No. 7 Littleton boys soccer reigns in win over Standley Lake
LAKEWOOD — Littleton’s boys soccer saw its 7-game shutout streak come to an end Monday night at Trailblazer Stadium.
However, the Lions’ winning streak stayed intact with a 2-1 victory over Standley Lake on a rainy night in Lakewood. Littleton junior Ruben Cervantes hammered home the eventual game-winning goal with 1:33 left regulation time for Littleton (10-0-1, 3-0 in Class 4A Jeffco League) to extend its winning streak to 10.
“I’ve never done that in my life. It was something amazing. It was a great moment,” Cervantes said. “It just came toward me and I didn’t know what to do, so I just shot it.”
The junior’s hard shot off a half-volley rocketed low toward the far post and got past a diving save attempt by Standley Lake junior goalie Kevin Ruzicka.
The loss ended a 5-game winning streak for the Gators (6-4-1, 2-1).
“It was heartbreaking,” Standley Lake coach Mike Day admitted as the Gators fell out of a tie for first place in the conference. “If Littleton can get through Jeffco undefeated … a state championship is coming their way.”
The Lions, ranked No. 7 in the latest CHSAANow.com Class 4A boys poll, had given up just two goals in their first 10 games. However, Standley Lake senior Weston Short scored on a penalty kick with just more than a minute to play in the first half to tie things up 1-1 in a steady rainstorm.
“I’m a little sad we let in a goal, but it’s part of the game,” Littleton senior Michael Melton said. “We just had to pick our heads up and keep playing. That’s what our team did. I’m so proud of my team.”
Melton scored the Lions’ lone goal in the first half. Melton ripped a direct free kick past Ruzicka in the 10th minute.
While Littleton has the inside track to win the deep conference, the Lions haven’t been dominating Jeffco opponents. All three league wins against Golden, Green Mountain and Standley Lake have been 1-goal games.
“Jeffco League is a great league. It’s always hard,” Melton said. “Every win is a great win if you come out on top.”
Littleton returns to its home turf Wednesday to face D’Evelyn at 7 p.m.
Standley Lake is scheduled to square off against Golden at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, at the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada. Day said he hopes the weather improves. Standley Lake’s past three games have all been played in the rain.
Monday’s key conference match-up between Littleton and Standley Lake was originally scheduled for the NAAC, but Jeffco Public Schools’ football and soccer complex up north received more than three inches of rain over the last nine days. With wet field conditions on the natural grass at NAAC, district officials decided to move the game to the artificial turf at Trailblazer Stadium.
