Had this undefeated streak, a blessing for so long, become a burden?
The Pioneers needed an answer, and soon, before it was too late to keep their championship dream alive. And the answer came straight from the head of Scott DeVoss, who attended a high school 7½ miles down South University Boulevard from the University of Denver’s highly ranked men’s soccer program.
“We want every kid who plays soccer growing up in Colorado to dream about coming to the University of Denver and winning at the University of Denver,” said coach Jamie Franks, whose Pioneers have not been beaten in a year, since their undefeated 2015 season ended with a disappointing loss at home in the NCAA Tournament.
The love for soccer in Colorado might not be widespread, but its roots are deep. I felt that love last weekend while sitting at Denver Soccer Stadium, as the anxiety began to vibrate among a crowd of 1,070 spectators gathered in the hope of seeing the Pioneers win an NCAA tourney game for the first time since 1970. It was a buzz born of loving an inherently unfair game, where any dominant team that fails to finish its scoring chances tempts punishment from the soccer gods.
Before the Pioneers began carrying the weight of their winning streak in every stride, however, DeVoss cracked a header from 6 yards in front of the right post to break a scoreless tie in the 56th minute and ignite a 3-0 rout of Nevada-Las Vegas that sent the Pioneers to round of 16 in the NCAA tourney.
DU has not lost any of its 21 games in 2016. This is a happy, little story born in Colorado. Six of the 11 Pioneers that started against UNLV wear school colors with the pride of players representing their home state. Yes, the team’s leading scorer is from Brazil. But check this list: Karsten Hanlin (Cherry Creek High School), Sam Hamilton (Evergreen), Graham Smith (Mountain Vista), A.J. Fuller (Heritage), Kortne Ford (Greeley Central) and DeVoss (Arapahoe).
What those six Coloradans represent is an affirmation of the soccer excellence in this state and further proof that DU’s annual pursuit of national championships in hockey, lacrosse and soccer is organic, with dreams nurtured in the school’s backyard. Franks, whose record is a sterling 33-1-6 since taking over as head coach in 2015, believes local athletes have more pride in the Denver brand and a natural interest in giving back to the community.
“We’re not just trying to build a team. We’re trying to build a program,” said the 30-year-old Franks, who regularly hands out redshirts to allow young players to mature academically and athletically, instead of immediately pressuring a freshman into cut-throat competition to earn a spot in the starting eleven.
On their home turf, the Pioneers get a chance at 5 p.m. Saturday to beat Washington and advance to the elite eight of the national tourney. This is the reward for a home-field advantage DU worked so hard to establish.
“Your actions,” Franks said, “must match your ambitions.”
While Title IX requirements at the public universities in the state have often forced young men to chase big soccer dreams elsewhere in the country, DU took action. The ambition of a national soccer championship born and raised in Colorado no longer seems like a crazy notion. Itap here, itap now and itap real.
