Previous experience a catalyst for Rye girls soccer as Thunderbolts prepare for 2A playoffs

Luke Zahlmann
The Pueblo Chieftain
Rye senior Shylah Marquez fires a pass after an out-of-bounds shot attempt in the Thunderbolts' 5-3 win over visiting Alamosa Tuesday, May 25, 2021.

Before practice, Mike Wing brought his team together.

The Rye High School girls soccer team is made up of several athletes who are in their third or fourth sports seasons in just the current school year. They've scattered their time through basketball, soccer and volleyball, among others. 

The question for the impromptu chat: What's the curfew? 

The Thunderbolts are heading into their first postseason since 2019, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. They're slated to face off with Denver Christian on Saturday at 11 a.m. in what figures to be a scorching matchup — in part because of the evenness of the two teams, but also due to Colorado's recent heat wave. 

Wing wanted to ask them for guidance in setting a curfew for the night before. He had a time in his mind, but wanted input before sharing it — just like he does with his own children. 

Some shouts of 11 p.m. were heard, while others were for 10:30 p.m. The time in Wing's head was 10. If the conversation was a test of the leadership of his team, the Thunderbolts' roster aced it. 

They've been through the rigors of postseasons, including a Final Four finish in basketball. That experience has shaped the discipline present in Wing's squad and set them up for success in this postseason. 

"Seven of the kids who were (in our last postseason) are still here today," Wing said. "They're more disciplined (from experience). I've got a ton of leaders on this team and it starts from the seniors on down." 

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Assistant coach Karen Hopkins has seen the leadership often in her work with the team. 

Hopkins is a nutritionist for the team most days. She organizes meal and drink plans that the team follows meticulously — by their own choice. 

The plan is mostly suggestive, but the Thunderbolts have picked it up and run with it. Their night-before meals include pasta and other high-carb foods to store up, while the mornings are more based around smaller courses like eggs and another source of protein like bacon or sausage. 

On the sidelines, Hopkins carries snacks like oranges and bananas — the latter known to reduce cramping. 

Through the entire process, they're also chugging water. In Rye's first game of the year, Wing could tell his team didn't drink enough. A large portion of the girls were forced to come on and off the field with cramps. 

In the postseason, you can't have that. But the seniors remedied the problem quick, and there has been little issue since.

"I think they take it really seriously and it says a lot about them," Wing said. "They're teenagers — I wasn't that good (at that age). When you're not doing what you're supposed to, you're cramping. 

"These girls learned." 

The bus ride to Denver won't be a foreign one. The night before won't be different and the meals will stay the same. 

All of the moments the Thunderbolts have experienced before have them feeling confident about a chance to make a postseason run. 

It wouldn't be the first run — which, in itself, is a calming factor that could lead them. 

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Stats to know

Across 2A, few names have been seen more than that of the Adamson twins. The duo has dominated the classification all year, combining for 42 goals. 

Each is in the top five throughout the state in points (Sydney with 60, Sophie with 53). Only Dawson School senior Degen Miller (29) outpaces Sydney's 25 goals. 

Rye senior Shylah Marquez, the leader of the team's defense, will be tasked with helping Denver Christian sophomore Nerea Genc and junior Taylor McNally. The two have combined for 90 points (37 goals, 16 assists). 

She's up for the task.

"She's probably one of the best defenders I've ever coached," Wing said. "Her wherewithal and knowing how to use her body — not many people know how to use their body in a positive way (like her)." 

Chieftain reporter Luke Zahlmann can be reached at or on Twitter: @lukezahlmann.