A monumental portion of what the Liberty boys soccer team has done in recent years has started, and often ended, with senior Jeff Koch at the back of its formation.
Liberty’s 6-foot-1, 175-pound field general led the Lancers on an undefeated run through the regular season and to the Class 5A state semifinals in Season C. He scored three goals and assisted on four more, all while serving as the linchpin for a Lancers (11-1) defense that shut out five opponents and allowed just nine goals.
That all-around impact has not gone unnoticed, as Koch has been named the Gatorade Colorado boys soccer player of the year.
“Jeff was the best defender we faced this year,” Rampart head coach Karl Anderson said in Gatorade’s release. “He locked down the middle of the Lancers’ defense as well as being an offensive threat on set pieces.”
Koch, who has six goals and five assists in 28 high school games, will take his most recent award with him when he continues his soccer career at Southern Methodist University this fall. He is the third Gatorade Colorado boys soccer player of the year to be chosen from Liberty High School.
The Gatorade player of the year award recognizes not only outstanding athletic achievement, but also high standards for character and off-field accomplishment. Not only has Koch been named all-conference in the Pikes Peak League three times, as well as an all-state second teamer, he has maintained a 3.57 GPA and has also volunteered locally with several charitable organizations, schools and youth leagues.
Koch is now a finalist for the Gatorade national boys soccer player of the year award, which will be announced later in June.
Season C was a campaign unlike any other and the unusual championship season was as memorable as ever. Champions were crowned in field hockey, football, gymnastics, boys soccer, unified bowling and girls volleyball. Here’s a recap of how all the Season C championships went.
COLORADO SPRINGS — It just felt like the game was coming to Colorado Academy. That was the case as Nick Maffei scored an early easy goal. He had no idea that he would need another goal, a golden goal, to help the Mustangs come away with the gold.
Maffei scored again in the second overtime to give his team a 2-1 win over Frontier Academy and the Class 3A boys soccer state championship.
It’s the first championship for the Mustangs (13-0 overall) since they beat TCA 4-2 back in 2013. And now the seven-year itch has been scratched.
“It’s hard to put into words how much this means,” coach Gabe Bernstein said. “Way more than for myself but for the school and the program. From how hard these guys worked to how hard my coaching staff worked, it is truly one of the most special moments I’ve had in coaching.”
Colorado Academy seized momentum early as Maffei got behind the Frontier Academy defense and chipped the ball just by Wolverines keeper Tanner Madden. He positioned himself for a clean shot to give his team the early edge that they held through halftime.
“There was that feeling that the game was coming to us in the first half,” Maffei said. “We had a lot of opportunities and we didn’t put all of them away. Then the game went on and we got a little more tired.
And the Wolverines (10-4) took advantage of the fatigue. Madden redeemed himself by booting the ball downfield where Seth Sheppard played it around the defense before drawing Charlie Westfall out of the net and burying his shot into a wide open net.
“As soon as he hit it, I knew we were in trouble,” Colorado Academy keeper Charlie Westfall said. “I was confident that my center-back would get there, but it was just one mistake and it wasn’t a big deal.”
Everyone went right back to square one with each team pressing to try and break the tie before time ran out.
But neither team found a way to put an equalizer into the net before regulation and the game had to be settled in extra time. The Mustangs had a few early opportunities but found their shots missing either wide or high.
The first 15-minute overtime period went without a goal and the game felt destined for a shootout. But Maffei didn’t want to leave it to chance. He got his golden goal, sending the Colorado Academy crowd into a frenzy.
“It was a great feeling,” Maffei said. “I had a lot of opportunities tonight so to put that one away felt nice.”
And among the now five state championships that Colorado Academy has won, this had to be among the most exciting way to bring a trophy home.
“Golden goals make it really exciting for the fans,” Bernstein said. “It’s not really exciting for the coaches. It’s really nerve racking, but again I’m just excited for our guys.”
COLORADO SPRINGS — As a middle schooler, Jacob Bernholtz watched as Crested Butte won a state soccer championship. He sat in the stands, vowing to himself that one day he would get to do for his school what he was seeing unfold right in front of him.
Two years later, he came through on his promise. His goal was the difference as Crested Butte claimed its second Class 2A boys soccer crown in the last three seasons.
Coming off a 6-0 win in the semifinals, the Titans had to battle with Thomas MacLaren, a Colorado Springs area school, to complete the journey they set out on two months ago. A shift in the season and the uncertainty of what COVID would do to the boys soccer season made things a bit more difficult. But the 2-1 win over the Highlanders was the payoff that the boys were hoping for since the moment the season began in March.
