Arvada – Forget the three R’s of education. The Holy Family and Faith Christian soccer teams discovered the three S’s of athletics in the wild weather of Colorado – shivering, soggy and shortened.
With postseason seeding implications at stake, officials moved the contest between Class 3A Metro League rivals from 7 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday hoping to finish the game before the weather turned even colder, wetter and snowier than it already was at Faith Christian’s field.
But after watching the Tigers and Eagles slide around in the mud and through the puddles for one half, and with one person using a push broom to clear the snow and mark the sidelines, officials called the game. It goes into the books as a 0-0 tie.
“My feet feel like lead,” Faith Christian’s Sterling Copeland said. “I was having a lot of trouble out there. It was tough just controlling the ball at all, and my feet are freezing. I can’t run anymore. I’ve never played in conditions worse than this.”
With a moat of near-frozen water surrounding the field, a mud bog situated along the midfield sideline and snow starting to gather on the field, neither side could do much more than kick the ball around and hope not to fall.
Faith Christian’s Marcus Kirkwood managed two long shots on the Holy Family goal, but Tigers goalkeeper Christian Lucero, in his first varsity start, swallowed up both tries.
Holy Family’s only opportunity nearly won the game. Emilio Centeno broke free and charged the net as Faith Christian keeper Matt Zevenbergen charged him. Centeno slipped past Zevenbergen and delivered a soft rolling shot on goal, but the gathering snow slowed the ball enough for it to be cleared.
With the tie, Faith Christian (12-1-2 overall, 5-1-2 league) will finish third in the Metro behind Colorado Academy and Peak to Peak. The Eagles already had secured a spot in the postseason while Holy Family (7-7-1, 4-4-1) needs some help to get there.
“We have a very slim chance of making it. We have to wait for somebody else to lose,” Holy Family coach Jim Schuster said.
Holy Family 0 x – 0
Faith Christian 0 x – 0
Goals – None. Shots on goal – Holy Family 0; Faith Christian 2. Saves – Holy Family (Lucero) 2; Faith Christian (Zevenbergen) 0 . Corner kicks – Holy Family 0; Faith Christian 4. Offsides – Holy Family 0; Faith Christian 5. Fouls – Holy Family 5; Faith Christian 6.
