After game-winner gets taken off the board in second overtime, Eagle Valley boys soccer team eliminated from 4A state playoffs in shootout
Rex Keep/Courtesy photo
After 65 minutes of playoff soccer action Thursday evening, Eagle Valley vs. Battle Mountain 3.0 felt like a surefire guarantee. In Edwards, the No. 3 Huskies were dominating No. 30 Palisade in their first-round state tournament matchup and down valley, the No. 14 Devils were up 2-0 on No. 19 George Washington.
Then, fate intervened.
The Patriots scored with 15 minutes to go and again in the 74th minute to force overtime. Later, Eagle Valley’s game-winner with 1:11 left in the second extra period was taken away because of offsides, and the visitors wound up winning the shootout to advance to face Battle Mountain next week.
“They were more composed, but we were more dangerous,” Eagle Valley head coach Bratzo Horruitiner said. “We created one-on-ones, we created some great plays. I’m proud of the boys but I’m so not happy with the loss.”
Eagle Valley ended the 0-0 knot with 45 seconds left in the first half when Felipe Meneses drilled a free kick from the 35-yard line into the upper right corner of the net. Noting the sheer velocity and distance of the booming kick — and the prowess of George Washington’s vaunted keeper, Horruitiner called the score “the best goal of (Meneses’) life.” Then, with 16:52 left in the second, Emiliano Ledezma took Devils’ goalie Tiago Horruitiner’s punt, worked his way past three defenders and punched a grounder from the near side to the opposite corner to make it 2-0.
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Though he’s understandably hesitant to shine a light on his own son, the Devils’ coach praised the junior keeper — who made multiple saves to preserve the 2-2 tie late.
“I’m very proud of the kid,” Bratzo Horruitiner said regarding Tiago Horruitiner, a Nike Outdoor Nationals participant in high jump and highlight-reel dunk artist on the hardwood. Soccer is probably third on the list of priorities, but he gave the goalie position a shot this fall and worked diligently with the team’s assistant coaches.
“He grew up into a leadership role,” Bratzo Horruitiner said. “He’s a brave man. He goes and challenges and plays his heart out every time.”
Prior to allowing its first goal, Eagle Valley created two more excellent offensive opportunities. Both 1-on-1 breakaways, however, were negated by Patriot goalie Blu Novak. After the visitors got on the board, the tide shifted dramatically. George Washington became the aggressors, controlling possession and momentum as Eagle Valley backpedaled. With just over six minutes left, the persistent pressing paid off: a Patriot player snuck through the defense and received an over-the-shoulder pass from centerfield before booting in an easy goal from just inside the box to tie things up.
Despite having watched their first playoff win since 2022 slip away, the young Devils crew remained optimistic going into the extra period.
“We talked at the overtime break (and) they were motivated,” Horruitiner said.
George Washington nearly ended things in the first 30 seconds, but a diving save by an Eagle Valley defender preserved the home team’s playoff hopes. After a scoreless first overtime and 13 minutes and 49 seconds of the same in the second, the Devils finally struck. Meneses made a beautiful centering pass to Marco Rosales, who finished the scoring drive from just inside the 18. The sophomore sprinted to the student section as several teammates joined in the celebration. Seconds later, offsides was called on Eagle Valley, wiping away the goal and extending an already dramatic evening.
Horruitiner disagreed with the call but wasn’t ready to place the loss on the refs.
“That was not the story,” the coach added. “We should have capitalized. They carried the momentum and came from behind. They closed the deal.”
Horruitiner said he’s preached four pillars to success all year: tactical, technical, psychological and physical. Looking ahead, he thinks the last two aspects need more attention.
“(We need to) keep on fighting (and) changing that culture of losing or falling apart,” he explained. They’re values we should all have in life, not just the soccer field.”
George Washington will return to Eagle County on Nov. 5 to take on Battle Mountain in the second round of the 4A bracket. Eagle Valley finished the year with a 10-5-1 overall record and 4-2 league mark, good for second in the Western Slope.
“Every time we lost a game, we got a lot better,” Horruitiner said. “So, this is going to be one of those times. It’s going to show us a big lesson in how to keep composure. … Live and learn — we will for sure.”
