Cowboys settle for 3-3 tie with Basalt

Late last week, the Gunnison High School boys soccer team moved to 6-4-2 on the season after a 3-3 tie with Basalt.

The two teams met Friday, Oct. 2, for the first time this season. For the Cowboys, it was the fourth league game of the year.

Though the Cowboys both held a lead and were losing for portions of the game, the two teams walked off the pitch after a 3-3 tie.

“I mean, it was kind of a weird game, I'm going to be honest,” said head coach Susan Powers. “We were the higher ranking team and I don't feel like my boys went into it with the correct mindset, which is partially on coaches, I think, too.”

Still, despite the fact that Powers thought the team came out flat in the first half, the Cowboys held a 2-1 lead at halftime.

Powers felt that the team played consistently to start the second half, but then the Cowboys quickly conceded two goals in succession and found themselves down 3-2. Powers emphasized that the Cowboys were “fighting for their lives” trying to even the score and with about five minutes left they were given the gift of an own goal and the game ended in a 3-3 tie.

“Sometimes you walk out with a tie against a team that's just amazing and fantastic, and you're like, sweet, you know, we really rose to the occasion, but that was not the feeling this time,” said Powers.

Roy Talbert and Jesus Diaz each scored a goal for the Cowboys in the match.

Powers emphasized that after taking the weekend to process the loss, she felt that Basalt brought a level of physicality to the game the Cowboys were unable to match and that ultimately was one of the main reasons for the tie.

The Cowboys don’t play again until Saturday, Oct. 10, when they travel to New Castle to take on the Coal Ridge Titans for another league matchup. The Titans are 4-4-1 and ranked 28th in 3A.

The Cowboys are ranked 27th in 3A and need to stay in the top 32 teams to make the playoffs. With three games left in the regular season, including their match against Coal Ridge, against current playoff teams, Powers is hoping to regroup and get everyone healthy for the final stretch run.

“While we have a nice stretch with some good practices in there, we definitely have three really big games coming up and good challenges to finish the season off,” said Powers.