High Plains Little League has been serving the eastern plains for 11 years, and participating areas include eastern Colorado Springs, Falcon, Peyton, Calhan, Elbert, and Ramah. The League is part of Little Leagues Colorado District 5, which includes the Little Leagues of Academy, Colorado Springs, Tri-Lakes, Arapahoe, Cherry Creek, Dry Creek and Ken-Caryl.Starting July 5, High Plains Little League entered five teams in the Colorado District 5 All-Stars tournament. Baseball players ranged from age 8 to 14, and softball from 11-14. By July 9, the High Plains team had won three district championships against larger leagues.High Plains Junior Baseball All Stars (ages 13-14)The High Plains Little League All-Stars easily got past the best Denver had to offer July 6-8 after defeating Cherry Creek and Arapahoe by a 37-1 margin at the Arapahoe Little League fields in East Denver.Coached by Falcon resident Jason Lachermeier, this District 5 championship team of 14-year-old players, advanced to the state competition in Thornton the following weekend, and beat the winners of District 2 and District 4 to win state.At the state championships, after a day of rain delays, HPLL faced Sherrelwood Little League from Colorado District 2. With a decisive win over Sherrelwood, HPLL defeated District 4 champion, Cortex, in the championship to earn the state title. Now itís off to the Southwest Regional Championship August 3-7 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.The team was undefeated in Little League action this spring, playing other High Plains teams as well as Academy and Colorado Springs Little League squads.High Plains Intermediate Baseball All Stars (ages 11-13)On July 8, the High Plains Little League Intermediate team faced a well-coached and talented group of players from Tri-Lakes Little League in the Colorado Little League District 5 championship game. This was a rematch set up by Tri-Lakes beating HPLL 25-7 in the first game of the tournament. HPLL then had to beat Ken-Caryl by a score of 14-1 and Colorado Springs 8-2, with a goal to beat Tri-Lakes twice on the same day. HPLL won the first game and set up a winner-take-all game. The High Plains team rallied in the fifth inning with 6 runs and came back to close the game out with 8 runs in the 6th inning for a 21-11 victory. The HPLL Intermediate team then went on to win the Little League Colorado State championship game.The team went up against District 2 champions, North Metro Little League, in a two out of three match for the state championship. The Intermediates took game 1 in a back and forth match. In game 2, they defeated North Metro by a 10-run victory to become the Little League Colorado State champions.After the win, the team had a quick turnaround. They had to be in Grand Junction July 20 for the start of the Intermediate Southwest Regional Tournament against teams from Texas West, Texas East, Oklahoma, Mississippi, New Mexico and Colorado District 1 champions. The team played hard through the heat and rain delays, and fell to the great teams. They have much to be proud of this season.High Plains Junior Softball All Stars (ages 11-14)The High Plains Little League Junior Softball team was named the District 5 champions after they beat Arapahoe by a score of 17-7. This win earned them a place in the state tournament.The JRs softball team face an unruly crowd during their state tournament. As HPLL preaches sportsmanship from all its players and spectators, the relentless beratement from the Sherrelwood parents was too much to handle. After consulting with the HPLL president and the Colorado District 5 administrator, HPLL decided to uphold the Little League motto of Character, Courage and Loyalty and forfeited the game so they could leave the situation. Although they gave up their chance at a state title, HPLL could not be more proud of these girls and their coaches for putting character first. There will be more softball to be played.
