It's been nearly two years since the girls soccer state champions were crowned in Colorado. But with the resumption of high school athletics, those returning players are savoring every minute they get to spend on the pitch.
In a way, some of the championship favorites might be very different than what they would have been a year ago. But even if everyone were to have a good guess, no one really knows what teams will stand out this spring.
As the games have begun, we have looked at some of the early results and highlighted teams that are standing out in each classification.
Class 5ABroomfield: The Eagles had no time to ease into things this season as they had to face Fairview (Boulder) in the second game of the year. They came away with the 2-1 win and have looked solid in every game outside of that.
Bella Arreola leads the team with three goals while three other players on the roster have scored multiple goals this season.
Legacy (Broomfield): The Lightning have stuck fiercely in the first three games of the season, winning by a combined score of 24-0. Sophomore
Paige Armstrong leads the team with four goals while
Daryn Deleschinskis has four assists on the season. Legacy has a lot of work to do this season with its schedule including the likes of Broomfield and Fairview.
ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch): In four games, the Grizzlies have gotten goals from seven different players. That kind of balanced attack has them undefeated and looking to make a run at a Continental League title.
Jace Holmes has set the tone offensively as she scored three of the team's first 10 goals of the year.
Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch): It's hard to lose when scoring almost four goals per game. The Eagles have been sound offensively, scoring 11 goals in just three games.
Ajanae Respass leads the team with four goals while
Peyton Parsons and
Jo Sees each have two.
Keeley Kroonenberg and
Jaidin Kinch have combined to make 11 saves and have given up just one goal between them.
Players to watch: Emily Caldwell,
Denver South;
Ava Erickson,
Chatfield (Littleton);
Taylor Evans,
Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch);
Paige Foaa,
Arapahoe (Centennial).
Class 4AAir Academy (US Air Force Academy): The Kadets have eased into the season with close wins over Palmer Ridge (Monument) and Rampart (Colorado Springs).
Capri Dewing leads the team with four goals – which is 11th in the classification – while
Emily Rodriguez has played all 160 minutes in net and given up just two goals.
Myla Stewart, Evergreen
File photo by Derek Regensburger
Through four games, the Cougars have looked consistent while also being content to get the job done. They've scored 11 goals and given up just two, both to Golden, and have yet to suffer a loss. Senior
Myla Stewart has scored four goals on 13 shots.
Jocelin Zimmerer and
Catherine Rapp are tied for the team lead in assists with three.
Windsor: The Wizards bring a well-balanced scoring attack to every game and have truly won three games on a team effort rather than on the accolades of just one or two players. Five players have scored at least three goals for Windsor.
Carty Kingsbury and
Alyssa Serrano each lead the team with four. With teams like Holy Family (Broomfield) and Loveland on the schedule, the Wizards should be battle-tested come playoff time.
Wheat Ridge: The Famers narrowly escaped Green Mountain (Lakewood) in their first game but have been on a roll ever since.
Jessica Brummett is tied for third in the classification with five goals.
Emily Browne and
Taylor Watkins have each assisted on three goals this season.
Players to watch: Josie Coulter,
Montrose;
Tinley Enzminger,
Littleton;
Haley Janakus,
D'Evelyn (Denver);
Sydney Lasater,
Sand Creek (Colorado Springs).
Class 3AKent Denver (Cherry Hills Village): A 1-1 tie with Jefferson Academy to start the might have been an early demonstration to just how talented the 3A classification is this season. Juniors
Izzy Newton and
Maria Romo-Nichols have combined for 10 of the Sun Devils' 22 goals. They'll be able to demonstrate just how much of a state title contender they are as they still have upcoming games against Lutheran (Parker), Colorado Academy (Denver) and Prospect Ridge Academy (Broomfield).
Jefferson Academy (Broomfield): Two years ago, Jefferson Academy advanced to the 3A title game before losing to Colorado Academy. Surely there are plenty pf seniors on the roster that remember that day from their sophomore season.
Maggie Hirsch is one of them and is second on the team in scoring with three goals and seven total points. The Jaguars are thriving early thanks to the effort of a pair of sophomores.
Kate Runyon leads the team with four goals, and keeper
Helen Stegner is averaging almost 10 saves per game.
Manitou Springs: Coach Ben Mack was excited for what was supposed to be his freshman class a year ago. Now, with the team on the field after missing 2020 from COVID, it's easy to see what the hype is all about. Sophomore
Madrid Mack has scored six goals in her first two games, and
Erica Sherwin has four. With returning veterans such as
Tera DeRemus and
Sophie McKeown, the Mustangs are hoping they can duplicate the success that the boys team had this season.
Vail Mountain: Sophomore
Stella Stone has quickly established herself as a threat to score or get the ball to someone who will score. She has provided balance for the Gore Rangers' offense by scoring four goals and totaling four assists.
Kjersti Moritz leads the team with five goals, and
Gaby Gish has the team lead with six assists, which is also tops for all of 3A.
Players to watch: Viviana Garcia,
Arrupe Jesuit (Denver);
Adjrieanne (AJ) Loera,
The Academy (Westminster);
Ella Massarotti,
Lutheran (Parker);
Maya Pellegrini,
Colorado Academy (Denver).
Class 2AClear Creek (Evergreen): The Golddiggers are off to a very hot start. They won their first three games by a combined score of 28-0. Perhaps the best thing they have going for them is their youth.
Rylie Young, a freshman, leads the entire classification with 11 goals scored. Juniors
Loralei Murphy and
Breyda Spinner each add five to that tally. Clear Creek isn't just title-hunting this season, they're hoping to build a dynasty.
Degen Miller, Dawson School
File photo by Derek Regensburger
Score often and give up no goals. That's been the approach for the Mustangs to start the 2021 season and it has worked flawlessly. In their first four games, the Mustangs have outscored their opponents 46-0. Each game has ended at halftime, meaning that they've scored 46 goals in 160 minutes, the equivalent of two full games.
Degen Miller,
Lauren Muniz and
Madison Shaw are three of the top four goal scorers in 2A, as Miller and Muniz have scored nine while Shaw has scored right.
Front Range Christian (Littleton): Like Dawson, the Falcons have several players putting up astonishing scoring numbers considering how early it is in the season.
Sidney Singh has scored eight times while
Emma Budimlya has scored seven. Front Range Christian is also getting sold play in the net as
Maddy Vander Ploeg has faced 21 shots and turned away all but four of them through four games.
Players to watch: Sydney Adamson,
Rye;
Ayla Kanow,
Telluride; Degen Miller, Dawson School; Rylie Young, Clear Creek.
