Trujillo, Prospect Ridge Academy highlight battle-tested Metro League

PREP GIRLS SOCCER

Elite teams in mix for league title

Prospect Ridge Academy’s Kateri Trujillo has served as a team leader for Miners’ soccer this year and ranks third in Class 3A for points. ALISSA NOE — BOCOPREPS.COM

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By Alissa Noe

anoe@ prairiemountainmedia.com

Kateri Trujillo’s 32 goals during her junior season certainly made a lot of heads turn in Class 3A soccer last year.

This year, through the influence of a tougher schedule, the Prospect Ridge Academy senior forward/midfielder has had to change her role on the pitch a bit. Thanks to her guidance — and the 19 goals and 18 assists she’s produced — the Miners boast a 10-3 record and are hot on the trail for a Metro League championship.

The 4A teams head coach Rod Muir added to their schedule have certainly helped up their stock with playoffs just around the corner. The ladies boast a No. 4 ranking in CHSAA’s RPI system, just behind fellow Metro League foe Jefferson Academy, which holds steady at No. 3.

“I’ve kind of taken on the role of yes, I want to produce goals, but I also focused on wanting to become a playmaker, because obviously, in college, I’m not going to have 32-goal seasons,” the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps commit said. “It’s going to be way less.

“I’ve definitely realized throughout the season that sometimes just dribbling it all the way in, that’s not really what I’m working toward. In order to make myself a better player, I’m going to try and create goal-scoring opportunities for the team and not just myself.”

Trujillo lauded the physicality of 4A opponents like No. 2 Green Mountain, No. 7 Mullen and No. 23 The Classical Academy, but that’s hardly new to a PRA team that plays in arguably one of the state’s best 3A leagues.

The Metro League alone hosts eight teams in the CHSAA 3A RPI top 20: No. 3 Jefferson Academy, No. 4 PRA, No. 5 Colorado Academy, No. 8 Kent Denver, No. 9 Stargate School, No. 13 Peak to Peak, No. 16 Eagle Ridge Academy and No. 19 St. Mary’s Academy.

Only Green Mountain, Mullen and Jefferson Academy have provided potholes on their road toward success.

“I felt like our schedule was too easy last year, and so we really wanted to step it up,” Muir said. “With her help and the other captains, it was just mindset. It was, we’ve got to produce every game, we’ve got to step in every game and want to win every game. And that’s how we’ve found success this season.”

Trujillo is far from the only local Metro Leaguer to put up big numbers this season. Her teammate, sophomore forward Madison Skinner, has added 11 goals and four assists to the Miners’ scoring tally this year.

Jefferson Academy boasts three scoring machines, led by senior Kate Runyon (19 goals, 10 assists), junior Gianna Gagliano (18 goals, 10 assists) and senior Allie Jo Kirkpatrick (11 goals, 20 assists). The 11-2 Jaguars currently lead the Metro League with a 7-1 record, just one win ahead of PRA’s 6-1 tally.

The Miners and Jaguars only have two regular-season games remaining to sort out who will emerge victorious in the league title race, and Colorado Academy is still very much in the mix at 6-1 with four games remaining.

Colorado Academy will next play a 5-4-2 Peak to Peak team on Monday. Jefferson Academy will round out its regular season against Liberty Common and Eagle Ridge Academy. Prospect Ridge Academy will look to pad its resume against Kent Denver and Stargate School.

Muir and Trujillo believe their Miners are ready for the challenge and whatever the postseason may bring.

“(Our schedule) just tested us really early,” Trujillo said. “I think that it was just a great team bonding experience because it forced us not to play as individuals, but it forced us to come together.”