LONGMONT — Tuesday’s season finale between cross-town girls soccer rivals Longmont and Silver Creek didn’t have the same playoff implications it normally does. But instead of less meaningful, that fact just made the game more personal.
Previously eliminated from postseason contention, the Trojans and Raptors battled to a 1-1 double-overtime tie at Silver Creek High School.
“It was intense out there because we’re big rivalry schools,” Trojans senior Sarah Calhoun said. “A lot of us know each other from club soccer, so that heightened it a little bit. Neither of us are going to the playoffs, so it was just leave it all on the field because this is the last game for a lot of us on both teams.”
Calhoun squaring off against Raptors senior goalkeeper Meghan Jedzrejewski was just one of many longtime relationships between former and current club teammates that bridged the two teams.
“This, to me, is one of the most important games of the season,” said Jedzrejewski, who made nine saves in the game. “It’s a cross-town rivalry and I know pretty much everyone on the team. There are a lot of feelings involved, obviously. It’s also my last game as a Raptor, so that’s tough to deal with.”
For the most part, the rivals were even offensively. Each team fired 13 shots, nine on goal for the Trojans, seven for the Raptors.
Raptors freshman and leading goal-scorer Jenna Schemmel opened the scoring with her sixth goal of the season, a lob shot from the left side in the 18th minute.
In the 25th minute, Trojans junior Molly Schwartz’s free kick caused a scramble in front of the net. Players on both teams touched the ball several times before Calhoun finally knocked it in to tie the game.
Both teams stalled offensively in the second half, forcing overtime.
Each team put two shots on goal between the two five-minute overtime periods. Both were saved, including a diving deflection by Jedzrejewski with 20 seconds left in the game.
Tuesday’s game capped off a season that saw the Raptors finish with seven ties. Head coach Pat Monacelli said he’s never seen a number close to that high.
“If it’s not a state record, it’s gotta be close,” Monacelli said. “This game was kind of a microcosm of our season, we’re up and we’re down. We’ve got seven ties and I can look at just about all of those and see very winnable games.”
Monacelli, whose daughter plays for the Silver Creek junior varsity, said it’s fun to see the players go from club teammates to prep rivals.
“It’s fun, as a coach, to see the girls really go at it in a good, hard game,” Monacelli said. “They know each other very well. You always want to win a game, but in some way, maybe a tie is the best thing that could happen.”
It was also senior night and the teams held a halftime ceremony honoring Silver Creek junior Delaney Goodner, who died from cancer on Dec. 9, 2011.
“It’s a lot of the girls’ last games of their soccer career, so they were excited and pumped,” Trojans head coach Allison Douthit said. “I’m extremely happy with the way they played today. The only thing missing was that final amazing shot that could beat their good senior goalkeeper.”
Silver Creek finished fifth, Longmont sixth, in the Northern Conference. The top four teams advance to the state tournament.
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Longmont 1, Silver Creek 1
At Silver Creek H.S.
Longmont (6-7-2, 2-4-1) 1 0 0 0 — 1
Silver Creek (5-3-7, 2-2-3) 1 0 0 0 — 1
Goals (assists) — Longmont Sarah Calhoun, 25th minute: Jenna Schemmel, 18th minute.
Goalkeepers (Min-Goals allowed-Saves) — Longmont: Maria Romo (15-0-2), Grace Hamm (75-1-4). Silver Creek: Meghan Jedzrejewski (90-1-9).
