3A boys soccer: Woldeyohannes first-half flurry paces Colorado Academy to title

COLORADO SPRINGS – It only took 27 seconds for Simeon Woldeyohannes to make his mark on Saturday’s Class 3A boys soccer state championship game.

The composed Colorado Academy junior midfielder — called “unpredictable” by his head coach — scored goals in the 13th and 14th minutes and they stood up to give the top-seeded Mustangs a 2-1 victory over seventh-seeded Peak to Peak at Switchbacks Weidner Field.

Colorado Academy fended off the Pumas for the remaining 76 minutes to win the program’s six all-time state championship and the second in the past three years.

“The first one, Lee (Gastis) got the ball in the box and I just flicked it in, which was awesome, then the second one, my parents were telling me to keep shooting and something will go in and it did,” Woldeyohannes said of his flurry. “Peak to Peak is an awesome team and they hurt us a little bit, but you get that second one and you get a little more comfortable feeling.”

Colorado Academy coach Gabe Bernstein never got comfortable given his respect for the Pumas — who the Mustangs defeated 2-0 during the regular season — and it turned out both of the goals were needed in the end.

But he wasn’t at all surprised that the crucial scores came from Woldeyohannes.

“Simeon is a special young player,” Bernstein said. “Between his dribbling ability and his passing and his shooting, he’s very unpredictable and we saw that today. The kid’s got a lot of different weapons and different tools. The most important thing is he’s unselfish, so he would thank his teammates for those goals.”

Indeed, Woldeyohannes — who had the goal that turned out to be the game winner in Colorado Academy’s semifinal win over Liberty Common — gave a nod to Gastis on the first goal.

A pair of Peak to Peak defenders went to the ground to keep Gastis from getting a point blank shot on goal, but he managed to work it free to Woldeyohannes, who got just enough of it with the outside of his foot to get it into the goal.

Shortly after the ensuing kickoff, Woldeyohannes kept possession as Peak to Peak defenders crashed in around him and he lifted it into the goal for a 2-0 lead.

That left a lot of time to defend and the Pumas — who took out No. 2 Jefferson Academy and No. 3 Coal Ridge to reach the final — cut that lead in half in the 25th minute.

Senior forward Diego Carrier stole the ball from a Colorado Academy defender and got taken down in the box with a penalty kick awarded. Junior midfielder Jorden Gyalsten converted to make it a 2-1 game that held until halftime.

Neither team scored in the final 40 minutes, though Peak to Peak junior forward Ethan Wang created a couple prime opportunities and Woldeyohannes nearly set up a pair of scores that would have given his team some insurance.

“It’s very hard to defend for that long, but we came up against it in the semifinals as well,” senior defender Ben Rockmore said. “Our backline is just incredible. We have a great back line, three seniors and one junior. We’ve been in this situation before and we know how to handle it.”

Bernstein enjoyed the final result for his 16-1-3 team, which won its final 12 games since it suffered its only loss to The Classical Academy on Sept. 10.

The Mustangs defeated No. 16 Fort Lupton, No. 8 Frontier Academy and No. 4 Liberty Common to get to the championship match.

“This is a cherry on top,” Bernstein said. “I’m so proud of this team. Our players, our coaches, our field managers, everybody put their hearts and souls into their jobs and this is just a reflection of their hard work. …The program is getting to a point where we are becoming a team that is challenging every year. That’s the most important thing, you just want to keep raising the bar.”

Woldeyohannes also believes the Mustangs aren’t done winning.

“We’re going back-to-back,” he said.

Coach James Wagenschutz’s Peak to Peak team hadn’t lost since the regular season defeat to Colorado Academy and finished 15-4-1.