COLORADO SPRINGS — Mullen was done settling.
The title-hungry Mustangs made that abundantly clear a mere 3 minutes into their title match Saturday against a scrappy Greeley Central squad.
They only reinforced that notion throughout the ensuing 74 minutes.
After senior forward Rocco Manerbino gave Mullen an early one-goal lead, the top-seeded Mustangs never allowed the sixth-seeded Wildcats any life in a 2-0 victory in the finals of the Class 4A boys soccer state tournament at Switchbacks Weidner Field.
This was just Mullen’s second boys soccer title in school history, its first since 2011. With the victory, the Mustangs also avoided their sixth runner-up finish, most recently falling in titles games a season ago and in 2021.
“It was a tough night one year ago at this time when we were the finalist, and Air Academy had won,” Mullen coach Matt Degitis said, moments after his team received the elusive championship trophy. “But, we talked today about how we are familiar (with a state finals environment). And, in the first couple minutes of the game when they’re still adjusting to the crowd and the lights and the field, thatap when we are going to go after them. And, these boys just brought the fury.”
The Mustangs wrapped up their season with an 18-1-1 record
The title game was the Wildcats’ only loss of the season, as they conclude perhaps the best season in their school’s history with a 17-1-2 mark.
Greeley Central was playing in its first title game in program history and was attempting to become the first Greeley team to win a boys soccer state title.
But even though the Wildcats clawed back from 1-0 deficits in two previous games in these playoffs — and they came up clutch in a semifinals victory via a shootout Wednesday against Silver Creek — the smothering Mustangs defense didn’t allow Greeley Central an inch of breathing room from the opening whistle.
“We’ve been down 1-0 before, but in the finals, itap a different atmosphere,” Wildcats coach Nestor Perez said. “Mullen has been here before, and they showed their composure. Helluva team.”
Despite the eventful start, the game remained a one-goal affair until the final moments.
With 13:04 left, Mullen senior forward JT Gerber found senior midfielder Roman Cedillo streaking toward the goal from the right side.
Greeley Central senior goalkeeper Robert Humphrey got a finger on the ball, but Cedillo collected the cross pass and poked a title-seizing goal into the back of the net.
“I knew that we won as soon as I got that goal,” Cedillo said. “We just came into this like: We’re not losing. This is going to be our year.”
Regis Jesuit stuns Ralston Valley in OT
The quantity may be in Regis Jesuitap favor — after Saturday’s finals the Raiders have five boys state soccer titles, tying them for seventh most in state history.
But when it mattered the most in their 5A state title match at Weidner Field, quality mattered much more than quantity.
Regis Jesuitap opponent, top-seeded Ralston Valley, certainly had the quantity. The Mustangs had prime scoring opportunity after prime scoring opportunity during the 80 minutes of regulation, while opportunities were few and far between for the Raiders.
But just 12 seconds into the sudden death overtime, Regis Jesuit junior Sawyer Berg turned the game on its head, as his stunning goal gave the sixth-seeded Raiders the 1-0 win.
Perhaps even in disbelief, himself, at what he just did, Berg instantly ripped off his jersey and ran toward Regis Jesuitap fan section where he was swarmed by his teammates.
“When I saw the ball about six feet in front of a wide-open goal, I was just planning my celebration,” Berg said. “I was like, ‘I can’t miss this. So, I might as well go and celebrate.’ I put it in right away.”
Neither team had lost before Saturday nightap title match. While the Raiders capped their season with an 18-0-2 record and their fifth title, Ralston Valley finished its season at 18-1-1 after playing in the first title game in its program’s history.
Even though Regis Jesuit has five titles now, this was the first one since 1996.
Of course, none of the Raiders players were born the last time the program won a state title. In fact, there is even one player on this year’s team, Owen Meyer, who has a father that was on that last championship team.
“There was a lot of pressure on our team last year, because we had a lot of really good individual players that are having great college careers already now as freshmen,” Regis Jesuit coach Rick Wolf said. “So, we didn’t know what to expect with this team coming in. We returned three starters. … The first game we played against Ralston Valley (a 1-1 tie on Aug. 26), I told them, ‘You’re better than last year.’ I don’t know if they believed me then. But, they sure believe me now.”
Berg’s goal couldn’t have come in any more dramatic fashion.
Presented with the best scoring opportunity the Raiders had all night, senior Kam Bachus fired an initial shot right on line. Mustangs senior goalkeeper Ben Brown fended off the first shot attempt but couldn’t get his hands on the rebound a millisecond later.
“I got the ball on a long ball, and I just knew I had to get it to Kam, because Kam scored all of our goals, he’s been an amazing player for us all season,” Berg said. “He got that shot and I was sure it was going in. But, I still followed it up. It just popped out right in front of me. I just couldn’t miss.”
Kent Denver claims 3A title
Fourth-seeded Kent Denver brought plenty of defense, and just enough offense, to secure its sixth 3A boys soccer state title in program history Saturday afternoon.
The Sun Devils grinded to a 1-0 win against third-seeded Steamboat Springs. Senior captain Kobe Thai provided the game’s only goal just before the midway point of the second half.
This was Kent Denver’s first state title since 2019 when it won its fifth title in six years.
The Sun Devils wrapped up their campaign with a 12-5-3 record, winning their last seven games of the season.
With the championship victory, Kent Denver became just the seventh program in the state to win six or more boys soccer championships. The Sun Devils are three behind Broomfield’s record nine titles.
Steamboat Springs (13-4-3) was denied its first title in program history. This was the Sailors’ second boys soccer title match appearance.
They were the state runner-up in 1996.
Crested Butte wins PK thriller
The path to a fifth 2A boys soccer state title certainly wasn’t an easy one for Crested Butte on Saturday morning.
Having already survived two overtime games previously in the postseason, the third-seeded Titans rallied to defeat fourth-seeded Forge Christian via a 4-3 penalty kick shootout in overtime.
Argentinian exchange student Matias Bonnaterre scored the winning goal after the Fury had initially taken a 3-1 lead in penalty kicks. The game was scoreless before the shootout.
Crested Butte wrapped up its season with a 15-2-1 record. Forge Christian settled for a 9-6-4 record and runner-up finish after winning the 3A crown a season ago.
The Fury were in pursuit of their seventh state title, which would have placed them two behind the state record.
The Titans previously won titles in 2018, ’20, ’21 and ’23. They are 5 for 5 in title games.
