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LEFT WING – Ridgway High School sophomore left wing Grace Benasutti (No.22) drove around an Ignacio defender last Friday for one of her two goals in a 9-0 shellacking of the Bobcats on a cold day at the athletic fields in Ridgway. The Demons are 4-2 in San Juan Region 5 play. (Photo by Peter Shelton)
RIDGWAY – The combined Ridgway/Ouray high school girls’ soccer team scorched an overmatched Ignacio squad 9-0 last Friday on a cold spring afternoon at the Ridgway athletic fields.
The Demons’ ball-handling skills, smart playmaking and hard, accurate shots on goal were too much for the visiting Bobcats.
Head coach Nancy Randall said in an understatement, “Ridgway started off strong offensively in the first half scoring six goals, then tightened up defense and continued to work offense, scoring three more goals in the second half.”
The so-called “mercy rule” went into effect after Ridgway’s seventh goal, whereby the Demons pulled one player from the field with each successive goal scored. The Demons finished the game two players down and still recorded the shutout.
“The girls did a very nice job of building up offensively from the center,” Randall said, “using the outside wings [sisters Grace and Halli Benasutti] and defense as support. Leta McNatt [sophomore] as stopper, and Lauren Gleason [senior] as sweeper are a great team.”
Scoring two goals each on Friday were senior co-captain and center midfielder Allie Morris, sophomore forward Scarlet Holvenstot, and left wing Grace Benasutti, whose left-footed blast to the top corner in the second half was unstoppable. Senior center midfielder Audrey Jossi and junior forward Cailin Goldstrom put in one goal apiece. Holvenstot also got an assist on a goal that was touched in by Ignacio’s keeper.
“We have four seniors playing for us and serving as our captains this year,” Randall reported. “[They] are all very strong players and leaders: Halli Benasutti, Lauren Gleason, Audrey Jossi and Allie Morris. Freshman Marcina Sarmiento is our goalie.”
Ridgway is currently third with a 4-2 conference record in 3A Region 5 [San Juan]. “Our only losses [were] to [9-1-1] Telluride and [8-0] Bayfield,” Randall said. “We have now played all six other teams in the league, and will play each team again” leading up to the state tournament, which begins with first round playoffs on May 9.
Ridgway’s next match is this Friday, April 20 when the Demons host Center High School, from the San Louis Valley, at the Solar Ranch field at 4 p.m. The Demons took the first meeting between the two schools, 4-0 last month.
pshelton@watchnewspapers.com
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