AURORA | The Smoky Hill girls soccer team’s large senior contingent made their final appearance at “The Swamp” quite memorable Saturday afternoon.
Eleven players on the Buffaloes rosters were honored on Senior Night and two of them — Mikayla Hernandez and Brooke Sosa — scored goals as Smoky Hill stunned Grandview with a 2-1 victory.
Sosa assisted on Hernandez’s equalizing goal early in the second half, then converted a penalty kick chance for what turned out to be the winner as the Buffaloes dealt the Wolves their first loss in Centennial League play since April 8, 2014, a span of 24 games.
Grandview (6-3-1, 4-1-1) was 21-0-3 since its last league defeat — which came on April 8, 2014 to Arapahoe — and got the first goal from junior Morgan Szarka against Smoky Hill, only to get shut out in the second half.
The loss leaves the Wolves a game off the pace set by Cherry Creek in the chase for a third straight Centennial League championship after the teams tied 1-1 April 20. Grandview has one league game remaining against Mullen on April 25, the same day the Bruins face Smoky Hill before they close out the league season May 6 at Cherokee Trail.
Smoky Hill improved to 7-5-1 overall and 3-3 in league play with its second straight win following an 11-2 loss to Arapahoe April 18. The Buffaloes beat the Wolves for the first time since the 2013 season.
Just under 10 minutes into the second half, Hernandez tied the game with just her second goal of the season.
A short time later, Sosa converted a penalty kick with a low shot just inside the goalpost that found the back of the net for her 11th goal of the season.
Sophomore goalkeeper Izzy Joseph yielded the Wolves’ goal in the first half, but finished with 10 saves.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
SMOKY HILL 2, GRANDVIEW 1
Score by halves:
Grandview 1 0 — 1
Smoky Hill 0 2 — 2
SCORING
First half
Grandview — Morgan Szarka
Second half
Smoky Hill — Mikayla Hernandez (Brooke Sosa)
Smoky Hill — Sosa
