Grand Junction’s Luis Mendez celebrates after scoring a second goal against Fruita during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
Grand Junction’s Angel Perez-Leon, left, keeps his head up to look for a pass while dribbling the ball against Fruita during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
Grand Junction’s Luis Mendez kicks a penalty kick for a goal against Fruita during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
Grand Junction’s Luis Mendez kicks a penalty kick for a goal against Fruita during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
Grand Junction’s Noah Collins, middle, takes a shot that is blocked by Fruita’s Campbel Jones, right, as Zachary Matthingley defends, middle right, during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
Grand Junction’s Noah Collins, left, takes a shot that is blocked by Fruita’s Campbel Jones, right, as Zachary Matthingley defends, middle right, during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
Grand Junction’s Luis Mendez celebrates after scoring a second goal against Fruita during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
Grand Junction’s Luis Mendez celebrates after scoring a second goal against Fruita during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
Grand Junction’s Angel Perez-Leon, left, keeps his head up to look for a pass while dribbling the ball against Fruita during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
Grand Junction’s Luis Mendez kicks a penalty kick for a goal against Fruita during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
Grand Junction’s Luis Mendez kicks a penalty kick for a goal against Fruita during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
Grand Junction’s Noah Collins, middle, takes a shot that is blocked by Fruita’s Campbel Jones, right, as Zachary Matthingley defends, middle right, during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
Grand Junction’s Noah Collins, left, takes a shot that is blocked by Fruita’s Campbel Jones, right, as Zachary Matthingley defends, middle right, during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
Grand Junction’s Luis Mendez celebrates after scoring a second goal against Fruita during the Tigers’ 2-0 win over the Wildcats to claim the Southwestern League title at Community Hospital Unity Field on Oct. 25, 2024.
It was win, tie or bust for the Grand Junction High school soccer team on Friday night. They opted for the win.
The Tigers beat Fruita Monument 2-0 at Community Hospital Unity Field to clinch their first Southwestern League title in three seasons.
Grand Junction just needed to not lose to the season-ending rivalry match after Durango tied Montrose. Luis Mendez and his two goals made sure there was no doubt.
“It’s something these guys worked really hard for,” said Jonathan Pando, who’s in his seventh season coaching the Tigers. “You can’t really put words to it other than how proud I am of them,”
The customary post-game interview had to be paused, though, because Pando was ambushed by his team and doused with their half-full water bottles.
That cold water in the brisk fall temperature couldn’t dampen the feeling, though. The win was the latest notch in the belt for the Tigers (11-2-1, 8-1-1 SWL), who finished the regular season winning or tying their final 10 games.
Grand Junction split its first four games to open the season and a 6-3 loss to Montrose to open SWL play left a sour taste in their mouths.
“We gave a lot of easy goals to them. A lot of mistakes became goals. (Goalkeeper) Dutch (Bullock) has had an amazing season but he had a pass right out to their forward where it was 1v1, stuff like that,” Pando said. “I give full credit to (Montrose) because they played a great game. But we knew our level and I think that allowed us to wake up at that point in the season.”
Mendez felt the team was too focused on the individual instead of the collective to start the season. Pando said that hampered some past talented teams.
“We actually united, we started talking and we started looking for ways to come (together) as a family,” Mendez said.
The Tigers never looked back. Save for a 5-4 win over Glenwood Springs, the Tigers never surrendered more than two goals in a game to close out the season. That included a win and tie against Durango, which has run the SWL since the Tigers last claimed the throne.
“They were saying it from the Durango tie here. It was like, ‘Guys, all we need to do is win the next four. Now the next three, now the next two, now the next one,’” Pando said. “And I think it put more pressure on them because they know how big the game is.”
The Wildcats (0-14, 0-10 SWL) played hard. Their defenders swarmed Grand Junction strikers and goalkeeper Ryder Trimble made athletic save after athletic save.
But the levee eventually broke and Mendez’s right foot was the culprit.
He scored on a set piece midway through the first half and again off of an assist from Angel Perez-Leon in the second half.
“What impresses me most about Luis is his desire to help the team. I asked him, ‘Hey if I took all 30 goals and it meant we won all 14 games, would you do it?’ and he said, ‘In a heartbeat,’” Pando recalled. “He’s one of the most humble kids you’ll meet.”
The Tigers were ranked 12th in Class 5A entering the game and are all but likely to host a first-round playoff game sometime next week.
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