Roaring Fork Rams junior forward Delano Crooks put the rest of his team on his back in the quarterfinals of the 3A State Playoffs with two goals, including the game-winner with 90 seconds left in regulation. 

“It’s unreal,” Crooks said after putting the game away. “There was so much pressure in this game, neck and neck through the whole game, so when I put it away with no time left, I knew it was over.”

The 2024 3A boys soccer Western Slope League Champions are moving onto the semi-finals of the 3A State Playoffs after an intense and hard-fought game against the Rifle Bears that went down to the wire. 

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On Saturday afternoon, Rifle High School was packed with Bears and Rams fans alike. The small bleachers quickly filled, and fans began spilling out onto the small grass hill and into the parking lot as the game started.  

The heavy snowfall before the game delayed the start time, and the grass kept its moisture and slickness throughout the game, causing the 50/50 balls to stay without an owner for just that much longer. 

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“Their midfield has two of the highest points-getters in the league,” Rams head coach Nick Forbes said after the win. “Our message going in was if we can outnumber them in the midfield, we can nullify their attack. My boys played it perfectly, and that’s why this team is so fun to coach and finds so much success. They follow the game plan, and they do their individual jobs.”

Every second of the game was a dogfight, and every team player gave all they had. The first half would have ended tied if it weren’t for mental lapses on both teams, as the two traded penalty kicks to knot the score at one going into the break. 

The Rams were the first on the board in the 27th minute. Their slow and methodical attack let them push the ball up with numbers. As the threat became real, a shot rocketed off the foot of a Ram, but before the awaiting Rifle goalkeeper Jefferson Torres could make the save, it slammed off the hand of one of his defenders. The whistle blew, and Cooks buried his first of the game on a penalty kick. 

10 minutes later, the Bears showed off their attack, ending in the same fashion as the Rams’. A perfectly placed through ball let Rifle senior forward Eduardo Espino bolt past the Rams’ last line of defense, and a foot race between him and the goalie ensued. Whoever won would either create or save a goal. Roaring Fork’s keeper dove out as Espino gave his last-ditch effort and tumbled over the keeper. The whistle blew again, and the Rifle crowd exploded as the score knotted. 

It didn’t take much of the second half for Roaring Fork to retake the lead, doing so off a gorgeous chip shot off the foot of senior Phillipe Huang, hanging just high enough to travel over the outstretched hand of Torres. 

Rifle’s dominating offense and demanding crowd began to take over the game, influencing both sides. What was already a chippy game turned worse as Roaring Fork started shooting themselves in the feet, taking unnecessary fouls, and giving the Bears chances they didn’t earn. The Bears clawed their way back into the game through the throats of their fans and the excellent positioning handed to them by the opposition. 

“They sort of rattled us in the second half,” Forbes said. “Once we started sending our message, keep calm, don’t get riled up, and keep a level head. That’s what they did, and I’m so proud of the boys.”

The Bears got back on the board the same exact way as the first time. Espino was again tripped by the goalie, which led to another whistle and another crowd pop to see 2-2 on the scoreboard. 

Roaring Fork and their home-away-from home crowd didn’t get discouraged, and once every player got the message Forbes was relaying. Rifle was playing with too much intensity, and you could see it in their passes and how they ran to open balls, taking one too many steps or hitting the ball just a twinge too hard. 

Roaring Fork set up their slow and methodical attack with five minutes remaining on the clock, slowly working the ball upfield as if they had 35 minutes left. The Rams capitalized on a Rifle fumble, and sophomore Wesley Serrano found Cooks running and fed him a perfect ball. 

Cooks beat Torres to the left with 90 seconds on the clock, and the air in the stands of Rifle High School turned thick with tension and rage. 

The dominant No. 4 Bears fall short again, as their team will look significantly different this time next year. 12 Bears, including their top-three point scorers and starting goalkeeper, are seniors. 

The No. 5 Rams move onto the semi-finals to face the winner of  No.1 Holy Family against No. 8 Kent Denver. They will travel to the front range on Wednesday to fight for a chance to play in the state championship.