After a week in girls soccer that saw the No. 1 team in Class 3A and 4A both lose, Broomfield upend Valor Christian in a matchup between two top 10 teams in the nation and the extension of 2A No. 1 Denver Christian’s shutout streak to six games (47-0), there’s been a shift to sport’s power structure.
This week, Mullen (4A), Colorado Academy (3A) and Denver Christian (2A) took over the top spots in the Colorado High School Activities Association’s coaches poll that came out Monday.
Broomfield remained atop 5A after beating Valor Christian on the back of two goals from Michaela McGowan Saturday. Both teams were ranked in the nation’s top 10 by the United Soccer Coaches Association.
For this week’s look at the sport, though, we’ll take a look at the nine new teams that entered the polls’ top 10. We’ll focus on the standouts that have each of them on the rise.
Class 5A
No. 7 Arapahoe: Pushing into the top 10, the Warriors (5-2-1) beat defending champ Grandview, Fort Collins and Smoky Hill last week. They then trumped Smoky Hill 5-0 Tuesday.
Sophomore Bella Lopez, who led the team with 24 points as a freshman, has paced Arapahoe’s offense with four goals and five assists.
Junior goalkeeper Karalyn Dail, meanwhile, has 63 saves to just eight goals allowed in 500 minutes in net.
The Warriors have a nice resume up to this point. Their two losses came out of the Front Range League in a matter of three days last month, falling to No. 1 Broomfield and Fairview.
They go for their sixth straight win Thursday, visiting Cherokee Trail.
No. 8 Ralston Valley: The Mustangs (5-3) have pushed up the rankings thanks to a pretty nice run through a rigid early schedule. And thanks to their rising sophomore star, Raleigh Greason.
Greason had the game-winner in Ralston Valley’s only game last week, beating Evergreen 1-0. She tallied five against Pomona Tuesday and has 10 goals and six assists this season.
Junior keeper Margot Mulhern has 45 saves in six games with three shutouts.
The Mustangs host No. 3 Columbine Friday.
Class 4A
No. 5 Green Mountain: The Rams (6-1) have won four straight, beating Lutheran back on March 28, when the Lions were No. 1.
Last week, they added wins against Monarch, Evergreen and Wheat Ridge.
Alyssa Hamilton has 10 goals and three assists on the year. She’s scored a goal in each of her team’s seven games and had a goal and an assist in Monday’s win over the Farmers.
Green Mountain is at No. 7 Northfield Saturday.
No. 9 Thompson Valley: Following a 2-2 draw to 5A Poudre to open the season, the Eagles have won five straight while outscoring teams 37-0.
Brooke Matheson had eight goals in her first three games.
Thompson Valley is at Mountain View Thursday.
No. 10 Battle Mountain: Senior Fiona Lloyd has 10 goals and seven assists this spring, and Battle Mountain (8-1-1) and its high-firepower offense had won four straight before playing to a draw against Glenwood Springs Tuesday.
The Huskies are averaging just shy of four goals a game this spring (37 in 10 games). This after they scored just over one a match (20 in 16 games) during last year’s 7-9 campaign.
They host Palisade Thursday.
Class 3A
No. 8 Delta: Julia Nelson, the team’s senior goalie, has four shutouts in six games.
She denied eight shots in a 3-0 win over Salida Saturday, and has 70 saves on the year.
The Panthers (6-1) are home against Coal Ridge Thursday.
No. 9 Frontier Academy: Kaylan Todd, a senior, has 14 goals and four assists for the offensive-and-running Wolverines (5-2).
Freshman Emily Gesick has added another nine goals and eight helpers as Frontier Academy has averaged 7 ½ goals per match.
After scoring 10 and 11 goals in its last two games, FA fell to No. 4 Liberty Common 3-0 Tuesday. The Eagles, a quarterfinals team a season ago, have allowed just three goals in five games this spring.
The Wolverines host Estes Park Thursday.
Class 2A
No. 9 Fountain Valley: While many teams started their season in early or mid March, the Danes’ first game was just last Tuesday.
They beat Lamar on Annie Wrubel’s winner in double overtime, then blanked Trinidad 10-0 Saturday on the strength of Emily MacDonald’s hat trick.
On Tuesday, Fountain Valley fell at 3A No. 6 Manitou Springs, 6-0. The Danes look to get back on track at James Irwin Thursday.
No. 10 Buena Vista: The Demons are 3-2 this spring. They’ve shut out teams in their three wins. Both of their losses are to teams in the top 10.
Monday, they were blanked by 3A No. 6 Manitou Springs 4-0. Their other loss, 2-1 to 2A No. 7 Crested Butte, came back on March 21.
In wins over Woodland Park, Rye and Lake County, they outscored teams 16-0.
Mae Blazer and Evelyn Hachmann have led the way with five goals apiece this season.
The Demons are home against Ellicott Thursday.