A Late Surge Secures Victory
On a crisp evening at the North Area Athletic Complex, Heritage’s boys soccer squad edged past Ralston Valley 1‑0 in a match that swung on a single moment of precision. The Eagles, now 3‑0, have opened the season with three consecutive shutouts, a streak that has propelled them to the No. 1 spot in ColoradoPreps.com’s Class 5A power rankings.
The decisive goal arrived in the 77th minute when senior forward Owen Cozort rose above the defense to meet a corner kick from junior Gavin Fenton. His header found the back of the net, sparking a roar from the home crowd and sealing a result that felt inevitable given the team’s early‑season momentum.
Ralston Valley, the previous year’s Class 5A state runner‑up, entered the game with a perfect NAAC pitch record dating back to September 2024. Head coach John Doody, who took over the program in Fall 2023, had rebuilt a defense after a wave of graduations, but the Eagles’ relentless pressure forced several missed chances in the second half.
Between the goal and the final whistle, Heritage’s goalkeeper Jed Dodge turned in a series of spectacular saves, preserving the clean sheet and frustrating Ralston Valley’s attempts to equalize. Despite a flurry of opportunities, the opposition could not find a way past Dodge, underscoring the Eagles’ defensive resilience.
Looking ahead, Heritage will travel to face Lakewood on September 1 before a much‑anticipated rematch with Regis Jesuit in the state championship series on September 4. Meanwhile, Ralston Valley will regroup for a September 4 showdown against the same Regis Jesuit squad, hoping to avenge the earlier loss and restore their unbeaten streak.