Field Hockey: Zoe Martin’s 100th Career Goal Powers Colorado Academy To Second Consecutive Championship

AURORA – Playing their third championship game in as many seasons, Colorado Academy secured its second straight CHSAA Field Hockey State Championship, defeating Cherry Creek 1-0, thanks to senior Zoe Martin’s first-half goal, on Wednesday night on DPS All-City Stadium in Denver.

Not only was Martin’s goal the deciding factor in securing Colorado Academy’s 34th-consecutive victory, but it also represented her 38th goal of Martin’s season and the 100th goal of her high school career, completing a perfect end to her final season with the Mustangs.

“It’s awesome, I couldn’t ask for a better senior year,” an elated Martin said, following the game.

“The coaches laughed at the beginning saying, ‘You know, I do love Hollywood endings and I love fairy tales and that is what I would wish for her, and the fact that it happened [is great],” head coach Veronica Scott said, after the game. “But she worked for it and she created it as well, so I’m not surprised that it happened because when someone wants it as much as Zoe wants it, it only has success.”

The back-to-back championship runs give Colorado Academy three championships in the past five years and eight in the program’s history — good for second-most all-time among all of the state’s field hockey programs.

Getting to repeat as champions made the title even sweeter for Martin.

“It feels awesome, definitely,” Martin expressed during the championship celebration. “Building up my freshman and sophomore year and then winning my junior and senior [year] has been amazing. This team has been all I could imagine and it’s been an amazing season and going undefeated is a part of it.”

Martin also scored the deciding goal in Colorado Academy’s semifinal match to help them reach the championship game, defeating St. Mary’s Academy 1-0.

The other defining element of the Mustang’s championship run was their unbeatable defense, spearheaded by goalie Jessica Lapidus. Lapidus shut out the Bruins and recorded her 150th career save to secure the victory.

Even beyond Lapidus, the defense was suffocating Cherry Creek could barely get a shot on goal all night, they seldom crossed midfield, and that has been the story all season.

Combine it all and you have an inpenetrable unit that allowed two goals all season and locked down 16 shutouts.

Colorado Academy will set its sights on a three-peat and their ninth CHSAA Field Hockey State Championship next season.