiran Ellison is also on roster after he stopped 63% of the shots he faced in three 2024 appearances.

The tea: “This is one of the strongest teams Fairview has ever had,” Kelley said. It’s “one of the best offensive units that Boulder County has seen.” That attack is led by juniors Kai Modica (38 goals in 2024), Kalen Carlyle (31) and senior Will Stinchcomb (seven). Their midfield includes juniors Hook Dancy (24), Alec Diamond (12) and Brady Gagliano (nine). Their defense is led by sophomore Behn Rowe. “This is a team with incredible potential,” Kelley said. “They have the talent, depth, and work ethic to compete at the highest level, but success will come down to their ability to stay focused and put in the effort every day.”

Monarch Coyotes

Coach: David Auday

Last season’s result: Finished 10-7 reached the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.

Testing 1-2-3: Auday called senior midfielders Flynn Leonard and Tommy Roberts “one of the best one-two midfield punches in the state of Colorado.” He added, “Not only are they dynamic scorers, but both are elite defenders and during crunch time.”

The tea: The senior-heavy Coyotes believe they have the talent to compete for the league title, and will lean on Leonard, Roberts, seniors A Adam Krieger, D Carson Jutting, D Jake Miller, G Mason Kish and sophomore LSM Owen Hamele to lead the way.

Class 4A boys

Northern League

Teams: Holy Family, Jefferson Academy, Prairie View, Resurrection Christian, Thompson Valley and Windsor.

Holy Family Tigers

Coach: Lee Williams

Last year’s result: Finished 11-6 and reached the second round of the 4A playoffs.

Testing 1-2-3: Junior A Browen Wills had the sixth-most goals for a sophomore in Colorado last season, finishing with 44.

The tea: The Tigers will be led on the attack by juniors Rocco Bertagnolli and Willis. They combined for all six of their goals in an opening-season loss to Mullen. In net, freshman G Alex Cameron starts the season for them. Last year’s backup, William Perrotto, is listed on injured reserve on the team’s MaxPreps roster. In the midfield, they’re led in part by freshman Bradley Pelletier, sophomore Kona Devereux, junior Josh Nappe and senior Stephen McAnally.

Jefferson Academy Jaguars

Coach: Sam Witt

Last season’s result: Finished 4-10.

Testing 1-2-3: Junior M Sam Behler is the returning leading scorer with 11 goals last year.

The tea: The Jaguars return all but six seniors from last year’s squad, but with those seniors, they dropped a lot of firepower. They’ve been able to spread the ball around nicely through their opening two contests in 2025, with six players on the board and no one Jaguar standing out the most.

Class 5A girls

West League: Chatfield, Colorado Academy, Columbine, Fairview, Kent Denver, Poudre School District, Ralston Valley and Valor Christian.

Fairview Knights

Coach: Kelsey Sheridan

Last season’s result: Finished 14-4 and were the 5A state runner-up.

Testing 1-2-3: Senior M Gabby McCollester led the Knights with 57 goals and 10 assists last year.

The tea: “This is the strongest senior class we’ve had, and they’re all in on some big goals for the season,” Sheridan said. Behind McCollester, Sheridan expects seniors M Lucy Michaels, D Katie Knowlton, and juniors A/M Julia Norris and M Lucy Catlin to all have big seasons.

Class 4A girls

North League

Teams: Denver North, Holy Family, Horizon and Mead.

Holy Family Tigers

Coach: Jack Englert

Last season’s result: Finished 10-5 and reached the second round of state playoffs.

Testing 1-2-3: Sophomore attacker Emma Brusate is the leading returning scorer after netting 37 goals as a freshman.

The tea: The Tigers hope to dance in the postseason for the third straight year and will lean on a strong core with Brusate, seniors G Katie Willetto, A Ali Arambula and junior MF/D Lilly Miller to get them there.

Mead Mavericks

Coach: Rachel Class

Last season’s result: Finished 17-2 and were the 4A state runner-up.

Testing 1-2-3: The Mavericks return BoCoPreps player of the year Lucy Connors, who boasted 76 goals and 35 assists as a junior.

The tea: The Mavericks welcome a new coach, and while they lost some talent with Rory Carr, Sierra Ryan and goalie Anne Booth, they bring back a strong scoring cast. Junior Sunny Wolver has taken on the brunt of the goaltending responsibilities through the first two games of the season.