Battle Mountain Holds 4A Western Slope Soccer Top Spot After 0-0 Draw

Aspen —Will Battle Mountain hold the top spot in 4A Western Slope soccer?

That is the question hanging over Edwards as the calendar turns toward October. On Monday night, under the lights at the home field of Eagle Valley, the answer remained unresolved. The two rivals played a 0-0 draw, leaving Battle Mountain in first place by virtue of the tiebreaker with three games remaining on their schedule.

The match was a tactical stalemate that defined the current state of the region’s elite high school soccer. Eagle Valley, ranked No. 7 in the state entering the game, faced a Battle Mountain squad that sits at No. 17. The Huskies created chance after chance, but the offside flag was their constant nemesis. A goal by Carlos Velasquez was disallowed just six minutes into the contest, and another late chance with 13 minutes remaining also went for a walk.

For Battle Mountain, the victory was secured not by offense, but by defense and goalkeeping. Devils keeper Tiago Horruitiner made diving saves deep into the second half, punting the ball far upfield to stifle Eagle Valley’s pressure. He also made a crucial decision to leave his net during a breakaway, preventing an easy counter-attack.

"It was a fun game," Devils coach Bratzo Horruitiner said after the final whistle. "When you play the highest level of high school, which I think we just did, anybody can win. It’s tactical chess."

The Huskies had their own hero in keeper Luc Glendining. With one minute remaining, he made a diving save to his left. Fifteen seconds later, he did it again. The game ended in a draw that both teams can claim as a moral victory, even if the scoreboard doesn’t reflect it.

The implications for the Western Slope standings are immediate but not final. Eagle Valley’s record now stands at 9-2-1, with a 5-2-1 mark in league play. Battle Mountain is 5-4-3 overall, also at 5-2-1 in league. Because the Devils hold the tiebreaker, they sit atop the regional ranking.

The path forward is distinct for each team. Battle Mountain has two league games left in its final three matches. Eagle Valley, which won the first matchup of the season 2-1 in Gypsum, does not play again until Oct. 20. Two of its final three games will also be in-league contests.

The drama on the field extended beyond the 90 minutes. With about seven minutes remaining, Eagle Valley made a bold substitution: Glendining moved to field position, and defender Tieg Fruin stepped into the net. The switch was hurried; Fruin threw one glove behind the goal because he couldn’t get it on in time. The Huskies had practiced heading corners, betting that if they needed a goal, Glendining’s aerial ability would be the difference. It wasn’t enough to break the deadlock.

Huskies coach David Cope addressed his team with a focus on the bigger picture. "I told them they should be walking off this field with a lot of pride and with their heads held high," Cope said. "We’re getting better as the playoffs approach, and so going toe to toe with the no. 7 team in the state, that shows where we deserve to be."

For Battle Mountain, the stakes are about more than just a regional title. The Devils are hoping to move up in the state rankings to crack the top 16, which would secure a home playoff game. The math holds up for them to stay in first place if they win their remaining league games, but every point matters now.

The rivalry is far from over. With the top spot still on the line, the next league matchup will likely decide who gets to host in the postseason. For now, both teams can take comfort in a performance that proved they are capable of playing at the highest level.

"We’re getting better as the playoffs approach," Cope said, leaving his team with a clear directive for the weeks ahead.