Holy Family won its first girls soccer state championship Saturday with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Evergreen. The No. 12-seeded Tigers defeated the No. 5, 4, 1 and 2 seeds on the way to the state championship. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
COLORADO SPRINGS — Twelve is a number that is going to be remembered for a long time for Holy Family’s girls soccer program.
The Tigers entered this season’s Class 4A state tournament as the No. 12 seed. Holy Family defeated the No. 5, 4 and 1 seeds to reach Saturday’s championship game at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs.
“I think they were better than the No. 12 seed for sure,” Holy Family coach Michelle Griego said. “We took it as a sign of disrespect.”
Holy Family earned plenty of respect when junior Gianna Sandoval’s shot from 30 yards out was perfectly placed in the far corner of the net with 12 seconds left in regulation-time to give the Tigers a dramatic 2-1 victory over No. 2 Evergreen.
Senior Jaelen Giron had made a strong run down the right side for the Tigers before losing control of the ball in the Cougars’ defensive end. However, an Evergreen clearing attempt went right to Sandoval who knew she didn’t have much time to get a shot off.
“I was definitely looking at the clock. I knew I had to do something,” Sandoval said. “I thought it was going overtime, but I didn’t want it to go overtime. We had to put whatever we had on net.”
Evergreen junior goalie Aubrey Huerta made a valiant leaping attempt, but the shot was just too good.
“Gianna makes those shots all the time,” Griego said.
The Tigers (11-2 record) went into celebration mode as the Cougars (13-1) were shocked that their undefeated season had come to a close with another loss in a 4A state championship game. Evergreen suffered 1-goal losses to D’Evelyn and Cheyenne Mountain in 4A title games in 2017 and 2019.
“This was the year, disappointment definitely,” Evergreen senior Myla Stewart said of the Cougars’ third runner-up finish in five years. “We came in with a good mindset, but we didn’t play with a good mindset and that’s the difference of winning and losing.”
Steward opened up the scoring in the 7th minute with a direct free kick that she hit hard on the ground that Holy Family junior goalie Olivia Dietrich couldn’t reach. It would be the lone goal of the game for Evergreen as Dietrich was solid making a handful of saves.
“Our team is scrappy and our keeper (Dietrich) is amazing. She kept us in it,” Griego said. “She made a ridiculous save in the first half that kept the game from being 2-0.”
Sandoval tied the game at 1-1 with a goal that she admitted went off her chin guard from right in front of Evergreen’s net in the 32nd minute. Tying things up before halftime kept the belief alive for Holy Family that it could pull off one final upset to grab the school’s first girls soccer championship in its first trip to a title game on the pitch.
“We made it this far. It would have been sad if we would have lost,” Sandoval said of upsetting a higher seed in each of the Tigers’ four playoff victories. “
The Tigers graduate just five seniors, so a repeat could be in the card with Dietrich and Sandoval leading the way.
“The girls rally around her (Dietrich),” Griego said about the Tigers’ junior goalie. “They all come to play in different ways. They all do their part. I’m super proud of them because it takes everyone on the field. I love them all.”
Holy Family players swarm junior Gianna Sandoval after she scored with 12 seconds remaining in regulation time to give the Tigers a 2-1 victory over Evergreen on Saturday at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)