Westminster – Anyone who has followed high school soccer in Colorado for the past decade can’t help but think of those early ThunderRidge teams when you see the success first-year Mountain Range is having.
“I don’t know if we are there with ThunderRidge,” Mustangs coach Brad McNear said. “But it definitely has the potential.”
Those ThunderRidge teams won Class 3A titles in 1999 and 2000. Mountain Range won its first playoff game Wednesday, a 3-2 victory over Conifer to advance to the second round of the Class 4A girls state tournament.
The Mustangs (15-1) play Pueblo South or Montezuma-Cortez in the second round Saturday.
Mountain Range used its decisive speed advantage to open the scoring in the first 10 minutes. Brandi Hopkins, one of four sophomores on the team’s 24-player roster (the rest are freshmen), got to the flag first, cut to the goal and sent a perfect pass to Anna Dolezal, who finished into a wide-open net.
“I think people should be scared of us, because who thinks a team full of freshmen and sophomores are as good as we are,” Hopkins said. “The intensity level always seems to pick up after we get that first goal.”
“I don’t look at soccer players in terms of what year they are. I look at what they can do on the field,” Conifer coach Bragi Schreffler said.
Mountain Range took a 2-0 lead seven minutes later, an identical run of the first goal with different characters. Shelby Griego set up Tonya Salter for the two-goal cushion.
But Conifer (7-8-1) didn’t wilt and responded just 32 seconds later. Carissa London, who later scored on a penalty kick, went through the heart of the Mustangs’ defense after receiving a free kick from Gina Ayers and beat goalkeeper Mallory Wick.
Mountain Range’s Mary Dorr again created a two-goal lead, scoring early in the second half.
Conifer 1 1 – 2
Mountain Range 2 1 – 3
Goals – MR: Dolezal (Hopkins), 10th minute; Salter (S. Griego), 17th; C: London (Ayers), 18th; MR: Dorr (B. Griego), 46th; C: London (penalty kick), 70th.
Shots on goal – Conifer 5-2 – 7; Mountain Range 6-4 – 10. Saves – Conifer (Schavietello) 4-3 – 7; Mountain Range (Wick) 4-1 – 5. Corner kicks – Conifer 0-0 – 0; Mountain Range 2-2 – 4. Offsides – Conifer 0-1 – 1; Mountain Range 0-1 – 1. Fouls – Conifer 3-1 – 4; Mountain Range 2-5 – 7. Yellow card – Swenson, MR, 70th minute.
Jon E. Yunt can be reached at 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com.
