Raleigh Greason a scoring machine for Ralston Valley girls soccer

ARVADA — Ralston Valley junior Raleigh Greason hit the 20th goal mark Tuesday at the North Area Athletic Complex.

Greason — the leading goal scorer in Class 5A — had a hat-trick in the first half in Ralston Valley’s 5A Jeffco League girls soccer opener against Pomona. The trio of goals, along with an assist, helped the Mustangs to a 10-0 victory.

“Raleigh gets better every single game,” Ralston Valley coach Kamee Morwood said. “She practices like she wants to be a better version of herself tomorrow than she was today. She is a complete competitor.”

Greason had 21 goals and 14 assists last year as a sophomore. She had 6 goals and 5 assists her freshman year. 

“My goal each year is to beat my previous year goal mark,” Greason said. 

She is already nearing both of those marks with 20 goals and 8 assists through Ralston Valley’s first nine games. 

“She (Greason) is just an incredible player. She has everything,” Ralston Valley senior goalie Margot Mulhern said of Greason. “More importantly, she is a better person outside of the field. She is an incredible leader and incredible person to help lead our team.”

Greason did everything she could in the closing minutes to try to get Mulhern her first goal of the season. The Mustangs’ normal starting goalie got the chance to play striker against Pomona. 

After Greason already had her hat-trick, she tried to set up Mulhern for her first career high school goal. 

“My biggest thing is I love scoring,” Greason said. “Setting up those girls who might not get the goal sometimes. Trying to help my teammates fulfill their goals is my goal as well.”

Mulhern did pick up a goal in the 43th minute in the second half to give Ralston Valley a 9-0 lead. A goal by sophomore Ashlyn Callahan in the 50th minute ended the game due to the 10-goal mercy rule.

The Mustangs are on a 3-game winning streak as they begin their conference schedule. The overall goal for Ralston Valley (6-2-1, 1-0 in league) is to make a deep playoff run.

“We have a complete package this year,” Morwood said of the Mustangs that were top-10 in the 5A CHSAA Selection & Seeding Index before the win Tuesday. “We have a lot of strong leaders that these (younger) girls are looking up to and want to be like. It is a team that has it in them to go deeper into the playoffs then we have in a little bit.”

Ralston Valley is back in action to take on Columbine at 7 p.m. Friday, April 12, at Lakewood Memorial Field.

“We would love to make a deep run,” Mulhern said. “I believe we have the talent and more than anything I think we have the group of girls that love to play with each other. We have a real good team chemistry and very good team bond. I think more than anything, that’s important to make a deep (playoff) run.”

The Mustangs have a fairly young squad with just three seniors. However, there is a chance this could be the last high school season for Greason. The junior has already verbally committed to Texas Tech University.

“I look forward to high school. I love it more than club,” Greason said when asked if she might graduate a semester early next school year and enroll in college before the Spring 2025 high school season. “We’ll have to see where it takes me. It’s an option I’m looking at. We’ll see.”

Focusing on this season is clearly the main priority for Greason.

“You never know what is going to happen,” Greason said of the Mustangs’ postseason history that includes exits in the first round her freshman year and second round last year. “This year I’m hoping we make it really deep. I think with this team we can. One of my biggest dreams is winning state. That is what we are pushing for.”