NIWOT — Cole Chapleski’s hat trick Saturday might have included a paradigm shift.
The Broomfield senior target forward helped erase all doubts as to who is the dominant team in Class 4A, as the No. 2 Eagles ran away with a 5-1 Northern League victory over preseason No. 1 Niwot.
Chapleski also cemented himself on the short list of player of the year candidates, skillfully scoring in a variety of ways to help the Eagles (9-0, 4-0 league) rally from a 1-0 deficit.
“That’s the great thing about this team — we just love to play,” Chapleski said. “We just enjoy what we’re doing. Even if we’re down one goal, we’re not really thinking about that. As long as we’re playing soccer, we’re enjoying it. Turns out when we’re enjoying it, we start scoring, and it takes off from there.”
After the Cougars (7-2, 6-2) took a deserved lead in the 43rd minute on Curtis Stecyk’s beautiful half-volley through traffic, Chapleski equalized five minutes later with a sliding stab at a loose ball off an initial shot by Carlos Mendez.
The go-ahead goal five minutes later was quirky beauty, as Chapleski got on Scott Shaheen’s deflected cross and headed it off the crossbar.
And the floodgates were opened. Will Roberts and Chapleski scored on headers off free kicks, and Garrett Seitz pulled off an amazing run through three Niwot defenders to set up Landon Roos for the fifth goal.
“It’s momentum,” Roberts said. “It’s all momentum.”
It was a sharp contrast to a tight first half.
Santiago Velez nearly put the Cougars up in the 10th minute with a great header, and Niwot goalkeeper Connor Wood made a full-body stop to deny Roberts in the 27th.
In hindsight, the game also hinged on the time between Chapleski’s first two goals.
The Cougars were unlucky not to go up 2-1 as Edison Bailey, Dan Summers and Velez each had chances just yards from the goal — sometimes with Broomfield keeper Brendan Buchanan out of the picture — but could not stab it home.
Chapleski headed home his second a minute later and the Cougars eventually had the wheels come off.
“It doesn’t feel like a 5-1 loss,” Niwot coach Steve Lepper said. “We come off thinking we’re the better team (and) that we created more chances and the ball just didn’t bounce our way today.
“But a four-goal loss doesn’t look that way.”
Broomfield 0 5 — 5
Niwot 0 1 — 1
Goals — N: Stecyk (unassisted), 43rd minute; B: Chapleski (unassisted), 48th; Chapleski (unassisted), 53rd; Roberts (Seitz), 57th; Chapleski (Roos), 64th; Roos (Seitz), 73rd.
Shots on goal — Broomfield, 3-7 — 10; Niwot, 1-3 — 4. Saves — Broomfield (Buchanan), 1-2 — 3; Niwot (Wood), 3-2 — 5. Offside — Broomfield, 0-0 — 0; Niwot, 1-0 — 1. Corner kicks — Broomfield, 5-1 — 6; Niwot, 3-1 — 4. Fouls — Broomfield, 7-4 — 11; Niwot, 6-7 — 13. Yellow card — Gurule, N, 70th minute.
