On Friday night, the boys varsity team confronted La Cueva in the finals of the APS Metro Tournament.

These two teams met in the same finals two years ago when Albuquerque Academy was the first 5A team to make the finals, with La Cueva winning in decisive fashion. This year, La Cueva is the defending state champions and ranked #19 in the nation according to the USA Today poll.

The Academy boys have been building each game, searching for an identity for the season, but had found themselves in the finals without having played close to their talent level. Over the course of the first four games of the tournament, Coach Kolek had shuffled lineups and formations, trying to find the right mix.

The sun was setting as the teams took the field, players were introduced to a huge crowd, and everyone stood for the Star Spangled Banner. The Academy had a good warm up and looked sharper than in previous games. La Cueva oozed confidence as they exhorted each other to “show people why we are nationally ranked.”

In the first few minutes La Cueva looked strong, earning 4 corner kicks as the Academy players settled into yet another new formation and felt out the rhythm of the play. Soon the play swung towards the Chargers as their central defenders—Aaron Hill ’19 and Nick Williams ’18—and holding mid-fielders—Joaquin Garcia ’18 and Hardy Stone ’18—dominated in the air, sending the ball back towards the La Cueva back line time and time again. While an athletic and talented team, the La Cueva defense seemed susceptible to pressure. Twenty minutes in, pressure yielded a bad pass in the Bear’s defense. Kenny Levandoski ’19 slipped in and pinged a fizzing shot off the far post. Both sides had chances the rest of the half, the best coming from a dipping long range shot by a La Cueva forward that clanged off the crossbar.

As the half ended, the Academy had accomplished its goal: compete and stay in position to win. La Cueva looked frustrated and, perhaps, surprised at the challenge they faced. The second half yielded much more of the same, back and forth play, chances for both sides, and a sense that the Academy had the upper hand. The wind began to whip up, briskly quartering the field. After the Chargers had two excellent chances off headers by Aaron and Hardy, alumnus and captain of the 2015 State Champion team Austin Hwang—who had joined the coaching staff on the bench—gleefully shouted into the bluster, “The storm is coming!”

Regulation ended without either team solving the opposing defense. Overtime.

At this point, the wind had become a real factor. La Cueva had been able to finish regulation on the attack with the wind at their back. The Academy elected to take the wind for the first overtime in hopes of using the advantage to end the game. The tactic almost worked when Trevor Dean ’20 gambled on a swirling ball that carried over the back line. Trevor got in on goal but his shot went just wide.

Second overtime. This time La Cueva had the wind and with seconds left earned a free kick from 25 yards out. Alertly, La Cueva took the shot before the defense was set. Keeper Lucas Schlenzig ’18 rushed to the far side of the goal and parried the shot off the side post. Time ended with Lucas’s defenders embracing him.

Shoot out.

Each team selected five players. Each would get a shot from the stripe. Ten shots yielded ten goals. Each team then had to select a different five players but each round of shots would be sudden death. Round six, still tied. Round seven, still tied. On the eighth round, the La Cueva keeper made a remarkable save.

After one hundred minutes of play, deep into the night, under the lights and in front of a huge crowd, La Cueva had won by the slimmest of margins, but Albuquerque Academy had made a declaration about their quality and tenacity. Coach Kolek, having pulled all the right levers to put the team in a position to win, congratulated the exhausted but exhilarated team, reminding them of all they had accomplished on the evening. Indeed, in the paper the next day, the La Cueva keeper admitted that he thought the Chargers had outplayed the Bears.

The boys record is now 3-1-1 and next play at 2:00 on Thursday at home at the kickoff of the Academy Invitational.