Crammed in the middle of a jam-packed soccer stadium in the heart of Argentina, Danielle Foxhoven couldn't help but be a little scared this past December.

The crowd was like a living entity, a writhing and chanting mass of humanity. Flares were being shot off and emotions were at a fever pitch.

Images of soccer riots playing again and again on ESPN flashed through Foxhoven's mind.

"They were like hooligans," she said. "Me and my teammates were just holding on tight to one another. It was scary, but it was also awesome to experience."

Foxhoven, a junior at Mullen, was in Argentina as a member of the U.S. National Under 17 team. It was the second out-of-country trip she took since being called up to the team after traveling with the team to Vancouver, British Columbia, during the summer.

"It was probably the best experience of my life," Foxhoven said about the Argentina trip. "Being able to play for your country is such an honor. Sometimes I'm still not able to wrap my mind around it."

While it is on a smaller scale, Foxhoven said she takes as much pride playing for the Mustangs as she does competing for her country.

Last year, she helped Mullen reach the Class 5A state title game and this year, she's a big reason why the Mustangs enter the season ranked No. 1.

Foxhoven said there is more attention given to her time with Mullen than with the national team.

"There's definitely much more media coverage of high school than there is of the national teams. You pretty much have to go to their Web site to follow them," Foxhoven said. "All of your friends come to the high school games and everyone knows how you're doing."

Foxhoven did fine last season, scoring 26 goals while earning All-Colorado honors as a sophomore. Although Mullen lost to Arapahoe 1-0 in the title game, Foxhoven put four of the Mustangs' five shots on goal in the match.

Her best goal of the season might have came in the semifinals. With Mullen in a scoreless double-overtime battle with 2005 champion Mountain Vista, Foxhoven navigated through a cadre of defenders and drilled a shot that sneaked in at the far post.

"You don't see goals like that, even on highlight reels," Mullen coach Jay McClain said. "She was surrounded by four or five players and she was still able to get it off. She is so special."

As good as Foxhoven was as a sophomore, McClain expects her to be even better this season.

"She's the definition of an impact player," McClain said. "What's scary about her is, she can score in so many different ways. She's good with her left foot, she's good with her right.

"She can score with her head and she's good in the air. Her job is to put the ball in the back of the net, and that's exactly what she does."

Still, Foxhoven insists she's a normal girl off the pitch, one who likes hanging out with friends and goes skiing or wakeboarding every opportunity she gets.

And don't bother her between 8 and 9 p.m. Thursdays. If she isn't playing soccer, she will be camped in front of her television, watching Grey's Anatomy.

"I love that show. I try to schedule my Thursdays around it," Foxhoven said. "If I have to miss it, my mom makes sure she has the TiVo going. Even when I was in Argentina, she taped all the shows for me."

NOTEBOOK

• Although it's too early to tell which teams will be playing for the championship May 22, if history is any indication, the title game will be a close one.

Four of the past five Class 5A state championship games have finished with 1-0 scores. Two have gone into overtime, including Arapahoe's victory against Mullen last season. The 2002 title tilt was won by ThunderRidge in double overtime.

The only title game during that stretch that wasn't won 1-0 was in 2005, when Mountain Vista edged Arapahoe 2-1 on penalty kicks.

In addition, the past four semifinal games have ended with 1-0 scores.

• Whichever team survives the Centennial League will have earned its spot in the postseason. The league features three ranked teams (No. 1 Mullen, No. 4 Grandview and No. 7 Cherry Creek) and Smoky Hill, which could work its way into the polls.

In addition, Fairview is a team on the rise under new coach Jeremy Pinard (who had a successful stint at Niwot), and Eaglecrest, Boulder and Overland appear improved.

With only four playoff spots available from the league, there will be a couple of capable teams sitting out the playoffs.

• That's also the scenario in the Continental League, which features three ranked teams (No. 2 Arapahoe, No. 5 Mountain Vista and No. 8 Heritage). There are six playoff spots available to the league's 11 teams, and several solid clubs are scrambling to fill them.

Littleton, Ponderosa, Rangeview and Highlands Ranch might be strong enough to contend for the title in most other leagues, but they will have to pull off some major upsets to make the postseason.

• Since soccer became a sanctioned sport in 1978, Arapahoe has won nine girls state championships, including last season, the most in the sport.

The Warriors, anchored by all-state players Lauren Cavarra and Megan Flannery, should be in the hunt to attain No. 10 this year.

• Heritage has reached the state semifinals in each of the past four seasons but failed to reach the state final in any of those years. The Eagles haven't won the state championship since 1992.

• Chaparral might not be one of the favorites in the supertough Continental, but the Wolverines aren't without talent. Chaparral has two Division I players on its roster in senior forward Jessica Richardson, who will play for Arizona State, and junior defender Bri Young, who is headed to Texas A&M.

• Another player who often gets overlooked in the Continental is Douglas County junior striker Jen Kmezich. During the past two seasons, she has been the league's leading scorer during the regular season, scoring 32 goals. Like Young, Kmezich verbally has committed to Texas A&M.

• After winning the Colorado Springs Metro League last season, Lewis-Palmer will get a boost from within for its repeat bid. After missing all of last season after undergoing anterior cruciate ligament surgery, senior Kelsey Balk is back and will join Bree Marshall up front to bolster the Rangers attack. But Lewis-Palmer's strength might be in back, where defender Kaitlyn Berry and keeper Kanda Cruz (0.57 goals-against average) anchor one of the league's top defenses.

• Few teams will be able to match Monarch as far as veteran leadership goes. The Coyotes have 10 seniors on the roster, and that should allow them to push for one of the Front Range League's five playoff spots.

• While Fort Collins is the preseason favorite to win the Front Range, keep an eye on Poudre. The Impalas finished second in the league last season and have eight starters returning.

Five of those players will be suiting up for colleges next year. From Poudre's midfield, Krista Kruse is headed to Missouri, Maggie Doe will play for Loyola in Chicago and Jessie Rogers signed with the University of Denver. Forward Kelli Jestes is going to Louisiana Lafayette, while keeper Emma Bailey will play for Colorado College.

• There might not be a better 1-2 scoring punch in 5A than the one Chatfield has up front. Junior Tori Delmonico found the back of the net 23 times last season, while senior Aleah DeGeneres lit up the scoreboard for 19 goals.

The Chargers also have three players who have signed to play in college next season, as DeGeneres is headed to Indiana, Erin Smith will play for Nevada and Kelly Husky will attend Mesa State.

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