Colorado girls soccer playoffs reach fevered pitch

Playing stingy defense is nothing new to the Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch) girls soccer team, and it has always been a trademark of coach Theresa Echtermeyer's boys and girls teams at Mountain Vista, in addition to her standout teams years ago at Green Mountain.

Yet when it recently was pointed out to Echtermeyer that this spring's Golden Eagles club had allowed only two goals in 15 games, even the veteran coach was taken aback.

"Kind of crazy, huh?" Echtermeyer said. "Last year I think we gave up only eight goals, the year before maybe seven. That's our signature. Playing great defense, that's our goal every year."

That defense has carried Mountain Vista to a 14-1 record, a Continental League crown and the top seed in the Class 5A state tournament for the third year in a row. Still stung by a penalty-kick loss against league rival Rock Canyon during last year's quarterfinals, Mountain Vista will begin its quest for a second state title in three years when it opens the postseason Tuesday against Prairie View (Henderson).

Rock Canyon (Highlands Ranch), which the Golden Eagles defeated 2-0 on April 12, figures to be in the mix again as the No. 3 seed, while Front Range League champ Legacy (Broomfield), led by University of Georgia recruit Kelsey Killean, earned the No. 2 seed.

Yet teams are well aware that anything can happen during the state tournament and need to look no further than last year's bracket as a reminder, when Fairview reached the title game after entering the fray as the No. 15 seed.

While Mountain Vista has used two goalies — another trademark of Echtermeyer's teams when the talent level between the pipes allows it — with Torell Stewart and Danielle Cushing combining to record the Golden Eagles' 13 shutouts. But it has been the work of Mountain Vista's talented back line that has led the team's remarkable defensive effort, and it is a group that features three Division I recruits in Gabbi Miranda (UCLA), Mariel Adams (Notre Dame) and Emily Jones (Pepperdine).

One of the two goals that group has allowed in 15 games occurred during a 4-1 win against ThunderRidge on March 19. The other was a tally by Pine Creek senior Gabbi Ligotti that handed the Golden Eagles their only loss in a 1-0 decision on April 13 when Mountain Vista was playing its third game in as many days — a stretch that included the Rock Canyon tilt a day earlier that essentially decided the Continental League championship.

"We have a lot of experience, and that's a big part of it," Echtermeyer said. "The other part is that we keep the ball a lot. Last year we couldn't finish a game in the quarterfinals that we dominated. The seniors that were here two years ago remember what it feels like to win, and the rest of them all remember what it felt like last year. They know which one they'd rather have in the postseason."

The Class 4A field once again is top-heavy with perennial favorites, as Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs), Broomfield (Broomfield), Palmer Ridge (Monument) and Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) earning the top four seeds.

Cheyenne Mountain used a strong late surge to win the Pikes Peak League crown and capture the tournament's top seed, recording wins over the final two weeks of the regular season against Sand Creek, defending state champ Air Academy, Palmer Ridge and Wheat Ridge.

The travails of Palmer Ridge (Monument) over the final week of the regular season shows just how wide-open the 4A tournament is expected to be. The Bears entered the final week having ascended to the top spot of the weekly Denver Post 4A coaches poll on the heels of a 1-0 win at Broomfield. However, Palmer Ridge proceeded to lose its shot at a conference crown with final-week defeats against Air Academy and Cheyenne Mountain.

"With our league, I think we had one of the top three toughest schedules in the state, so we're battle-tested," Cheyenne Mountain coach Tomas Martinez said. "Valor beat us, we beat Palmer Ridge, Palmer Ridge beat Broomfield. So I think that top four is accurate, and I think with that top eight anyone can win the championship."

In Class 3A, the top four seeds went to The Classical Academy (Colorado Springs), defending state champion Peak to Peak (Lafayette), Coal Ridge (New Castle) and Colorado Academy (Denver). The 5A tournament begins Tuesday with the 4A tournament kicking off on Wednesday. The 3A tournament will play its first two rounds on Friday and Saturday.