Arvada – South passed the first of two Class 4A Jefferson County League tests with flying colors Wednesday as Evans Afriyle led the way with two goals in a 3-1 victory against Ralston Valley.
The final exam becomes a bit more tricky today when the Rebels (2-0) return to the North Area Athletic Complex to face perennial league champion Golden.
“Year in and year out, they seem to have all the talent,” South coach Andy Fuentes, a former girls coach at Golden, said of scheduling two of the top Jeffco teams back to back. “These games should show us where we’re at.”
South is rebuilding after winning the 4A Denver Prep League title and losing to eventual state champion Broomfield in the second round of the state playoffs.
Afriyle, a junior, is one of the new faces Fuentes is counting on to make an impact. If South’s first two games are an indication, Afriyle is a scoring star in the making.
Afriyle scored his first goal of the season in last week’s 3-2 overtime win over Centaurus and had a hand in all three Rebels scores Wednesday.
Carlos Espana opened the scoring in the ninth minute on a rebound off a shot by Afriyle. Ralston Valley goalkeeper Matt Kreider came out front to block Afriyle’s shot but left the net open for Espana.
Afriyle made it 2-0 in the 19th minute, scoring from the right front after Kreider left the net to block a shot by Josimer Martell.
Ralston Valley had chances, but didn’t capitalize the rest of the first half, then fell behind 3-0 three minutes into the second half on Afriyle’s goal from the right side with an assist from Luke Arlow.
Ralston Valley senior Jon Kingett, whom coach Brian Bohnert moved from a wing spot to the midfield midway through the first half, made it 3-1 on a breakaway goal four minutes later. Kingett, who scored a goal in the Mustangs’ season-opening loss to Adams City last week, had a couple chances but his shots sailed over South goalkeeper Andy Guellner, a returning starter.
“We wanted to come out and be aggressive,” Fuentes said. “We thought that if we showed that, they would tend to back off. The key was our aggressiveness and ball control. Their defensive backs were a little slower than our forwards.”
Denver South 2 1 – 3
Ralston Valley 0 1 – 1
Goals – South, Espana, 9th minute; South, Afriyle, 19th minute; South, Afriyle (Arlow), 43rd minute; Ralston Valley, Kingett (Ramirez), 47th minute.
Shots on goal – South 12-9 – 21; Ralston Valley, 5-4 – 9. Saves – South 5-3 – 8; Ralston Valley 10-8 – 18. Corner kicks – South 1-2 – 3; Ralston Valley 2-0 – 2. Offsides – South 4-1 – 5; Ralston Valley 1-1 – 2. Fouls – South 5-3 – 8; Ralston Valley 6-4 – 10. Yellow card – Martell, South, 23rd minute.
