Class 4A

While Wheat Ridge would have been a favorite had the Farmers remained in 5A, it's easy to understand why they are the team to beat here. The Farmers still look like a 5A outfit, with more depth and across-the-board production than any team in the field.

The 4A tournament (Friday and Saturday at Aurora Sports Park) isn't all about Wheat Ridge, so let's not give away the title trophy just yet. Second-seeded Northridge is becoming a regular at the tournament and has been on the verge of a breakthrough the past couple of seasons. Third-seeded D'Evelyn is well ahead of its own pace, landing among the state's elite despite a green-behind-the-ears roster.

The same could be said about Castle View, a fledgling program that hadn't been heard from in competitive circles until this season, when the Sabercats ripped off an 18-3 record and earned the fourth overall seed.

Conspicuously absent are league champions Thomas Jefferson and Rifle, along with longtime tournament standout Pueblo East, all of which were upset in regionals.

* Top pitchers: It wasn't clear whether Stephanie Routzon was going to be the primary pitcher at Wheat Ridge this season, as the team had two other solid options. It's clear now, as Routzon brings a 19-0 record and 0.61 ERA into the tournament. . . . Kendall Kautz of Northridge has struck out 169 batters en route to a 14-2 record. . . . Dominique Garcia (13-6) has guided surprising Frederick to the tournament as the Warriors garnered a No. 14 seed. . . . Falcon junior Miranda Lyndes has gone 14-3 for the fifth-seeded Falcons. . . . Freshman Holly Reinke (9-3) is part of a youthful corps of pitchers who helped D'Evelyn earn the No. 3 seed. . . . Linda Hernandez of Pueblo Central reached triple figures last weekend with her 100th strikeout and carries a 10-7 record into the weekend. . . . Ashli Kemp (8-3) and Megan Wilkinson (5-3) have helped bring a thought-to-be-rebuilding Windsor squad back to state.

* Top hitters: Wheat Ridge freshman Elle Madsen burst onto the scene with a .565 average, five homers and 38 RBI this season. Teammate Heather Eggleston has equaled Madsen's five home runs. . . . Mullen outfielder Jenna D'Ottavio has put together another standout season and will look to extend on her four homers, 38 RBI and .553 average. Teammate Brandy Hawkins had added 31 RBI for the Mustangs. . . . Outfielder Sam Flippen (.522, 28 RBI) has been Falcon's top run producer. . . . Outfielder Keshia Koger is Frederick's top power source with five home runs and 24 RBI. . . . Conifer's Amanda Taney has produced 24 RBI and 22 hits for the eighth-seeded Lobos. . . . Sophomore Kendall Bergman, another of D'Evelyn's potent underclassmen, has hit .445 with four homers and 21 RBI.

* Overview: If any team gets past Wheat Ridge (19-2), it likely won't be because the Farmers gave away the game. The transition from nine-year coach Eric Larson to former Brighton coach Marty Stricklett has been seamless, as the Farmers have continued to thrive. Their only losses were to teams from Oklahoma in a tournament, so if an instate team beats Wheat Ridge, it will be doing something unprecedented. For potential dark horses in the bracket, look no further than the potent quartet housing the Nos. 9-12 seeds: Pueblo South, Lewis-Palmer, Mullen and Windsor.