Coming into Friday evening’s match in Bayfield, Manitou Springs had already allowed more goals in three matches than during all of last year’s regular season – five. And of the six goals Manitou did surrender – barely a blemish on 83 goals scored – five came in a season-ending loss to Aspen in the condensed Class 3A state tournament’s opening Round of 16.
So one could assume that if there was a chance to corral the Lady Mustangs, it could come Friday in Wolverine Country Stadium. One could also logically assume that if there was a chance for MSHS to begin building momentum for another postseason push, it could come against a team they’d blanked 10-0 in one half last year out in El Paso County.
Unfortunately for the Lady Wolverines – facing their first opposition since March 16 – the latter opportunity materialized.
Lurking just outside CHSAANow.com’s latest Class 3A rankings as a high “others receiving votes” crew, the reigning Tri-Peaks League champs broke free with two goals within five minutes on either side of halftime and coasted to a 9-0 road victory.
“You know, this team is developing. I’m all about development,” said BHS head coach Chris Zoltowski. “We’ll take our licks, take our losses, but you will see as the season goes on that this team will continue to get better. I’m so excited for them.”
Junior reserve Cassidy Kuzbek came off Ben Mack’s bench to break the ice with a 25th-minute goal, a cleanup of a shot taken by junior Sami Benge-Kulzer that BHS goalie Annie Fusco initially saved but lost her grip.
Kuzbek would convert a Benge-Kulzer assist into a 2-0 advantage in the 38th minute. MSHS (2-1-1 overall, 0-0-0 T-PL) increased its pace with a 40th-minute marker by freshman Kara Donnegan off a Benge-Kulzer corner kick, and then got a stoppage-time Benge-Kulzer score off a cross from junior Erica Sherwin.
After intermission, Sherwin quickly struck twice, and junior Madrid Mack netted a 48th-minute penalty kick after a Bayfield handball not far from Fusco, who was under siege from start to finish and unofficially totaled 20 saves as her teammates’ collective fatigue became apparent.
“First and foremost, I’m so proud of Annie,” Zoltowski said. “She’s a true competitor, and it showed tonight.”
Kuzbek completed her hat trick in the 53rd minute off a Sherwin assist.
Bayfield (0-2-0, 0-1-0 3A Southwestern) denied the Lady Mustangs another goal for 22 minutes until Manitou booted in a shot too tall for even Fusco to snag.
“Last year, getting mercy-ruled in the first 35 minutes, that’s going to be remembered. And going into this game it was mentioned; they were worried, came in nervous,” Zoltowski said. “And they had two options: They could either play timid, or they could show up and execute – and they did. Played tough and communicated great.”
Limited to just three total shots/shots on frame, BHS will take another peek at the Tri-Peaks at 3 p.m. Saturday in Colorado Springs at James Irwin Charter, with the Lady Jaguars standing 1-2 (0-0 T-PL) overall.
“We’re going to go hit our ice baths,” Zoltowski said with a grin, “freshen up and get ready. Just keep moving forward.”
Manitou Springs, meanwhile, will visit Pagosa Springs (1-0, 0-0 3A SWL), with play commencing at 11 a.m.
With morale still higher than high after Tuesday’s 2-1 overtime loss at home to Pagosa Springs High School, Ignacio (1-3, 1-2 2A Southwestern) will look to put forth a similar effort Saturday in 2A SWL action against sixth-ranked Crested Butte (1-4, 0-1). Kickoff at IHS Field is set for 2 p.m.
“At the end of the game I was so excited; we have never played that well against Pagosa!” said head coach Alisha Gullion. “That game – and every game – demonstrates that there’s so much growth, and every game I feel like we just get better and better as a team. It’s so exciting.”
