Postseason softball starts Friday after several Pikes Peak area teams qualified for the 2024 regional tournament.

In total, 10 area schools will fight to advance to the state tournament, which begins Oct. 25 at Aurora Sports Park in Aurora.

Per CHSAA, “In 3A, the Round of 32 will be a single-elimination tournament with the regional champion and runner-up qualifying for the state bracket. In 4A and 5A, the Round of 32 will be a modified double-elimination tournament with the undefeated regional champion and the winner of the consolation bracket advancing to the state bracket.”

Below are previews for some of the matchups:

Tough task for 5A teams

Vista Ridge and Pine Creek are the lone 5A area qualifiers this season and both had minor drops from their success in 2023.

The Wolves finished 17-9 last season while the Eagles earned a 21-6 record. Now, the Wolves (12-11) and Eagles (13-10) battled to finish over .500 and earned the final two seeds in 5A.

Vista Ridge, the No. 31 seed, will face No. 2-seed Broomfield at 9 a.m. Friday at Broomfield High School.

Pine Creek, the No. 32 seed, heads to Aurora Sports Park to face top seed Cherokee Trail Friday at a time to be determined.

Pikes Peak region will send at least one 4A representative to the state tourney

The good news for local teams at 4A’s Site 4 region is at least one area school will be represented at state.

Palmer Ridge and Lewis-Palmer High Schools will host: No. 4 Palmer Ridge, No. 29 Falcon, No. 13 D’Evelyn and No. 20 Widefield.

For the Bears and Falcons, their Friday tilt will be a rematch from a Sept. 20 game where Palmer Ridge beat Falcon 10-8 after the Bears scored three runs in the sixth inning.

As for the Gladiators, their game against D’Evelyn will be the first-ever matchup between the two schools.

Pair of 3A reps at state?

The lone area teams for 3A, The Classical Academy and Sand Creek, both play at Babcock Park.

Unlike 5A and 4A, 3A teams do not have a consolation bracket, but both TCA and Sand Creek still have a shot to advance to state.

Should the No. 11-seede Titans win their opening-round game, and the No. 27 seed Scorpions pull off the upset against No. 6 Rocky Ford, they’ll face one another and, no matter the result, clinch a spot at state.

Sand Creek, which enters the tournament at 8-16, dropped a contest to TCA 11-1 earlier this season and will have its first-ever contest against the Meloneers.

Cheyenne Mountain earns respectable seed in tough region

The Red-Tailed Hawks earned 4A’s No. 16 seed and serve as the home team in their matchup with No. 17 Frederick on Friday at a time to be determined.

However, also in their region is No. 1 seed Lutheran, which has won back-to-back 4A titles and earned the 3A championship in 2021.

The Lions enter regionals 21-1 – the one defeat was a 5-4 loss to 5A Valor Christian – and have an 18-game winning streak.

Cheyenne Mountain played Lutheran in its regular-season finale and lost 10-0 to the Lions and will look for its first-ever win against the defending champs.

All qualifiers

All opening round contests begin Friday. Games without times are TBD and will be announced later this week.

5A

At Aurora Sports Park: No. 1 Cherokee Trail (19-4) vs. No. 32 Pine Creek (13-10)

At Broomfield High School: No. 2 Broomfield (23-0) vs. No. 31 Vista Ridge (12-11) at 9 a.m.

4A

At Salisbury Park: No. 16 Cheyenne Mountain (15-7) vs. No. 17 Frederick (14-9)

At Windsor High School: No. 15 Conifer (19-4) vs. No. 18 Mesa Ridge (18-5)

At Palmer Ridge/Lewis-Palmer High School: No. 4 Palmer Ridge (18-3-1) vs. No. 29 Falcon (14-8); No. 13 D’Evelyn (17-6) vs. No. 20 Widefield (18-5)

At Runyon Sports Complex: No. 10 Severance (18-4-1) vs. No. 23 Discovery Canyon (11-12)

3A

At Babcock Park: No. 11 The Classical Academy (15-8) vs. No. 22 Meeker (11-11); No. 6 Rocky Ford (14-8-1) vs. No. 27 Sand Creek (8-16)