(Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
Cherry Creek softball will make its first appearance in the Class 5A state tournament since 2009. The Bruins had a long road to get here as they finished the regular season with a 9-10 record and finishing the year at No. 26 in the RPI.
In Region 2, Cherry Creek was defeated by Loveland 16-1 in its first game. But the Bruins decided not to fold after that beating Fruita Monument 11-8 and Rocky Mountain 5-4.
The “nothing to lose” mentality has kept Cherry Creek right in the heat of things, after ending the regional appearance drought last weekend, the Bruins decided to end another streak and make it to state.
“This year has been about redefining Creek softball, setting the bar and constantly exceeding expectations,” senior shortstop Christine Felling said. “It’s been an amazing year that has proven to all of us that hard work really does pay off. At this point we have nothing to lose – we are going to use that momentum to our advantage.”
Cherry Creek faces the toughest team in the state to start off the weekend, facing top-seeded Broomfield. The Eagles have taken care of business all year as expected, and are also ranked No. 8 in the nation according to MaxPreps rankings.
Games begin Friday at Aurora Sports Park. Cherry Creek and Broomfield will face off at 10 a.m. as both teams begin their state campaign.