5A Girls Lacrosse: Colorado Academy’s Legend Grows With Ninth-Straight State Championship

DENVER – After a rare scare in the postseason, the Colorado Academy girls lacrosse team knew it needed to come out with intention Friday night in CHSAA’s 2024 Class 5A State Championship Game.

The top-seeded Mustangs — who edged Valor Christian 9-8 in the semifinals — set the tone early in their matchup with fourth-seeded Fairview at the Peter Barton Stadium on the campus of the University of Denver and poured it on in spurts en route to a 15-3 victory.

It was the ninth-straight state championship for the Colorado Academy — fourth since the sport split into classifications in 2021 — which also tied Cherry Creek for the most all-time state titles with 10.

“Definitely it showed that we aren’t untouchable, we have to play really hard and play as a team,” senior Skylar May said of the lessons from the semifinal. “I think it was a wakeup call for us and I feel like that made us stronger for this game. I’m really glad that we had a close game considering that made us come out stronger in this game.”

Fairview (14-4) — which made it to the state championship game for the first time — saw the Mustangs buzzing from the start, as senior star Zoe Martin put Colorado Academy on the board just 43 seconds into the game.

Martin — a University of Michigan commit — scored three of her four goals in the game during the opening period, which ended with the Mustangs up 5-1 after a goal by senior Charlotte Corkins just before the quarter horn.

“That one definitely made us put in the work for the win,” Martin said of the semifinal. “We came out way harder and way faster. We had the energy that we needed and I think that shows in our game.”

Seniors Skylar May and Corkins answered a goal from Fairview junior Gabriella McCollester with scores to make it 7-2 at the break.

Not content, the Mustangs added four goals to the lead in the third period and build a lead as large as 13 in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

“It’s been such a great four years,” said May, one of the seniors who came away with four titles in four years. “To be part of this team is so special.”

The icing on the cake was moving into a tie atop the recordbooks with Cherry Creek, which hasn’t added a state title since 2013. That is just before Colorado Academy launched its run, which started after Air Academy won the 2014 title and has included nine consecutive championships.

The Mustangs defeated Cherry Creek head-to-head for their first five trophies, and have now faced three different foes in the last four seasons, in Valor Christian (2021 and 2022), Regis Jesuit (2023) and Fairview (2024).

“The talent pool in Colorado is up and coming,” Colorado Academy coach Sonorah Hunter said. “Girls are starting a lot earlier and dedicating time to club and honing skills. I think coming into high school season, we’re seeing a level of talent we haven’t seen before.

“I’m super proud of our girls for pulling out another championship.”

Colorado Academy will enter next season with its championships streak intact and a winning streak that stands at 47. The Mustangs have recorded back-to-back 19-0 seasons and won nine straight in the 2022 season after their last loss, a one-goal defeat to Kent Denver on April 26, 2022.