COLORADO SPRINGS | The Vista PEAK boys soccer team has developed a tradition of making the Class 4A playoffs — something many other athletic programs at the young school aspire to do — while they still must wait for their first taste of victory.
Coach Jason Elliott’s No. 31-seeded Bison, featuring a large senior class that’s help make the program one of the tops in the Colorado 7 league, suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of No. 2 The Classical Academy on Wednesday night, dropping them to 0-3 all-time in the postseason.
Vista PEAK fell to Mullen in its postseason debut in 2012, lost a tough one-goal decision at Valor Christian in 2013 and trailed by just a goal at the break this season against the undefeated Titans, but surrendered two more scores in the second half to see its season come to an end at 8-6-2.
The Bison got outshot 16-2 by The Classical Academy (16-0), which advanced to an Oct. 18 Round of 16 matchup against 15th-seeded Pueblo West, a 3-2 winner over No. 18 Skyline.
Elliott’s Vista PEAK team graduates nine seniors — including leading scorer Jose Ayala (10 goals, 4 assists) — but should return a pair of offensive threats in junior Josue Albavera (7 goals) and freshman Steven Cano (5 goals). Three-year varsity starting goalkeeper Alan Islas should also be back.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
(2) THE CLASSICAL ACADEMY 3, (31) VISTA PEAK 0
Score by halves:
Vista PEAK 0 0 — 0
TCA 1 2 — 3
TCA goals: Jeremy Baldes, Titus Grant, Andrew Peck; TCA assists: Baldes, Jaden Borja, Jake Slater; TCA saves: Micah Meswald (2 shots on goal-2 saves)