“I’m just bless to be able to play on this field with this group of guys,” Bernholtz said. “Look at these fans, they drove five hours to be here. Our coaching staff is unbelievable. Look at (head coach Than Acuff), he’s been here for so many years and I love this guy.”
The early minutes of the game saw two seemingly evenly matched teams trying to capitalized on every opportunity they could get. An early shot from the Titans (10-1-2 overall) was snagged by Highlanders keeper Jeth Fogg, keeping the game scoreless. Each team had a header chance in the first half, but neither capitalized.
The scoreless tie was broken on a brilliant header from Blue Gardner that shot by the outstretched arms of Fogg.
“It was great momentum,” Gardner said. “It got us that lead in the first half and helped push us forward.”
The Highlanders (9-4) got the momentum back in the second half, scoring on a header of their own. Junior Michael Brophy slammed it into the net to score his 20th of the year, but more importantly equalizing the score and keeping their hopes for a first state championship alive.
“MacLaren came out win a A-plus game in the start of the second half,” Acuff said. “They had us on the ropes and when they scored I realized we were back to a real game again.”
Right away the Titans had two chances to regain the lead, but just couldn’t get the ball on the net. It wasn’t until the 73rd minute that a centering pass set Bernholtz up for the winning goal. Just a sophomore, he can still recall the day he saw the Titans win a state title and that feeling means as much to him now as it did then.
“I just remember watching my captain Gabi Marmolejo bang one into the top corner,” he said. “I remember watching that and thinking that I want to get one for my school too.”
And he did just that. And for a five-hour drive, he gets to enjoy that feeling with his teammates and celebrate a championship with the Crested Butte community.
COLORADO SPRINGS — For over 60 minutes, there was a lot physicality, just very little scoring. That all changed when a flurry in front of the net found the sure foot of Matt Hansen.
John Burnett, Windsor’s leading scorer, was good for more than a goal per game all season long, but to win the Class 4A boys soccer title, he opted for an assist. His header sent the ball into the direction of the net where Hansen converted the lone goal of the game, getting a 1-0 win over Denver North. For the first time in school history Windsor is a boys soccer state champion.
“It is the history of Windsor High School,”Windsor coach Philip Weiser said. “They have drawn the map to greatness. They have drawn the map for everyone who comes after them to get to the top. That’s the definition of greatness.”
The Wizards (14-0 overall) knew that physicality was going to be a part of their battle at Weidner Field, the home of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.
It was a challenge they were happy to embrace. Each team was dealt mulitple yellow cards and there were will likely be a few score body parts in the coming days. But being handed the state championship trophy in front of a rowdy Windsor crowd made every bump and fall worth it.
“It’s always worth it,” Burnett said. “You always have to fight for that. No one’s going to give it to you.”
It was in the second half of the battle that the Wizards were able to break the scoreless tie. A corner kick went right into Burnett’s direction and he fired a header toward the direction of the net. The second touch came from Hansen who put it into the net, unleashing a wave of emotion through the Wizards roster.
“Happiness, excitement,” Hansen said. “I can’t really explain it, it’s a state final. The first one in school history and it’s good to get our name in the history books.”
While they played at a fast pace, the Vikings (12-2) could never get settled on the offensive side and generate many great scoring opportunities. Lukas Williams had been solid in net all year, allowing just seven goals heading into the championship game.
“We don’t really talk too much about the other team, we just talk about us,” Hansen said. “Going into halftime, we just knew we had to tuck in and stay more connected in the middle.”
This was the first state championship game in school history for the boys soccer team. The Wizards are normally a high-scoring team, averaging 3.7 goals per game heading into Saturday. But in order to make history for the school, all they needed was one.
“Every time we walk through the gym, there’s an empty spot for a state championship flag,” Burnett said. “We keep saying that is where the flag is going to go. And that’s where it’s going. It’s amazing.
COLORADO SPRINGS — For the last 60 years, the walls of Fairview have been missing a boys soccer state championship banner. Only once had the Knights gotten the opportunity to get one, but that was 36 years ago and they were on the losing end of a title game against Northglenn.
Standing in their way this time was a No. 16 seed that had beaten No. 1, No. 8 and No. 4 and looked to cap off one of the most magical runs in Colorado boys soccer history. But it wasn’t meant to be. Sebastien Mazur scored early in the second half and the Knights held on to beat the Bruins 2-0 to claim the Class 5A boys soccer state championship.
“We know the quality of Cherry Creek,” coach Eric Schuler said. “They did all the work to get to the championship and it wasn’t by accident. They’re unbelievably well-coached, they’re unbelievably talented and they went through murderer’s row to get here.”
