Fort Collins – The number just to the left of Fort Collins on the boys soccer playoff bracket (the seed) doesn’t matter.
The same could be said for the Lambkins’ Class 5A quarterfinal opponent, 26th-seeded Rangeview, which had notched playoff victories over Lewis- Palmer and Cherry Creek.
The Raiders outplayed 18th- seeded Fort Collins the first 10 minutes of Tuesday night’s match. Then a red card shown to sophomore Dean Marsden in the 13th minute forced Range- view to play short-handed, and it never recovered.
Defending 5A champion Fort Collins advanced to the semi- finals with a 2-0 victory at J. Ray French Field. The Lambkins will face their second consecutive Continental League opponent – this time 11th-seeded Ponderosa, a 2-1 winner over Chatfield – at 10 a.m. Saturday at Englewood Stadium.
“It’s all very surprising, but on the same hand, we’ve worked very hard for it,” Fort Collins senior Steve Emory said. “We just always seem to come through in the playoffs.”
All eyes were on Fort Collins’ Alexander Deitz and Range- view’s Ri Armstrong and their battle for control of midfield. Rangeview (11-6-1) had four corner kicks before Marsden’s red card, but never got a great look.
“The ejection turned the entire scope of the game,” Range- view coach Vic Strouse said.
The Lambkins (11-6-1) capitalized on the extra midfield space in the 23rd minute, getting a goal from Aaron Skipworth.
Rangeview 0 0 – 0
Fort Collins 1 1 – 2
Goals – Skipworth (Emory) 23rd minute; Emory (Dahlinger) 59th. Shots on goal – Rangeview 2-1 – 3; Fort Collins 3-3 – 6. Saves – Range-
view (Euell) 2-2 – 4; Fort Collins (Couperus) 2-1 – 3. Corner kicks – Rangeview 4-0 – 4; Fort Collins 3-2 – 5. Offsides – Rangeview 0-0 – 0; Fort Collins 0-2 – 2. Fouls – Rangeview 2-2 – 4; Fort Collins 6-8 – 14. Yellow cards – R. Armstrong, R, 13th minute; Dahlinger, FC, 62nd; Kreutzer, FC, 67th. Red card – Marsden, R, 13th.
Jon E. Yunt can be reached at 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com.
