Editor’s note: No. 5 Roaring Fork’s 3A state semifinal game against No. 1 Holy Family at JeffCo NACC Stadium near Golden took place after the print deadline for this story on Wednesday evening. Look for the result online and on the Sopris Sun’s Facebook page.
UPDATE: Well, folks, the Rams played one heck of a game against No. 1 Holy Family. They may have a quiet ride home from the stadium tonight reflecting on a loss (3-0), but are looking ahead to next season. Go Rams!
The road to the boys 3A state soccer semifinals for Roaring Fork High passed across a familiar pitch last weekend, and the scuffle was everything a fütbol fan could expect.
Two of the best teams on the Western Slope came to play Saturday on a soggy Rifle Bears field that had been covered with snow overnight. It was the third straight weather-impacted playoff game for the Rams, including a 1-0 second-round win in a snowstorm over The Academy at Carbondale’s Rams Field on Nov. 5.
Once again, it was the No. 5 Rams of Carbondale who emerged the victors with a 3-2 win over No. 4 Rifle before an overflow crowd that included nearly as many Rams as Bears fans. Despite having conceded the 3A Western Slope League title to Roaring Fork, the Bears earned the higher state tournament seed with a better overall record.
Rifle indeed looked the better team for much of the first half, controlling the ball but never quite finding a clear shot on goal.
The only scores came on penalty kicks by each team, Roaring Fork’s after a hand call in the box against Rifle 17 minutes into the game, and Rifle’s on a tackle penalty against Rams keeper Keven Cisneros with 11 minutes remaining.
With the score still knotted 1-1 a little over six minutes into the second half, Rams senior Phillipe Huang looped a shot from the left corner of the 18 into the net past Rifle keeper Jefferson Torres to make it 2-1.
Junior Delano Crooks nearly had the insurance goal from about the same distance on the right side with 20:45 to play, but Torres made a beautiful save, punching the ball up and over the crossbar.
An apparent Rifle goal a few minutes later was erased by an offsides call, but the Bears finally managed to tie it 2-2 on a penalty call against the Rams in the box.
The score held with both teams applying pressure, but Roaring Fork winning a majority of the 50/50 balls by crowding the center of the field.
The strategy paid off with just 90 seconds to play, when Crooks collected a pass from sophomore Wesley Serrano to boot home what would end up being the game winner.
The win set up a semifinal matchup for the Rams (13-3-2) on Wednesday against the tournament’s top seed, Holy Family (14-2-2), at JeffCo NACC Stadium at Long Lake Park. The winner advances to Saturday’s 3A State Championship game at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City.
Basalt football opens playoffs with big win
The No. 2 Basalt High School football team cruised through the first round of the 2A state football playoffs at home on Saturday, winning 42-14 over No. 15 The Academy.
The Longhorns are now set to play No. 10 Sterling this Saturday at Sterling (game time 1pm on the NFHS streaming network), by virtue of the Tigers’ 33-31 upset win over No. 7 Woodland Park. Had Woodland Park won, Basalt would have a second-round home game, but because CHSAA rules prevent teams from playing two games in a row on the road, it’s off to the eastern plains for the Longhorns.
Basalt controlled from the opening kickoff in the opener, building a 35-7 lead over the Wildcats by halftime. The teams traded a touchdown and extra point in the third quarter, but by then it was academic.
Longhorns junior quarterback Karson Schneider completed 10 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception. Senior Taylor Hays collected both of the touchdown passes, finishing the day with four catches for 68 yards. Junior Will Taralo carried the ball 24 times for 186 yards, including two touchdowns, and senior Will Daniel rushed for 159 yards on 11 carries, including a touchdown. Defensively, Daniel was in on 15 tackles, seven of them solo.