(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
DENVER — Tess Johnson looked up and saw two seconds. She slid — and scored the goal and put Vail Mountain into the first-ever Class 2A girls soccer title game.
Johnson, a freshman, beat the buzzer at halftime to give top-seeded Vail Mountain a 1-0 lead. Officially, she scored with 1.5 seconds remaining. It held up as the lone goal as the Gore Rangers (15-1-0) beat No. 4 Denver Christian in the semifinals.
“We had been talking about playing to the last second and not giving up,” Johnson said after the game. “I saw the ball go over the defense, and I just ran for it.
“It’s all I needed to do, just to get it past the goalie. It was really breath-taking, though, because I heard the cheer and I heard the buzzer go. I got chills.”
Vail Mountain got possession of the ball in its own end with 17 seconds remaining. A few quick passes later, and the Gore Rangers were streaking down the right sideline toward Denver Christian’s net.
A lofted through ball found its way to Johnson, who then tucked it away.
“It was really just a blue-collar goal,” said Vail Mountain coach Bob Bandoni. “We had people scrambling, everybody fighting, and that’s what we talk about, is out-competing the opponents.
“It obviously was frayed around the edges,” he added. “It wasn’t completely structured the way we do it, but that’s the way we need to fight to get goals like that. That was critical timing for us.”
Bandoni added that Denver Christian was “the best team we’ve played.” The win avenged a 4-1 loss to the Crusaders on March 27.
“They were tough,” he said. “I mean they really made us play.”
Vail Mountain will play the winner of the second semifinal at 5 p.m. next Tuesday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
It is the first title game appearance for Vail Mountain in the history of the school’s girls soccer program.
“We’re the first team to do it, and it’s just and honor,” Johnson said.
(3) Dawson 1, (2) Front Range Christian 0
Liv Cramer broke a scoreless tie with 5 1/2 minutes remaining to lift Dawson to the title game.
Both teams had chances throughout, but nothing came to fruition for most of the game. That is, until Cramer broke in alone and tucked a shot in the bottom left corner of the net.
The win means Dawson will reach the title game for the second time in school history. The Mustangs also went to 3A’s title game in 2009, but lost.
Championship matchup
May 19, 5 p.m., at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (Bracket)
- Vail Mountain vs. Dawson