Chatfield vaults atop 5A Je co girls soccer standings

BY DENNIS PLEUSS JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

LAKEWOOD — A little overtime work April 18 at Lakewood Memorial Field paid o big time for Chateld’s girls soccer team.

A goal in the 96th minute of the second-overtime period by junior Ava Erickson gave Chat eld a 2-1 victory over Ralston Valley and sole possession of rst place in the Class 5A Je co League girls soccer standings.

“I had a couple of volleys right there at the end,” Erickson said of her back-to-back scoring changes in close late in the second-overtime period. “I just kicked and it went in.” e victory moved Chat eld (7-4, 4-0 in league) ahead Ralston Valley (7-4-1, 2-1-1) and Valor Christian (5-1-3, 2-0-2) in the conference standings.

Valor had its rst conference blemish with a 2-2 tie against Arvada West (6-2-1, 1-1-1) on April 18 at the North Area Athletic Complex.

“For however long it lasts we’ll enjoy it,” Chat eld coach Brock Blume said of moving into rst place alone in the conference standings. “I feel like we are nding our identity. ere is nothing better than testing that identity when you are playing a quality opponent like Ralston Valley. ey are always a tough game for us. It was really cool to see us rise to the occasion.”

After a scoreless rst half, it looked like Chat eld would score rst when the Chargers were awarded a penalty kick in the 54th minute. Junior Hannah Anderson took the PK, but Ralston Valley junior goalie Margot Mulhern made a diving save to her left to keep the game scoreless.

“When a goalie keep rises to the occasion you have to bounce back,” Blume said of saved by Mulhern on the penalty kick. “Tonight was all about bouncing back.”

Seconds later, Chat eld did score on a brilliant corner kick by junior Jayden Heil. e left-footed strike bent into the goal for a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute.

“At the beginning of the season we had a rough time responding. We often would get down,” Erickson said. “I feel these last couple games we’ve really gured out how to respond. When things happen you just have to keep going.”

Ralston Valley — No. 9 in the CHSAANow.com 5A rankings — tied things up 1-1 in the 59th minute. Sophomore Raleigh Greason scored her team-leading 14 goal of the season with a laser shot that got past Chat eld junior goalie Alyssa Green.

Greason nearly gave the Mustangs their rst lead, but her shot in the 74th minute hit the crossbar and was cleared by the Chargers.

Ralston Valley has caught re as of late. e Mustangs dropped 3 of 4 games before starting their conference schedule, but had reeled o four straight victory in outscoring their opponents 20-1 heading into Tuesday’s game against Chat eld. Ralston Valley had another huge league game when it hosted No. 4 Valor Christian on April 21 at the North Area Athletic Complex. e Mustangs and Eagles ended in a 1-1 draw that went double-overtime. Chatfield is attempting to win its first girls soccer league title since 2019.

“Right now the focus is the next game against Pomona,” Blume said. “We can’t be looking ahead.” Chatfield finished out the week April 20, out at the NAAC. The Chargers defeated Pomona 6-0 with all goals being scored in the first half.

“We still have to keep climbing,” Erickson said of the Chargers controlling its own destiny in the league title race. “We can’t get complacent for sure.”

Dennis Pleuss is the sports information director for Jeffco Public Schools. For more Jeffco coverage, go to CHSAANow.com.