AURORA | Smoky Hill was one of the victims on a day full of upsets in the Class 5A girls soccer state tournament.
A few hours after No. 2 Fossil Ridge and No. 3 Arapahoe were knocked out of the playoff field, the seventh-seeded Buffaloes were ousted in an upset of a milder variety as 10th-seeded Heritage took them out 1-0 in double overtime Saturday at Legacy Stadium.
Alex Peters finally found the back of the net in the 97th minute with the golden goal, pushing the Eagles (12-5) into the May 16 quarterfinals, where they will play 15th-seeded Fairview, which upset Fossil Ridge in the first round.
Smoky Hill, which ended the season 12-4-1 overall, had its season come to an end in the round of 16 for the second straight season. Coach Andy Colella’s Buffaloes — quarterfinalists in 2010 — lost by the same score in the same round last season as well when they were taken down by Denver East.
Each team had a handful of quality unfinished scoring chances in regulation.
Smoky Hill’s Michaela Herrmann overshot the goal on an indirect kick in the goal box and Heritage’s Jenna Geist drilled the crossbar with under 10 minutes left among the best opportunities, but the game went to overtime deadlocked.
Neither team had a major threat in the first 15-minute extra session, but it didn’t take long for the Eagles to get the game-winner. In the midst of a wave of pressure, Lucy Brainerd fed Peters, who launched a pinpoint shot inside the far post to the right of diving Smoky Hill goalkeeper Rileigh Ladyga.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
(10) HERITAGE 1, (7) SMOKY HILL 0 (2OT)
Score by halves:
Heritage 0 0 0 1 — 1
Smoky Hill 0 0 0 0 — 0
SCORING
Double overtime — Heritage: Alex Peters (Lucy Brainerd), 97th minute
