Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — When Arapahoe High School freshman Megan Tyrie scored a last-minute goal in Monday night's lacrosse game, a wave of excitement was sent across the state.

Arapahoe was excited because the goal tied Denver East and gave the Warriors the top seed in the Metro League.

Steamboat was excited because after a week of practice, the Sailors finally know whom they will be facing in their first-round playoff game and when.

That game, between Arapahoe and Steamboat, will be played at Littleton's Newton Middle School (4001 East Arapahoe Road) at 4 p.m. Friday.

"Our kids were really excited," Warriors coach Paul Larsen said. "We've never been close to beating them (Denver East) in the past."

Steamboat Springs coach Chris Polumbus said she thinks the Arapahoe win is also good news for her players.

"Arapahoe is going to be a very tough team," Polumbus said. "But they are not quite the team Denver East is."

Steamboat assistant coach Jenna Gruben may feel a little torn during the game. She graduated from Arapahoe in 1995 and played for the Warriors during high school.

"It's a cool thing," Polumbus said. "We played my alma mater (Air Academy) last year and we get to play Jenna's this year."

Arapahoe will come into the game with a 7-3-1 (6-0-1) record and with a six-game unbeaten streak on the line.

Juli Ramirez and Kate Sehesta lead the Warriors in goals scored this season with 34 apiece.

"We've scored a lot of goals this season. That hasn't been a problem," Larsen said. "What we've really been working on is keeping the ball out of the net at the other end."

Polumbus said Steamboat should be healthy for the game. The team has been off since April 21 when it finished the regular season by upsetting Kent Denver.

"Sure we are the underdogs, but that's nothing new." Polumbus said. "We are always the underdogs."