(Brent Murphy/BrentMurphyPhoto.com)
The highest scoring girls soccer state championship game in Colorado’s history fittingly featured one of the most prolific scorers to play in the Centennial State.
On Saturday at Weidner Field, the Dawson Mustangs won the Class 2A girls soccer championship, 15-4, over Telluride. Senior Degen Miller, who is a member of the U.S. Soccer Under-19 Team player pool, led the onslaught with four goals by herself. Those four game-breaking goals pushed Miller’s season total to an incredible 43 goals and 16 assists in Season D.
Several days later on Tuesday, Miller was named Gatorade Colorado girls soccer player of the year.
“When you look over the span of her career, she injured her collarbone as a freshman and we were still able to go through and win a state title that year,” Dawson head coach David Criswell said. “What stood out to me was how she still stuck around and stayed dedicated to the team, and that set the tone for the next few years. This year, the contributions she made to the team were immense. Of course, the technical skill and tactical knowledge on the field are obvious.
“But she also has a humility and grace that really allowed her to be a leader for us and makes her a special player beyond what she can do in a game.”
Miller, who will play at the University of Virginia next year, finished her high school pandemic-shortened career with 99 goals and 40 assists in just 33 career games. As a senior, she led the Mustangs (12-1) to a Mile High West championship on their way to a state title.
The Mustangs have played in all six Class 2A state championship games since the classification was introduced in 2015, and Miller has been on the team for both of Dawson’s girls soccer state championships.
“Degen is the whole package,” Front Range Christian coach Eric Osberg said in a press release. “She is the leader of that team and has made everyone around her better. Her vision on the field is phenomenal and she sees everyone and everything. What sets Degen apart is she knows when to involve her teammates and when she needs to take a game over.”
As Gatorade Colorado player of the year, Miller joins a list of in-state standouts that includes Mallory Mooney (2019-20, Broomfield High School), Mari Annest (2018-19, Colorado Academy), Hailey Stodden (2017-18, Broomfield High School), and Shae Holmes (2016-17, ThunderRidge High School), and others.