Home stretch awaits contenders on Colorado girls soccer pitch

It's been said that March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb.

That may hold true when discussing the weather – or not, as is often the case in Colorado – but it definitely does not apply when it comes to the prep sports scene. What March ultimately does is whet the appetite for the heart of the schedule in April, which in turn sets up May's postseason run.

April is already two weeks old, but a number of big matchups have already taken place on the soccer pitch. It was just one week ago that ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch) handed Rock Canyon (Highlands Ranch) its first loss of the season in a top-two showdown with a 1-0 triumph behind a goal from Aspen Robinson and nine saves from Sabrina Macias.

Only three weeks away from the opening round of the state soccer playoffs, very little has been decided as far as top billing around the state's four classifications. That will change soon enough, as the month features a number of top-10 battles that will not only decide league titles but playoff seeding as well.

Here is a look at 10 games for the remainder of April:

April 14
• Ralston Valley (Arvada) (6-1-1) at Columbine (Littleton) (6-2), 5 p.m., Lakewood Memorial Field
It isn't every season that a rematch from the previous year's state title game could help decide a league title. But that's exactly what takes place between these two Class 5A Jeffco League rivals.

The defending champion Rebels downed Ralston Valley 3-1 last May, but both teams are reloaded for another run. Columbine has won three in a row since getting blanked 5-0 by ThunderRidge, and junior Tatum Barton has nine goals on the year. The Mustangs have also won three consecutive games behind a strong group of underclassmen. Ralston Valley hosts the top-ranked Grizzlies to close the regular season.

April 17
• Liberty Common (Fort Collins) (7-1) at Front Range Christian (Littleton) (7-1-1), 3:30 p.m.
One of a handful of huge crossover matchups pits the No. 5 team in 3A against the top-ranked 2A squad.
Liberty Common has won seven in a row since losing its season opener, and the Eagles have scored 10 goals four times during that streak. Three players have at least 10 goals on the season, led by Sarah Schaffers 17.
Playing in the newly-formed 2A classification, Front Range Christian upended previously top-ranked Denver Christian on April 9. Falcons senior Jalissa Dehaan has scored 14 goals.

April 21
• Grandview (Aurora) (5-1-1) at Mullen (Denver) (7-0), 4:30 p.m.
Another big crossover game featuring two dominant defenses, this contest could decide the Centennial League crown – though Cherokee Trail (Aurora) (8-1), currently ranked No. 7 in 5A, will have something to say about that after playing both teams in a span of three days this week.

Grandview, 5A's eighth-ranked squad, was coming off a big 2-1 double overtime win over No. 10 Arapahoe (Centennial) before playing Cherokee Trail. Senior goalkeeper Maddie Lesjak had allowed only four goals in seven games. Mullen, ranked fifth in 4A, outscored opponents 23-2 during its first seven games thanks to a stout defense and senior keeper Alexis Glogiewicz.

April 22
• Pine Creek (Colorado Springs) (7-2) at Doherty (Colorado Springs) (7-1), 7 p.m., Sand Creek Stadium
The 5A Colorado Springs Metro League could very well come down to this contest. Pine Creek was in the semifinals a year ago, and Doherty very nearly made it to that same point after upsetting top-seeded Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins) in the second round.

Doherty is riding a seven-game winning streak, with freshman Mykiaa Minnis leading the charge with seven goals.
Pine Creek dropped two games in a row early in the season but responded with five victories in a row. Sophomore Madeline Alhamra has seven goals and is one of four players on the team with at least four goals.

April 23
• The Academy (Westminster) (9-0) at Middle Park (Granby) (6-0), 4 p.m.
Two of the current four undefeated teams in 3A will battle for the Region 7 league title when the Wildcats visit the Panthers. The Academy outscored opponents 64-2 during its first nine games – five players have at least six goals, led by senior Allie Falagrady's nine. Middle Park sophomore Annalys Hanna leads the Panthers with 12 of the team's 35 goals.

• Rocky Mountain (Fort Collins) (7-0) at Broomfield (8-0), 6 p.m.
A top-five 5A showdown between these two Front Range League foes is one of the highlights in what figures to be among the most competitive league battles in the state.

Broomfield, the 4A state runner-up a year ago, has picked up where it left off. Four consecutive shutouts led up to a showdown with No. 10 Fairview (Boulder) on April 14. Freshman Hailey Stodden has seven goals in four games, and junior Makena Bambei has six goals and 10 assists.

Rocky Mountain, the No. 27 seed in the postseason last May, has won five of its seven games by a one-goal margin. Freshman Madison Williams leads the Lobos with seven goals.

• Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) (8-1-1) at Evergreen (9-0), 6 p.m.
Another league that has a handful of teams battling for the top spot is in 4A Jeffco, where five teams were within striking distance of the top spot headed into play April 14.

Evergreen and Valor Christian both advanced to the quarterfinals a year ago before falling by identical 1-0 margins. The undefeated Cougars are currently ranked first in 4A, but have to face No. 6 Wheat Ridge on April 15. Evergreen allowed only one goal in first nine games, with keepers Allie Seracuse and Natalie Ulfig splitting time in net.

Valor Christian, currently ranked fourth, also has to meet up with Wheat Ridge before trying its hand at taking down Evergreen. Junior Dakota Spencer is pacing the Eagles with nine goals.

April 28
• Coal Ridge (New Castle) (6-3) at Vail Mountain (7-1), 4 p.m.
The 3A Region 3 finale for both squads may be the deciding factor for the league title in this crossover bout. Vail Mountain, ranked second in 2A, owns a victory against currently top-ranked Front Range Christian and had won five in a row since Denver Christian handed the school its only loss. A season-opening 1-0 shutout of Aspen has the squad tied for first in the league.

Coal Ridge, a quarterfinalist a year ago, has had its share of up-and-down moments this season. But the Titans continue to pour in the goals, led by junior Jenny Call's 10 scores. Two of the team's losses came to 4A opponents.

• Colorado Academy (Denver) (8-1) at Jefferson Academy (Broomfield) (7-0), 6 p.m.
There were some who thought this could be the 3A title game a year ago as the teams entered play as the top two seeds. But while Colorado Academy went on to capture the state championship, Jefferson Academy fell by one goal in the quarterfinals to eventual runner-up The Classical Academy (Colorado Springs).

The 2015 regular-season matchup shouldn't disappoint. Both teams are currently unbeaten in Region 6 play, and the Mustangs' only loss came back on March 11 to 5A Fort Collins in two OTs. Colorado Academy hasn't struggled to find the back of the net, scoring 51 goals in nine games.

Jefferson Academy outscored opponents 46-4 in its first seven games. Seniors Heidi Wendt, Alycia Wright and Marissa Chapman combined to put home 30 of those scores.

• Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch) (8-2) at ThunderRidge (7-0), Shea Stadium
It would only be fitting if the Continental League was decided in the league finale for both squads. ThunderRidge already defeated one of the biggest contenders in Rock Canyon, while Mountain Vista has to play the Jaguars April 14.

Since opening the season with back-to-back losses though, the Golden Eagles won eight in a row by a margin of 57-3. Junior Mallory Pugh has a team-high 19 goals and senior Megan Massey had 13.

ThunderRidge allowed only one goal in its first seven games behind the play of its defense and Macias. Senior Kayla Hill leads the team with 10 goals.