DENVER – From 2017 to 2021, the Smoky Hill field hockey team struggled through five seasons without a single win.

But over the course of the past three seasons, the Buffaloes improved with win total each year and on Monday evening at DPS All-City Stadium, they won 2-1 in overtime over Pine Creek to claim the first-ever consolation championship.

“It’s phenomenal, especially given that I’ve been in this program for three years and they went five seasons without winning a game,” Smoky Hill head coach Lisa Griffiths said. “They bought into my philosophies and what I wanted for them, and they were pretty disappointed after that first-round loss to St. Mary’s. But they fought hard in that last overtime and it’s a pretty phenomenal finish.”

The Buffaloes’ last state title came in 1999 and they finished this season with a 12-6-1 record.

To finish this year’s breakthrough campaign, the eighth-seeded Buffaloes needed overtime to close out the No. 15-seeded Pine Creek Eagles (4-14-1).

Smoky Hill’s Henley Whitehead and Pine Creek’s Brooklyn Galvan, assisted by Leekaya Burke-Perryman, each scored in regulation. 

“That kid’s a phenomenal athlete,” Griffiths said of Burke-Perryman, “Our goal tonight was to shut her down. They played hard and they wanted it at the end, obviously. It took us four quarters to get there.”

With 7 minutes, 10 seconds left in the first overtime period, Smoky Hill’s Elyse Bailey assisted freshman Carmella Trujillo on the game-winner.

No. 8 Smoky Hill advanced to the inaugural consolation final by defeating No. 12 Cheyenne Mountain, 3-1. In the first consolation semifinal game on Tuesday, while No. 15 Pine Creek knocked off No. 11 Boulder Valley School District, 2-1, to advance.