Wheat Ridge players, from left to right, Carlee Flanagan, Eliza Van Wetter, Frankee Broer and Macie Browne celebrate Broer’s game-tying goal with 1 minute, 27 seconds left in regulation time Thursday at Lakewood Memorial Field. (Dennis Pleuss)
LAKEWOOD — There were plenty of exhausted soccer players looking toward the sky after 100 minutes of play Thursday at Lakewood Memorial Field.
Class 4A Jeffco League rivals Golden and Wheat Ridge, ranked No. 5 in this week’s CHSAANow.com 4A girls soccer poll, settled for a 1-1 tie after 80 minutes of regulation and a pair of 10-minute overtime periods.
“It was a tough tie. Two really great teams out there. They both left it all out there,” Golden coach Luke Vanderglas said. “I’m proud of my girls and proud of (Wheat Ridge’s) girls too.”
The Demons (3-2-1, 1-2-1 4A Jeffco League) looked primed to pull off the upset. After a scoreless first half, Golden senior Hannah Stoner fired a laser in the 49th minute that beat Wheat Ridge goalkeeper Abby Bausch to give Golden a 1-0 lead.
“She (Stoner) stepped up and played it to the right side,” Vanderglas said. “She buried it to the near post. It was a great shot and great composure.”
Wheat Ridge junior Nikki Strickler (19) heads a ball in front of Golden junior Jailene Rabadan on Thursday night at Lakewood Memorial Field. (Dennis Pleuss)
However, with less than two minutes to play in regulation time the Farmers (8-1-1, 3-0-1) got the equalizer. Junior Frankee Broer got her foot on the ball in the goalie box. The ball spun toward the far side of the net and just got inside the post with 1:27 left in the second half.
“I think we were was a little scared, but our team always plays to the end, the last second, the last minute. I knew we were going to get it,” Broer said. “I honestly was scared it wasn’t going in. It went in. That’s all that matters.”
It was the fourth time this season Wheat Ridge has gone into overtime. The Farmers got overtime victories against Holy Family and Standley Lake, but lost to Ponderosa nearly a month ago.
“We threw some players forward. I don’t think we necessarily panicked, but I think with that sense of urgency we created a lot of energy,” Wheat Ridge coach Dan Watkins said. “When you throw the ball into the box with extra players there good things happen.”
Wheat Ridge junior Eliza Van Wetter and freshman Macie Browne had the best scoring chances in the extra sessions. Both of their shots sailed just wide of the net.
“Based on being down and needing to claw back into it to get a result in league, but we wanted to get the win for sure,” Watkins said. “The kids were very resilient, but credit Golden. They did a really nice job closing down opportunities for us.”
The Farmers were missing leading goal scorer in sophomore Alexandra Nillen and freshman defender Kyra Midroy. Both were out of town with club teams, according to Watkins. Nillen and Midroy will be back in town Sunday and with the team in another critical conference game next week.
Golden senior Katie Tubbs (19) battles with Wheat Ridge junior Eliza Van Wetter for control of the ball during the second half Thursday at Lakewood Memorial Field. (Dennis Pleuss)
Wheat Ridge has a key showdown with Evergreen (9-0, 4-0) at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, back at Lakewood Memorial Field.
The Cougars, ranked No. 2, has given up just one goal so far this season. Evergreen stands atop the very competitive 4A Jeffco standings after a 1-0 win Thursday over its chief rival Conifer.
“Evergreen is the next one up and they are a fantastic team, a very talented team, but we’ve got a good group too,” Watkins said. “We are going to go out and give our best effort and see if we can pull out that one.”
Golden has a pair of non-league road games coming up. The Demons head to District 6 Stadium in Greeley for a 7 p.m. game Friday, April 10, against Greeley Central. Golden stays on the road when it faces Englewood at 6 p.m. Monday, April 13.
“We are getting better every single day,” Vanderglas said. “That’s all I’m asking from these girls.”
Wheat Ridge junior Maggie Hofmann (15) and Golden senior Katie Kriedle (14) eye a shot off Hofmann’s foot during the first half Thursday night at Lakewood Memorial Field. The Class 4A Jeffco rivals finished in a 1-1 tie. (Dennis Pleuss)