One has to begin to wonder whether the Abraham Lincoln Lancers are a team of destiny.
Unbeaten this season, they already won in overtime to keep defending champion East out of the playoffs, then forged one-goal victories in each of their playoff games — the latter in overtime — before Thursday’s Class 5A quarterfinal game against Grandview.
“I just tell my players to have fun,” Lancers coach David Campos said as he watched his players celebrate after a 1-0 victory that came — predictably — one minute into overtime.
All-state senior Oscar Montoya scored the game-winner as he tore down the left side for seemingly the umpteenth time, this time managing to power the ball past Wolves goalkeeper Tyler Borth.
“It feels great,” Montoya said. “It was strange with all the people around.”
The fourth-seeded Lancers (17-0-1) advanced to play Rocky Mountain (13-2-3), which defeated Cherry Creek 1-0 on Thursday, on Saturday (11 a.m.) at Englewood High School’s Pirates Stadium.
Grandview, which saw Zac Portillos-Grant’s penalty kick stopped in the 66th minute, and twice beat Lancers goalkeeper Leonardo Lopez only to see the ball cleared by a defender, finished its season 10-5-3.
“We had our chances,” Wolves coach Brian Wood said. “We’ve got to finish them.”
The Lancers used their abundant skill, transitioning the ball fluidly through a variety of players in midfield and defending in concert. But their greatest move was bringing goalkeeper Gerardo Ramirez on for Lopez in the 58th minute.
Ramirez has been bothered by a back injury for the past five games and was sent on after Lopez spilled a couple of balls in the penalty area, nearly leading to Grandview goals. Ramirez first made a great save to deny Portillos-Grant, then guessed correctly by diving to his right on the penalty kick.
“I had to back up my team,” Ramirez said.
Same thing went for Lancers central defender Marco Lopez, who cleared balls just feet from going in the goal in the 30th and 56th minutes to deny Portillos-Grant and defender Connor Folkerts.
Both teams had great scoring chances, especially in the second half.
Montoya, Daniel Barraza, Makir Oropeza, Dante Ortiz, Alfredo Aguilar and Omar Valverde all got in dangerous places with the ball, or delivered the near-perfect pass.
Finally, Barraza got Montoya free down the left side, giving him one more chance to cut a low shot by Borth.
Grandview 0 0 0 — 0
Abraham Lincoln 0 0 1 — 1
Scoring — Montoya (Barraza), 81st minute. Shots on goal — Grandview 2-4-0—6, Lincoln 2-5-2—9. Saves — Grandview (Borth) 2-3-0—5, Lincoln (L. Lopez 58 minutes, G. Ramirez 63) 2-4-0—6.
