Brian Miller
It wasn’t so long ago that contending for a state championship was a regular occurrence for Mullen’s boys soccer program.
Before embarking on a rough stretch over the previous three seasons, the Mustangs were a force to be reckoned with in the Class 4A state tournament. Mullen reached the 4A state semifinals four years in a row, and in 2011 the program captured its first title.
That year, Ben and Kirby Brazelton were in the Mullen lineup, with Ben finishing his senior year in the ultimate fashion. Their younger brother Cody – currently a senior and the team’s leading scorer – remembers that moment vividly. It helps drive him and his teammates on their mission to reclaim the program’s former glory days.
Cody Brazelton. (Sage Heffley/MVPSportsPics.com)
“Personally we have a huge motivation to uphold that history and go as far as we possibly can and lead the team hopefully to a huge state championship run,” Cody said. “We all know the history.”
History is a word that means something to this year’s group, especially after enduring some tough times in recent seasons. Mullen went a collective 14-28-3 from 2013-15, missing the state tournament each year.
Playing against some of 5A’s best each season in the Centennial League hasn’t helped, but the program is showing signs of getting back into the hunt once more.
Mullen – currently ranked third in the CHSAANow.com 4A poll – has opened 2016 with six consecutive victories, including a 7-3 triumph over Wheat Ridge on Thursday.
The Mustangs have found the back of the net 40 times during that stretch after only managing 30 goals in 15 games last fall.
“Every year has been better than that record has probably shown. We’ve lost every close game. Any game we should have won has been a tie, and ties became losses,” Mustangs coach Matthew Guglielmo said. “I think these guys as seniors feel all right, we want to leave with a little more success. So far, they’re playing like that and carrying themselves like that.”
Cody Brazelton has been the catalyst, pouring in 14 goals to go along with six assists. The 14 scores and 34 points are good for second in the state overall.
The senior said his finishing has been “fair” but he admits he has missed some chances.
“Our offense is really clicking, and our defense is proving strong,” he said. “I think for our offense we need to keep on finishing.”
Michael Jimenez. (Sage Heffley/MVPSportsPics.com)
It isn’t just about Brazelton though. Eleven players have found the back of the net thus far, with senior Stephen Wickwire and junior Michael Jimenez adding eight goals each. Junior Andrew Seaman has nine assists, and senior Mack Gabrielson has seven – including three Thursday.
“We have balance, and as a coach I love that. Look at our roster – I think everyone on varsity has an assist, even our goalie,” Guglielmo said. “When you have that many people moving forward, thinking about scoring and putting us in places where we can score, you’re going to be really hard to shut down.”
The experience factor is a huge benefit for the Mustangs, who have a handful of players who have been on varsity since they were freshmen. That includes keeper Jaden Trujillo.
“I think they just have played a lot of varsity games and a lot of tough ones. It’s definitely helped us,” Guglielmo said. “That’s a lot of club games and a lot of high school games, and I think that’s a big part of our success so far.”
The season is about to get more intense with the start of Centennial League play. Mullen opens with 5A’s fifth-ranked Cherry Creek, followed by games with Arapahoe and Eaglecrest.
Having already matched last year’s victory total though, the well-oiled machine that is Mullen’s offense will create some challenging situations for opposing teams.
“Our league is a very hard league. I think the last three years the league has really beat us up a little bit,” Brazelton said. “But now with the start we have had and the potential we have, we all realize this isn’t going to be the same half of the season that it was. We’ll still bring the same mentality, but it’s going to be a good challenge.
“We’re excited to see where we stand up against the league. I think we are ready – we’re ready to go.”