LAFAYETTE — With a four-goal cushion and about four minutes remaining, the Wheat Ridge Farmers soon found themselves clinging to a one-goal lead with 50 seconds left and Monarch’s Dillon Vendetti charging up the field looking for the equalizer.
Into the hot stick of Monarch’s Alex Puldy went Vendetti’s pass and on toward the net manned by Farmers goalie Koltin Fatzinger.
Would overtime soon follow?
When Fatzinger corralled Puldy’s shot, the answer was no, and the Farmers celebrated a 10-9 boys lacrosse victory Saturday in a Class 5A first- round playoff game on the Coyotes’ field.
The 19th-seeded Farmers (8-8) face Arapahoe this week, while 14th-seeded Monarch’s season ends at 12-4.
“It got a little hairy at the end, but luckily we have an all-state goalie,” said Farmers junior attackman Jason Egner, who scored six goals — five in the first half. “We’ll have to bring our ‘A’ game for Arapahoe.”
The Farmers seemed on their way to a comfortable final few minutes after Chris Roach scored his second consecutive goal for a 10-6 lead.
But goals by Michael Roberts, Dylan Ritger and Vendetti set up the dramatic final minute. Vendetti had lots of room and options on the final surge up the field, and he decided to pass to Puldy on the right side rather than shoot from the middle.
“It was a good comeback, but the difference between this game and the last game was they controlled the tempo. We were chasing all day,” Monarch coach David Auday said. “It won’t take away from our great season.”
Wheat Ridge avenged a 9-4 loss to Monarch in the final game of the regular season.
Along with Fatzinger, Wheat Ridge’s Chris Sanchez made a couple of big defensive steals in the final quarter as Monarch pressed the attack.
Farmers coach Chris Knott credited a week of intense focus on Monarch, after having just played the Coyotes, as a key to victory.
“The kids came out and put together one of their best performances of the season,” Knott said.
“We let them back in it at the end, but they’re a good team. We knew what we were getting coming in, so we made some adjustments, and it paid off. And we were able to finish this time. We worked all week with (Egner) about finishing, and obviously it paid off.”
Wheat Ridge 4 2 2 2 — 10
Monarch 2 2 1 4 — 9
Goals —WR: Egner 6, Roach 2, Ossello, Aplet; M: Roberts 3, Vendetti 2, Wooldridge, N. Puldy, A. Puldy, Ritger.
Assists —WR: Roach 3, Ossello 2, Aplet, Hert, Herd; M: Roberts 2, A. Puldy.
Saves — Wheat Ridge (Fatzinger) 19; Monarch (Burgdorf) 6.
Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com
