Boys Soccer: Gillis, Smoky Hill top Rangeview on penalty kicks to make 5A quarterfinals

AURORA | Jeff Gillis confidently strode to the ball and buried it in the net like he’d dreamed about since he was a kid.

Smoky Hill’s senior striker converted the deciding penalty kick to lift his team past Rangeview Monday night at Stutler Bowl and into the quarterfinals of the Class 5A boys state soccer playoffs.

Kevin Del Mazo, Tyler Glenn, Daniel Beccera and Gillis converted their kicks and goalkeeper Grayson Heath made two saves for the fourth-seeded Buffs, who advanced to the round of eight in their first trip to the 5A playoffs since 2007. Smoky Hill (13-1-3) will play host to No. 12 Pine Creek — a 3-1 winner over No. 28 Gateway — on Saturday.

Ruben Zuniga, Alex Amador and Marcos Wolde converted their kicks and goalkeeper Edward Zuniga made one save for Rangeview, which finished the season 11-3-3.

The Raiders played well under the direction of assistant coach Tim Corby, as head coach Vic Strouse served a one-game suspension — the first of his 35-year coaching career — due to his ejection in the previous round’s game against Regis Jesuit.

Both teams were dangerous in the 80 minutes of regulation play and a pair of 15-minute overtime periods, but neither could get the ball past the other’s goalie.

When the game reached the penalty kick round, both teams submitted their five-shooter lineup, with Corby going with Jose Martinez, Ruben Zuniga, Amador, Brandon Scott and Wolde and Smoky Hill coach Kersten Mullan countering with Del Mazo, Colton Ladyga, Glenn, Beccera and Gillis, who had 20 goals to his credit on the season.

Heath set the tone immediately by diving to his right and punching away Martinez’s rising shot, while Del Mazo gave Smoky Hill the advantage by beating Zuniga.

Ruben Zuniga went low and converted and Edward Zuniga turned aside Ladyga’s attempt to even things up going to the third round.

Amador and Glenn matched each other with goals to keep it tied, but Heath stayed home on Scott’s low shot in the middle of the goal to make a save that gave Smoky Hill the chance to pull away.

Beccera made good, as did Wolde, bringing up Gillis with a chance to win the game with a score.

After asking the referee if the game would be over when, not if, he made the shot, Gillis ripped the ball into the net, then pulled off his jersey as he sprinted to celebrate with the Buffs’ large crowd.

Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555

SMOKY HILL 1, RANGEVIEW 0 (Smoky Hill wins 4-3 on PKs)

Score by halves:

Rangeview   0  0  0  0 — 0

Smoky Hill  0  0  0  1 — 1