Sand Creek senior Jaden Davis (10) helps lead a talented and hungry Scorpions team into the Class 4A season. A state qualifier last season, Sand Creek is off to a 6-0 start by outscoring its opponents 51-4.
File photo by Chris Fehrm
As a program that returned to the postseason last spring after a three-year absence, the
Sand Creek (Colorado Springs) girls soccer team is certainly trending upward.
But the Scorpions aren't looking to simply build off an 11-win season that ended with a 3-2 loss to
Battle Mountain (Edwards) in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs. Instead, a team that didn't graduate any seniors – and added even more depth in 2019 – is thinking of a much bigger picture.
"Our first meeting, I literally told them that anything less than a state title is a disappointment," longtime Sand Creek coach Jeremy Tafoya said. "That's probably one of the first sentences I said to them, and they've embraced it. They're all pretty much in agreement."
It's certainly a lofty ambition for the Scorpions, but a challenge the team is ready to meet head on. Sand Creek jumped into the 4A CHSAANow.com poll that was released Monday at No. 7, and the Scorpions have won their first six games by a combined margin of 51-4.
"I'm really trying to get them into the mindset that when you step onto that pitch," Tafoya said, "you're the best team, period."
The 4A classification has a much different look this spring. Defending state champion
Windsor moved up to 5A, as did state runner-up
Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch). Last spring marked the first time in nine years that a team from the Jeffco League or the Pikes Peak League – in which Sand Creek resides – didn't end the season with the 4A trophy. The Pikes Peak League enjoyed a run of five consecutive state titles from 2012-16.
"Our league is super strong," Tafoya said.
Sand Creek made some inroads in Pikes Peak play a year ago, finishing tied for first with
Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs) in the league standings. The Scorpions finished the regular season by playing the Indians to a 1-1 tie, and the only loss – a 4-3 setback to
Lewis-Palmer (Monument) – came after Sand Creek was a player down because of injury.
Tafoya said that might be the single biggest difference between teams of the past and this year's group. Even a 15-win squad that reached the 4A semifinals in 2014 didn't carry as deep of a bench.
"We've never had the depth that we have this year," Tafoya said. "I can rest some people when they're tired. I think Jaden Davis played every minute of every game her first two years at the school."
Offense hasn't been a problem this year, nor was it a year ago. Six players finished the 2018 season with at least eight goals, three of whom were freshmen. One of those players, Lasater, scored a team-high 32 goals and finished second to Davis with 13 assists. Another freshman,
Lexi Montero, was in net all season. Lasater has 19 goals and 11 assists through the first six games, and Ledoux has 10 goals and 12 assists.
"What Sydney has always had is that ability to score. Even when she was nine or 10, she just has a thing for scoring goals," Tafoya said. "Her biggest asset is that if she's near the net, she knows how to get that extra step to get her shot off."
After not graduating any seniors in 2018, Sand Creek has eight on the roster this spring. That includes
Miranda Schwartz, who returned to the pitch this season after taking some last year off. The build back to being a contender has taken some time, but the pieces are certainly in place for Sand Creek to make a run.
In order for that to happen, though, Tafoya said the team has to have it in them to take care of business and not leave it in the hands of anything else.
"Honestly I believe it's the mindset. They just have to believe," he said. "The talent is there. It feels like it's one of those things if it all comes together, we should not lose."
While the weather hasn't cooperated much this month, teams are slowly starting to settle into a rhythm headed into spring break. With that in mind, here is a quick overview of each of the state's four classifications:
Class 5A
Defending champion: Grandview (Aurora)Returning all-state players (first and second team): Tessa Barton, Sr., Columbine (1st team);
Abby Gearhart, Sr., Windsor (1st team, 4A);
Elle Gill, Sr., Cherry Creek (2nd team);
Mallory Mooney, Jr., Broomfield (1st team).
Tessa Barton (2), Columbine
File photo by Jeffrey Tucker
The state's top classification got even deeper with the addition of reigning 4A champion Windsor and 4A runner-up Valor Christian. … Grandview won its third title in four years last spring.
Kendra Gipson was second on the team with 12 goals as a junior, and the Wolves graduated only five seniors. …
Broomfield graduated a 32-goal scorer in Hailey Stodden, but Mallory Mooney had 15 goals and 12 assists as a sophomore. …
Rock Canyon (Highlands Ranch) has a good mix of experience and youth, with eight seniors but also four freshmen on varsity. …
Arapahoe (Centennial), which took
Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch) to a shootout in the second round last spring, is already off to a 5-0 start. The Warriors own victory over Vista and
Columbine (Littleton), and senior
Audrey Weiss has five goals and two assists. …
Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) won its first four games. The Bruins have seven freshmen on varsity.
