This week’s Softball Insider continues with another round of high school softball state champions, and this time, it’s all about Colorado.
Three champions were crowned at Aurora Sports Park on Saturday afternoon, with one school winning its first title.
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3A belongs to first-time champ
Third-seed Lyons captured its first state title in program history with a 10-3 win over No. 1 D’Evelyn. Lyons beat No. 2 Brush 14-2 in the Saturday morning semifinal.
Gretta Wynja was masterful in the circle, carving up 10 strikeouts in the title game.
“I taught them how to throw a ball, taught them how to hit a ball,” Lyons head coach Julie Vasquez said to CHSAA reporter Rob White. “I’ve coached them since they started softball, and then all the way through. We knew these four years were going to be special years, and we knew this season in particular was going to be a special one. They’re hot. They came out hungry. We had our hearts in it for this game. We were coming all season for this championship game.”
Junior outfielder Dahlia Oviatt hit a home run and a triple with five runs batted in against Brush to help the Lions reach the championship.
Against D’Evelyn, sophomore infielder Greta Hildebrand recorded a pair of hits and four RBIs.
“We could hit the freaking ball,” Vasquez added. “We had one goal this whole season. It was to score more runs than our opponent. That’s it. That’s really how easy it is.”
Windsor captures 4A title, capping perfect season
The 4A championship game couldn’t have gone any more perfectly for Windsor, securing the state’s first perfect season in 4A or 5A in 16 years at 29-0.
The Wizards beat Holy Family 6-2 behind a superb outing from senior pitcher Jenna McGinnis, an Idaho State commit.
McGinnis dominated the opposition in October, holding opponents scoreless in her previous six outings. She carried a 24-inning scoreless streak into the fourth inning before giving up a run on a sacrifice fly. She gave up a second run in the seventh before strikeout No. 13 ended the game.
The senior finished the season 14-0 with a 0.81 ERA.
“We have had tough seasons and tough losses since I’ve been here,” McGinnis said to CHSAA’s Brent New. “But we learned how to deal with pressure situations by being in big games. We worked so hard. We just had to prove it today.”
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Broomfield secures 5A crown
Winning the state title was the last thing on Broomfield’s mind when the season started, but a 6-2 win over No. 2 Lutheran made the Eagles the last team standing.
Through the first seven games, the Eagles were 1-6 and lost 12 seniors to graduation from 2025’s state championship-winning squad. Broomfield became the first back-to-back 5A state champ since Legend in 2017 and 2018.
“We struggled at the start of the year, so I just told everybody, ‘You don’t win a state championship in August,’” head coach Kale Gilmore said to CHSAA’s Courtney Oakes. “We just kept working and working, day by day and found a way to get it done. This team is just tough, gritty and has so much heart. … I don’t know if I’ve ever been more proud of a group of kids.”
Junior Ella Smith finished 3-for-4 with a couple of RBIs. Callie Smith also finished with three hits.
Is a three-peat on the horizon in 2027?
“I think we could definitely three-peat,” Ella Smith said. “We’ll have a good squad next year and we should have a good chance if we work hard like we did this year. After how far we came from the start to now, I honestly believe anything can happen.”
Georgia and Missouri wrap season next
The final two states will determine their state champions on Oct. 31, with semifinals slated for Oct. 30.
Here’s a look at who is left in Missouri:
Class 1: Wheatland, Silex, Gallatin, Princeton
Class 2: Chaffee, Fatima, Marceline, Mid-Buchanan
Class 3: Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau), Centralia, Southern Boone, Oak Grove
Class 4: Parkway West, St. Dominic, Helias Catholic, Platte County
Class 5: Eureka, Troy Buchanan, Lee’s Summit, Liberty
In Georgia, the entire state tournament begins Oct. 28.
A: Wheeler Co., Telfair Co., Lanier Co., Bowdon, E.C.I., Johnson Co., Trion, Irwin Co.
2A: Banks Co., Metter, Mt. Zion, Carroll., Gordon Lee, Jeff Davis, Berrien, Vidalia, Bacon Co.
3A: Appling Co., Morgan Co., Toombs Co., Sonoraville, Rockmart, Pike Co., Brantley Co., Worth Co.
4A: Long Co., Pickens, Heritage, Cat., North Hall, Cherokee Bluff, Harlem, Ridgeland, W. Laurens
5A: Harris Co., Starr’s Mill, Central, Carroll. Jefferson, Wayne Co., N. Oconee, Marist, Cartersville
6A: S. Effingham, Houston Co., Loganville, Creekview, Lassiter, Veterans, Pope, Lee Co.
7A: Buford, Richmond Hill, N. Paulding, Northgate, Brookwood, Carrollton, Lambert, Harrison
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