VAIL, Colorado — It's time to put up or shut up. The state high school soccer tournament begins Tuesday and the Vail Valley teams hoping to advance see this as their best opportunity in years to win some respect for the much-maligned Western Slope teams. One of tightest races in years has produced battle-tested teams in each bracket.

The 4A bracket holds the most intrigue locally with a general consensus that this is the strongest group of teams to ever advance to the from the Western Slope League. If ever there was a time to put up or shut up about seeding, this is it. Teams from the Western Slope have posted some impressive performances outside of the region this year and now we see if they can do it when it counts.

The Montrose match-up

Local teams were closely clustered together in the tournament seedings. Let's begin with 18th-ranked Eagle Valley, drawn away to number 15 Montrose. Eagle Valley would have drawn a much better seed if not for a late-season swoon, losing to Steamboat before playing a scoreless tie with Battle Mountain in their finale.

If the Devils can recapture the form they showed in defeating 11th-seeded Golden away Oct. 17 and 27th-ranked Glenwood 3-0 Oct. 15, they should advance.

The Devils can take solace in the fact that Montrose fell victim to number 14 Battle Mountain earlier in the season, a team that failed to beat the Devils in two tries.

Motivation for the Devils may come from the playoff game in 2007 when these two teams met. Montrose took an early lead and then proceeded to kill off the game with a multitude of substitutions and tactics designed to run out the clock. Montrose held on that day for a 1-0 victory but they face a far more savvy and experienced team in the 2009 version of the Eagle Valley Devils. This is one of the tightest games in the opening round, with each team having amassed 10 wins.

Montrose enters the game with a 10-4-1 record, while Eagle Valley has a record of 10-3-2. Common opponents are Palisade, whom both teams defeated and Battle Mountain, whom Montrose lost to 1-2 and the Devils drew twice, 0-0 and 1-1.

Wheat Ridge is the most likely opponent Thursday for the winner of this match, as the number-two seed should have little trouble with number 31, Thomas Jefferson, an 8-7 team from Denver.

It's Evergreen for the Huskies

Next up is the 14th-ranked Battle Mountain Huskies. Battle Mountain has been a stubborn defensive team all year, allowing just 9 goals in 15 games and never more than one, but has struggled to find the back of the net. The Huskies will host number-19 Evergreen Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. in the new Husky Stadium. This game also features two teams with 10 wins each. Evergreen was the third place team in the Jeffco league and they and the Huskies have one common opponent — Summit.

Battle Mountain opened its season by defeating number 29 Summit, 4-0. Evergreen closed its regular season with a 2-0 shutout of the Tigers.

Any time a Jeffco team gets on Interstate 70 and heads west, they must like their chances. This version of the Huskies, however, could prbeesent a formidable foe. The Western Slope League posted impressive results this season against the Jeffco league, highlighted by wins against Summit by both Glenwood and Battle Mountain and the win by Eagle Valley at Golden.

Western Slope Champion and 12 seed Steamboat lost to Summit, though, so the Huskies need to remember anything is possible and they will have to be sharp on game day. Look for a close game in this one and here's hoping Coach Cope has selected his penalty-takers!

Remember that in the playoffs, two 15-minute overtimes are followed by a best of five penalty shootout. The winner of this match most likely will travel to Colorado Springs to face third-seeded Cheyenne Mountain, a team the Huskies played well against in their only loss of the season, an 0-1 decision in September.

Other Western Slope teams in the soccer playoffs include 27th-ranked Glenwood, who will travel to defending 4A champion Rock Canyon Tuesday. Western Slope League champions Steamboat were seeded 12th and will host number 21 D'Evelyn at 5 p.m. Tuesday, while number 29 Summit will travel to fourth-seeded Niwot.

In 3A, perennial power Basalt drew the sixth seed and will host 27th-ranked Telluride. Colorado Rocky Mountain School didn't fare so well in the draw, traveling to Front Range power Denver Christian (the third seed). Coal Ridge, seeded 18th, has a nice draw, avoiding the Front Range, with a trip to 15 seed Ridgway. Lake County also qualified for the 3A tournament, drawing the 14 seed, and will host 19 ECA. The 5A draw sees Grand Junction offered up at number 32 in the tournament bracket as the sacrificial lamb for top-ranked Cherry Creek and 20-seed Durango travelling to play 13th-ranked Air Academy.

The Eagle Valley/Montrose and Basalt/Telluride matches ensure that at least two teams from west of the Continental Divide will still be playing in the second round. The Western Slope League has touted its teams all season and will be hoping that at least a couple more of their teams advance. For all the playoff bound teams, it's put up or shut up time!