Tyara Vazquez scored just two goals as a freshman.

The Panthers senior couldn’t recall the pair of scores, but Harrison coach Katy Goodson had a flashbulb memory of the strikes.

Vazquez’s two goals occurred in the same game – a 2-1 win at Memorial Stadium against James Irwin on June 5, 2021.

Vazquez, this week’s Peak Performer, notched a goal in the final 10 seconds of the first half against the Jaguars.

Then, in the game’s final five seconds, Vazquez scored again on a free kick to give the Panthers the win.

The match served as Goodson’s first game at the helm for the Panthers and the fourth-year coach said, “That was the beginning of something great.”

“I knew she was special the first day I saw her because her touch on the ball was special,” Goodson said. “She’s so humble and will never say, ‘These are my stats.’ When I saw her hit that free kick against James Irwin from 35 yards out … that game was the start of the momentum. Ever since then we’ve had three winning seasons and Tyara has been special.”

Vazquez’s play has catapulted the Panthers to the playoffs for the first time in girls soccer history and she continues to flourish for Harrison.

In her sophomore and junior seasons, Vazquez scored 12 and 13 goals, respectively, in 26 games.

This season, ahead of their match at No. 2 Jefferson Academy on Thursday, Vazquez is fourth in 3A in points at 75 and has 34 goals in 15 games, which is third in 3A.

Nine of Vazquez’s 34 goals came in a 10-0 win against Pueblo Central on April 13.

“Training when no one sees you is the secret sauce,” Vazquez said. “I always make sure to work hard on and off the field. My dad has helped train me since I was 10 and it’s definitely paid off. There’s a lot of technique work, learning when to take the right touch and conditioning. There’s a lot that we do.”

Through all her offseason work and hustle on the pitch, Goodson said one of Vazquez’s most impressive traits is her mentality.

Teams know Vazquez will be the spark for the Panthers’ attack, yet few have the tools to stymie the senior.

“When you hear on the sidelines, ‘Stay on 9!’ from opposing teams, I can see the smile on her face,” Goodson said. “That means it’s go time for her.”

In a game against Fountain-Fort Carson on April 9, Goodson said the Trojans put three defenders on Vazquez.

It didn’t matter.

“She received the ball in the midfield with three defenders on her and you see her emerge through that by herself,” Goodson said. “It was remarkable. Her tenacity is incredible and she understands she is the face of Harrison soccer. Her teammates look up to her and she leans into that with humility. Her desire to be great will never stop.”

Vazquez said one of her goals was to help improve the Panthers team and make them a winning program.

Excluding their playoff game Thursday, during Vazquez’s four years with the team, the Panthers are 27-20-4 and have earned a winning record in three consecutive seasons.

From 2009-2019, no Panther girls soccer team had more than five wins and none had a winning record during the 10-year stretch.

“It makes me feel great knowing that I could impact the school and girls soccer,” Vazquez said. “I know that they haven’t been that great for many years. Getting to help and improve the soccer team is great.”

Although Vazquez’s 61 career goals in 43 games for the Panthers is an amazing accomplishment, she said it’s not as significant as building Harrison’s girls soccer into a winning program.

“Getting this team to the playoffs is far more important,” Vazquez said. “Every year I play with these girls, we wish and pray and hope to make the playoffs, even if it’s just one round. Getting these girls who work hard every day and play with all their heart, that means more to me than any number of goals I can score.”