Standley Lake boys soccer grabs another shutout win in 4A Jeffco play
LAKEWOOD — Standley Lake’s boys soccer team is lurking around the hunt for the Class 4A Jeffco League title.
The Gators (3-1, 2-0 in league) won their third straight game Tuesday at Lakewood Memorial Field. Standley Lake edge Green Mountain 1-0 in a hard-fought conference match in the rain.
“Green Mountain came out really hard. That put a little heat on me for awhile,” Standley Lake coach John Cole said of the Rams’ early pressure in the opening minutes. “They pressed really hard the whole time and kept us on our toes.”
Green Mountain (1-4-1, 1-3-1) was attempting to stay relevant in the race for the top two spots in the conference that earn automatic bids for the 16-team 4A state tournament. However, Standley Lake got an early goal in the second half to take the lead.
Standley Lake senior Kellan Bundgaard scored his fourth goal of the season in the 42nd minute on a sliding shot that got past Green Mountain sophomore goalie Liam Windram, who made several great saves to keep the Rams in the game.
“I knew I was going to put one in the back of the net. I wasn’t too worried,” Bundgaard said. “Their center backs were stumbling over me, but in the end of the day we are going to win league. We are going to get in that final two (in league). I’m not too worried about it.”
The confident Bundgaard and fellow senior RJ Krapes both had breakaway chances on Windram to get an insurance goal, but the Gators couldn’t grab a 2-goal lead.
“I wanted them to stretch the field a little bit,” Cole said of the Gators’ changes in the second half. “We were playing a little compact. We needed to air them out a little. We needed to widen and stretch.”
Green Mountain had one final chance to get the equalizing goal on a direct-free kick in the final minute, but the shot sailed just wide of Standley Lake senior David Crosbey to give the Gators it second straight league shutout victory.
“Coming off spring break you never know how they are going to be coming back,” Cole said. “This was a good way to start it off. It wasn’t necessarily clean, but a win is a win is a win.”
Tuesday night was the start of seven games in 10 days for the Gators. All the games will be conference games and determine if Standley Lake will make the postseason field.
“We are a small program,” Cole said. “I might only have one or two subs each game. I hope we can do it for 10 days. They guys are really stoked to play. Anytime I get a lot of energy out of players it’s good.”
