Colorado state girls soccer finals a blend of experience

The grass field at Dick's Sporting Goods Park is going to get quite the workout this week.

A total of eight teams will descend upon DSG Tuesday and Wednesday, with four state championships games set to be decided in girls soccer. It's a moment that teams live for and have worked toward since the season began back in March.

"It means the world to them. They set this goal, and for them to achieve that goal is amazing," Lewis-Palmer (Monument) coach Joe Martin said of his Rangers, who advanced to the Class 4A state title game. "I couldn't be happier for this group of girls.

"But they're not finished yet. That's the first thing they said (Saturday) – 'We're happy but we're not finished. We're going to keep fighting.' You can't ask for more from a group of girls."



Lewis-Palmer hasn't reached the championship game since winning the 3A crown in 1996. Two squads – Jefferson Academy (Broomfield) in 3A and 2A finalist Vail Mountain – have never advanced to the finals.

Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs), which takes on Lewis-Palmer, is the two-time defending champion in 4A and Colorado Academy (Denver) won the 3A title last spring.

Broomfield fell to Cheyenne Mountain in the previous two 4A championships but moved up to 5A this year. The Eagles, who last won a title in 2006, face Grandview (Aurora), in the finals for the first time since winning the 5A crown in 2008.

This is the first year for the 2A classification.

For the newcomers to Dick's Sporting Goods Park, playing in a stadium that seats more than 18,000 can be a little intimidating. Martin said the Rangers would obviously discuss that fact before the game, but added that the sport is the same no matter the venue.

"We'll discuss the field dimensions and go ahead and talk about all the things that Dick's has, but I really want them to go ahead and feel comfortable so when they walk in and start warm-ups that they get into the flow that we're playing soccer," he said. "It's a big stadium, yes, but this is just another soccer game and we need to come out and play the way we need to play and rely on each other as we have over the whole season."



Here is a look at each of the four state championships game set for DSG:

Class 2A
Vail Mountain (15-1) vs. Dawson School (Lafayette) (11-6), 5 p.m., Tuesday, May 19
Previous title game: Vail Mountain (none); Dawson School (2009)

The initial 2A championship match pits top-seeded Vail Mountain against No. 3 Dawson. The Gore Rangers edged Denver Christian 1-0 in the semifinals behind a goal from freshman Tess Johnson. The victory avenged the team's only defeat this season, back on March 27. Since that time Vail Mountain has won 13 consecutive games.

Dawson topped second-seeded Front Range Christian (Littleton) 1-0 behind Liv Cramer's score. Cramer and fellow freshman Sage Roshko each have double-digit goal seasons for the Mustangs, and sophomore Hannah Isenhart has nine.

The two teams played earlier this month, with the Gore Rangers taking a 4-0 victory. It's the first title-game appearance for Vail Mountain, while Dawson lost to St. Mary's in the 2009 3A championship game.

Class 3A
Colorado Academy (16-2) vs. Jefferson Academy (16-2), 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 19
Previous title game: Colorado Academy (2014); Jefferson Academy (none)



One of two title games pitting league foes against one another, Region 6 champion Colorado Academy is on the hunt for a second consecutive championship. Since a 3-1 loss to 5A finalist Grandview on May 1, the Mustangs have outscored their three playoff opponents 16-2.

A 4-0 shutout of Kent Denver sent CA back into the title game. Senior Marin McCoy leads the team with 36 goals, and Sarah Masinter, Julia Murphy and Anna Ponzio have combined for 44 goals between them.

Jefferson Academy's only two losses this season came to Colorado Academy and The Academy – the latter of which the Jaguars defeated 3-0 in Saturday's semifinals. Alycia Wright leads the team with 32 goals. Junior goalkeeper Kassidy Hastings was unable to play in the first meeting between the two teams, a 6-1 Colorado Academy victory.

Class 4A
Cheyenne Mountain (13-5-1) vs. Lewis-Palmer (17-1-1), 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 20
Previous title game: Cheyenne Mountain (2014); Lewis-Palmer (1996)

Like their 3A counterparts, the Indians and Rangers are more than familiar with one another. The two teams tied for first place in the Pikes Peak League after battling to a scoreless tie back on April 9.

Cheyenne Mountain, which claimed the 2013 and 2014 4A crowns, edged Ponderosa 2-1 in the semifinals to get back to this point. Senior Hannah Gerdin has a team-high 23 goals and 20 assists and sophomore Lauren Joneshas added 17 goals. Sophomore Jamie Burke has 15 assists. Senior Stephanie Deines recorded six saves in the team's earlier meeting with the Rangers.



Speaking of defense, eighth-seeded Lewis-Palmer has been up to the task in that department. The Rangers haven't allowed a goal since April 23, recording seven consecutive shutouts – including a 1-0 victory against top-seeded Evergreen in the quarterfinals.

Keeper Haley Arsenault has 13 shutouts on the year, with a backline of Sammy Kazlausky, Kirsten Hatton, Karly Sandoval, Lauren Ruebenson, Addison Britton and Rilee Britton helping to close the door on opposing offenses. Sophomore Brianna Alger leads Lewis-Palmer with 24 goals and junior Sarah Lyons has 14.

These two teams have met for a state title before: Lewis-Palmer defeated Cheyenne Mountain 5-2 in 1994 in the 4A-1A title game.

Class 5A
Broomfield (17-1-1) vs. Grandview (17-1-1), 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 20
Previous title game: Broomfield (2014); Grandview (2008)

The final game of the season will see fourth-seeded Broomfield take on No. 2 Grandview. The Eagles lost to Cheyenne Mountain in the 4A finale each of the previous two years, but climbed their way through the 5A ranks to get back to the title game.

Broomfield upended top-seeded Mountain Vista 2-0 in the semifinals. Juniors Michaela Stark and Makena Bambei have each put together impressive seasons on offense, and junior Shannon Mooney has 10 shutouts to her credit in goal.



Grandview has allowed only five goals all season, and only one in the past 12 contests. Senior Maddie Lesjak owns 13 shutouts, including one in the semifinals in a 1-0 overtime victory against ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch). Junior Bailey Cook had the game-winner in that game; sophomore Nicole Lyubenko leads the Wolves with 12 on the season.