Cherry Hills Village – Beware the freshman.
With all the attention being paid to Faith Christian senior striker Marissa Ranberger this season, one might expect a petite ninth-grader like Athena Lopez to assume a low profile.
With the Class 3A Metropolitan League title on the line, along with the top playoff seed that always seems to accompany it, Lopez shined brightest on a field cluttered with stars.
Lopez scored early in the first half and late in the second to lead the No. 2 Eagles to a 2-0 victory over No. 1 Kent Denver at Justin DeSorrento Memorial Field.
Gracious and prone to giggle, Lopez credited her teammates and said she had few concerns playing in arguably her biggest prep game.
“You just got to relax,” Lopez said.
The Eagles were nearly flawless in the first half, blanketing the Sun Devils with a quick possession game anchored by midfielders Kathleen Paulsen and Nicole Lukens. Kent Denver responded in the second half but was unable to penetrate the attacking zone and was outshot 13-2.
“They didn’t play as well as I’ve seen them play,” Eagles coach Will Lind said of the Sun Devils. “I know that’s not their best, but we played well.”
The defending state champion Eagles (12-0-2, 8-0-1 league) won their sixth straight and notched their 10th shutout of the season. The victory was the first over Kent Denver since the Eagles’ 2002 state championship season.
The Sun Devils (12-2-1, 8-1) lost for the first time this season to a 3A opponent and had their eight-game unbeaten stretch halted. Playing without goalie Brianna Dix (shoulder), the Sun Devils limited Ranberger to two long-range shots but were unable to counterattack with conviction.
Kent Denver’s best scoring chance was on Alex Marsh’s header off Britta Holum’s corner kick in the 61st minute.
“We didn’t pressure their defense enough,” Sun Devils coach Daniel Gilden said.
Lopez punctuated a flying start for the Eagles with a goal in the fourth minute, 42 seconds after she nearly scored off a long run down the left side. Lopez found a soft spot in the Sun Devils’ defense for her goal, where she made a quick turn between Halley Everall and Adrienne Goetz and drove a shot inside the left post.
Lopez sealed the victory in the 72nd minute with a nice piece of possession. The Sun Devils could not clear the ball and Aubrey Fondy hit a low crossing shot to the far post that Lopez punched home.
Faith Christian 1 1 – 2
Kent Denver 0 0 – 0
Goals – Lopez (unassisted), 4th minute; Lopez (Fondy), 72nd.
Shots on goal – Faith Christian 7-6 – 13; Kent Denver 1-1 – 2. Saves – Faith Christian (Zevenbergen) 1-1 – 2; Kent Denver (Waltz) 6-5 – 11. Offsides – Faith Christian 0-0 – 0; Kent Denver 1-0 – 1. Corner kicks – Faith Christian 1-2 – 3; Kent Denver 1-4 – 5. Fouls – Faith Christian 0-2 – 2; Kent Denver 4-2 – 6.
