After posting consecutive ties, the East Angels were hungry for a change Tuesday against George Washington.
“It was all or nothing,” Angels senior Logan McHenry said. “We either wanted to win city, or not make the playoffs at all.”
The Angels got it all.
McHenry got a scrappy goal in the 30th minute and Paula Davis added another with 10 minutes remaining as the Angels dethroned the Patriots with a 2-0 victory to secure their first Class 5A Denver Prep League title since 2002.
In a battle of two comparable squads, East tipped the balance with determined individual efforts. McHenry and Sophie Galleher were tireless up top, while defenders Alex McHenry and Jessie Schreiber were fast and physical in the back.
“I feel we really went for the air balls more and we really just weren’t going to stand for GW to cut in front of us,” Galleher said.
The Angels (8-4-2, 7-0-2 in league), who began the season 0-4, extended their unbeaten streak to 10 games and notched their seventh shutout of the season. Goalie Corah Overbury made seven saves for the Angels to punctuate the first season under Beth Hinz, who has coached the East boys team since 2001.
The Patriots (10-5, 7-2) had their four-game winning streak snapped despite outshooting the Angels 7-3.
George Washington had not given up a goal in its past four games before Logan McHenry broke through.
McHenry circled with the ball and smashed through a defender before chasing the ball into the penalty area. Patriots goalie Annie Johnston slid for the ball, but it hopped up and struck McHenry as she was somersaulting over the netminder.
The ball trickled in, and McHenry was left with a puzzled look.
“I thought they were calling it back,” she said. “I thought (the referee) was pulling out a yellow (card) on me.”
The Patriots’ best chances to score came in the ninth and 49th minutes.
In the ninth minute, a defender kicked Rosalind Klann’s header out of the goal and Overbury saved Taryn Tung’s follow-up attempt. In the 49th, Overbury pushed wide a curving shot by striker Lauren Schumacher.
The Angels nearly scored in the 67th minute on a close-range rip by Sarah Ewing before Davis sealed the victory in the 70th.
Davis came up from the midfield to blast a loose ball from 30 yards out that beat Johnston perfectly to her far post.
George Washington 0 0 – 0
East 1 1 – 2
Goals – L. McHenry (unassisted), 30th minute; Davis (unassisted), 70th.
Shots on goal – George Washington 2-5 – 7; East 1-2 – 3. Saves – George Washington (Johnston) 0-1 – 1; East (Overbury) 2-5 – 7.
Offsides – George Washington 0-0 – 0; East 2-0 – 2. Corner kicks – George Washington 2-2 – 4; East 0-2 – 2. Fouls – George Washington 2-2 – 4; East 1-2 – 3. Yellow cards – None.
