AURORA | Anybody who wants to win this season’s Centennial League boys soccer championship has to come through last season’s winners.
Grandview — ranked No. 2 in Class 5A in the latest CHSAANow.com coaches/media poll — had designs on a league crown after a 5-0 start going into Tuesday afternoon’s visit to Smoky Hill, the 2012 Centennial League champions.
The seventh-ranked Buffaloes thwarted the Wolves’ plans, at least temporarily, with a 1-0 victory at “The Swamp” to create a logjam atop the league standings with the regular season nearing the end. Both Grandview (11-2-1 overall, 5-1 in league) and Smoky Hill (12-2, 5-1) have one game remaining.
Junior Walter Prince was credited with the lone goal in the game in the 12th minute — coming off a cross by junior Kevin Del Mazo — and that was enough for coach Kersten Mullan’s Buffaloes, who recorded their second straight shutout and fourth victory in a row.
Coach Brian Wood’s Wolves managed nine shots on goal, but couldn’t net a goal that counted as they saw the end of a seven-game unbeaten streak, which included a 2-0-1 showing at the Gateway City Classic in St. Louis.
Grandview brought good pressure in the first 10 minutes, but it was Smoky Hill that got on the scoreboard at the other end.
Del Mazo controlled a ball to the left of the Wolves’ goal and lobbed a cross to the back post, where Prince and a Grandview defender both reached for it. The ball hit both of their feet at the same time and deflected into the net.
Smoky Hill closes out its regular season on Thursday with a 4:30 p.m. contest at Cherry Creek, which also had one league loss going into Tuesday night’s game with Cherokee Trail. If the Buffaloes and Wolves — who have Cherokee Trail left on their schedule Oct. 15 — both win out, Smoky Hill would have the tiebreaker.
If Cherry Creek beats Smoky Hill, Grandview would have the tiebreaker for the league title by virtue of a 4-1 victory over the Bruins earlier.
(7) SMOKY HILL 1, (2) GRANDVIEW 0
Score by halves:
Grandview 0 0 — 0
Smoky Hill 1 0 — 0
SCORING
First half
Smoky Hill — Walter Prince (Kevin Del Mazo)
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel
