Demons score lopsided soccer win over Moffat

Click to Enlarge Browse and Buy Post Independent Photos Glenwood Springs’ Sarah Treese heads a ball Thursday against host Moffat County. The Demons blew past the Bulldogs, 8-0, sweeping the two-game season set, 18-0. John Vandelinder Daily Press

By John Vandelinder
April 25, 2008

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CRAIG, Colorado - With only a few games remaining in girls high school soccer before the playoffs begin, Glenwood Springs' coach Bryan Stoltzfus and Moffat County coach Alegra Yager both said they were looking for victories.

But for two completely different reasons.

Glenwood Springs is sitting in second place in the Western Slope League 4A standings with four games remaining - the finale against first-place Battle Mountain.

Moffat County's lone victory of the season against Palisade seems like forever ago, and Yager said the team needed a win to boost morale.

The Demons' mission of keeping within striking distance of first place in the league resulted in an 8-0 defeat of the host Bulldogs on Thursday.

The victory kept Glenwood, (8-2-1 overall, 8-2-1 WSL) in the hunt for the league title, while Moffat County, (1-11 overall, 1-11 WSL) will still have to search for the season's second victory.

Five minutes into the first half, Glenwood took control.

Sarah Treese scored from the top of the goalie's box, initiating what would amount to three Demon goals in the game's first 10 minutes.

Leah Mansfield made it 2-0, and Hope Whitman deposited a right-footed blast past Moffat County goaltender Imelda Hernandez less than two minutes later.

Hernandez stood strong in goal for the Bulldogs, stopping eight consecutive Demon shots before Glenwood's Anna Wiltse put the Demons up, 4-0, three minutes before the half.

"The girls just aren't responding in game situations," MCHS coach Alegra Yager said. "We practice moving the ball and passing well, but it's not showing on the field when it counts."

The second half didn't fare much better for the home team.

Treese scored her second goal of the contest, this one five minutes into the second half. McKenzie Kuhn was at the right place at the right time for Glenwood's next goal. Kuhn took a deflected ball off of a Bulldog defender directly in front of the MCHS net, and calmly laid it in with her left foot, for a 6-0 Demon lead.

The snow that had covered the field at the opening of the contest returned late in the game's second half.

Under white-out conditions, Glenwood's Nikki Pearson and Kelsie Hert still managed to find the back of the Bulldog net, accounting for the final margin of victory.

"We made a lot of good passes and made the most of our opportunities," Treese said. "There was snow on the field when we got here, and snow on the field when we left. We came through, though. It was a great win."

Glenwood faces Palisade and Rifle before the highly anticipated matchup with Battle Mountain.

Stoltzfus said he isn't overlooking anybody.

"We have three games left," he said. "That's three games left we need to win. Anything is possible."

MCHS has three games remaining, as well. The Bulldogs host Eagle Valley (1-11) Saturday at 11 a.m., followed by a road game at Palisade, and the Bulldogs home-finale versus Palisade.

"We are just going to keep going at it hard every game," Yager said. "We want to get at least one more (victory) before the season is through.