AURORA | The Gateway girls soccer team started the season unlike any team in recent school history and it will finish that way as well.
Coming off their best season in at least 15 years, the Olys started the new campaign on March 19 with a 1-0 victory over Aurora Public Schools rival Hinkley — breaking a lengthy losing streak in the series — in what turned out to be the springboard on a remarkable season.
In the next 14 games, coach Karen Macleish’s Gateway team lost only two times (both to undefeated Adams City) and finished with a 12-2-1 record that represented more wins than the program had earned in the past nine seasons combined. Not only that, but with Adams City moving into 5A for the postseason, the Olys earned the Colorado League’s automatic berth in the 4A postseason.
When Gateway — the No. 31 seed in the 4A playoffs — takes the field at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at No. 2 Northfield, it will be the first time Gateway will play in the postseason in at least two decades and maybe longer.
“We have no idea when the last time was, maybe the 80s or 90s or maybe not at all,” Macleish said. “When I took over the program, they hadn’t even won a game in three or four seasons, but every year since then the bar has been raised.
“This year, we raised the bar pretty high in terms of expectations and the girls have gone above and beyond and done the work outside of the season.”
Macleish said she didn’t know if the players even considered the possibility of playing in the postseason, but it became a reality as the wins continued to come.
The steady influence of seniors such as Maria Herrera (the team’s leader with 12 goals and seven assists) and Kee Awi (four goals, three assists) combined with some players competing at the club level and an infusion of some young talent combined to create a mix that made the Olys exceptionally competitive.
Several former Gateway players — Perla Guzman and Celeste Anaya on the girls side and Kevin Morales on the boys side — joined the coaching staff and have helped build the foundation of what Macleish hopes is sustained success.
The Olys have had good support within the school, even though they’ve played the majority of their games far away at the Aurora Sports Park.
They have a challenge ahead in Northfield, which is 13-0-2 after losing in the 4A semifinals last season. The Nighthawks have allowed just five goals all season, while scoring 81.
“Pulling a No. 2 seed is going to be a challenge, but I think the girls are excited to show people how far we’ve come,” Macleish said.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
