Vail Mountain School Vikings Clinch Playoff Orange in 9-0 Win

Aspen —The orange wasn’t just a color; it was a living, breathing entity that consumed the field at Vail Mountain School on Thursday. It spilled out of the uniforms, seeped into the stands where the fan base roared with a noise that felt physical, and hung in the air under the Gore Range like a promise kept. For the Vikings, who hadn’t made the playoffs last year, this 9-0 demolition of Mile High Academy wasn’t just a win. It was a coronation.

So, why did the VMS soccer team look so unbothered, so utterly dominant, against a team that had no idea what they were walking into?

It came down to the weight of the jersey. Senior Colm Kinney, who led the post-game Viking row, admitted that while he scored the first goal on a beautifully placed corner from senior William Kuti, his favorite part of the day was simply wearing the playoff orange. “It’s a tradition that we’ve had for so long,” Kinney said. “Last year we didn’t make the playoffs, so it’s an honor to wear orange.” That sense of honor translated directly to the pitch. The team moved with a cohesion that suggested they had been playing this game for years, not weeks.

Kuti was the engine of that offense. He added three goals to his tally, celebrating each one with a classic “suii” that the crowd clearly adored. But he wasn’t doing it alone. He credited the collective effort, noting, “I was just trying to get everyone involved.” That philosophy allowed other players to shine. Senior Alex Uribe sliced through the defense for the second goal, while senior Patrick Deighan found the net from an insane angle in the second half. Even the younger players contributed; sophomore Lukas Hanak sent a shot high over the goalie late in the game, and fellow sophomore Jackson Tankersley showed his touch with an assist on one of Kuti’s goals.

Coach Toby Kinney saw the growth in his players, particularly the senior leadership. “The last few games even though they’ve been tough ones, it’s been good to watch them grow,” he said. “A bounce here, a bounce there — they stick with it.” That resilience was evident in the final minutes when senior goalie Caspian Covarrubias-Walker secured the playoff shutout. The only blemish was a strong shot that bounced off the right post into the head of the Mile High goalie, a small reminder that even in dominance, the game has teeth.

Now, the Vikings turn their attention to the road. Next week, they travel to face No. 5 St. John Paul the Great in the second round. The attitude remains the same: expect nothing, fear no one. As the students rushed the field Thursday, leaving Kuti searching for his karaoke machine in the aftermath, the scene was an orange blur. It was a celebration of home, of history, and of a team that knows exactly what it is. The orange lingers, bright against the fading light, a mark left on the field that no one will soon forget.