COLORADO SPRINGS — All season, the Nothfield High School boys soccer team has displayed more chemistry than a periodic table.
The Nighthawks, the No. 2 seed, continued that bond in the Class 4A state title game in a 3-0 shut out against No. 16 Battle Mountain at Weidner Field on Nov. 4.
The victory gave Northfield back-to-back championship in the program’s five-year history.
The Nighthawks’ shut out of Battle Mountain marked their 14 time in 20 games this year not allowing a goal.
“This is more about how we bring that talent together and get them on the same [page] and wanting the same things,” said Northfield coach Jason Keever. “It’s very easy to let selfishness creep in but this is a very selfless group. And it takes a lot of work to make sure that happens. When talent and a good culture are combined, things like this can happen.”
During their run of consecutive titles, Northfield has a 38-1-1 record.
In that stretch, they’ve allowed just 18 goals including eight this season, four of which came in a 4-0 loss to Denver East on Oct. 20.
Keever said the boys play as if they’re brothers and they displayed that care all night.
Prior to the start of the match, a teammate tied the shoes of Jack Friemann, whose left hand was in a hard cast following an injury.
Friemann notched the first goal just 4 minutes into the match and the entire Northfield sideline erupted.
After Ren Garfield tapped in a shot to make it 2-0 with 16:08 left in the first half, the Nighthawks showed that same love as their fans and sideline celebrated the goal.
“They’re good friends, they’re good teammates, they love each other,” Keever said. “They approach every game with a sense of humility. …In the last two years, they’ve gone into every game knowing they could lose and that we need to approach [the game] the right way.”
That’s where communication bodes well for the Nighthawks, led by their keeper Zander Kosmas.
Kosmas, who had 63 saves prior to the title game, played club ball last season and said he’s noticed and felt the support from his teammates and the community.
“We spend so much time together,” Kosmas said. “We’re together after school for three hours and we have so much chemistry together and that equates to everyone knowing their roles. That leads to fewer chances for the other team.”
The Huskies kept the ball in the Nighthawks’ backfield for much of the second half, but Northfield’s back line thwarted any potential scoring opportunities.
Nighthawk players either cleared the shots or Kosmas secured the ball.
After one final clearance late in the match, Quinn Tettero put the nail in the coffin with a strike to make it 3-0 with 1:45 left in the contest.
Despite two titles in five years of existence, Keever says the Nighthawks aren’t a dynasty yet.
“[I’m] not even thinking about it right now,” Keever said. “The future is bright so who knows.”
