Ralston Valley gets late flurry of goals in playoff opener

ARVADA — Ralston Valley’s girls soccer team delivered in the clutch Tuesday night at the North Area Athletic Complex.

The No. 8-seeded Mustangs found themselves tied 1-1 with No. 25 Regis heading into the final 10 minutes of regulation-time in the opening round of the Class 5A state tournament. Ralston Valley poured in three goals in the final 8 minutes to surge to a 4-1 victory.

“We had to push. It defintely wasn’t our best game,” Ralston Valley sophomore Raleigh Greason said of the tight first-round game at the NAAC. “We definitely fought it out after it was 1-1. I was worried, but I knew our team could take it.”

Greason would give the Mustangs (11-4-1 record) a 2-1 lead in the 72nd minute after a great centering pass from fellow sophomore Sienna Eckert. 

“I kind of struggle with my touches at times. When I saw Sienna having that ball I called for it,” Greason said. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to take it that first time. I took that touch in and then hit it with my left foot. The extra touch defintely saved me.”

Greason added an insurance goal in the 77th minute on a breakaway. Greason was able to get past Regis goalie Ryann Haag and put the ball into the open net for a 3-1 Mustang lead. Eckert put the icing on top of the victory with a shot that hit the back of the net with 1.5 seconds left in the game.

“It is amazing to have Raleigh. She is a great player,” Ralston Valley coach Kamee Morwood said of Greason who scored her 20th and 21st goal of the season Tuesday night. “Sienna and her work really well together and Makahl (Chambers) and Mia (Alfaro) works great up there. The all work strongly together. It’s fun to watch.”

The Mustangs move into the second round for the first time since the 2019 season. Ralston Valley lost to Rocky Mountain in the first round last year at NAAC. 

No. 9 Pine Creek will be Ralston Valley’s second-round opponent Friday, May 12, at the NAAC. The Eagles edged Castle View 4-3 on Tuesday night in a game that featured six second-half goals.

“I feel like we’ve kind of had this monkey on our back in these first-round playoffs a little bit since 2019,” Morwood said. “To get that goal in the first half was huge. I know we have the players that can come back and grab that second goal.”

Chambers put in the lone goal of the first half. After Chambers had a few scoring chances, the senior forward got a prime opportunity in the 32nd minute.

Junior Sophia Sabus put a hard shot on net that was saved by Haag, but the rebound came right to Chambers who put it into the back of the net.

Regis almost tied the game in the first 10 minutes of the second half. A centering pass was headed by Regis freshman Annabelle Turner, but hit the crossbar. Freshman Ella Bailey got the rebound and hammered a shot, but Ralston Valley goal Margot Mulhern made a great save.

“Margot is always tuned in,” Morwood said of the Mustangs’ keeper. “She is top-notch. She is such a great player and a team player. She just wants to win.”

Alfaro nearly made it a 2-goal lead on a penalty kick in the 61st, but the shot hit the post and was cleared. Chambers made another good run toward goal minutes later but a Regis defender was able to recover and prevent the goal.

Regis (7-9) tied the game at 1-1 with a great shot by sophomore Brooke Metcalfe in the 66th minute. 

Despite giving up the lead, the Mustangs held it together to mount the scoring barrage in the final minutes.

“Our three seniors are great leaders always and it is super exciting to have the young class of freshmen, sophomores and some juniors that are following that group of seniors,” Morwood said. “It was a team effort and a good win.”