ENGLEWOOD — Rumors of Faith Christian’s demise in girls soccer proved premature Saturday.
A year after surprisingly falling off the Class 3A map, the Eagles returned to the state championship game for the third time in four years.
And they acted like they never left.
Athena Lopez scored in the third minute and Ariane Lukens knocked in a corner kick in the 26th minute as the top-seeded Eagles held on for a 2-1 victory over St. Mary’s at Pirates Stadium.
“It was fun this year,” said Lopez, named The Post’s most valuable player of the tournament.
Lopez was on the Eagles’ 2006 finalist team and was one of two girls who missed a penalty kick in an overtime championship loss to Kent Denver. Lopez didn’t play prep soccer last season, instead opting for track, while the Eagles failed to qualify for the playoffs.
But Saturday, the Eagles (14-3-2) put the Pirates from Colorado Springs on their heels through most of the first half, rolling with the momentum from Lopez’s 21st goal of the season.
“It got our momentum going,” Lopez said. “It sparked us to go harder. It was amazing.”
The Pirates (15-4-0), who were appearing in their second consecutive final, regrouped to dominate the second half and got a goal from Samantha Cardenas.
The Eagles wasted no time grabbing the crucial opener after Michael Ann Karas sprung Lopez loose with a knifing pass. Lopez charged in on Pirates’ sophomore goalkeeper Katie Loof and slotted it home to the left as Loof came off her line.
Kayla Mathews’ driving shot led to the Eagles’ second goal as it was pushed over the crossbar for a corner kick in the 26th minute. Karas floated the corner kick toward the back post, just over the reach of Loof and right to the knee of Lukens for the redirect.
“We weren’t really a team last year; we didn’t bond very well,” Karas said. “We really had unity this year.”
The Pirates scored in the 61st minute when Cardenas drilled a 30-yard free kick through the fingers of Eagles goalkeeper Shelby Bartusek.
St. Mary’s had a hard shot by Julia Saenz saved in the 66th minute and watched Christina Whitelaw’s half-volley crash of the crossbar two minutes later.
“I like my chances at 2-2,” Pirates coach Greg Braha said. “I like our mental toughness. I like our physically fit team that goes and goes and goes. The last 45 minutes are as good a soccer as we’ve played any time during the year.”
St. Mary’s 0 1 — 1
Faith Christian 2 0 — 2
Goals —FC: Lopez (Karas), 3rd minute; Lukens (Karas), 26th; SM: Cardenas (free kick), 61st.
Shots on goal — St. Mary’s 1-2 — 3; Faith Christian 5-2 — 7.
Saves — St. Mary’s (Loof) 3-2 — 5; Faith Christian (Bartusek) 1-1 — 2.
Offsides — St. Mary’s 1-0 — 1; Faith Christian 1-2 — 3.
Corner kicks — St. Mary’s 2-2 — 4; Faith Christian 2-2 — 4.
Fouls — St. Mary’s 1-4 — 5; Faith Christian 5-3 — 8.
Yellow cards — None.
MVP
Junior forward Athena Lopez scored goals at every crucial step of Faith Christian’s season, including the vital opening goal Saturday. Lopez, who didn’t play prep soccer last year, finished with 21 goals as the Eagles won their third state championship.
