Niwot blanks rival Skyline in Class 4A top-10 thriller
Walker's winner comes in first half as Cougars move to 3-0 in league play
High school soccer rivalries always bring out the best of competition, and a top-10 matchup only elevates the excitement.
In games like that, it only takes one, as Class 4A’s 10th-ranked Niwot learned in a defensive, 1-0 win over No. 6 Skyline on Thursday night. It certainly helped that senior keeper Matt Hansen played stellar all night.
The 37th minute proved vital when junior defender Josh Ary found senior forward Eric Walker among a crowd of players. Walker emerged to take his shot and secure victory for his Cougars. That lone goal pushed Niwot to a 6-3 overall record and a 3-0 record in the Longs Peak League. Skyline fell to 7-2 and 2-1.
“Our confidence on the ball has really improved, our teamwork,” Walker said. “Not all of us have played together for too long, so getting a few games in, it really just improves that bond between the team.”
Skyline began its season with a long untouchable streak, dropping five opponents before taking its first loss against Silver Creek, who was ranked No. 6 at the time. The Falcons announced their presence on the 4A stage early and have continued to excel through high-talent competition.
“It all starts in practice,” Skyline junior defender Alex Duarte said. “We are really focused on what we can achieve and we’re always trying to up the level in our sport.”
Niwot, on the other hand, took a bit longer to make its mark after starting its slate with a 2-3 record. It burst onto the scene with a 2-1 overtime thriller against the same Silver Creek team.
The Cougars have been flawless ever since, knocking out three top-10 opponents in four matches, including the Falcons. Skyline, likewise, has been lethal against nearly all of its opponents, including No. 7 Lewis-palmer.
Defense was the name of the game on Thursday, as neither team allowed the other to take much of an advantage at any point. Even after they took the lead, the Cougars constantly had to chase down the Falcons, and vice versa.
The past two years, starting with the COVID disruption, have only served to strengthen the Falcons as they grew in age and in their skill sets.
“The last two seasons were a big test for us and a good learning lesson,” Skyline coach Luis Chavez said.
“Because it was a good conference, we had some tough challenges, but we’re coming back to this and trying to just get the best out of it as we’re in a different level of performance and different level of maturity.”
Now, the Falcons will look to bounce back when they host Northridge on Tuesday night as the Cougars will try to keep the fire going on the road at Thompson Valley on the same night.
“Everybody’s really proud of that zero on the scoreboard tonight because Skyline is just so dangerous,” Niwot coach Stephen Dimit said. “I can’t believe that we were able to shut them down with the speed that they have and all credit to them. This is one of the classiest programs in the state. … We love this game every year.”