Denver Post preps editor Kyle Newman caught up with Cherokee Trail striker Raye Burton to discuss prospects for No. 7 Cherokee Trail (3-1-1) and much more. The senior leads the Cougars with six goals and will play in college at the Universityof Montana.
Q: How are you feeling about your team at this point in the season?
A: I feel good. We beata really good team in Columbine and then tied a really good team in Regis Jesuit, and I think our loss to Heritage was a wake-up call for us. That was at the Air Force Academy tournament, and the past two years we’ve won that tournament. That loss was almost needed for us, and it’swhy we were able to beat Columbine the next game and push through to a tie with Regis.
Q: How are intangibles such as experience and confidence playing into the team’s success so far?
A: Most of the team is all returning lettermen, so it’s just good to have an understanding of each other. We all know how we all play, and we already have that bond off the field, too, which helps us during games early in the year.
Last year, we lost by one goal toGrandview in the league championship, and then by one goal to Mountain Vista in the second round of the playoffs. Those were the two teams that ended up in the championship game, so that made us feel really good about what we accomplished and our prospects for this year. It gives us confidencethat this year, despite our loss to Heritage and the fact we have a lot of improving to do, that we’re a good team that can only go forward from here.
Q: With Grandview in particular, what can you tell me about your experience playing for three years in that rivalry?
A: They’re a great rival.Grandview was the only team we lost to in the Centennial League last year, so of course we’re out to get them. Since I’ve been in high school, we’ve lost to them three years in a row, so we want to beat them this year to prove that we’re just as good if not better than the two-time defending state champions.
Q: What’s the team’s goal this season?
A: A main goal for us is to make is past the second round, because that’s as far as we’ve ever gotten. To do that we have to keep playing how we know how to play, and to give every game everything we have. That’s how we’ll continue to make a name for this program.
