Golden edges Wheat Ridge in girls soccer rivalry game at NAAC

ARVADA — Sometimes it just takes one perfect centering pass with an equally perfect tip to decide the outcome on the soccer pitch.

Golden senior Skye Brion delivered the perfect cross to sophomore Sophia Nickel in the 52nd minute that resulted in the lone goal Monday night at the North Area Athletic Complex.

“That felt great. It worked out perfectly,” Brion said of her assist on Nickel’s goal. “I beat the defender, crossed it and Sophia finished it.”

The Demons edged rival Wheat Ridge 1-0 in the girls soccer Class 4A Jeffco League showdown.

“That is what it comes down to in games like this,” Wheat Ridge coach Dan Watkins said of the lone goal. “Who can take advantage of an opportunity? Credit to Golden. Skye was brilliant on the outside tonight being able to make those runs.”

Watkins was pleased with Wheat Ridge’s defense and the play of senior goalie Ariel Martin. It took one spectacular play to break the ice and give the Demons the win.

Golden coach Larry Harding gave some good instruction to his squad after the scoreless first half. At halftime, Harding told his team to make some centering passes instead of going for “impossible angle” shots.

“I told them to let your teammates help you,” Harding said. “Get the ball back to the top of the six (foot line). She (Brion) did and we got the goal.”

Nickel nearly scored her second goal of the game in the final seconds, but her shot sailed just wide to the goal as time expired. Still, the Demons will take the big victory over the Farmers. Golden senior goalie Ella Harrison picked up the shutout win in net.

“It builds us to get strong every game,” Brion said of the victory over the Demons’ chief rival so early in league play.

Golden (4-1-1, 2-0) is off to a strong conference start with shutouts against Conifer and Wheat Ridge to start league play.

“Our girls have been working hard and it’s starting to show,” Harding said. “There are somethings we can do better, but we’ll talk about those things tomorrow.”

Wheat Ridge (3-2, 0-1) will have a bit of an uphill climb, but there is plenty of meaningful conference games remaining in the 10-team 4A Jeffco League.

“That’s Jeffco. It’s every tonight. There are tough games you have to battle through,” Watkins said. “We were just on the wrong end of it tonight, but we are going to have a lot more games like that and we’ll find a way to get wins.”

Golden and Wheat Ridge are actually both in action at Lakewood Memorial Field coming up on Thursday. The Demons face Alameda International in the 5 p.m. game and the Farmers follow with a league game against Bear Creek.