For extending CV’s reign, Colvin is key

“He’s definitely an asset to the team and he’s an extraordinary goalie,” Falcons teammate Tanner Kober says. “[Having Colvin in the game] makes a us a lot more confident because we know every team we play isn’t going to have a goalie as good as Rane. It’s definitely a confidence booster.”

The Falcons are anchored by Colvin’s shot blocking ability, but his teammates’ awareness of his prowess also enhances their team defense by giving them the freedom to play the field fearlessly.

Zones and double coverage are staples of Crescenta Valley’s strategy for containing opposing teams’ top scorers, inevitably leading to open shots for others. Colvin’s teammates trust him to protect the goal once they leave their man to double and that’s the key, Sakonju says, for getting players to commit to his defense.

Sometimes, though, Colvin has to simply put the team on his back. Sakonju cites the Falcons’ 14-12 overtime win against Glendale in the Pacific League Tournament championship match as an example of Colvin keeping the team in a game while the offense and team defense struggled.

“Our guys weren’t playing well just because of the physicality of Glendale’s style,” Sakonju says. “While they were distracted by that, Rane was still steadfast in the cage and made some key saves which limited the lead that Glendale was able to get. He was still able to hold us together even though most of our guys had fallen apart for two quarters.”

Colvin notched six saves over the second and third quarters to keep the Nitros keep within arm’s reach at 9-6 and blocked four more in the fourth quarter, as Crescenta Valley pulled into a tie to force overtime.

As a bonus, he nailed a shot from out of his own goal across the length of the pool to give the Falcons a two-goal lead as time expired in the first half of overtime.

“He got a little frustrated in that game and that’s where that goal came from,” Sakonju said. “He was so angry that we weren’t playing well and he heaved it and it was a huge goal. He’s just a fun kid and he brings that enjoyment to the games and to practice.”

As a sophomore, Colvin would more often than not play the second and fourth quarters, while senior Danny Mock started and played the third. This season, it’s Colvin’s show to run and he’s flourished.