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With championships in her bloodline, Columbine shortstop Liv Keiter leads Rebels into Class 5A state tournament
When it was clear Liv Keiter could carry a heavy torch, her family’s softball progenitor made sure to let her know.
Keiter, Columbine’s star shortstop bound for Alabama, had burst onto Colorado’s softball scene the summer before her freshman year. It was then that her aunt, former Arvada West star pitcher and Oklahoma All-American Kami McBroom, delivered the message in a phone call with her niece.
“Welcome to your own legacy.”
Now a senior, Keiter has already built a significant one — one swing at a time.
In a family of athletes — Liv’s dad, Zach, was an A-West baseball standout who played football at Wyoming, Liv’s uncle Ben pitched in the Rangers’ organization and grandfather Ron was a football star at Northern Colorado — Liv is making her own mark.
She was a central piece of Columbine’s Class 5A championship as a freshman, and is back in the tournament again this weekend at Aurora Sports Park as a senior headliner. The Rebels are aiming for a third title in seven seasons.
“For a while there in her career, it was about finding her own (lane),” McBroom said. “She’s such a driven, passionate kid, I just never wanted her to feel like she was living in my limelight because we both played softball. So that conversation (before her freshman year) was about driving that point home and telling her that, as a young player, I wasn’t living in my brothers’ or dad’s footsteps.
“I had to make my own destiny, and she’s done the same.”
In Liv’s room, she has her “vision board” — a giant whiteboard filled with quotes, bible verses and goals. Written on there for this fall is to win another state title, this time with her sister, sophomore right fielder Ari Keiter. Columbine didn’t make it to Saturday at the tournament each of the past two seasons, but Liv’s determined to add to the family’s ring collection as one of the Rebels’ captains.
The Jeffco Hall of Famer McBroom led A-West to Class 5A titles in 1999 and 2000, while Zach Keiter was a pitcher on the Wildcats’ 1994 Class 6A championship team. Zach, the self-described “other pitcher” alongside National Baseball Hall of Famer Roy Halladay, threw five innings and got the win in the 6-5 championship victory over Smoky Hill. Halladay polished off the game with two innings and the save.
That lineage is why Liv says “it’s personal” in Columbine’s pursuit of this year’s title.
“The big-sister instincts — the ‘I’m going to go get you (a ring)’ — are really kicking in here,” Liv Keiter said. “… (My family) has accomplished so much athletically, and the bar is so high, but that’s a gift to come from that and for me and my sister to be able to chase that.”
To reach that bar again, Keiter will need help from her best friends.
Columbine features two other senior stars, a fellow captain in first baseman Mason Abraham, as well as third baseman Nina Vargas. Along with Keiter, the trio paces the Rebels in every offensive category. Keiter, batting .513, has a team-best 28 steals, 48 runs and three triples. Abraham, a UNC commit, leads in average (.642), on-base percentage (.684) and doubles (14). And the slugger Vargas is tops with 17 homers, which leads the state, and has 48 RBIs with a 1.369 slugging.
All three players were starters as freshmen on the title team in 2022.
“We’re really leaning on the fact that A) they’re great players and B) they’ve been here to state a few times already,” Columbine head coach Jim Santaniello said. “They’re a big reason why it is certainly championship or bust with this group.”
Other key contributors include the younger Keiter, junior catcher Charlee Abelein, senior center fielder Izy Ryan and sophomore pitcher Addison Swenby. The right-hander has emerged as Columbine’s ace this season after pitching on JV in 2024. She worked with former Valor Christian and LSU star Ali Kilponen, upping her velocity while increasing her command and confidence.
“What we say at Columbine is, ‘Make it undeniable,’ and that’s what (Swenby) has done,” Santaniello said. “She’s had rapid growth over the past year.”
Now in his ninth year leading the Rebels, Santaniello has built Columbine into a perennial power, with state tournament appearances every season but the COVID one. With Keiter hitting leadoff and playing Gold Glove defense in the six hole, he likes his chances to get back to the top on Saturday.
The Keiters will be in the stands at Aurora Sports Park backing the shortstop — the same people who constantly try to beat her at family gatherings. During all holidays and at frequent Italian dinners in-between, the family keeps their edge — and sharpens Liv’s — in intense games of Nerts (a fast-paced, multiplayer card game), flag football, cornhole, washers, wiffleball and various other games.
“If you didn’t know my family and just walked into the house during a family get-together, you’d probably think we were crazy,” Liv said with a laugh. “We’re all standing up around the dinner table, screaming at each other, yelling at each other to lay down cards (in Nerts).
“It’s always friendly competition — well, mostly friendly. But that is what my family is all about, competition. You can see that come through in the way I play the game each day, and it’s definitely going to come through at the state tournament.”
Five storylines to watch at state softball
Eaton and University on collision course: The Reds and the Bulldogs have met in the Class 3A title game two of the last three years, and can make it three in four this weekend. Eaton, led by junior catcher and Arizona commit Emma Anderson, is going for a four-peat.
Elizabeth aiming for history: The Cardinals’ two losses came to Class 5A opponents, Broomfield and Arvada West. Elizabeth also had marquee wins over Columbine, Cherokee Trail and Eaton. The No. 5 seed in the 4A bracket, the Cardinals seek their first championship.
McGinnis’ magic: Windsor junior right-handed ace Jenna McGinnis leads the state with a 0.69 ERA as the top-seeded Wizards look for redemption in the 4A bracket after losing to Lutheran 1-0 in last year’s title game. Windsor’s lone softball title came in 4A in 2006.
Broomfield seeks first title: In 5A, the No. 1 Eagles are 22-2 and haven’t lost to a Colorado team all fall. Broomfield steamrolled through regionals and is headlined by senior first baseman Lilly Smith (Providence commit) and senior right-hander Ireland Heer (Iowa).
Other 5A title contenders. The 5A title chase is wide open as the classification hasn’t had a repeat champion since Legend did so in 2017 and ’18. Legend, Eaglecrest, Columbine, Erie, Cherokee Trail and defending champ Riverdale Ridge can all make a run.
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