No. 1 Classical Academy 1, No. 8 Colorado Academy 0 ()
After two straight seasons of quarterfinal disappointment, The Classical Academy finally got over the hump.
On Thursday night, the Titans edged Colorado Academy 1-0 to advance to the Class 3A girls’ soccer semifinals for the first time in school history.
After a scoreless half, senior midfielder Molly Bender broke through for the Titans. In the first minute after intermission, Bender took a direct kick from the left wing. The shot appeared as though it would be stopped by goalkeeper Emily Orendorff, who got a hand on the ball. The deflection rolled slowly toward the goal and eventually stopped in the net.
— David Martin,
No. 4 Manitou Springs 2, No. 5 Peak to Peak 1 (OT) ()
Manitou Springs and Peak to Peak battled for more than 93 minutes. Then, with one play, the Mustangs were headed back to the 3A semifinals with a 2-1 overtime victory.
Kirstin Vogel found just enough space to deke two defenders and beat goalie Corey Johnson for the game-winner with 1:39 left in the first overtime.
“As I was dribbling the ball, I was thinking that I didn’t want to lose this game,” the sophomore forward said. “When it went in, I felt relief because this team gets to play another game.”
— Justin Shaw,
No. 15 St. Mary’s Academy 1, No. 7 The Academy 0 ( | )
St. Mary’s Academy set up a semifinal matchup with defending champion St. with a 1-0 quarterfinals win at Five Star North, thanks to another late goal by freshman Julia O’Flaherty.
“They’re starting to call me the Playoff Queen,” said O’Flaherty, who also scored a double-overtime goal in a second-round upset of No. 2 seed Holy Family.
O’Flaherty, whose twin sister, Darrah, also plays for the Wildcats, found herself alone on the left side after a ball ricocheted off an opposing player, and she quickly found the net with only nine minutes remaining in regulation.
— Paul Willis, Special to The Denver Post
No. 3 St. Mary’s 4, Coal Ridge 0 ()
With a 4-0 win over Coal Ridge on Thursday, St. Mary’s moved one step closer to capturing their second straight championship.
Third-seeded St. Mary’s (14-3-1) and No. 6 Coal Ridge (14-2-2) engaged in a physical first half. A few violent collisions left some players sore but no worse for wear until a physical tackle on Pirates senior forward Jenny Nagl in the 24th minute. On a close play where both players were making a play for the ball, Nagl suffered a knee injury that knocked her out of the contest.
Her injury seemed to revive the St. Mary’s attack, as sophomore forward Dawn Reachard scored minutes later on a shot that caromed off the far post for the only goal of the half.
— Nathanael Marley,