They showed why in the early minutes of the match. They built chances to score and Blake Wellington saved a shot that came from a rebound on a Knox Quarles save. The Bruins (9-5 overall) weren’t going to be an easy team to beat.
But the Knights (13-0-1) were determined to try.
In the 13th minute, Jake Milanski ripped a free kick toward the top of the Cherry Creek goal and just over the reach of Quarles, but it also carried just over the crossbar.
The first 10 minutes of the second half provided the most drama as Cyrus Gulati was taken down in the box, giving the Bruins a penalty kick. Loui took the opportunity but his shot carried high.
“(I let out) a very big (sigh of relief),” Fairview sophomore keeper Shane Williams said. “I’ve faced a lot of PK’s and it’s not often that they miss so it always feels good when they do.”
The ensuing Fairview possession was when Mazur found his alley ripped a shot toward the Creek net.It was just his second goal of the season, but it will be one he’ll remember for the rest of his life.
“”We’re going to have a banner on the wall now,” Mazur said,. “Our names are in Fairview history which is awesome. I feel so proud of my school.”
Down a goal, the Bruins pressed late in the second half getting two late corner kick opportunities, but neither resulted in a true scoring chance.
With just under 10 minutes to go, Wellington took a free kick from about 35 yards out that was punched away by Williams who seemed more than up to the task of keeping the Bruins out of his net for the course of 80 minutes.
“It’s fun because when I started playing here, it was scary,” Williams said. “They’re all big and I had never played against anyone that old. Now that I’ve been here for 10 months, it’s fun.”
Tristan Hird then added a goal in the 79th minute to push the lead to 2-0 and close the door on Creek’s Cinderella run.
This was the second appearance in a state soccer championship game for Fairview. The Knights lost 2-1 to Northglenn back in 1984.
Jeffco Preps With Pleuss is a monthly roundup of Jeffco prep highlights hosted by Dennis Pleuss, Jeffco Public Schools’ sports information director. The Season C sports were in full swing during the month of April. Standley Lake and Lakewood boys’ soccer teams combined to end a 57-year drought between the two programs when it came to winning a league title. Ralston Valley and Evergreen girls’ volleyball programs also celebrated winning conference championships. The gymnastics season came to an end with some stellar individual performances by Jeffco gymnasts.
To be hosted at the new Weidner Field in Colorado Springs, the Colorado High School Activities Association is expecting its student-athletes and fans to have an excellent experience at this season’s boys soccer state championship games.
Home to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC of the United Soccer League, Weidner Field is an 8,000-person capacity venue located in downtown Colorado Springs. It will be the site for both the boys and girls championships in Season C and Season D, and CHSAA assistant commissioner Justin Saylor, who administers soccer, believes the atmosphere at this Saturday’s boys state championship games will be a special one.
“It’s a great opportunity to take the event to a world-class facility like Weidner Field,” Saylor said. “The experience for the players, the fans and the coaches will be unmatched in the state of Colorado. We really appreciate the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation for their generosity and their partnership with CHSAA in bringing the state championships to Colorado Springs. We’re expecting this year’s championships to be a great experience for the soccer community in Colorado.”
The Colorado high school boys soccer state championships will be the first official event held at the stadium, so whichever teams advance past Wednesday’s semifinals will have a unique opportunity to be among the first to play on Weidner Field’s new turf. There are currently no mandated restrictions on attendance numbers, and all players, coaches, personnel and fans will be required to comply with local public health guidelines at all times. There will also be a clear bag policy.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be hosting the CHSAA boys soccer state championships at our brand new stadium, Weidner Field, home of the Switchbacks FC,” Switchbacks FC vice president James Ragain said. “The championship games will bring a great atmosphere and amazing experience to all soccer fans and sports fans in Colorado.”
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CHSAA Boys Soccer Championships (Saturday, May 1)
2A – Weidner Field, 9 a.m. – No. 2 Crested Butte vs No. 5 Thomas McLaren School
4A – Weidner Field, 12 p.m. – No. 2 Windsor vs No. 5 Denver North
5A – Weidner Field, 3 p.m. – No. 2 Fairview vs No. 16 Cherry Creek
3A – Weidner Field, 6 p.m. – No. 1 Colorado Academy vs No. 14 Frontier Academy
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SITE:
Weidner Field
111 W Cimarron St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
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TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets for championship games are $10 and can be purchased at the stadium. Skip the line and go straight to the gate by purchasing tickets ONLINE via Seatgeek. ($5 SeatGeek convenience fee for online purchases only)
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WEIDNER FIELD PARKING MAP:
Weidner Field Parking
PARKING AT PALMER HIGH SCHOOL:
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