Jeffco 5A consists of 7 high schools that all compete at the 5A classification. The majority of the schools are located in Jefferson County just to the west of Denver along the foothills.
Alrvada West HS
Wildcats (1841)
Coach: Danny Vais - 4th season
Returning starters: 9
2024 Record: 16-8
2024 Srs playing at the next level: NONE
Players to watch: Tate Deal (SR) SS - committed to Evansville University, Dane Reed (SR) 2B, Luke Alonso (JR) 3B/OF/RHP, Beau Friesen (JR) OF/P, Brayden Reiner (JR) C/P, Cooper Vais (SO) OF/P
2025 Outlook: The Wildcats return 8 All-Conference players and the core of their pitching staff from a team that finished 16-8 and 2nd in league a year ago. A. West will be deep and athletic at every position but with both B. Reiner and C. Vais; 40+ IP in 2024, back on the mound and the development of B. Friesen and Kolton Degroot, pitching and defense will be the teams strength. However, don't discount the Wildcats offensively. T. Deal leads the attack after hitting over .400 with 4 HRs a year ago. Package deal with D. Reed, L. Alonso and a handful of other guys to round out the lineup. This will be a much more mature squad with a lot of Varsity ABs under their belts. This group could make some waves in 2025.
Chatfield HS
Chargers(1785)
Coach: Jason Novotny - 2nd season
Returning starters: 7
2024 Record: 8-15
2024 Srs playing at the next level: Brady Snow - Wofford, Nolan Low - Phoenix JC, Tanner Ludwig - Concord CC
Players to watch: Colby Bullard (SR) IF/P, Isaac Low (SR) OF/P, Colin Metz (SR) OF - committed to Dodge City JC, Riley Suddath (SR) P
2025 Outlook: The Chargers stumbled in 2024 and missed out on making the playoffs after 11 straight seasons of post-season baseball. Chatfield brings back a veteran squad that includes 7 starters and playmakers COBSBL Pre-season MVP Isaac Low and Colin Metz. Two-way player I. Low builds on his strong 2024 season both on the mound and at the plate where he hit over .400 and recorded the 2nd most IP on the mound. C. Metz won't help on the mound but his stick is mainstay in the middle of the Chargers lineup, leading the team in AVG and HR's a year ago. Riley Suddath and Colby Bullard round out an experienced pitching rotation while C. Bullard also can swing the stick. How well the Chargers strong talented core meshes with a younger group dictates what 2025 has in store for this team.
Ralston Valley HS
Mustangs (1843)
Coach: Brad Madden - 8th season (24 Overall)
Returning starters: 3
2024 Record: 15-9
2024 Srs playing at the next level: Kenji Bray - Colorado School of Mines, Jace Cattoor - Washburn University, Logan Madden - Washburn University(Football), Wyatt Morwood - Washburn University
Players to watch: None Committed - Cole Pfeifer (JR) SS, Grant Belcher (SR) P/1B, Porter Peonio (JR) P, Bret Baldwin (SO) 2B/P, Winston Patterson (SO) P
2025 Outlook: The Mustangs graduated 10 seniors from the 2024 team that won 15 games and finished 4th in Jeffco 5A. The good news is they return 4 underclassmen with quality varsity experience that are expected to play a much bigger role this season. Pitching will be the teams strength with upperclassmen Grant Belcher as the teams ace on the mound after 33 IP and 47 Ks a year ago. Porter Peonio, Liam McGrew, Bret Baldwin and Winston Patterson will round out the staff with P. Peonio probably carrying the majority of the workload. Offensively RV losses most of their lineup and needs Degan Gregory, Nico Benallo and Bret Baldwin to have plus years after playing varsity innings as underclassmen.
Bear Creek HS
Bears (1433)
Coach: Robert Mitchell - 3rd season
Returning starters: 6
2024 Record: 8-15
2024 Srs playing at the next level: Joey Vigil - San Diego Mesa College, Alonso Garcia - Minnesota West JC
Players to watch: None Committed - Aidan Bolan - (SR) 1B/3B, James Moore - (SR) P, Jamin Patterson - (SR) P/3B, Matthew Hegerle (JR) SS
2025 Outlook: Coach Mitchell enters his 3rd season as Head Coach of the Bears and expects to see continued improvement again in 2025 with hopes of making a postseason appearance. Pitching and defense should be the teams strength with the teams top 2 arms back along with 3 starters on the infield. Jamin Patterson and James Moore had 45+ IP last season averaging 1 strikeout per inning and served as the teams #1 and #2 on the mound. At the plate 3 of the 4 top bats remain. Matt Hegerle and his strong leadership will set the tone at the leadoff spot with Aidan Bolan and J. Patterson penciled in somewhere in the middle of the lineup.
