AURORA | The Aurora Central boys soccer team couldn’t capitalize on its chances in the first half of Wednesday night’s Class 5A first round state playoff game, but the second half was a different story.
The 13th-seeded and Colorado League champion Trojans — back in the postseason for the first time since 2020 — got goals from sophomore Anthony Cecina-Cervantes and senior Bertra Ishimwe in the second half on their way to a 2-0 victory over No. 20 Fort Collins at Aurora Public Schools Stadium.
Since a victory over Regis Jesuit back in 2015, Aurora Central had lost in the opening round of the postseason four consecutive times (2016, 2017, 2019, 2020), but took advantage of this chance in the first playoff game coached by Rudy Villalobos.
Now winners of eight straight games, the Trojans (13-2-1) face a more formidable task in the second round in No. 4 Denver East, the defending 5A state champion. The Angels (12-4) downed No. 29 Doherty 3-0 in the opening round.
Against Fort Collins (7-6-3) — a team that had the size advantage, but not the speed of Aurora Central — the Trojans played fast and found a lot of open space, but pushed a variety of shots high and wide. Senior Cesar Romero, who piled up 21 goals in the regular season, stung a shot just wide of the post in the final second of the opening half, which ended scoreless.
It remained that way until the 56th minute, when Cecina-Cervantes ran onto a clearing pass up the right sideline, dribbled through one defender, crossed up another and slipped it past the Lambkins’ keeper as he came off his line. The Aurora Central sideline exploded in celebration as they mobbed Cecina-Cervantes after his 10th goal of the season.
In the 70th minute, Ishimwe took the ball from just outside the goal box, navigated a pair of Fort Collins defenders and roofed a shot as he fell to the turf for his seventh goal of the season. It caused the Lambkins to hang their heads as its comeback task grew larger with less than 10 minutes remaining.
Junior keeper Dameon Gonzalez recorded his second shutout of the season.
Full results from the opening round of the 5A boys soccer state playoffs — which saw Cherokee Trail and Regis Jesuit also prevail among Aurora teams in action — can be found here.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2023 CLASS 5A BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS (1ST ROUND)
Oct. 25 at Aurora Public Schools Stadium
(13) AURORA CENTRAL 2, (20) FORT COLLINS 0
Score by halves:
Fort Collins 0 0 — 0
Aurora Central 0 2 — 2
SCORING
Second half
Aurora Central — Anthony Cecina-Cervantes, 56th minute
Aurora Central — Bertra Ishimwe, 70th minute