LAKEWOOD — The top-4 Class 4A boys soccer matchup lived up to its billing Thursday night at Lakewood Memorial Field.
However, the battle between Evergreen (10-1-1, 6-0-1) and Golden (10-1-2, 6-0-1) settled nothing when it came to determining the Class 4A/3A Jeffco League champion. The Cougars and Demons ended in a 0-0 draw to leave both still tied atop the conference standings.
“Two really good teams,” Evergreen coach Peter Jeans said. “I thought we had the better part of the play in the first half. Then we just held on for dear life at the end of the game. (Golden) had the better part of the play in the second half. It is pretty fitting result in this level of game.”
Evergreen and Golden have both claimed conference titles recently. The Cougars won the league champions back in 2024, but the Demons won the conference last year. Golden’s 3-0 victory over Evergreen was the win that catapulted the Demons to hoist the league plaque for the first time since 2021.
“Evergreen is a good team. Coach (Jeans) always brings something hard with his team. He was actually my mentor a little bit last year in my first year coaching,” Golden coach David Perez said. “Evergreen is always a good battle. It was good soccer, all the way around.”
The Cougars dominated the scoring chances in the first half. Junior Miles Buchanan and senior Will Glunk both had good scoring chances in the first 40 minutes. Golden senior goalie Grady Peters was a big part in keeping the game scoreless in the first half.
Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Public Schools
“He (Peters) played well in the box. As did their goalie,” Perez said of Peters and Evergreen senior goalie Kyle Canzoneri both with shutouts in net. “It was a match that could have gone either way.”
Momentum switched in the second half with juniors Brecken Saunders and Quintin Howe both having great scoring opportunities for the Demons.
“They (Golden) played phenomenal. We played phenomenal,” Canzoneri said. “I’m glad we came out with a tie.”
After the tie, Golden and Evergreen both remained in the top-4 in the CHSAA 4A boys soccer rankings powered by MaxPreps. The Demons were No. 3 and Cougars stood at No. 4.
“That a top playoff quality team,” Canzoneri said of Golden. “They will go far in the playoffs and hopefully we’ll go far in the playoffs too.”
Jeffco Public Schools’ Fall Break coming up early next week puts a pause on league games. Golden and Evergreen both return to action Thursday, Oct. 15, at the North Area Athletic Complex.
The Demons host Green Mountain at 5 p.m., while Evergreen faces D’Evelyn in the nightcap that is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start at NAAC.
Golden and Evergreen both have three league games remaining, so there is still a chance the a tiebreaker won’t have to decide the league title.
“It’s a huge honor to try to win the Jeffco title,” Jeans said. “It is a really good conference with really good teams. To win the conference would be great, but at this point you are just throwing it up. We still have some big games that we need to win and (Golden) does as well.”
Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Public Schools
