Colorado boys soccer championship games on tap

Boulder head boys soccer coach Hardy Kalisher is the leader of arguably the hottest, most well-rounded team in the state. Yet as he was watching Smoky Hill (Aurora) play for the first time this season during the state semifinals Wednesday, the Buffaloes' Jeff Gillis did something to Kalisher that he has done to many a defender this season.

Gillis' awesome display of skill left Kalisher shaking his head.

Slowing down the Buffaloes' high-scoring striker will be the top priority for Boulder on Saturday, when the sixth-seeded Panthers make their first appearance in the Class 5A state title match against 10th-seeded Smoky Hill.

The Boulder-Smoky Hill tilt will cap a tripleheader day of state final play at the home of the Colorado Rapids, Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The coronation day for three teams begins with the Class 3A final between Kent Denver (Englewood) and Colorado Academy (Denver) at 11 a.m., followed by Palmer Ridge (Monument) and undefeated Battle Mountain (Edwards) vying for the 4A title.

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"I watched them play and clearly they are going to come with energy," said Kalisher, whose club has won 11 of 12 games following a 2-5 start. "They have a very dangerous striker and a center-mid (Kevin Del Mazo) who has got a lot of skill and presence. They're organized. Their coach knows what they're doing. But we'll be prepared."

Boulder goalkeeper Henry Huettel goes into the title match having posted back-to-back shutouts against Rock Canyon (Highlands Ranch) and Fairview (Boulder), and the Panthers' four-man back line is coming off an impressive display while slowing down a dangerous Fairview attack during the semifinals.

Yet that group will have its hands full with Gillis. The Smoky Hill senior leads 5A with 21 goals, and on Wednesday he converted the winning goal in overtime to give the Buffaloes a 1-0 victory against Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) in the semifinals.

In Class 4A, top-seeded Palmer Ridge is coming off a dominating performance against Mullen (Denver) in the state semifinals. The Bears earned their first trip to the 4A final by completely dismantling the defending champion Mustangs for a 5-0 victory.

While it was an impressive display by an offense that received goals from five different players, Palmer Ridge coach Nick Odil knows it will be the play of his dominant defense that will be the biggest key in the Bears' quest of landing their first title.

Led by senior goalkeeper John Kochanski, Palmer Ridge has posted 12 shutouts this season, including a current streak of three in a row during the state tournament. The Bears (17-1-1) have allowed only 10 goals all season, half of which occurred in back-to-back midseason games—a 3-2 setback in their only loss of the season against Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch), and a 3-2 win against Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs).

The Bears then turned around and shut out their league rivals from Cheyenne Mountain in the state quarterfinals.

"Our defense has been great. We've been playing good defense all year," Odil said. "Battle Mountain is a great team and we'll have our hands full. They have a lot of skill players who move the ball well and they use the whole field. I love my defense, they've been playing well, but (Battle Mountain) has a lot of great attackers. I think it will be an awesome game."

The 3A final between fifth-seeded Kent Denver and second-seeded Colorado Academy could prove to be a showdown between Colorado Academy's high-scoring offense against the Sun Devils' staunch defense.

The Mustangs have outscored their four playoff opponents by a combined 12-1 while getting held to less than two goals on only two occasions, both of which occurred during the first four games of the season.

Colorado Academy defeated Kent Denver 2-0 on Oct. 13 behind goals from Griffin O'Brien and Robert Wright.