Kent Denver players celebrate their late goal against Denver Christian on Wednesday. More photos. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
DENVER — The chances kept piling up, but Kent Denver had nothing to show for it. Eight minutes remained.
Seven. Four. Three.
Scoreless.
Then David Felman, a white-and-blue streak in the box, put his right foot through the ball and rippled the net. Felman, a sophomore, scored with 1:57 remaining to lift top-seeded Kent Denver boys soccer to a 1-0 win over No. 4 Denver Christian in the Class 3A boys soccer semifinals on Wednesday.
Kent Denver’s David Felman scores the winning goal against Denver Christian on Wednesday night. More photos. (Matt Mathewes/MVPSportsPics.com)
“It just came, finally,” Felman said. “We had a lot of opportunities, and there it was.”
Kent Denver had 19 shots in the game, 11 in the second half. But just six of those were on target. They also had four corner kicks.
Nothing materialized — until Felman’s goal.
“We were knocking on the goal, but we couldn’t get it in until the very end there,” said Kent coach Arty Smith. “But I was happy. My guys stayed patient.
“It’s something we’ve talked a lot about this year,” Smith continued. “We’ve had a lot of early success, we’ve scored quickly and easily in some of the games and we knew it wouldn’t be like that in the playoffs, especially against a great team like DC. So we stayed patient and eventually we got one.”
But Felman’s goal wouldn’t have been the winner if not for a great defensive effort from senior Manuel Meraz on the other end.
Meraz chased down a streaking Denver Christian forward, who appeared to be clean through toward the goal with possession. He went stride-for-stride with the forward, then made a slide tackle to gain the ball.
Less than two minutes later, Felman scored.
After the goal, Denver Christian didn’t go quietly. The Crusaders had two corner kicks in the final moments of the game, but couldn’t get a clean look at the net.
“We hung on for our dear life at the end,” Smith said.
Kent advances to play in the 3A title game at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. It will be the program’s sixth appearance in a boys soccer championship game. The Sun Devils have never won a title.
“It’s awesome. It’s like a dream,” Felman said. “We’ve been looking forward to it all season.”
Colorado Academy returns to championship game
No. 6 Colorado Academy returned to the 3A title game. More photos. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)
DENVER — Colorado Academy, the two-time defending 3A champion, beat No. 10-seeded Salida 2-0 on Wednesday night to return to the title game.
“We talked a lot about this in preseason: I think a lot of our guys in the locker room were the only ones in the state of Colorado that believed that we could get back there,” Colorado Academy coach Gabe Bernstein said of his sixth-seeded Mustangs. “We have to have that belief in ourselves, and I think every team and every coach needs to believe in themselves like that.
“But it’s a special moment for these guys because they worked so hard. This is what everybody wants, to get back to it. I think it’s harder to defend a title than it is to get there. Luckily, we have a chance to do that.”
The Mustangs got a goal from freshman Avery Niles in the tenth minute when he beat Salida keeper Des Lau to a loose ball in the box. CA was content to sit back from thereon, though senior Alex Clinkscales iced things with another tally with 1:16 to play.
“That’s kind of been our theme all year,” Bernstein said. “We really try to press them high and early. Luckily, we snuck one in.”
Saturday’s title game — set for 10:30 a.m. at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park — will be a rematch of Kent’s 4-0 win on Sept. 23.
There’s a long history between the two programs. Colorado Academy has ended Kent Denver’s season in each of the past two tournaments, including last season’s semifinals and the 2012 title game.
“We have a fantastic rivalry with Kent and Arty’s a fantastic coach,” Bernstein said. “I have tremendous respect for him. They’re a great team, and they have some really strong backs and some really attacking guys.
“I think it’s going to be a great game. I think the rivalry is a healthy, positive rivalry for the state.”