(Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com)
(1) Colorado Academy 4, (4) Palmer Ridge 2
DENVER — Palmer Ridge forward Sydney Chytka placed Colorado Academy in an unfamiliar position.
During a now 69-game unbeaten streak, the Mustangs haven’t exactly been used to trailing. But, Chytka, a sophomore, applied pressure early with a goal one minute and 26 seconds into the Bears’ semifinal showdown with CA on Wednesday. Palmer Ridge was rolling.
(Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com)
Then, a goal by Clara Petch, the state’s leading scorer, twelve minutes later righted the ship. Two more goals by Emma Richards opened up a lead and before the Bears could fully recover, Colorado Academy earned their way to a fifth consecutive state championship appearance with a 4-2 victory.
Colorado Academy coach Veronica Scott was quick to credit Palmer Ridge though, a team the ‘Stangs have knocked out of the playoffs five times in a row, for challenging them.
“We played a really good team,” Scott said. “They came out and you have to give them absolute respect. I’m really proud of the girls. We came from a position we haven’t experienced that much during the year. They came out hard, hit us with that first goal, and our girls had to dig deep.”
They did just that, even as Palmer Ridge, after trailing 2-1 at the half and 3-1 with 27 minutes remaining, pulled within 3-2 on a Shannon Snediker goal off an assist from Liz Phillips. Nellie Turnage got the insurance goal for the Mustangs with 4:44 left.
With the win, Colorado Academy improves to 16-0-1 on the season. They also beat the Bears 1-0 Sept. 12 and 4-1 on Oct. 12 and, as mentioned, have a long history of success against Palmer Ridge (12-4-1), even while the Bears have been arguably the second best program in the state in recent years.
CA took out Palmer Ridge in the state finals in 2014, the semifinals in 2013, the state finals in 2012, and the semifinals in 2011.
Bottom line, Colorado Academy will be going for their fourth consecutive state championship on Saturday at All-City Stadium, a feat only Kent Denver (2003-2006) has accomplished. The Mustangs did become the first program in history to reach five consecutive finals as only Kent and CA (runner-up every year from 2004-2007) had ever reached four in a row.
(3) Cherry Creek 1, (2) Regis Jesuit 0
(Brock Laue/CHSAANow.com)
In a scoreless game through 37 minutes, and while going against a returning all-state goalie in Claire Stemper, the Bruins knew they needed an offensive sparkplug.
They found one in Ashley Hilyard, a senior midfielder who was able to rifle a shot past Stemper with just under 23 minutes to play. The goal proved the difference in a 1-0 semifinals victory over Regis Jesuit, sealing a 6th state finals appearance for Cherry Creek (11-3-1) and their first since 2013, when they were the runner-up to Colorado Academy.
After splitting the regular season series with the Raiders (8-3-5) as Creek won 1-0 on the road on Sept. 8 but lost at home 2-0 on Oct. 6, the Bruins had plenty of scoring opportunities in the first half, but were never able to garner a lead. That is, until Hilyard came through.
“We had so many opportunities,” the senior said. “I was just glad we could finish one.”
“We knew it was going to be a battle,” Cherry Creek coach Taylor Silvestro added. “We played Regis twice during the season and those were great games. They are a hard working team and they have a lot of strong players. We knew we had to win fifty-fifty balls and we were able to do that.”
And so, Creek is back in the championship game against the dynasty that is Colorado Academy. The Bruins have reached the finals in not only 2013, but also 2007 (won), 2003, 2002 (won), and 2000. Their last crown was, in fact, earned with a 1-0 victory over CA.
“I think if we just go out there and play our game and just really connect passes and play with intensity, we have a great chance of beating them,” Hilyard said confidently.
The state championship game will be played at All-City Stadium on Saturday, October 31 at 7:30 p.m. The Mustangs beat Cherry Creek 2-1 on the road on Oct. 3.