The narrative around the state soccer scene this spring season is simple, if not for some, unsurprising: Colorado’s top-shelf isn’t curling up into second for anyone.
This past week, the world’s largest soccer coaches’ association — the United Soccer Coaches — listed four local teams in their latest Top 25 National Girls Soccer Poll. Jim Davidson’s Broomfield Eagles led the way at fourth, followed by another Front Range League team in Fossil Ridge (No. 7), then Jefferson County League programs in Valor Christian (No. 19) and Columbine (No. 21).
Though, it’s certainly a revolving storyline with three weeks left in the regular season. The Rebels, for instance, just lost two straight by a combined 10-2 margin.
But enough about teams and more about individuals. Is that right? Nevertheless, the state’s individual talent is proving itself mighty, too.
In this week’s look at the sport, we’ll focus on Colorado’s hottest goal scorers and what it could mean for their respective teams headed into next month’s postseason.
Class 5A
Kendall Rippley, Legacy: Alongside current CU Buffs player Juliauna Hayward, the Air Force commit played one part of a nearly unstoppable scoring duo last season and finished the spring with 34 goals, the most in the classification in at least a decade.
But her start to this season — at least as a goal scorer — was a bit slow.
Until last week.
Rippley scored 11 goals in her last three games, leading the Lightning to a trio of wins and back into the CHSAA coaches poll’s Top 10. They’re 10th.
She had five goals and two helpers in a 10-1 win over Monarch Thursday. She currently sits with 13 goals and eight assists on the year.
Tara Veggeberg, Doherty: The senior has scored in seven of nine games and is a big reason why Doherty remains undefeated with six games remaining.
Veggeberg had her third hat trick of the month in Monday’s 8-0 win over Sand Creek, pushing the Spartans to 8-0-1 on the year.
She had a career-high four against Palmer a couple weeks ago.
Get this: The senior had just eight goals in her previous two seasons.
Class 4A
Pearl Phillips, Denver North: Can’t slow down Denver North’s offense of late? Sounds like a PP — cause of, ahem, Pearl … Phillips.
The sophomore has scored at least four goals in three different games and comes into the week with 18 on the year.
She tallied her last one in a 3-0 win over Holy Family Friday, moving the Vikings’ winning streak to five games.
Liana Bryant, Grand Junction Central: The senior forward has four multi-goal games this season as Grand Junction Central is looking like a sleeper team to watch in the classification.
Bryant had a goal and an assist in a win over Montrose last week. She’d opened the season with a career-high six goals in a 12-2 win over Rifle.
The Warriors are ranked 16th in the classification at 6-2.
Class 3A
Emma Ngewasi, Arvada: If the Bulldogs (currently 4-5) find a way into the postseason, it will be in large part because of their junior scorer.
Ngewasi came into the week with 28 goals. She’s scored six in a game twice and has had seven multi-goal games.
She’d scored in each of her team’s first seven games before it was blanked by Englewood Friday.
Madrid Mack, Manitou Spring: Mack — we’ll call her Mack Attack — has scored in all nine games for the Mustangs, who are 9-0 and ranked fourth in the 3A CHSAANow.com Coaches Poll.
Mack had two goals and Erica Sherwin three in a 6-0 win over Aspen Saturday. Mack’s latest two gave her career-high in goals in a season. She had 16 goals as a junior, 17 as a sophomore.
Class 2A
Kanoe Bihag, Dawson: It’s silly to predict 100 goals in a high school career. Unfair probably, too.
But it’s not to say Bihag doesn’t somewhat force you to broach the subject. The sophomore, after scoring 35 goals in the Mustangs’ title run last spring, already has 18 this season. That’s 53 so far in her career with 2 1/2 seasons likely remaining.
She had 11 in three games last week. No. 3 Dawson beat Front Range Christian and Union Colony Prep, then lost to No. 4 Flatirons Academy.
Nerea Genc, Denver Christian: The senior midfielder has 18 goals this season as the Thunder remained atop the classification despite their loss to No. 2 SkyView Academy last week.
Genc scored twice in the 3-2 loss and followed it up with two more in Monday’s bounce-back 3-0 win over Fountain Valley.
She has 60 goals in her career.