Playoff chances take a hit for Aspen boys soccer in 3-0 road loss to Rifle
The Rifle High School boys soccer team ended its regular season on a high note on Thursday, beating visiting Aspen, 3-0.
The fifth-ranked Bears are set and ready for the Class 3A state playoffs after a dominating home victory over the Skiers. The Bears’ intense offensive attack mauled theM throughout the game, but their 3-0 first-half lead led to a quick and uneventful second half.
“When you go up big and the other team falls back into defense, you must play patient,” Rifle coach Jonathan Espinoza said. “I told the guys at half, ‘You have to be patient and control the ball.’ I like how we controlled the ball. I know they had some chances late, but for the most part, we kept them away from our goal throughout the game.”
Senior forward Eduardo Espino showed out on his senior night. He broke the 0-0 tie early with a goal and then contributed to the second goal of the half with a pass that set his teammate up with a wide-open net.
Rifle had the momentum from the jump, and Espino got them on the board just 15 minutes into the first half. A long through ball from midfield sent EsHIMino running, and once he beat the only defender on his heels, it was just him and the goalie. Espino put a nice touch on the ball once the keeper came out to meet him, and the ball trickled into the net for the Bears’ lead.
Ten minutes later came the second goal, and it looked eerily similar to the first. Another long ball from Rifle’s midfield sent Espino running again, but this time, junior forward Jordan Chen ran with him. Espino beat his defender and took the ball close and deep into the box before sending it over to Chen, who slammed it into the back of the net.
With time ticking down in the first half, Aspen finally managed to get the ball deep. After taking their first corner kick with under a minute left in the first, the ball bounced out of bounds, setting up another chance for the visiting team. But the corner jumped Rifle’s way, setting up a scary counterattack. Bears junior forward Malquane Mcqoy took the ball from his box to Aspen’s before dumping it off to his junior forward mate Eliezer Vega, who found the back of the net for the final goal of Rifle’s regular season.
While Rifle (12-2-1 overall) is cozy in a playoff spot, Aspen is on the fringes, looking through the window at the playoff teams. Only 32 teams make the 3A postseason field, and Aspen was one of the first teams sitting outside that bubble as of Thursday.
Basalt, which closed out its regular season on Thursday with a 3-0 loss vs. Coal Ridge to finish 5-9-1, remained safely inside the 32-team playoff bubble as of Thursday night.
“I think today was sort of a taste of the playoffs,” Espinoza said. “For them, it was do or die, and for us, it was a test to see if we could control the game against a team playing with nothing to lose. We can beat the best team or lose against a team we should beat. That’s how it goes, especially with how crazy 3A has been this year.”
The Bears are familiar with this time of year and eager to make it further than last year. Rifle tore through the playoffs until facing off against their I-70 rival: the Coal Ridge Titans. The Titans sent the Bears packing in the Final Four last season, and Rifle is chomping for redemption this season.
“We’re super hungry,” Espinoza said. “Coming up short in the Final Four last year is a huge motivator, and this year in 3A is very different. The path seems wide open, and anyone can win it. We want to put ourselves in the best position to make a deep run and not fall short in the end.”
Aspen (5-8-1) still has one final regular-season game on Saturday at Class 2A Grand Valley (5-7-1). The 3A playoff bracket will be announced on Monday.
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