3A boys soccer: Roaring Fork defeats top seeded Jefferson Academy for program’s first state title
There’s a new champion in 3A boys soccer with the Roaring Fork Rams ignoring their 11-seed status and upsetting the three, two and one seeds in that order.
Roaring Fork’s final barrier came on Friday against the top-seeded Jefferson Academy Jaguars at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs. The Rams scored two unanswered goals — one in each half — to beat the Jags 2-1 and crown themselves kings of 3A.
Roaring Fork, which lost the 2019 state title game, finally got over the hump to win the program’s first state title and the school’s first since 1991, which came in girls basketball.
For Jefferson Academy, the loss was its first of a dominant 2021 season.
Ninth-year Roaring Fork head coach Nicholas Forbes said it took a true team effort on Friday and throughout the season.
“From the freshmen all the way to the seniors, they have just put in a lot of work this year,” Forbes said. “Even if you’re not getting minutes on a field, you are a vital part of the team.”
What made the Rams’ playoff journey even more remarkable was their ability to overcome an early deficit. They fell behind 1-0 to Atlas Preparatory School in their 3-1 semifinal win and relinquished the first goal to Jefferson Academy in the title game’s 12th minute.
With just 46 seconds remaining in the first half, Rams senior Ivy Ortiz received a strong look following a ricochet off the left post. He didn’t hesitate and scored the game-tying goal.
“I was just there at the right time,” Ortiz said. “I just had to kick it in and it went in.”
The second half stayed knotted until the 66th minute when sophomore Josh Hernandez gave Roaring Fork its ultimate 2-1 lead. In the game’s final minutes, Roaring Fork’s defense, especially senior goalkeeper Jacob Martin, held stout. Forbes had high praises for his veteran backline.
“I think just the experience of having been here before (helped),” Forbes said. “As the season got on, they just got better and better and better.”
The Rams, which ended their season 17-3, weren’t phased by their 11-seed status entering the playoffs and made quick work of the 3A field.
“That’s just a motivating factor and these boys,” Forbes said “I don’t think they ever played like underdogs. I think in every game, even when they are playing against a higher ranked team, I think they showed that they can ball with anyone.”
