CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE — George Woodward was Kent Denver’s alarm clock Thursday.
In his first start of the season for the defending state champions, Woodward’s first-period hat trick erased an early deficit and got the top-ranked Sun Devils in their groove in a 13-6 Front Range League win over Colorado Academy at Justin DeSorrento Memorial Field.
“It seems we’ve been doing that lately,” Woodward said of the slow start, which saw the 10th-ranked Mustangs take a 2-0 lead in the first six minutes.
Why the sluggishness?
“I have no idea,” Woodward said. “Seems we come out sleeping.”
Woodward had four goals and an assist, and senior co-captain Frazier Cavness had two goals and five assists as the Sun Devils (8-2, 3-0 in league) remained unbeaten against in-state competition.
On a day perfect for the re-creation of William Henry Harrison’s inauguration, the Sun Devils eventually fell into character with crisp passing, a variety of offensive sets and physical play.
“Kids kind of settled down and got comfortable with the ball,” Cavness said. “We’ve got kind of a young team, so kids that aren’t really used to being playmakers are developing into playmakers. It takes time, but everyone on our team is stepping their game up.”
Ryan Moulton and Will Horne each added two goals for the Sun Devils. Senior standout Patrick Murray scored one of the Sun Devils’ two power-play goals.
“Our goal for the next few games is to really come out strong in the first part of the game,” Cavness said.
The Mustangs (8-3, 4-1) were certainly game at the start of both halves. Their tenacity, pressure and pluckiness had the Sun Devils in reactionary mode, and Joel Birdie and Max Allen capitalized with two goals 23 seconds apart.
That 2-0 lead, however, quickly evaporated as the Sun Devils closed out the first half on a 7-0 run.
Ryan Wimpee opened the second half with a goal for the Mustangs, but the Sun Devils regained control immediately.
Colorado Academy 2 0 2 2 — 6
Kent Denver 4 3 4 2 — 13
First period: CA: Birdie (Bowen), 6:45; Allen (Stein), 6:22; KD: Woodward (Cavness), 4:36; Woodward (Cavness), 3:45; Cavness (unassisted), 3:19; Woodward (Cavness) 0:24.
Second period: KD: Strazza (unassisted), 7:33; Moulton (Walker), 6:01; Murray (Cavness), 2:08 pp.
Third period: CA: Wimpee (Macartney), 11:45; KD: Cavness (unassisted), 11:14; Woodward (Key), 11:02; Florence (unassisted), 10:02; CA: Allen (unassisted), 7:05; KD: Moulton (Cavness), 2:34.
Fourth period: KD: Horne (Woodward), 8:53 pp; CA: Allen (unassisted), 8:39; Horne (unassisted), 5:08; KD: Moulton (Flahive), 1:10.
Saves — CA: Ulrich 1-2-1-1 — 5; KD: Stroud 0-0 — 0; Van Hook 1-3 — 4.
