Wheat Ridge sophomore Marco Neswadi (3) tries to cut off Alameda senior Jose Martinez’s path toward the goal as the snow falls Tuesday night at Lakewood Memorial Field. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
LAKEWOOD — Alameda International was actually the last high school boys soccer team to play at historic Lakewood Memorial Field … that was 507 days ago.
The Pirates suffered a 2-0 loss in the opening round of the Class 4A boys soccer state tournament back on Nov. 2, 2019. The loss marked the end of an outstanding 14-2 record for Alameda. Little did anyone know then that the COVID-19 pandemic would leave Lakewood Memorial nearly dormant until Tuesday night.
“We all cherished that first step,” Wheat Ridge senior Jace Sandler said about returning to Lakewood Memorial Field. “It feels good to be back out here. This is our home. We love it.”
Alameda sophomore Jair Perez, left, and Wheat Ridge junior Kevin Estacuy fight for the ball during the Class 4A Jeffco League game Tuesday night. The Farmers won 5-2. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Wheat Ridge faced off against Alameda — No. 7 in this week’s Class 4A CHSAANow.com rankings — in a 4A Jeffco League match. The night belonged to Sandler, who scored four goals and an assist in the Farmers’ 5-2 victory over the Pirates (3-1, 2-1 in league)
“It’s been awhile,” Sandler said when asked if he had ever scored four goals in a single game. “It was a lots of fun. Anytime you get to go out there with your team and have success. I’m not putting in those goals without the center-mid giving me that perfect pass on my foot.”
Sandler scored goals on breakaways in the 13th and 39th minutes of the first half, giving the Farmers (2-0-1, 2-0-1) a 2-0 lead at the break.
Alameda senior Jose Martinez got the Pirates right back in the game with a hard shot that was deflected into the goal in the 43th minute. However, Sandler answered with a nifty turn in front of Alameda’s goal to create some space and complete his hat-trick in the 44th minute.
“He is just a stud,” Wheat Ridge coach Nate Flack said of Sandler. “The coolest thing about Jace is he is such a team player. He loves this family and loves his team. He is the first guy out and last one to leave. I’m glad he got reward tonight with some goals.”
Alameda responded with a direct free-kick goal by senior Jonathan Serrano in the 50th minute to make it a 3-2 game.
Wheat Ridge freshman Alden Reeves (17) looks to advance the ball up the field Tuesday night at Lakewood Memorial Field. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
It was Sandler again giving the Farmers back the 2-goal lead, but this time with an assist. The senior slid a pass over to senior Jack Francis in the 62nd minute. Sandler finished off the scoring with his fourth goal in the 65th minute on a tight angle shot.
Wheat Ridge remained undefeated with Evergreen and Golden in 4A Jeffco. The Farmers’ lone blemish was a 1-1 tie against Littleton over the weekend.
“We were just really antsy and the guys have been working really hard,” Flack said. “We just focus on what we can control. You can’t the regulations or the weather. We can just control coming out and working.”
The Farmers hadn’t won a conference game since the Fall 2017 season, but already have two league wins under their belt.
“You look at this league and there are a lot of great opponents. A lot of great coaches,” Flack said. “We know what we have here is special. They are a tight family and group of kids. We are excited to keep working and going after it.”
Wheat Ridge is scheduled to face Standley Lake in another league game Friday, March 26, at the North Area Athletic Complex before Spring Break.
“League is wide open. We are looking to take it,” Sandler said. “We’ll go forward from here. Each game is a worthy game. It’s one game at a time. We want league for sure.”
Alameda is still in the thick of the conference race despite the loss. The Pirates return to action against Golden on Friday night at the NAAC.
Alameda senior Jonathan Serrano (19) puts his foot into one during the first half Tuesday night at Lakewood Memorial Field. It was the first boys soccer game at LMF in 507 days. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)