No. 30 Fossil Ridge upsets No. 3 Cherry Creek in first round of playoffs

Haley Rockwell • October 28, 2016

Sabercats celebrate upsetting No. 3 Cherry Creek with tears and screams of joy. Photo Credit: Nick Hehemann.

Thursday, October 27 marked the first round of playoffs for the 5A Boys Soccer State Tournament. Going into playoffs, Fossil Ridge High School (6-9) was ranked No. 30 meaning they would play the No. 3 team which was Cherry Creek High School (11-5).

Stutler Bowl Stadium had a intense competitive atmosphere because the stakes were high. Both teams showed up to play going into what could be the last game of the season if they were to lose. Grant Martinez makes the statement before the game, “Every game at this time of year will be a tough game and I just hope that we play with as much intensity as we ever have and leave no regrets and just let the result take care of itself.”

The Sabercats were trailing the Bruins 0-1 at the end of the first half. The goal was scored off of a miscommunication between Fossil’s keeper, Logan Wette and center defender, Sam Goulding.

Going into the second half, the Sabercats were determined to make a statement. A foul was called at the 40 yard line against the Bruins, resulting in a free kick for Fossil. Matthew Wilhelm stepped up to take the kick, he struck the ball with enough power to get it to the goal. The keeper for Cherry Creek jumped up to make a save but ended up punching it into the crossbar. The ball was deflected into the keeper’s back and into the goal, tying the game 1-1. “Scoring the goal to tie the game was huge, it felt amazing and was excited for my team. I was hoping for us to get another and move on to the next round,” states Wilhelm.

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The second half ended in a 1-1 tie, forcing the game into a 10 minute overtime. Within the last 5 minutes of the first overtime, Tyler Hause scores a goal. The ball went out for a throw-in and Blair Durand threw it down the sideline to Martinez. Martinez crossed it to Hause who one-timed it passed the Cherry Creek keeper.

The game concluded with the Sabercats coming out on top 2-1 and advancing them to the sweet 16 of the state tournament. Whilhelm comments, “Our playoff game last year was a tough loss so having it be my senior year and coming out strong to beat the No. 3 seed, who was undefeated against in-state opponents, was awesome. My team is pumped up and we plan to train hard to come out strong and put away the next team.”

The next round of playoffs is set for Wednesday, November 2 and Fossil Ridge is scheduled to play No. 14 Lincoln High School.

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About the Contributor

Haley Rockwell, Sports Editor

Senior Haley Rockwell is a dynamic character in the Fossil Ridge setting, bringing many dimensions to Etched in Stone as well as everything else she is involved in. Her in-depth athletic background enables her to contribute accurate stories on the many sports teams that compete for Fossil, making her leadership of sporting event coverage on the Etched in Stone publication crew. “I’m an athlete, so I’m involved in a lot of sports, and I think that gives me an advantage writing about it since I’m so passionate about it”, she said. As an ambitious soccer player, talented photographer, and member of the journalism program for the past three (now four) years , dedication is definitely a quality that Haley never fails to bring to the table. In fact, her hard work and dedication has earned her commitment to the University of Northern Colorado for soccer, where she is thinking about majoring in business with a minor in journalism. “Journalism has been a big part of my life for the past four years, so I want to continue to pursue it if I can!” she exclaimed.

Apart from being involved in journalism, athletics, and demanding academics, Haley is very interested in the arts. Alongside photography, she also finds peace in the relaxing qualities that drawing offers. “If I need something to escape from the stress of school and soccer, I’ll go draw instead”, she explained. The subject that she most frequently captures in her artwork are wolves, which she considers to be her personal spirit animal. A lover of animals, Haley also has a black cat at home named Shay. She is the oldest of two sisters, and knows very well the responsibilities of taking the lead and making crucial decisions. Haley’s talents are bound to pave a pathway that will take her far, no matter where she chooses to travel. Her strong sense of individuality, hard work, and passion are essential tools that will lead her to a bright and prosperous future.