Columbine HS
Rebelss(1688)
Coach: Lee Martin - 5th season
Returning starters: 4
2024 Record: 6-16
2024 Srs playing at the next level: Jack Snyder - Augustana College, Elias Franier - Apple Valley JC, Ryan Silva - Northeastern JC
Players to watch: None Committed - Wyatt Saul (SR) RHP/OF, James Salazar (SR) SS, Cam Powell (SR) OF, Casey Richie (SR) C, Ian Alexander (SR) RHP, Aidan Jordan(SR) RHP/INF
2025 Outlook: The Rebels lost 5 starters on a team that finished on the bottom half of Jeffco 5A last season. However, 4 of their 6 arms return including Ian Alexander, Wyatt Saul and Aidan Jordan so expect pitching and defense to be the backbone for success. At the plate they'll rely on James Salazar, A. Jordan and Wyatt Saul's bats to provide an offensive punch. Sprinkle in Cam Powell and Casey Richie and Coach Martin believes this team should be competitive and potentially sneak up on a few Jeffco 5A opponents.
Valor Christian HS
Eagles(1223)
Coach: Travis Cruz - 3rd season
Returning starters: 3
2024 Record: 16-8
2024 Srs playing at the next level: Athan Kroll - Dallas Baptist University, Parker Feagans - Fort Scott JC, Zach Eigenbrod - Bentley University, Ian Kersten - Paradise Valley JC, Dylan Whitfield - Hillsdale College
Players to watch: Brigham Brown (SR) P/OF, Benjamin Blasco (SR) OF/SS - committed to Ferrum College, Andrew Buchold (SR) C/OF - committed to Concordia University, Owen Schermerhorn (SR) RHP - committed to Bentley University, Will Hayes (SO) RHP
2025 Outlook: Valor loses much of its offensive production and the big question will be if this young group can continue the tradition of dominance on the diamond. A program that has compiled a 248-133 record, 4 state championships, 9 league championships, 14 consecutive post-season appearances since the schools conception in 2007 seems to always find a way to win. The team strength will be pitching with Will Hayes, Brigham Brown, Owen Schermerhorn and Trystan Chadwick all returning with varsity experience. Coach Cruz feels like the leadership and belief in one another not only will equal success this season but in the future as well.
Mathis Joens
Lakewood HS
OF/RHP
Ian Alexander
Columbine HS
RHP
James Moore
Bear Creek HS
RHP/2B
Lakewood HS
Tigers (1888)
Coach: Derrick Peterson - 19th season
Returning starters: 7
2024 Record: 7-16
2024 Srs playing at the next level: Julian Duran - Otero JC, Jacob Wolf - Augustana College
Players to watch: None Committed - Sean Lann (SR) INF/P, Mathis Joens (SR) OF/P, CJ Mohoney (SR) OF/P, Matthew Gordon (SR) SS/P, Dean Vance (SR) Util/P, Zeke Maddux (SO) INF/C/P
2025 Outlook: After finishing in the middle of the pack in 2023 the Tigers slid to the bottom of the league standings last season. They are looking to bounce back behind the arm and bat of Sean Lann. S. Lann has demonstrated incredible balance and pop at the plate along with a mid 80's fastball and sweeping slider on the mound. Besides Lann Lakewood needs Mathis Joens and Dean Vance to mature into quality arms and D. Vance, CJ Mohoney, M. Joens and youngster Zeke Maddux to contribute offensively. All have Varsity reps but will play a larger role this season in the teams success.
Special Thanks
to all the High School coaches that helped make this publication happen by providing league, school and player information to assist with the most accurate and comprehensive Colorado
High School Baseball publication.
Will Hayes
Valor Christian HS
RHP
Tate Deal
Arvada West HS
SS
