It wasn’t the prettiest or easiest win of the season, but the Durango High School girls soccer team passed their first playoff test by beating Frederick at home 4-2 in the first round on Wednesday.
The No. 5-seeded Demons had the majority of possession and more shots than No. 28 Frederick, but the Golden Eagles were opportunistic against a Durango defense that was shaky at times with its clears and positioning.
However, even after Frederick tied the game at two in the second half, the Demons had the response on offense, finding space and creative ways to score. The skill and teamwork that made the Demons league champs were on display as four Durango players scored from all over the field to avoid the upset.
“Frederick had a really good team, and we're so happy that our players stepped up today and made sure that we came out with a victory,” Durango head coach Zac Keeler said. “I’m super proud of them for playing that game as a team the whole time. I didn't see a single player trying to do anything for themselves.”
Durango improved to 13-2 overall with the win in the 4A state playoffs, and Frederick finished its season 6-7-3 overall. Sophomore Emma Pritchett, junior Gracie Fitzpatrick, junior Ellis Campbell and junior Lila Scherer-Sickler each had a goal for the Demons. Sophomore Lia Schowalter added two assists.
It was only the third time this season that Durango has allowed at least two goals in a game, and it was the first time Durango has won a game it had allowed at least two goals.
The Demons and the Golden Eagles didn’t have many chances early. Frederick struggled to possess the ball against Durango’s pressure, and Durango struggled to create chances in the attacking third with a lack of continued possession. This created an almost table tennis-like back-and-forth play in the middle of the field.
All it takes to change the game is one opportunity, and that’s what Durango got off a corner kick. Schowalter played in a corner into traffic, and Pritchett’s header found the back of the net just before the Frederick keeper could get her hand on it. Durango led 1-0 with 26:12 left.
The Demons’ lack of composure on defense caught up with them on a corner kick. The ball entered the 18-yard box, was rolling around, and Durango couldn’t clear it. The ball was kicked out to a Frederick striker who fired it into the top of the goal from close range to tie the game with 17 minutes left in the first half.
Campbell was the main source of offense throughout the final 15 minutes as one of the few Demons who could create one-on-one and get shots on goal. Durango had more possession in the final stretch of the first half, and Frederick didn’t challenge senior goalkeeper Ryne Neiman in goal before halftime.
“We told each other to keep your heads up; we're playing fine,” Fitzpatrick said about halftime. “The only things that they've gotten are off our mistakes … it was just building each other up and keeping that confidence in ourselves.”
Durango continued to have a lot of possession to start the second half as Frederick really packed its defensive line with players, looking like it was ready to settle for the tie.
The Demons’ constant possession paid off. Phare received a ball on the left side and played a perfect through ball to an overlapping Fitzpatrick on the left side. Fitzpatrick got on the ball right as the Frederick keeper was in no-man’s land, not on her line, but not far enough to get the ball. Fitzpatrick finished around the keeper for the 2-1 lead with 31 minutes left.
“Josie Phare plays a really big role in that, as she's the one who’s giving me those balls around,” Fitzpatrick said. “Just talking with her and our center back on overlapping … really, gives me the confidence and the want to score those runs. Our coaches telling me, ‘Go, Gracie! Go Gracie, go! Run!’ That definitely really helps me.”
Only four minutes later, Frederick had the response. The Golden Eagles caught the Durango defense napping with a combination play on the right side. Neiman couldn’t get to the pass in time, and the Frederick striker finished with a nice poke into the open net to tie the game.
Durango’s counterpunch was magnificent. Campbell settled a bouncing ball from around 30 yards out and hit a volley that skied over the Frederick keeper’s net and into the back of the net for the 3-2 lead with 21 minutes left.
The Demons continued to put pressure on the Frederick defense in the last 20 minutes as Frederick’s offense was mostly kick, chase and hope for the best. Durango really started getting some shots on target, making the Frederick keeper make some impressive saves, although she struggled to hang on to the ball, creating even more chances for Durango.
Frederick had one last chance with about 2:30 left, but Neiman stood tall and made a save on a low shot from about 20 yards out.
The Golden Eagles went all out for the tying goal, leaving a lot of space behind their defense. Scherer-Sickler got behind and had a one-on-one breakaway with 10 seconds left, finishing for Durango’s fourth goal just before time expired.
Keeler was happy about how Durango won the ball on Frederick’s punts and goal kicks in the second half. The Demons kept the ball away from Frederick’s strikers, which was one of the team’s goals in the second half.
Durango will face No. 12 Mullen on Saturday at DHS in the second round. The Mustangs are 9-4-3 overall and haven’t lost after starting the season 1-4.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
