AURORA | The Gateway-Rangeview rivalry already carries plenty of weight when both teams take the field against each other, but Thursday’s boys soccer matchup has more at stake than mere bragging rights.
With 1-0 victories Tuesday night — the Olys topped Aurora Central and Rangeview outlasted Westminster by the same margin — both teams remained undefeated in EMAC play going into their 4:30 p.m. contest at Aurora Public Schools Stadium.
The league championship will be on the line between teams that already had the meeting circled on the calendar before the stakes were raised.
Neither had it easy in its preceding game, however.
At APS Stadium, Gateway had to get past the other city team tied for first place in the EMAC — Aurora Central — and did so when senior Miguel Zambrano’s opportunistic first-half goal stood up.
A sprinting Zambrano arrived at the same time as Pascual Lozoya’s long ball from the back landed between a Trojans defender and outcoming goalkeeper Johnny Mendez and when the ball caromed to him, Zambrano controlled it, took a few touches and put it into the open net for his team-leading 11th goal of the season.
Coach Olaf Siverson’s team (11-1-1 overall, 7-0-1 EMAC) couldn’t add goal another despite several prime chances and had to withstand a desperate surge of pressure in the closing minutes from coach Ramiro Loera’s Aurora Central team (7-4-2, 6-1-1).
Rangeview, meanwhile, had to survive a challenge from a .500 Westminster team on the road.
A free kick goal from junior Luis Cervantes delivered the Raiders’ second straight golden goal-overtime victory in a row following their 2-1 win on Oct. 6 at Vista PEAK when Joey Carlson scored.
Junior keeper Juanito Helguera Lopez made five saves in the goal for Rangeview (10-1-1, 7-0-1).
Gateway and Rangeview played to a 1-1 tie last season.
Since 2009, the Raiders own a 4-1-2 edge in the series between the programs.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
GATEWAY 1, AURORA CENTRAL 0
Score by halves:
Gateway 1 0 0 — 1
Aur. Central 0 0 0 — 0
SCORING
First half
Gateway: Miguel Zambrano (Pasual Lozoya)
Saves: Gateway — Erick Torres (4 shots on goal-4 saves); Aurora Central — Johnny Mendez (6 shots on goal-5 saves)
RANGEVIEW 1, WESTMINSTER 0 (OT)
Score by halves:
Rangeview 0 0 1 — 1
Westminster 0 0 0 — 0
SCORING
Overtime
Rangeview: Luis Cervantes
