Fitting cap to the regular season
'Stangs shut out Overland to finish 13-1-1; next is announcement of the 32-team playoff bracket this weekend; team could land the top 4A seed.
Now, they wait …
A 3-0 home victory over Overland on a pleasant Wednesday afternoon completed the regular season for Mullen’s Mustangs.
It pushed them to 13-1-1 overall, 5-1-1 in the Class 5A-based Centennial League. It also secured second place in the loop, but the Mustangs are hoping it will push them to the top of the 4A seeding that is due this weekend. Currently, they are ranked No. 2 in 4A and stand second in 4A RPI.
“We wait to see where they put us,” an upbeat Mustangs head coach Matt Degitis said.
The 13 victories are the most for Mullen since going 13-6 in 2016 and 13-5-2 in 2011, when it won the Colorado championship.
Against Overland, the Mustangs took care of business early – they scored three times over the first 30 minutes and, as Degitis said, didn’t surrender the lead.
There was nice contrast for Mullen scoring. Senior Eli Kerschen scored twice, including off a corner kick, to up his season total to 22. It ties him for fifth in the classification. And junior Alex Sedita got his first of the season in a cap to the match. Nolan Cooper, Ethan Lehman and Bryce Sohayda had the assists.
Mullen actually had a lot going on – it knocked off previously undefeated and 5A top-ranked Arapahoe 2-1 late Tuesday night. And the match against Overland had been switched as the Mustangs earlier were on Retreat.
“It was tough,” Degitis said. “Just in general coming off Arapahoe … but we put the work in early and we were able to hold (the Trailblazers) off.”
Thirty-two teams will advance to the 4A bracket and Mullen considers itself a major contender.
“We’re really healthy,” Degitis said. “I’m very pleased with the execution of the regular season, 13-1-1 is great, second in league … it has been just a brilliant season for these boys, but the reality is everything is ahead of us.”
MULLEN 3, OVERLAND 0
Overland 0 0 -- 0
Mullen 3 0 -- 3
Mullen goals – Eli Kerschen 2, Alex Sedita.
Mullen assists – Nolan Cooper, Ethan Lehman, Bryce Sohayda.
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