The table is set for Jeffco to have its first boys lacrosse state champion.
Fresh off going undefeated in the Foothills League, Wheat Ridge (13-2 record) was awarded the No. 3 seed for the 24-team state tournament that begins this week. The Farmers receive a first-round bye and will play the 14th-highest remaining seed either Tuesday or Wednesday, May 10 or 11, at Trailblazer Stadium in Lakewood.
“We’ll try to keep them focused. That’s the main goal,” Wheat Ridge coach Chris Knott said of having nearly a two-week break between the Farmers’ regular-season finale and first playoff game.
The Farmers were definitely dialed in facing longtime rival Golden on April 27 at Trailblazer Stadium. In both teams’ regular-season finale, Wheat Ridge hammered the Demons 18-0. Eight different Farmers scored goals and the goalie combination of Cody DeForge and Jensen Makarov handed Golden (6-9) its first shutout loss of the season.
“Getting an 8-0 lead in the first quarter got a pretty good message across,” Wheat Ridge senior attacker Ryan O’Connor said. “It felt really good to finish (league) off like this.”
Wheat Ridge used a one-minute power play midway through the first quarter to grab a commanding lead. Nick Ossello, Pete Aplet, Sander Aplet and Chris Roach each scored goals in a span of 48 seconds during the man-advantage.
“We were excited to get out here and play Golden,” said Pete Aplet, who finished the game with four goals. “We wanted to come out strong right off the bat.”
Strength in numbers is something the Farmers have shown all year. Despite being sophomores, Pete Aplet (30 goals) and Josh Kaufling (28 goals) lead Wheat Ridge in finding the back of the net this season.
“Our sophomores have been stand up this year,” O’Connor said. “They are playing really well. They don’t play like sophomores. They play like junior or seniors.”
Wheat Ridge seniors O’Conner (23 goals), Roach (23 goals) and Sander Aplet (21 goals) have all eclipsed the 20-goal mark heading into the postseason. The frightening aspect to the Farmers’ offensive attack is Ossello has played in just five games since coming off knee surgery this winter.
Ossello has added nine goals and five assists, along with winning 45-of-68 draws. The University of Notre Dame-recruit had four goals and three assists against Golden.
“The timing is coming back,” Knott said of Ossello. “He is dominating faceoffs for us, which is something we were counting on.”
A downer heading into the postseason is the Farmers will be without senior defender Chris Sanchez, who recently underwent ankle surgery. Sanchez, who played linebacker on the football field for Arvada West, will play football at the University of Northern Colorado next fall.
Knott has been able to blend in a number of different players coming from a variety of Jeffco-area schools to turn the Farmers into one of the favorites to contend for a state title.
“To be honest, I don’t know how many different schools we pull from. There are quite a few,” Knott said. “What is different about Wheat Ridge is the brotherhood. They hang out even when lacrosse isn’t going. They are good friends. Some of these guys have been together since fourth grade.”
Golden went the furthest into the state tournament than any boys lacrosse team from Jeffco. The Demons advanced to the semifinals in 2005 before losing by a goal to eventual state champion Cherry Creek.
Cherry Creek is the only in-state team that has defeated Wheat Ridge this season. There is a chance the two could face off in the semifinals. Wheat Ridge lost in the second round of the state tournament last year to Fort Collins. A deeper run in the postseason is expected.
“We’ll be ready,” Knott said.
STATE BOYS LACROSSE PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals — Saturday, May 14, @ Regis High School
Semifinals — Wednesday, May 18, @ Englewood High School
Championship — Saturday, May 21, @ Dick’s Sporting Goods Park