Niwot boys soccer rolls into state semifinals

For the second time in four seasons, the 11-1 Niwot boys soccer team is back in the 4A state semifinals. The three-seeded Cougars clawed past Coronado and Regis Groff to arrange a date with No. 2 seed Windsor on April 28.

In Niwot's state quarterfinals matchup against the 11-seeded Regis Groff Fusion on April 24, senior Ismael Dominguez scored the game winning goal with 58 seconds left in regulation, giving Niwot a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

"I kept telling the guys I want a ring this year," Dominguez said. "That's something I really want and I'll do anything to get there."

Niwot's road to the final four began April 22, with a first round matchup against the 14-seeded Coronado Cougars. Junior Azael Marrufo scored less than two minutes into the game and Niwot mustered its sixth consecutive shutout to beat Coronado, 4-0.

Besides Marrufo's early goal, Niwot had several shots on goal in the first half that were all denied by Coronado freshman goalie Peter Frieling. Head Coach Stephen Dimit believed Niwot was playing "cautious" in the first 40 minutes.

But just like the first half, Niwot broke through within the first two minutes of the second half, this time courtesy of Dominguez. A raucous Niwot crowd at Longmont's Everly Montgomery Field cheered "Big Game Ish" as he scored his seventh goal of the season.

The scoring continued with senior Keegan Stobbe and junior Kaiden Waterman each providing an insurance goal. In just his second year at Niwot and first year on varsity, Waterman said his first playoff goal was memorable, especially in front of fans. Waterman noted a stark difference between the two halves for Niwot.

"The second half we reset, we got our game plan going and then we dominated the rest of the time," Waterman said.

Dimit echoed the needed improvement after halftime.

"I loved how the guys responded in the second half," Dimit said. "Games aren't won in the first, they're won in the second and these guys came out and definitively won the game tonight."

Two days later on April 24, Niwot returned to Everly Montgomery for a state quarterfinals matchup against Regis Groff. It was familiar territory for both squads who met in the first round of the 2019 state playoffs, a game in which Niwot won 2-0. For the second consecutive season, Niwot ended the Fusion's season with a 2-1 victory.

It wasn't easy for the Cougs who played in their first one-goal game since losing to Skyview 2-1 on March 20. Niwot's closest game since then was a 5-2 victory over Thompson Valley on March 30.

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"The guys are thrilled," Dimit said. "We had to work really hard for this one, they're a scrappy team out there. A lot of guys are running on really tired legs."

With the game scoreless early in the second half, Niwot was awarded a free kick following a Regis Groff penalty. From about 25 yards out, Niwot's attempt bounced off the Fusion goalie's chest and into junior Jacob Elston who knocked the ball in. Niwot scored in a similar situation against Regis Groff last meeting and Dimit said the repeat was a testament to studying game film.

About 10 minutes later, Regis Groff answered to tie the score at one. The Fusion goal was the first allowed by sophomore goalkeeper Javier Amaya since March 30.

Despite the lack of experience in close games this season, Dominguez stepped up once again to score the go-ahead goal with 58 seconds left.

"Coach (Dimit) was talking about all the seniors and how it's time to step up, and I really took that to heart," Dominguez said. "I knew I had to do something so I got to it."

Niwot's chase for the state title will continue against the two-seeded Windsor Wizards on Wednesday. Windsor, the top-ranked team in 4A, sits at 12-0 with wins over Mesa Ridge and then Erie to reach the state semifinals. The game will be played at Legacy Stadium in Aurora at 5:30 p.m. April 28, with the winner advancing to the title game.