LITTLETON — If the Arapahoe girls soccer team keeps this up, its Centennial League colleagues may want to give the Warriors the boot back to where they came from.
Back in the league they started in so long ago, the soccer-rich Warriors finished the regular season with zero in the loss column (12-0-3) after a 2-0 victory over Grandview on Thursday at Littleton Public Schools Stadium.
Arapahoe, which for many years before this one played in the Continental League, finished second in the Centennial (5-0-2), posting ties against league champion Cherry Creek (6-0-1) and Smoky Hill. It will await its fate when the CHSAA seeds the 32-team field Sunday.
“I feel like we can be better,” Arapahoe coach Kirk Bast said. “The length of how long we played well, we have to improve that.”
Grandview, in coach Bruce Brown’s final regular-season game, finished third in the rough-and-tumble Centennial with a 5-2 league record and is 11-3 overall.
Arapahoe jumped on the board early, making every soccer coach’s dream come true, when it successfully converted a set-piece (corner kick). Laura Feehs’ corner hit defender Allie Stone on the far post, and the junior finished with ease.
“It’s nice to finally finish one in a game,” Feehs said.
Feehs gave the Warriors a 2-0 lead in the 18th minute with a 25-yard, left-footed rocket that a diving Jessica Goodlet could not get a hand on.
“A 2-0 lead is the worst lead. I hate it,” Bast said.
One goal was all the Wolves needed to turn around the momentum, and they had their chances. Lauren Cingoranelli’s breakaway was deflected by goalie Katie Swanson and eventually cleared off the line.
The best second-half chance came from Kayla Stahalik, who watched Swanson make the last of her seven saves to preserve the shutout.
Grandview 0 0 — 0
Arapahoe 2 0 — 2
Goals — Stone (Feehs), 2nd minute; Feehs (Bast), 18th.
Shots on goal — Grandview 3-4 — 7; Arapahoe 2-1 — 3. Saves — Grandview (Goodlet) 0-1 — 1; Arapahoe (Swanson) 3-4 — 7. Corner kicks — Grandview 1-3 — 4; Arapahoe 2-2 — 4. Offside — Grandview 0-0 — 0; Arapahoe 0-0 — 0. Fouls — Grandview 4-4 — 8; Arapahoe 6-5 — 11. Yellow cards — None.
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
