FREDERICK – The 3A boys soccer state semifinals were held on Wednesday at Frederick High School.
In the evening’s first matchup, the No. 11 Roaring Fork Rams continued to shock the state when they came from behind to beat No. 2 Atlas Preparatory School.
The second semifinal game began at 8 p.m. and featured No. 1 Jefferson Academy and No. 4 Liberty Common. As they’ve done all season, the Jaguars played stellar defense to reach their second state championship game in six years.
Jefferson Academy, which has yet to lose this season, will now face Roaring Fork in the 3A state championship game on Friday. Switchbacks Weidner Field in Colorado Springs will host the matchup, which is set to begin at 5:15 p.m.
(11) Roaring Fork 3, (2) Atlas Preperatory School 1
Coming into Wednesday’s 3A state semifinals as a No. 11 seed, Roaring Fork embraced its underdog status to overtake Atlas Preparatory School, 3-1. A pair of second-half goals within four minutes of one another helped the Rams secure a state championship berth.
After Atlas took a 1-0 lead early in the first half, Roaring Fork junior Daniel Vega tied the game in the 49thminute. Just 3 minutes, 9 seconds later, another junior, Emiliano Magana, scored the go-ahead goal to put Roaring Fork up 2-1.
“It’s just crazy how we won and we went from down one to going up to 3-1,” Vega said. “After our first goal, our whole momentum just changed.”
Ninth-year Roaring Fork head coach Nicholas Forbes said it didn’t take anything radical for the Rams to turn it around.
“A small error led to our first goal (given up) and I think the message at halftime was we just need to do the things we normally do just a little bit better,” Forbes said.
The Rams will be back in the state championship game for the second time in three seasons. They lost 5-0 to Kent Denver in 2019.
“We know what it takes and we know all that goes into it,” Forbes said. “Just to get there is a testament to how hard and focused these boys are and how much they want it.”
(1) Jefferson Academy 3, (4) Liberty Common 0
The Class 3A No. 1 seed Jefferson Academy Jaguars proved they are deserving of their top billing by beating No. 4 Liberty Common 3-0 in the second state semifinal game. The Jaguars improved to an impressive 18-0-1 on the season.
Three different goal scorers combined with their 15th shutout of the season propelled the Jags to their first state title game since losing to Kent Denver in 2016. Even though it was five years ago, Jefferson Academy head coach Matt Cassell was excited for the chance to “rewrite history.”
“We’ve been through so much this season, there’s so much brotherhood,” said junior Chrisly Kelly, who scored the opening goal in the 14th minute. “This is amazing.”
The Jaguars’ junior class dominated on Wednesday, as Evan Tran and Jeremiah Davis also scored. But it was senior goalkeeper Andrew “Bear” Bauer that made sure those goals weren’t for nothing.
For Cassell, he has been the program’s only head coach since it was incepted 11 years ago. Earning a spot in his second state championship game was a likewise special moment.
“I’m just so excited for them to get this opportunity,” Cassell said.