Top-seed Evergreen advances to 4A girls lacrosse semis

EVERGREEN — It’s going to be — Mead vs Evergreen Part 4 — in the Class 4A girls lacrosse semifinals. 

Top-seeded and defending 4A state champion Evergreen rolled to an 18-9 quarterfinal victory against No. 8 Aspen on Saturday at Evergreen High School. The Cougars (14-2 record) will face No. 4 Mead (13-4) at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, at Englewood High School. 

“They are defintely a rival,” Evergreen coach Rachel Sanford said of facing Mead for the fourth time over the past three seasons. “You can’t have 1-goal games with somebody and not call it a rival. I’m excited to play them.”

The recent history between the Cougars and Mavericks has determined the past two 4A state champions. Mead defeated Evergreen 13-12 in a 4A semifinal in 2023 when the Mavericks went on the win the state title. 

Last year, Mead defeated Evergreen 12-11 in a regular-season match-up, but the Cougars got the last laugh with a 11-10 victory in the 4A state championship game. Ryn Gardner scored the game-winning goal at the buzzer to give the Cougars their second 4A girls lacrosse state title.

“I’m really excited to get them,” said Gardner, who had nine goals in Evergreen’s win against Aspen. “I feel like we are really strong because we didn’t lose too many people from last year’s team. Our team is only stronger this year.”

Gardner, a junior, along with seniors Addison McEvers, Emma Crosbie, Alivia Hunsche Addie Stockton, junior Liv Kalbflesch, along with sophomores Grace Lessig and Addison White all return from last year’s championship team. Not to mention senior Neva Mertsching in goal for the Cougars.

“That awesome when you bring back upperclassmen and senior leadership,” Sanford said of returning nearly everyone from last year’s state championship team. “You are unmatched in that level of care and experience. It has been fun to run it back with a little more expectations on our back.”

McEvers — 3-sport athletic in flag football, basketball and lacrosse — has spent countless of hours over the past four years on the field and court for the Cougars. The senior took a moment by herself with tears in her eyes after playing her final home game at Evergreen on Saturday. 

“It is very emotional,” McEvers said before leaving the field. “I love it here.”

The senior captain did a little bit of everything for the Cougars against Aspen. She took nearly every draw and dished out several assists in doubling up the Skiers (11-6).

“Draws were OK. I wish I would have done a little better,” McEvers said. “I was able to hook up my teammates with some goals. I wish we would have had a few more. I’m really glad I helped out my team to get the win.”

Besides Gardner’s game-high nine goals, Crosbie finished with three goals and Lessig had a pair of tallies. Gardner currently has 80 goals on the season, just 11 short of her 91 goals she had her sophomore year.

“It is a little different because I feel like last year we were the underdogs,” Gardner said as Evergreen advanced to the Final 4 with Mead, Green Mountain and Battle Mountain.

No. 3 Battle Mountain and No. 2 Green Mountain square off in the other semifinal game at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Englewood High School. Evergreen has regular-season wins over both the Huskies and Rams already this season.

Evergreen’s lone two losses this season came against Fairview and Valor Christian. Those two teams mean in the 5A semifinals coming up Tuesday at Englewood High School.

“We play a tough schedule became we want to play against the best,” Sanford said. “It is part of our plan all along. To show up in big games.”

McEvers knows a win Wednesday would set up the Cougars a crack at the program’s third state championship since 2021. The 4A title game is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday at Peter Barton Stadium on the University of Denver campus.

“It is always a great game,” McEvers said of the showdown against Mead. “A lot of emotion too. I’m excited to see how we play. Hopefully it isn’t a 1-goal game again, but if it is I hope we are on top.”