Silver Creek junior Morgan Huff, one of those types of players who can change the game with the smallest of creases in the defense, had been exclusively a club girls soccer player before joining the high school scene this spring.
With a strong finish in the sport’s final week of the regular season — Silver Creek has three games in six days — the bubble Raptors and their new standout should find themselves in the Class 4A field.
And they could be a problem from there.
In this week’s look at girls soccer, we focus on a few teams with their playoff hopes currently in limbo with just a few days left in the regular season. Bubble teams for now. Maybe Bracket busters later.
Note: The postseason field is decided by league champs followed by the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index. The playoffs begin next week.
Class 5A
Seven automatic qualifiers, 25 at-large by CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index
Doherty Spartans (currently ranked 31st in seeding): The index must not love the strength of the schedule for the Spartans (9-2-1), who were outscoring teams 58-6 before their 10-0 loss to Pine Creek Thursday.
But Doherty has proven it can win all season long. And if it gets in, that could be vital in making a run as a lower seed.
Tara Veggeberg has 19 goals and 10 assists this season. Makenna Lockhart has 11 and 15.
The Spartans are at Vista Ridge Wednesday.
Highlands Ranch Falcons (33rd): The Falcons (5-6-1) snapped a three-game skid with a 2-0 win over Chaparral Saturday. Thus, keeping them squarely in the postseason mix.
If it gets in, Highlands Ranch has proven it can win against elite talent this season. It has wins over CHSAA 5A Coaches Poll No. 15 Chatfield and 4A No. 18 Lewis-Palmer.
Maybe most impressive, it went into overtime against 5A No. 3 Heritage before falling 3-2.
Junior Rose Calkins has 15 of her team’s 25 goals this season.
The Falcons are home against Smoky Hill later Tuesday night.
Class 4A
11 automatic bids, 21 at-large
Silver Creek Raptors (31st): The Raptors (7-5) don’t look like a team on the bubble heading into the final week of the season.
Introducing a new star to the high school scene in Morgan Huff, they are 2-1 against the top-tier 5A Front Range League teams, beating Boulder and Poudre, while losing in the snow in overtime to Monarch late last month.
They’ve also won three of their last four, most recently scoring five in a win at Centaurus Monday.
Huff leads six multi-goal scorers on the team with 12. Denali Levin has seven.
Silver Creek is home against No. 5 Mead Thursday.
Palmer Ridge Bears (33rd): If there is a hopeful loss in sports, the Bears (5-6) got one in a 1-0 result against No. 1 Lutheran Thursday.
Throughout the season, Palmer Ridge has proven it can play with anybody, though the results are mixed.
The Bears are 5-2 in nonconference games and 0-4 in the Pikes Peak League, where they’ve dropped four one-goal matches.
Jaala Stevens and Ashley Falk each have five goals on the season.
Palmer Ridge is at Lewis-Palmer later on Tuesday.
Class 3A
nine automatic, 23 at-large
The Academy Wildcats (31st): The Wildcats (4-9) play in the toughest league in the classification, the Metro League. And it shows.
They’re 4-2 in nonconference play this spring, outscoring teams 27-14. They’re 0-4 in league, where they’ve been outscored 35-1.
Freshman Sarah Del Negro leads the team with nine goals.
The Wildcats are at Faith Christian later on Tuesday.
Bennett Tigers (33rd): The Tigers (8-6) have been outscored 50-30 this season, but they’ve played their best soccer as of late, winning four of their last six.
Arianna Harrison scored four goals in consecutive games last week and has 24 on the season.
Bennett does not have any regular season games listed on MaxPreps.
Class 2A
eight automatic, eight at-large
Clear Creek Golddiggers (17th): Clear Creek (5-8) may have rescued its season Monday, snapping a five-game losing streak with a 3-0 win at Campion Academy.
The Golddiggers had a brutal stretch coming into the week, losing by five or more goals to No. 1 SkyView Academy, No. 2 Dawson, No. 3 Denver Christian, No. 4 Flatirons Academy and No. 10 Front Range Christian.
Rylie Young leads the team with 17 goals this season.
Clear Creek is home against Union Colony Prep later on Tuesday.
Bruce Randolph Grizzlies (18th): Michelle Verdugo has been one of the more productive freshmen in the class, entering the week with 12 goals and 12 assists for the Grizzlies.
But Bruce Randolph will need a strong finish and maybe some help to get into the postseason despite an 8-3 record and a 48-to-23 goal differential.
The Grizzlies are home against Jefferson Thursday and are at Manual Saturday.