Anna McCarthy scores five goals in season opener

Senior Anna McCarthy and the Niwot girls soccer team kicked off the season in dramatic fashion with a 6-2 rout of the Skyview Wolverines on March 8. The speedy McCarthy scored two goals in the first ten minutes on her way to a career-high five goals on the night, more than exceeding the already-high expectations of coach Stephen Dimit.

“I didn’t expect five, but I did expect the first two because she was just ready to do those,” Dimit said. “And I was really proud of the way she stepped up in the second half and put the team on her shoulders right away.”

Though Niwot’s new possession-oriented offense found success quickly against Skyview, the Cougars settled into early-season form for most of the half. McCarthy’s quick pair of goals accounted for all of the Cougar scoring in the first 40 minutes, which ended in a 2-2 tie, after a questionable call by officials on a last-second Skyview goal. The Wolverines scored their first goal on a free kick in the 23rd minute by Yadira Ramos Gurrola.

On the other side of the ball, Nazary Ramirez and the defense also had a solid start, though Skyview’s forwards were quicker up the field on more than one occasion in the first half.

“We actually chose to press Skyview high up the field, so we expected a few of those breakaways,” Dimit said. “We chose to live on the edge a little bit, but we trust our defenders in those situations.”

A much sharper Niwot team took the field in the second half, led by McCarthy, who started the scoring at 38:40 with her third goal of the night, followed by her fourth in the 56th minute and her fifth in the 64th. Junior Sierra Keppler scored her first goal of the season with just over six minutes to go after what Dimit described as some “beautiful ball movement” from the offense, including junior Elise Crall, who had three shots on the night, and senior Sage Marten.

“I thought we were a little sloppy in the first half,” Dimit said. “But when you can battle back and have four second-half goals in your first game, I think that’s better.”

Though senior McCarthy was the undisputed star of the show, she had a great deal of support from a cast of underclassmen. Freshman Maddie Borncamp was impressive in her high school debut, with two assists on the night, while a trio of sophomores—Natalia Storz, Sydney Lee, and Autumn Carlston—chipped in with an assist apiece. Another sophomore, Quinn Gossett, was pressed into service as goalie, while senior Allie Colvin recovers from a “super minor” concussion, according to Dimit.

“It all really came from our team,” McCarthy said after her breakout night. “All of my goals came from different players, and as a team I think we definitely had that in us.”

Despite a shaky start, both the coach and McCarthy agreed that the convincing win is a harbinger of good things to come down the stretch.

“First half, we didn’t play as well as we could have,” McCarthy said. “But we definitely came back in the second half, and I think that’s setting the tone for the season, that we’re not going to give up and keep working hard.”

“We saw some things we definitely want to work on,” Dimit said. “But if you can do that and win, then that’s a good night.”

3/8 — Niwot 6, Skyview 2

Wolverines (0-1) 2 0 — 2

Cougars (1-0) 2 4 — 6

Goals — Anna McCarthy (5), Sierra Keppler

Assists— Maddie Borncamp (2), Sage Marten, Autumn Carlston, Sydney Lee, Natalia Storz

Goalies (Min-Goals allowed-Saves) — Quinn Gossett (80-2-1)