AURORA | The league-only schedule played by the Centennial league in boys soccer adequately prepared Grandview and Cherry Creek for what they would face in the Class 5A state playoffs: each other.
A little over weeks after they met to open Centennial League play in the coronavirus-shortened Season C schedule, the Wolves and Bruins face off for much greater glory Wednesday evening at Englewood High School.
The winner of the matchup between fourth-seeded Grandview and 16th-seeded Cherry Creek moves into Saturday’s 5A state championship game in Colorado Springs.
Coach Brian Wood’s Wolves (11-1) got a goal from junior Dylan Thompson less than three minutes into the first meeting, but watched the Bruins (8-4) equalize before halftime and score twice more in the second half for a 3-1 victory that still stands as Grandview’s only defeat.
No. 3 Liberty and No. 2 Fairview meet in the 7:30 p.m. semifinal nightcap and try to fill the other spot in the state championship game at Downtown Stadium in Colorado Springs, home of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.
Grandview has posted postseason wins over No. 13 Denver East (3-0) and No. 12 Arvada West (1-0), while Cherry Creek ousted top-seeded Regis Jesuit and knocked off No. 8 Boulder, both by 1-0 score.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2021 CLASS 5A BOYS SOCCER STATE SEMIFINALS
April 28 at Englewood High School
No. 16 Cherry Creek (8-4) vs. NO. 4 GRANDVIEW (11-1), 5 p.m.
No. 3 Liberty (11-0) vs. No. 2 Fairview (11-0-1), 7:30 p.m.