During last season’s marathon state title game, won by Boulder over Broomfield in 14 rounds of penalty kicks, it appeared, for a moment, that the Eagles had secured a three-peat.
But the Jose Ogaz save that would have won it was ruled void when the referee deemed he came off his line early in the 10th round, and the Panthers wound up winning the title a few kicks later.
Fast forward to Saturday, and Broomfield played like a team with that memory fresh in its mind, defeating Denver East 1-0 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to capture the program’s seventh state championship, the most of any Colorado high school boys soccer program.
“Last year’s title was always in the back of our minds,” Broomfield coach Jim Davidson said. “I think our team has been angry, and that’s certainly been great motivation for us because that one really hurt. We felt like we had one taken from us last year, so the guys did really well to get themselves back to this point. Now, they have a trophy to show for it.”
Senior Michael Mooney scored at the 25-minute mark of the first half to put the Eagles up, and it was an advantage Ogaz and the Eagles did not relinquish in the face of a determined Angels attack that had innumerable opportunities in and around the box to generate the equalizer.
“They played a guy right in the seam and got in on us to score,” Denver East coach Kirk Bast said. “I thought we were going to answer in the second half, but we just couldn’t. Give Broomfield credit — they defended well, and their keeper had a very good game.”
Ogaz, buoyed by the bend-but-don’t-break play of defenders Cameron Broadhurst, Sean O’Brien and Andres Ocampo, turned away every Denver East advance. He punched shots away that appeared destined for the top shelf, cut off crossing passes and scooped up every hard-struck grounder.
“I trained harder in the summer for this moment,” Ogaz said. “I stuck to that routine of working hard, and I played my heart out, and that’s probably how I was able to make some of those key saves down the stretch.”
Broomfield (17-2-1) allowed just two goals in five state tournament games, while the Angels (18-2) topped last season’s semifinal showing as they fell just short of the program’s fourth title and first since 2011.
“I give a lot of credit to my seniors, because they re-established Denver East soccer to the greatness it had not too long ago,” Bast said. “They bought into my style of coaching, and into me as a guy who has such high expectations.”
