AURORA — At the beginning of each season, perennial power programs such as Broomfield and Grandview are finding the right pieces to keep their tradition and title aspirations intact.
One thing Broomfield didn’t graduate was its ability to finish in the clutch.
Junior forward Cole Chapleski started and finished a great sequence with two minutes remaining to give the Eagles a 2-1 nonleague victory Saturday over the Wolves at Legacy Stadium.
“That’s the thing with adrenaline: When that’s on, you feel like you’re at your best,” said Chapleski, who scored the game-winner in the Class 4A state title game last season. “Once that ball is in and it’s between you and the keeper, all the tiredness goes away.”
Irvin Cecenas headed in the opening goal for the No. 2 Wolves (0-1), 5A state finalists last season, before the Eagles (1-0), the top-ranked team in 4A, tied it in the 48th minute on a 34-yard free kick by Garrett Seitz.
It was an up-and-down and physical contest that displayed the individual skill and determination of both programs.
The Wolves dictated the first half, although the first piece of cheeky flair fell to Chapleski when he back-heeled the ball to Seitz in the penalty area only to see the shot fire wide. Grandview answered a minute later when Keenan Pugh’s arcing cross found Cecenas atop the 6-yard box for an easy header in the 19th.
But besides Nick Rodriguez’s volley in the 57th minute, the Wolves were held at bay while the Eagles gained strength.
“Once we scored that goal we just started losing our teamwork and focus,” Wolves co-captain Tyler Lister said. “It’s early in the season; it’s understandable.”
Seitz’s equalizer, a low drive that hit the post and bounced in despite the diving efforts of goalkeeper Tyler Borth, deviated from Broomfield’s strategy of trying to find Chapleski for a header.
“Usually I can’t hit a close one, so I hit the far ones,” Seitz joked. “I knew they were going to be looking for Cole, marking him up . . . so I just decided to hit it and see what happens.”
Seitz delivered the decisive pass for Chapleski’s 78th-minute winner that ended with a thundering blast from the right side.
Broomfield 0 2 — 2
Grandview 1 0 — 1
Goals — G: Cecenas (Pugh), 19th minute; B: Seitz (free kick), 48th; Chapleski (Seitz), 78th.
Shots on goal — Broomfield 1-3 — 4, Grandview 2-2 — 4. Saves — Broomfield (Maddock) 1-2 — 3, Grandview (Borth) 1-1 — 2. Offsides — Broomfield 2-1 — 3, Grandview 0-0 — 0. Corner kicks — Broomfield 0-0 — 0; Grandview 5-2 — 7. Fouls — Broomfield 8-10 — 18, Grandview 7-8 — 15. Yellow cards — Holland, B, 40th minute; Seitz, B, 51st.
