Girls Soccer Brad Cochi/CHSAANow.org

3A Girls Soccer: Colorado Academy Claims Sixth Girls Soccer State Title

COMMERCE CITY – Colorado Academy girls soccer is back on top.

On Tuesday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, the top-seeded Colorado Academy won 3-1 over No. 2 seed and defending champion Jefferson Academy, in this year’s 3A championship, to claim its first title since 2019.

“This means a lot, and more than just to this group,” Mustangs head coach Sean Stedeford said. “There’s a lot of girls who have played for this team and have tried to get here and do this the last four years. It just means a lot to everybody that’s played for this team and put on that jersey, and hopefully it inspires those that continue to play with it on in the future.”

Colorado Academy senior Naomi Wolff’s 19th goal of the season opened the scoring in the 15th minute and the Mustangs led 1-0 at halftime. Mustangs sophomore Lyla Kocher scored in the 63rd minute to give the Mustangs a two-goal lead.

Jefferson Academy’s Brianna Kozlowski scored in the 76th minute to put the Jaguars on the board. But a second goal from Wolff in the 78th minute dashed all hope of a comeback.

“I think the girls really bought into what it was going to take,” Mustangs head coach Sean Stedeford said. “They had to be organized. They had to be disciplined. And in the game of soccer, sometimes things go your way, and our goalkeeper was outstanding.”

This year’s title match was a familiar matchup atop Class 3A.

Jefferson Academy (17-3) had knocked Colorado Academy (18-0) out of the playoffs in each of the previous years’ semifinal round, but Tuesday’s win also marked the third time since 2014 that the Mustangs have topped the Jaguars for the championship trophy.

The win also capped an unbeaten season for Colorado Academy.

“This team, this year, I don’t think they cared who was on the other side of the field,” Stedeford said. “They attacked every team with the same respect and they prepared the same way. For them to go undefeated with the schedule they had is really special.”

This is Colorado Academy’s sixth girls soccer title, which ties the Grandview for fourth all time.

Colorado Academy goalkeeper Lucy Garnsey, who had 17 saves in the game, was named the Sportswomen of Colorado Most Outstanding Player.