CHEYENNE – The Torrington High School girls’ soccer team’s first appearance at the 3A State Soccer Tournament since 2016 was short-lived.
The Lady Blazers went 0-2, falling to top-ranked Cody and East Conference foe, Buffalo.
On Thursday, the Cody Fillies looked to get off to a quick start with a goal in the third minute, but Torrington wasn’t going to go away quietly.
“They are a very salty team,” THS coach Dave Cummings said. “We didn’t match up very well with them.”
In the sixth minute, Morgan Bates connected with Kameron Stitt on a cross pass. Stitt stormed past the Cody defensive line, scoring the equalizer.
“Bates and Stitt have been a very effective combination all season long. We were able to get it past their midfield,” Cummings said. “They got the ball through the defense, and Kameron was able to finish with the ball in the back of the net. They have been doing that all year long, and for them to do that against one of the best teams in the state, was really fun to watch.”
It proved to be the Lady Blazers’ only goal in the 8-1 loss to Cody.
The Fillies broke the tie in the 21st minute, while adding goals in the 28th and 36th minutes to take a 4-1 lead into halftime.
Cody added goals in the 42nd, 47th, 58th and 60th minutes to pull away for the victory.
The Fillies finished the season in the runner-up spot, falling in the championship.
The next day, Torrington saw its season come to an end with a 6-2 loss to the Buffalo Lady Bison.
The Lady Blazers struck first in the 10th minute, coming off a corner kick courtesy of Bates.
“It came right through the defense, and Kam was right there to redirect it into the goal,” Cummings said.
Buffalo managed to tie the match up just before halftime and take its first lead early in the second half.
Torrington later tied the match on a second goal from Stitt with an assist coming from junior Chelsea Prall.
Buffalo broke the tie near the 60-minute mark before scoring again in the 73rd minute.
“That’s where we were out of steam,” Cummings said. “They got two late goals to finish it off.”
The Lady Blazers finish the season with a 6-10 record.
“I’m extremely pleased with how well the team responded this year,” Cummings said. “The coaching from coach (Kevin) Derby and coach (Antonio) Velazquez was remarkable. They are both very knowledgeable, not only the nuts and bolts of the game, but of what makes players tick and how to motivate players, getting the most out of them. Things really came together well for them and we have a great springboard going into next year. You can’t say enough about the leadership from the seniors.”
