Top teams in Class 5A, such as Air Academy (US Air Force Academy, Colo.), Fairview (Boulder, Colo.), Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and Chatfield (Littleton, Colo.), all ranked in the top 10 in The Denver Post’s preseason list, have stumbled some so far this season.
Some of those losses have been understandable, though. Mountain Vista, for example, dropped 2-1 matches to Air Academy and Poudre (Fort Collins, Colo.), both on the road. Air Academy lost 2-1 to Golden (Golden, Colo.). The Class 4A Demons are potent offensively and have “quality losses” to Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Colo.) and Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs, Colo.).
Note that none of the disappointing losses are from Centennial League teams. Grandview (Aurora, Colo.) and Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village, Colo.) are off to impressive starts, and it will be interesting to see how they do at a Missouri tournament in April.
At 4-0, Arapahoe (Littleton, Colo.) might be the most impressive of all. The Warriors beat Fairview for the championship of their own invitational tournament, a loaded affair. Late last week, Arapahoe beat the snow by a day and Legacy (Broomfield, Colo.) by three goals for its most recent win.
Warriors coach Kirk Bast was especially pleased with how Arapahoe handled having six players out of action, from injuries or having just attended a get-together in Las Vegas. So, reserves and players who have just become varsity regulars this season got the test against the Lightning and passed, with a 3-0 grade.
“Thus far, I’d say we have more depth than I thought,” Bast said, who wasn’t able to substitute liberally against Legacy.
The Warriors had a few players dominate, especially when Arapahoe had the ball. Forward Tessa Neal used her speed on the right side to get free a couple of times. She had the first shot on goal, saved by Lightning goalkeeper Jordyn Osenbaugh. But Neal then kept possession during a long run down the right side and opened the scoring with a goal.
“She does have the pace and she has been developing a higher level of play,” Bast said of Neal. “She does have the pace, and determination with that.”
Arapahoe then had its scoring combination of Tori Amsberry-to-Laura Feehs register the final two goals.
Amsberry had an ideal pass for the first one, right to Feehs and timed well enough for her teammate to have a one-one-one shot that got past Osenbaugh. Bast said Amsberry also has a talent for chipping, something he sees as a bit of a lost art among current players. Feehs was very composed on both her goals, when more haste might have spoiled the chances.
Upwardly mobile?
Some of the good Class 4A and 3A teams haven’t done so well in games against bigger schools. Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), which some think is a good bet to make the 4A final, lost 3-1 to Ponderosa (Parker, Colo.) at its own tournament, but the Eagles have victories against four other 5A schools.
Ponderosa has equaled Arapahoe’s early season success, too. The Mustangs are 6-0 and have beaten Heritage (Littleton, Colo.) in addition to the quality Valor Christian victory.
Faith Christian (Arvada, Colo.), the 3A champion two years ago, lost 4-1 to Smoky Hill (Aurora, Colo.), a marked contrast to 7-0 and 10-0 wins against George Washington (Denver, Colo.) and Lutheran (Denver, Colo.), respectively. St. Mary's (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Faith’s rival when it comes to championship soccer finals, lost 3-0 to Air Academy in a much-anticipated match last week.
Looking ahead
Weather already has disrupted the schedule somewhat, and Tuesday’s snowstorm might throw games into further disarray. So, some potentially good matches might not be played this week, but here’s what was on the schedule.
Jefferson Academy (Broomfield, Colo.) is scheduled to visit Clear Creek (Idaho Springs, Colo.) on Wednesday and both teams, while playing few games, are undefeated. Faith Christian takes on Machebeuf and Valor Christian meets Regis Jesuit in two games where the visitor is favored.
More likely to be held are Columbine at Wheat Ridge and Cherry Creek at Fort Collins, as those are scheduled for Thursday.