Class 4A
Defending champion: Windsor (now in 5A)
Returning all-state players (first and second team): Jaden Davis, Sr., Sand Creek (2nd team);
Kaitlin Hinkle, Sr.,
Pueblo County (2nd team);
Allie Jones, So., Pueblo Centennial (2nd team);
Nicolette Sandoval, Sr., Holy Family (2nd team).
Overview: With Windsor and Valor Christian moving up a classification, a new champion will be crowned in the 4A ranks. …
Green Mountain (Lakewood), which gave No. 3
Holy Family (Broomfield) a run in the second round last May, has won its first five games, including victories over Lewis-Palmer and
Silver Creek (Longmont). Senior
Olivia Pietro leads the Rams with seven goals and sophomore Makenzi Dowell has four goals and three assists. … Holy Family has yet to play a game, but the Tigers were young a year ago. Nicolette Sandoval led the team with 15 goals and nine assists as a junior. … Silver Creek's only loss a year ago came to Windsor in the semifinals. The team's leading scorers,
Alexa Karsel and
Colleen Tyrrell, are back. … Like Sand Creek,
Pueblo Centennial was a scoring machine in 2018. The Bulldogs scored 119 goals, and the team returns its four leading scorers. That includes Allie Jones, who had 32 goals as a freshman. …
Montrose, which won only five games in 2018, is off to a 4-0 start that included a two-overtime victory over 2018 semifinalist
Glenwood Springs.
Class 3A
Defending champion: Jefferson Academy (Broomfield)Returning all-state players (first and second team): Emily Broadhurst, Jr.,
Roaring Fork (Carbondale) (2nd team);
Marley Chappel, Jr.,
Vail Mountain (1st team);
Sidney Chong, Sr., Kent Denver (2nd team);
Emma Day, Jr.,
Mira Houck, Jefferson Academy
File photo by Derek Regensburger
(1st team);
Becca Dunbaugh, Sr.,
St. Mary's (Colorado Springs) (2nd team);
Taylor Ehlert, Sr.,
Middle Park (Granby) (2nd team);
Mika Fisher, Sr., Kent Denver (1st team);
Kelley Francis, So., Aspen (1st team);
Catie Groves, Sr., Colorado Academy (1st team);
Kait Halverson, Sr.,
Colorado Springs Christian (2nd team);
Mira Houck, Sr., Jefferson Academy (1st team);
Annabelle Johnson, Jr., Kent Denver (1st team).
Overview: After a Metro League team didn't win the title in 2017 – the first time in six years for that to happen – Jefferson Academy put the league back on top with a championship in 2018. The Jaguars return Player of the Year Mira Houck, who had 12 goals and seven assists as a junior. Goalkeeper
Brooklynn Kirkpatrick returns after a great sophomore campaign. … Annabelle Johnson is back for
Kent Denver (Cherry Hills Village) after scoring 27 goals as a sophomore. The Sun Devils also have two all-state talents back in Mika Fisher and Sidney Chong. ... Two of three
Colorado Academy (Denver) losses last spring came to Kent Denver, including one in the semifinals. The Mustangs opened with a shutout of 4A runner-up Valor Christian. …
Carli Haney had 10 goals and seven assists as a freshman for
Lutheran (Parker). The Lions have won three of their first four, with the only loss coming to Denver Christian. …
Aspen upset Lutheran in the quarterfinals and played Jefferson Academy to a 1-0 game in the semis. Kelley Francis led the Skiers with 32 goals as a freshman.
Class 2A
Defending champion: Dawson School (Lafayette)Returning all-state players (first and second team): Kara Amidon, Jr., Denver Christian (1st team);
Cameron Epstein, Sr., Dawson School (1st team);
Tess Fenerty, Sr., Crested Butte (1st team);
Degen Miller, So., Dawson School (1st team).
Overview: After finishing as the runner-up in each of the classification's first three years, Dawson School finally broke through last spring with a state championship. Reigning Player of the Year Cameron Epstein returns after an 11-goal, 13-assist junior year, and Degen Miller led the team with 25 goals as a freshman. …
Denver Christian graduated Miranda Kortenhoeven, but the Thunder return leading scorer Kara Amidon (23 goals, 14 assists). …
Crested Butte graduated only one senior off a team that reached the semifinals. …
Fountain Valley (Colorado Springs) graduated leading scorer Ani Love, but
Eryn Mitchell had 14 as a freshman.
