Denied a chance to play in the postseason, Montezuma-Cortez’s Madison Sitton on Friday helped her team get a shot at the long-awaited experience.
“Because of my age ... I had to sit on the bench all season in softball. I didn’t get to play. So I was incredibly lucky to be able to play soccer,” said Sitton, a 19-year-old senior, after a 6-1 home win over Ignacio.
“I’ll get to go, but I have to just cheer – which is a little upsetting – but I’m just so proud of my team and so excited that I got to play,” she added.
A elementary student the last time the Panthers enjoyed an eight-win season, Sitton smirked when recalling current assistant coach Kylee Sitton Ebberts was around when the 2010 squad went 8-6-1 overall as a Class 4A program, but missed the playoffs after a season-ending loss to 4A/5A SWL champs Durango.
“She’s my sister,” said Madison Sitton, “and her team didn’t even get to go. It’s pretty crazy because she’s now coaching our team ... and we get to go!”
“It’s quite an honor, honestly, to be part of such a team,” said senior Olivia Cosner. “Coming off of yesterday’s win (7-1 at 2A Del Norte) we had a confidence boost, and I think you were able to see, like, the potential our team has.”
“Today the Rubik’s Cube came together,” said head coach Reese Smith.
During their hot streak, the Panthers have outscored their opponents 22-4.
Capping Montezuma-Cortez’s seventh consecutive conquest, Cosner completed a hat trick with a high-arcing 76th-minute goal over keeper Trinity Strohl.
Ignacio sophomore Darlyn Mendoza-Lechuga denied Aubrey Rutherford a shutout by drilling a 78th-minute indirect kick through the goalie’s hands as all the Panthers standing on the goal line to defend against the shot.
M-CHS (8-4 overall, 5-1 3A Southwestern) got the scoring started with freshman standout Jordi Mahler’s 18th-minute finish of a Sophia Shepard setup. The Lady Panthers then went up 2-0 in the 28th minute, when Cosner appeared to redirect a deflected Mahler shot.
Leading at halftime by two, M-CHS soon added a third when senior Allie Kibel scored in the 45th. She then assisted Mahler in the 50th as the home side made runs onto balls played far ahead.
“We’ve got back to basics ... doing triangle passes,” Kibel said. “That’s really brought us girls closer.”
Played into scoring position by a Kibel pass, Cosner increased Montezuma-Cortez’s advantage to 5-0 in the 74th minute, as she, Kibel, Sitton, Jordan Comisky and Baylee Littlefield all played their last regular-season match – dropping 2A Ignacio to 2-9 overall.
“You don’t remember the wins; you just remember the moments,” said Smith. “So I said, ‘Remember the moments, be with your friends!’ Five, 10 years down the road, you don’t remember what the score was, but you remember the fun, sunny day. There’s only so many sunny days in the world, so use them wisely.”
“Actually getting to play this year instead of not having a season again is really nice,” Kibel said. “Our senior class has shown a lot more dedication than some…. I think we just come to practice having a mindset that our season’s still not over; our conditioning needs to stay the same, the drills need to stay the same, and just us pushing through everything needs to stay.”
Pursued closest by Alamosa for first atop the 3A SWL standings, but 1-1 against the Mean Moose with an even 2:2 head-to-head goal differential, the Panthers will have to wait until all regular-season play concludes to know their postseason fate.
“It’s unreal … to have such a successful year,” said Cosner. “Our midfield really worked the ball well, we utilized the outside—which was an improvement.”
Alamosa, 7-5 overall and 3-1 in the league as of May 2, still had dates this week with Bayfield and Pagosa Springs, meaning the 2-3 Wolverines or 0-5 Lady Pirates could help M-CHS with an upset.
