YOUR AD HERE »

League title in Glenwood’s sight

Jeff Caspersen
Post Independent Staff
Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado
Jeff Caspersen Post Independent
ALL |

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado – The attitude surrounding the Glenwood Springs girls soccer program is different this season.

There’s an edge that hasn’t always been there, head coach Bryan Stoltzfus said, an edge stemming from the Demons’ knowledge that they’re among the best in the 4A Western Slope League.

“They all know they’re playing at a high level,” Stoltzfus said. “They get it this year. I don’t have to get them pumped up. In years past, when they’re playing a team like Steamboat or Battle Mountain, half of it was getting them to believe they could do that. Now, they know they can do that.



“That’s the difference this year.”

It’s a difference that has Glenwood within reach of its first league title since 2002.



With that hunt for a league championship in mind, the Demons bulldozed through another opponent on Thursday, scoring a 4-0 win over Rifle. Glenwood now needs a win or tie at Palisade on Saturday to secure that long-sought championship.

“They want this,” Stoltzfus relayed. “They really do.”

Stoltzfus’ side took care of business early against the visiting Bears on Thursday, with Michaela Mansfield netting a pair of first-half goals – one an acrobatic header.

Corey Gera and Sarah Treese found net in the second half and goalkeepers Kenzie Kuhn and Dani Turley combined on a shutout as the Demons improved to 8-1-0 overall. They have yet to lose a league game.

Turley hopes that perfect league ledger remains intact after Saturday’s meeting with Palisade.

“That one’s important,” said Turley, who helped Glenwood to a 2-1 win over the Bulldogs on March 20. “We beat them the first time, but we really need to beat them again to secure it. … Even when we did play them, they were missing two of their best players. We really need to beat them again.”

Rifle dropped to 0-11-1 with Thursday’s loss. Bears coach Jennifer DeHamer did like her team’s intensity, though.

“I was telling the girls that’s the best I’ve seen them play in a long time,” the second-year coach said. “I was pleased. Obviously, the scoreboard was not in our favor, but the way they played has been a long time waiting, for me at least.”

Next up for DeHamer’s Bears is a Saturday trip to Delta.

jcaspersen@postindependent.com


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.