Evergreen, with all-state player Patrick O'Neil, returns largely intact to defend the Class 4A boys soccer state title. Broomfield (5A) and Kent Denver (3A) are the other favorites as the season begins Aug. 25.
File photo by Lance Wendt
Don't expect to hear any talk of a "repeat" for
Evergreen's boys soccer team – at least not anytime soon.
Coming off a Class 4A state championship last November, the Cougars bring back the majority of their squad that took down
The Classical Academy (Colorado Springs) 1-0 in the title game. But Evergreen isn't about to live in the past. Coach Ross Fowler emphasized that it's a new year with a new mentality, and this season the road back to state will only get tougher for the squad.
"These guys, most of them are returning so they've had a taste of it and certainly want more," Fowler said. "We've got to rein that in a little bit. Everybody wants to be the one to knock off last year's champion."
With only three starters not returning for the Cougars, expectations are bound to be high. But Fowler said the team is using that as extra motivation, instead of believing that it's somehow entitled.
"They've got to earn the right to get into the playoffs before they can talk about anything else," he said.
Evergreen and TCA are among the early favorites headed into 2016. The Titans return 2015 4A Player of the Year
Titus Grant and forward
Jaden Borja, who combined for 51 goals and 27 assists last season.
"They're a strong program as well," Fowler said. "I don't expect them to be any easier to play if we get the privilege of playing them again."
Evergreen brings back a pair of first-team all-state selections of its own in seniors
Casey Grieve and
Patrick O'Neil. The team's top three scorers, seniors
Brock Anderson, sophomore
Ryan Gutberlet and senior
Steven Belrose, combined for 29 goals.
The Cougars used three players in goal on their way to the state title, with
Logan Westgard playing in net for much of the postseason as a junior. He finished with three saves in the title game. Depth will again work in the team's favor at that position, among others.
"We've got a little more depth than I think we had last year, which is exciting," Fowler said. "We're bringing up some younger, talented guys, and that bodes well for the future as well."
The experience factor also can't be overlooked. The Cougars played a number of tightly contested games last fall, winning nine games by one goal and having three go into overtime.
Three of those one-goal victories came in the postseason, as the team got it done with both their offense and defense.
"We've got to be able to adapt. We were involved in a couple of shootouts, and the offense really kind of starting kicking in properly in the playoffs. They started firing a little bit cleaner and creating some better chances," Fowler said. "It's a process where we are now to where we were last season. We know we're miles apart, but we've got the whole season to get there."
In 5A,
Broomfield is moving forward without three first-team all-state selections, including Gatorade's Colorado Boys Soccer Player of the Year in Porter Milner. The Eagles have won the past two 5A crowns, but
Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch) – which came into the state tournament seeded 28th before advancing to the title game – is among those teams standing in the way of a third.
The Golden Eagles return two first-team all-state players in
Davis Auth and
Cray Cordero.
Arapahoe (Centennial),
Boulder,
Fairview (Boulder) and
Heritage (Littleton) are among those programs also in the mix.
In 3A,
Kent Denver (Englewood) moves on without Player of the Year Max Gottesfeld, who transferred, but 2014 POY Max Mehlman is back on the team. Mehlman competed for the Colorado Rapids' U18 Development Academy program last season.
The Sun Devils have won two consecutive championships and return a number of players from last year's squad that defeated
Fountain Valley (Colorado Springs) in the title game.
The Danes, along with
Vail Mountain,
KIPP Denver Collegiate and
Faith Christian (Arvada) are ranked in the top five headed into the season.
KIPP's Jhovani Gonzalez tied for the state lead with 40 goals as a junior.
Boys Soccer
Class 5A
Defending Champion: Broomfield
Returning all-state players: Davis Auth, Sr., Mountain Vista (1st team); Evan Bunch, Sr., Arapahoe (2nd team); Cray Cordero, Jr., Mountain Vista (1st team); Ryan Lee, Sr.,
Douglas County (Castle Rock) (2nd team);
Erik Lundeen, Sr.,
Grandview (Aurora) (2nd team); Jack Schulze, Sr., Heritage (2nd team); Andrew Turk, Sr.,
Pine Creek (Colorado Springs) (2nd team).
Class 4A
Defending Champion: Evergreen
Returning all-state players: Jaden Borja, Sr., The Classical Academy (1st team); Anders Carlson, Sr., The Classical Academy (2nd team); Titus Grant, Sr., The Classical Academy (1st team); Casey Grieve, Sr., Evergreen (1st team); Robert Lanz, Sr.,
Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) (2nd team); Patrick O'Neil, Sr., Evergreen (1st team).
Class 3A
Defending Champion: Kent Denver
Returning all-state players: Evan Coit, Sr.,
Salida (1st team); Kevin Garcia, Sr., Vail Mountain (2nd team); Jhovani Gonzalez, Sr., KIPP Denver Collegiate (1st team); Max Gottesfeld, Sr., Kent Denver (1st team); Liam Hurley, Sr., Vail Mountain (1st team); Galen Kelly, Jr., Fountain Valley (2nd team);
Zion Lander, Sr.,
Denver Science & Technology: Green Valley Ranch (2nd team); Ian Strine, Jr., Fountain Valley (2nd team).
