Rocky Mountain uses lightning delay, survives Cherokee Trail for first-round playoff win
A pair of Fort Collins girls soccer teams advanced to the Class 5A second round after winning home playoff openers on Tuesday night.
The 11th-seeded Rocky Mountain girls team used the weather to its advantage, emerging with two quick goals from an hour-plus, rainless lightning delay before holding on for a 2-1 win over No. 22 Cherokee Trail at French Field.
After a slow start for the game's first 15 minutes, the Lobos (11-3-2) came out roaring with two goals in the first three minutes after play resumed.
There was no big strategy adjustment or pep talk. Some simple team bonding time did the trick during the delay.
"We started the game kind of slow and sluggish and I was a little worried," said Rocky junior Jace Holley. "We went into the locker room and played some music and games as a team and didn't really talk about the game at all.
"We came out really connected after that, so (the delay) was helpful for us."
Holley provided the first goal after barely a minute back, taking a brilliant midfield through ball and then just beating the Cougars goalkeeper from barely inside the box.
"I haven't done too well on those 1-on-1s vs. the keeper this year," Holley said. "I told myself it was just a pass because I tend to overthink them and it went right in."
Two minutes later, Holley played a nifty low cross near the endline to a cutting Addison Osilka, who buried the shot from the right side of the net.
From there, though, the Lobos were often on their heels. Cherokee Trail's Kiana Sparrow scored a quick goal mere seconds into the second half and the push was on for the visitors to tie it up.
Rocky played much of the final 40 minutes on defense, yet the Cougars never got too many legitimate looks against a swarming Lobos defense.
"We usually try to pressure hard to win up top because that's our strength, but we had to defend deep in our area a lot," Holley said. "It was a lot of battles and winning 50-50 balls with individual effort."
They'll need that defense in the next round, as the Lobos will face No. 6 Rampart on Friday in Colorado Springs.
The Rams (14-2) have won 14 straight games, scoring five goals per game and netting six straight shutout wins, including a 2-0 playoff-opening win vs. No. 27 Legend.
But Rocky Mountain is coming off season-ending wins last week over then-No. 1 Broomfield and a tight 4-3 loss at No. 3 seed Legacy. That confidence is still fresh.
"It's totally a mental game for us. If everyone brings their best, we can honestly beat anyone," Holley said.
"We'll need a full 80 minutes with our best effort to win."
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Fossil Ridge cruises to first-round win
The top-seeded SaberCats made efficient work of their first-round game, hitting the 10-goal mercy rule to end the game with 12 minutes left on the clock for a 10-0 win over No. 32 Monarch.
Fossil Ridge (15-1) led "just" 3-0 at half but scored another three goals less than 10 minutes into the second half and cruised from there.
Amy Smith and Kiley Ballek both had hat tricks and Lily Wale, Live Redmon and Natalie Lin all also found the scoresheet.
Fossil Ridge will host a second-round game at 6 p.m. Friday against No. 17 Rock Canyon, which knocked off No. 16 Columbine 3-2 on the road. Fossil Ridge beat Rock Canyon 2-0 early in the season.
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Fort Collins falls in first round
Fort Collins' season ended in a 2-1 road loss at No. 10 ThunderRidge on Tuesday night.
The No. 23 Lambkins finished the year with a 9-7 record, including a 5-2 league mark while allowing just seven goals in their last nine matches.
No further stats were immediately available.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado soccer: Rocky Mountain, Fossil Ridge win 5A playoff openers
