AURORA | A 13-day break between competition typically isn’t ideal for a team getting set to play in the high-stakes state playoffs, but it had zero effect on the Cherokee Trail boys soccer team.
Nearly two weeks since it last played a competitive game on the pitch, the Cougars came out and played their most complete game of the season in the estimation of coach Mark Hill, whose seventh-seeded team blanked No. 26 Chatfield 3-0 at Legacy Stadium in a Class 5A state tournament first round contest.
Junior Miles Philson and sophomore Peter Deras scored goals in the opening half and senior Aidan Orr added an insurance score in the closing minutes as the Cougars defeated the Chargers for the second time on the season and advanced to the second round of the 5A playoffs for a second straight season.
Senior Colin Starr made four saves — several in a key stretch of the second half when Chatfield pushed to cut the deficit in half — and Cherokee Trail moved into the second round. The Cougars will play host to 10th-seeded Rampart on Nov. 1.
Cherokee Trail was the only one of five Aurora teams to win in the opening round of the 5A playoffs as No. 19 Rangeview lost on penalty kicks at No. 14 Pine Creek, No. 20 Regis Jesuit dropped a 1-0 decision at No. 13 Cherry Creek, No. 31 Grandview (the 2021 5A state champion) fell 2-1 at No. 2 Denver East on a late goal and No. 32 Overland dropped a 4-1 contest to No. 1 Legacy.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
