Pine Creek’s early goals hold up against Ralston Valley

BY DENNIS PLEUSS JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ARVADA — Pine Creek hit the magic number of two goals May 12 during the Class 5A second-round playo game at the North Area Athletic Complex.

No. 8-seeded Ralston Valley had given up two or more goals only four times this girls soccer season, but all four of those games turned out to be losses for the Mustangs. No. 9 Pine Creek put in a pair of rst-half goals on the way to a 2-0 victory to hand the Mustangs their fth loss of the season and eliminate them from the state tournament. e Eagles earned a spot in the quarternals of 5A girls soccer state tournament with the road win.

“It was really big, but a 2-0 lead for nearly the whole game is kind of a scary lead because it can go downhill right away,” Amsden said of the two rst-half goals. “I think we just had some many key players push hard on defense and kept our lead. I think we had a really amazing game today.”

Amsden scored on Pine Creek’s rst scoring chance. e junior forward found some open space in front of Ralston Valley junior goalie Margot Mulhern in the 6th minute and red a low shot out of Mulhern’s reach for a 1-0 lead. It was Amsden’s 21st goal of the season.

“Ava is a phenomenal player,” Pine Creek coach John Frederick said of the Eagles’ leading scorer. “She has been through a couple of things over the last couple of games outside of the soccer world and handled it really well. She is always a competitor and ghts. She leads by example.”

Ralston Valley (11-5-1 record) held possession for a good amount of the rst half, but the Eagles (12-4) struck again in the 20th minute. Senior Monica Yoder was able to corral a loose ball in the Mustangs’ goalie box and hit the back of the net midway through the rst half for a 2-0 lead.

“ ere isn’t much you can do about that,” Ralston Valley coach Kamee Morwood said of the Eagles scoring on two early opportunities. “I thought we came out really strong. We had chances that we didn’t nish. When you don’t capitalize it takes some wind out of your sails.”

Ralston Valley sophomore Raleigh Greason had dangerous runs on a handful of occasions in the rst half, but couldn’t get a shot past Pine Creek sophomore goalie Lauren Anderson. e Mustangs had a prime scoring chance to break-up the shutout in the 73rd minute when Pine Creek junior Aubriana Austin received a red-card for an intentional handball in the Eagles’ goal

However, Greason’s penalty kick sailed over the goal and Pine Creek didn’t surrender a goal in the nearly 8 minutes it played a player down before time expired.

“Raleigh is the heartbeat of our team,” Morwood said. “She brings all the emotion every game she is on the eld. ere are times that things just don’t go your way. She brought everything she could to help us win this game. Today it just didn’t go Greason nished her sophomore campaign with 21 goals and 14 assists.

“We stopped Greason tonight. She is a very dangerous player,” Frederick said. “I’m always holding my breathe when she has the ball.”

It was the 7th shutout victory of the season for Pine Creek and just the second time all season Ralston Valley had been held scoreless.

“Ralston Valley is a great team,” Frederick said. “ ey put on a lot of pressure. ey can score at any moment. Our young back-line stepped up and played well. Our mid elders came back and played defense. We had all 10 playing defense and that is

Pine Creek was scheduled to face No. 17 Rock Canyon in the quarter nals Monday, May 15, at Englewood High School. e Jaguars upset