With more chances to make the Class 5A state playoffs available in 2013, the strong starts for several Aurora girls soccer teams bode well.
Through the first weather-doomed weeks of the season, wins on the pitch piled up for a number of teams that see a greater possibility of a postseason berth. Eleven at-large spots are now up for grabs outside of the automatic number of qualifiers for each league.
For a team like Cherokee Trail — which is in the traditionally loaded Centennial League — a good start could play off in the end. Coach Jeremy Schaller’s Cougars went 4-0-1 in their first five games before a 5-2 loss to Rock Canyon on March 22 and are off to their best start since they moved up to 5A in 2009.
“We have a solid team in most positions for the first time since our last season in 4A,” Schaller said. “This group works well together and wants to be successful. We have a tough league, but hopefully with the new way they do the playoffs, they could send six or seven of our teams.”
Cherokee Trail has already doubled last season’s win total and the scoring prowess of Emily and Taylor Burton has a lot to do with it. The sisters each have four goals on the young season, tying them for most in the Centennial League thus far.
Taylor Burton, a sophomore, has a strong leg that has made the Cougars tough to defend on set pieces, while Emily Burton and a slew of others up top give Cherokee Trail dangerous speed.
A senior-filled defense allowed one goal in the first five games.
Eaglecrest remains the area’s only unbeaten team at 3-0-1 after a 2-0 non-league win over Golden on March 21.
Coach Greg Watts likes where the Raptors are despite missing hours and hours of outside practice because of snow, as well as a slew of injuries.
“I believe this is a playoff team if the pieces fall into the place the way I think they will,” Watts said. “This is one of the better teams we’ve had and could be better than the one that went 9-6 last season.”
When healthy, Eaglecrest has plenty of firepower up top in the tandem of senior Brittney Thornton and sophomore Korena Perales, who both garnered All-City honors last season.
With four goals in the opening four games of the new season, Thornton is now the school’s career leader in goals, while Perales is looking to follow up an 11-goal output as a freshman. The return of junior midfielder Gabby Garcia should help their production.
The Raptors suffered some losses on the backline from a team that set the school record for least number of goals allowed last season, but senior Jessica Westhoff is a steadying presence.
Smoky Hill — which made Aurora’s deepest push into last season’s playoffs before falling in overtime to Heritage in the Sweet 16 — has Virginia Tech signee Candace Cephers back in the mix and a slew of up and coming young talent.
Cephers racked up 20 goals last season and has four already in the new season as the Buffaloes went 3-0-1 to open before a 2-1 loss to Regis Jesuit. Sophomore Madi Watts and Brynell Yount and freshman Sam Howshar are also off to strong starts.
Grandview is off to a 2-2-1 start in a tough non-league portion of the schedule and coach Tari Wood’s team traditionally finishes the season well.
Senior Ashley Germann is a leader in the midfield for Grandview, which also has a strong backline bolstered by junior Katie Cunningham, who joined the team later after a run to the 5A semifinals with the girls basketball team.
Regis Jesuit coach Will Cropper is expecting a dogfight in the Continental League with teams such as preseason No. 1 Mountain Vista, Rock Canyon and others and is hoping a strong non-league can pave the way to the postseason.
The Raiders have back the majority of their goal scorers from last season, in addition to a three-year starter in the goal in junior Kylie Chisholm, who posted five shutouts last season.
Rangeview suffered a massive loss of firepower to graduation from a team that scored 105 goals last season, but remains an elite team in the EMAC. Junior Megan Campbell scored 18 goals last season and is a focal point of the Raiders attack.
Freshmen Raquel Isaac and Marie Ferdinand have made an immediate impact on Hinkley, which got off to a 4-1-1 start. The Thunderbirds scored 16 goals in those first six games, already two-thirds of their total of 24 last season with nine games remaining.
Vista PEAK makes its varsity debut at the 4A level this season, with sophomore Nicole Doherty showing a penchant for finishing early for coach Jason Elliott’s squad. Doherty had all five goals — including a hat trick against Wasson — as the Bison got off to an early 1-2 start to the season.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
2013 GIRLS SOCCER KEY DATES, INFORMATION
Key dates — May 3: Regular season completed; May 18: 5A semifinals; May 22: 5A/4A state championship games at Dicks Sporting Goods Park
Aurora players to watch: Courtney Baltizar, Regis Jesuit, sr.; Emily Burton, Cherokee Trail, sr.; Taylor Burton, Cherokee Trail, soph.; Megan Campbell, Rangeview, jr.; Polly Castellanos, Smoky Hill, sr.; Candace Cephers, Smoky Hill, sr.; Kylie Chisholm, Regis Jesuit, jr.; Katie Cunningham, Grandview, jr.; Nicole Doherty, Vista PEAK, soph.; Gabby Garcia, Eaglecrest, jr.; Michelle Aguayo Gutierrez, Gateway, jr.; Shannon Harpham, Regis Jesuit, sr.; Sam Howshar, Smoky Hill, fr.; Raquel Isaac, Hinkley, fr.; Meghan Kilkenny, Regis Jesuit, sr.; Kristy Lesly, Gateway, jr.; Kelsi Lidge, Regis Jesuit, jr.; Courtney Lowry, Rangeview, sr.; Vanessa Madera, Rangeview, jr.; Jazmin Figueroa Mendoza, Gateway, soph.; Adalis Montoya, Hinkley, soph.; Korena Perales, Eaglecrest, soph.; Jennifer Perez, Hinkley, sr.; Diana Rivera, Hinkley, jr.; Daisha Stanley, Cherokee Trail, jr.; Kaitlyn Storm, Smoky Hill, sr.; Whittney Taggart, Grandview, jr.; Jessica Tennyson, Eaglecrest, sr.; Brittney Thornton, Eaglecrest, sr.; Madi Watts, Smoky Hill, soph.; Jessica Westhoff, Eaglecrest, sr.; Brynell Yount, Smoky Hill, soph.