Field Hockey: Mountain Vista Emerges for Consolation Win after Late Scoring Surge

DENVER – Wednesday’s field hockey consolation bracket final was a defensive battle until all of sudden it wasn’t.

At All-City Stadium, No. 9 Mountain Vista (10-8-1) and No. 11 St. Mary’s Academy (7-12) played a scoreless game until both teams scored with less than two minutes remaining. In overtime, Mountain Vista’s Tatum Levering scored in sudden victory to clinch the win.

“They were a strong, strong team. That was an evenly-matched game,” Mountain Vista head coach Cindy Staab said. “When it comes down to overtime, it’s all about grit. Those seven girls out there fought for it. It’s been a great season. They’ve played hard all season. They played great.

“This consolation bracket is the strength of these lower teams. I’ve been here 11 seasons, so this is a big push and it gives us a lot of energy. It gives a lot of energy to field hockey in general. It’s exciting.”

Mountain Vista’s Valerie Walton scored the game’s first goal with 1 minute, 53 seconds left and St. Mary’s Academy tied the game up on Claire Wilten’s goal with just 18 seconds left to send the contest into overtime before Levering sealed the victory in overtime.

“They played great and they played as a team,” Staab said. “They all went out there and just put into practice the simple things we’ve been doing all season long. They really just utilized each other, leaned on each other and played hard.”

In Tuesday’s semifinals, Mountain Vista topped No. 12 Poudre School District, 2-1, and St. Mary’s Academy beat No. 10 Smoky Hill, also 2-1.

Mountain Vista last won a state title in 2010. St. Mary’s Academy won a state championship in 2008.

Both teams reached the championship quarterfinals last season.