The Pink Panthers, with one game left in the season against Montrose on Nov. 11, clinched the championship. They have an 8-0-1 record. Thunder Mountain, the second place team, has two in the loss column.

"I thought the key to the game was winning the 50/50 balls, a super job trapping the ball and passing to the wings, and a good job of swtiching the field of play," coach Marc Meyer said. "Stats are hard to point to on this team. I believe they all contributed and played their rolls and that is the success of this team. It’s a different player every week making the big plays to get us going."

The Panthers utilized a zonal 4-3-3 defense against the quicker Breaker fullbacks. The scheme certainly worked for the early minutes of the game. In fact, on Cortez’ first possession, after a steal, with the ball they scored but it was called back because of an off-sides call. Gina Franchini, on a crossing pattern, shot the ball in the corner after the TM goalie had committed to going in the opposite direction in anticipation. But moments later the Pink Panthers did score when Amanda Graffis made an excellent shot into an open goal at about the seven-minute mark. The Pink Panthers were dominating play offensively by keeping the ball in the attacking half.

The Breakers did come back, though, with several shots on the goal during the latter minutes of the first half.

"Our scheme worked well for all but the last eight minutes of the first half," Meyer commented. "We played a little unorganized defensively."

The Pink Panthers, though, changed fields well and responded with several shots on goal. Graffis scored again late in the half which made the score 2-0. TM’s goalie did make several nice saves.

In the second half, the Breakers seemed to get the momentum. They kept shooting but Randa Olson made some nice saves. The Pink Panthers started moving the ball well and made several shots on goal. With about six minutes gone, Darshina Benally scored off a corner kick in what would be the final goal of the game. The local girls kept the pressure on offensively until about 10 mintues left when they suffered through a few defensive laps. The Breakers got several shots off but none found the mark.

"This was a typical game for us, not at our best but still dominating on the field. We kept the ball in our scoring half, scoring on corners and crosses, with everyone contributing. One thing to remember, up until Montrose beat Thunder Mountain last weekend, that group of young ladies had been unbeaten in WSSL play since competitive play began in the spring of 1999," Meyer added.

The current team members are: Amanda Graffis, Emelia Alee-Jumbo, Amy Johnson, Maddy Stephens, Gina Franchini, Katie Meyer, Savanah Tanner, Darshina Benally, Jessie Love-Nichols, Elizabeth Powell, Danielle Kinsley, Karlyn Franchini, Esther Harclerode, Janae McCarroll, Lisa Ehmke, Randa Olson, and Piedra Lightfoot. Meyer and Cliff Stephens coach the team.

Other members of this league include teams from Basalt, Aspen, Carbondale, Montrose U-14, Eagle, Grand Mesa Wild Things, Glenwood Springs, Grand Mesa Inferno, and Montrose U-13.

The team record from Fall 1998, Spring 1999(U-12), Fall 1999, Spring 200 (U-13) and now into Fall 2000 is now a gawdy 74-25-13.

The WSSL was formed in 1994. At that time, the purpose was to create a league for advanced youth players in the central and western counties of Colorado. For advanced teams prior to that time, the alternative was to travel to the Front Range which, for many of those people living along the Western Slope, meant a six to eight hour drive for one game. In addition, the spring season for the Colorado State Youth Soccer Association traditionally begins the second weekend in March, a time when the mountain towns are precluded from playing because of snowpack still on the fields.