Monarch’s state-title game hopes run into a brick wall

PREP ICE HOCKEY STATE PLAYOFFS

Monarch goalie Joshua Ringoen lines up to make a save on Valor Christian’s Hoyt Sorensen’s breakaway during the first period of the Class 5A state semifinals Saturday in Colorado Springs. PHOTOS BY DAN MOHRMANN — COLORADOPREPS.COM

Monarch defenseman Sean Fallon controls the puck against Valor Christian on Saturday. DAN MOHRMANN — COLORADOPREPS.COM

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By Dan Mohrmann

For BoCoPreps.com

COLORADO SPRINGS >> For 51 minutes, nothing Valor Christian was throwing could get by Monarch goalie Joshua Ringoen. That’s why the 52nd minute will serve as the fuel for the Coyotes’ championship hunger this offseason.

It took just nine seconds into overtime for Andrew Jenkins to find Maddux Charles for the goal that had evaded the Eagles all night. The sudden-death goal gave Valor a 1-0 win in the Class 5A hockey state semifinals at Colorado College’s Ed Robson Arena.

Valor and coach George Gwozdecky will head to DU to face the Poudre School District Stars for the state title on Monday. Monarch will start looking toward next season where Ringoen will return to try and build on his coming-out party in the 2025 playoffs.

“He’s been lights-out all year,” coach Jimmy Dexter said. “Even Ben [Zelio], our other goalie, has been phenomenal. It was a little tough [choosing] for a little while, but Josh has gotten the bigger games and wanted to go with him in the playoffs. Both games, he was unbelievable.”

But as Dexter pointed out later, getting solid play between the pipes only counts when there is some offense to relieve the pressure. And in a game where there wasn’t a lot of offense to speak of, that turned out to be bad news for the Coyotes.

The Eagles outshot Monarch 11-5 in the first period and gave themselves plenty of looks at a score. Perhaps the best look by either team was a breakaway for Valor’s Hoyt Sorensen, but his shot at the net was kicked away by Ringoen. It was the first of many big moments for the junior goalie who was so vital in the Coyotes’ win over Denver East in the quarterfinals. He made so many big saves that, looking back, he was able to amaze himself a bit.

“Sometimes you don’t even realize that you saw a shot,” Ringoen said. “It’s reactionary. You’re just in there; you’re in the moment. Time slows down and that’s how you play it.”

Valor was the top scoring team in all of 5A this season at 93 goals, but the Coyotes finally put some offensive pressure on Valor goalie Lucas Jordan, though not before a brief scare. Valor got the first power play of the game thanks to a tripping call on Evan Van Melle. Before his penalty expired, Jacob Miller joined him in the penalty box on an interference call.

For 28 seconds, the Eagles had a 5-on-3 advantage, but Ringoen turned away every shot. When the Coyotes got to full strength, they were able to control the puck and spend some time in the offensive zone. They outshot Valor 13-12 in the second period but didn’t get the looks needed to secure a goal, even with Zachary Sanner getting a late rush in the closing seconds of the period.

“We had some good chances going from low to high, up to our points and screening,” Dexter said. “But off the rush, we didn’t get many chances.”

Valor turned up the head in the third period where Ringoen kept making one spectacular save after another.

“Josh stood on his head there,” Dexter said.

But it couldn’t carry over into the extra period. Ringoen’s performance is one that could overshadow the result of the game in time, but not with the pain of the loss still raw.

“It’s not hard to remember a loss like this,” Ringoen said. “But at the same time, having two amazing playoff games will go down in my memory always as happy. I was happy I did it with my boys and even just had the opportunity.”

And he’ll get another one. Ringoen and a healthy pack of Coyotes will return next season. They try to make the semifinals for a third straight year and maybe even go one step further and get back to the state title game for the first time since 2017.