Arvada West senior Luke Drumright, left, fires a shot on goal Monday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
LAKEWOOD — For the sixth straight year either Arvada West or Ralston Valley will win the Class 5A Jeffco League boys soccer conference title.
A-West — 5A Jeffco champs in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015 — will have a winner-take-all showdown with Arvada-area rival Ralston Valley — 2014 league champs — 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, at the North Area Athletic Complex.
“We know how good RV is,” A-West senior Luke Drumright said. “We know we have to play our best to get a good outcome when we play RV.”
While Friday’s match has plenty riding on it, A-West and Ralston Valley (10-3, 6-0) have already wrapped up the two automatic bids Jeffco receives for the 32-team 5A state tournament. Both are guaranteed to be in the state tournament that begins with the first round Oct. 27.
Arvada West freshman Judah Johnston (17) battles with Dakota Ridge junior Dimi Dobrev for the ball Monday. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“It’s nice to know we are in the playoffs, but at the same time, nobody on this team wants to lose to RV,” Drumright said. “We are going to give them everything. Everyone wants that league championship and bragging rights that comes with that game.”
A-West (11-3, 6-0) took care of business in a conference game Monday against Dakota Ridge (0-13-1, 0-5-1). It was a little shaky with the Wildcats leading just 1-0 at halftime before taking a 4-0 victory at Lakewood Memorial Field.
“They are focused on the rivalry, no doubt about it,” A-West coach Troy Gette said when ask if his team was overlooking Dakota Ridge a little bit.
In the end, the Wildcats were able to celebrate their entry into the CHSAANow.com 5A boys soccer poll at No. 9 that was released Monday. The win also extended A-West’s winning streak to eight games. The Wildcats’ last loss was a 1-0 overtime defeat nearly a month ago against Castle View.
A-West got goals from freshman Judah Johnston, Drumright, junior Tristan Martinez and sophomore Andrew Craig to stay undefeated in conference play.
Arvada West junior Tristan Martinez (8) scored the third goal Monday night for the Wildcats. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“We all knew what we needed to do in the second half. We were all frustrated with how we were playing,” said Drumright, who scored on a penalty kick in the 46th minute to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead. “We knew it wasn’t our standard.”
Martinez’s goal came off an impressive pass by senior Alec Breay in the 56th minute. Craig’s goal in the 72nd minute came off an initial shot from Drumright and Craig was able to knock in the rebound.
Breay admits he is a little surprised where A-West sits with having a shot at another league championship after the Wildcats graduated 11 seniors.
“I didn’t think we would have anywhere near the talent we have right now,” Breay said. “Going into the game against Ralston Valley with the record we do is pretty cool.”
While it has been another rough season when it comes to wins for Dakota Ridge, the Eagles did end a 31-game losing streak with a 1-1 tie against rival Columbine on Oct. 4. The losing streak dated back to the 2014 season.
Dakota Ridge wraps up its against Lakewood at 5 p.m. Friday at Lakewood Memorial Field.
Arvada West freshman Judah Johnston (17) tries to get past Dakota Ridge senior Chris Taylor on Monday night at Lakewood Memorial Field. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)