The Grand Valley boys soccer team made history on Tuesday night, clinching their first 2A Western Slope-North conference title in program history with a 4-2 win over the Moffat County Bulldogs. The victory secured the Cardinals’ spot at the top of the league standings, marking a huge turnaround after a tough start to the season. With the regular season not yet over, the team has set the bar high heading into their final games, especially as they have secured a spot in the state playoffs following their league title win.

The Cardinals began the year 0-4, being outscored 23-1 in their first four games. Since then, they have rebounded to go 5-2-1 in their last eight games. Tuesday’s game was crucial, with Moffat County also holding a 4-1 record in league play before the matchup.

“It was amazing. It was something that we’ve never gotten to feel before,” Grand Valley head coach Michael Kelly said. “We have the best record and the first year we’ve ever been leader of the league.”

Grand Valley’s goals on Tuesday night came from team captain Andy Quintanilla, senior Jibran Perez, and two from sophomore Arturo Espinoza. Quintanilla, who leads the team with 10 goals on the season, helped secure the Cardinals’ 5-0-1 record in conference play, giving them the edge over Moffat County. The Cardinals beat the Bulldogs in similar fashion when the two teams met on Sept. 10, with that score also resulting in a 4-2 victory.

The team’s turnaround was driven by a shift in mindset, according to Kelly. 

“There was a huge shift,” Kelly said. “The captains really started stepping up. Andy Quintanilla and Erik Gallardo are leading the team, and they’ve been bringing the team together.”

Grand Valley’s roster is smaller than many of their opponents, which has made endurance a key focus. 

“We worked really hard at the beginning of the year on conditioning,” Kelly said. “That drive to do something that this program has never done is really what’s pushing the guys out on the field.”

Kelly was part of the 2018 Grand Valley team that held the program’s best record before this year, finishing 4-10-1. 

“Nobody expected us to do anything this year, especially after last year,” Kelly said. “They’ve been working so hard for it, and it shows they want it and deserve it.”

Kelly, who graduated from Grand Valley in 2018, is in his second year as head coach. He expressed excitement about the future, noting that the team is only losing four seniors this year. 

“I couldn’t be more proud of this group of guys,” Kelly said. “I’m really excited to see what we can do the rest of this season and where we can go next year.”

The Cardinals will next face off against Ridgway on Friday, who they fell to by a score of 2-1 earlier in the season, before hosting Aspen in the team’s final home game. Kelly sees the two games as a chance to fine-tune the team before the playoffs.

“Obviously we want to go out there and win these last two games, but the biggest thing is working together and using these as games to better ourselves and get ready for playoffs,” Kelly said.