Soccer: No. 7 Coal Ridge prepares to take on No. 2 Jefferson Academy in 3A quarterfinals

The No. 7 Coal Ridge High School boys soccer team has cruised through the first two rounds of the Class 3A state playoffs and is now preparing to take on No. 2 Jefferson Academy on Saturday in Broomfield. 

The Titans look to make it back to the Final Four for the first time since they pushed into the state championship during the 2023-24 season. They will take on the Jaguars with a chance to battle against 3A Western Slope League rival Steamboat Springs to reach the championship; the No. 3 Sailors play No. 11 Eagle Ridge Academy in opposite quarterfinal.

“I’m very confident. I think that when our team comes together, they can beat anyone in the state,” Titans coach Dave Romero said. “They’re a very talented group of individuals and I think they should feel very confident as well. 

“It’s the dream right?” he continued. “Seeing two Western Slope teams come back together in a game like that are some of the special things that sports offer. Nothing is given, and we will have to come out to prove it, but I know that if they come out and click together, we are going to take home the win.”

The 13-3-1 Titans finished 6-1 in league play, taking their only loss to the Sailors, who took the league title. Coal Ridge stumbled a tad out of the gate, starting the season 2-2-1, though turned on the jets down the stretch by taking nine of the last 10 games — a win streak rewarded with the No. 2 spot in the 3A WSL and the No. 7 overall seed for the playoffs.

“I’m really proud of everything that they’ve accomplished,” Romero said. “They’ve worked so hard and are deserving of all of these outcomes. It’s a special group of guys and I’m very grateful to be a part of this journey.”

After catching fire in mid-September, the Titans have cruised through every opponent they’ve matched up against. Coal Ridge hasn’t lost a game since Oct. 9 and has made light work of the first two matchups during the postseason. Their first playoff game was hosted Oct. 29 when No. 26 Holy Family visited and eventually lost 3-1. Then, on Nov. 4, No. 10 Atlas Prep met its end, falling 1-0 to the Titans.

Romero has been working with the Titans varsity soccer program for a number of years, but the 2025-26 fall season was the first in which he held the reins as head coach. 

In a year in which playoff success returned to Coal Ridge High School, their first-year head coach pointed to members of the previous regime for their mentorship and seniors for their steady maturity in leadership. 

“It’s been an amazing experience,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of support from everybody in the previous reign and I have to give a lot of credit to those who have supported me.”

He continued to point toward senior leadership like midfielder Peter Ortiz, who finished the season ranked second in 3A WSL in assists (12), and senior goalkeeper Colbran Inglehart — the No. 1-ranked 3A WSL keeper in goals-allowed-average (.690).

“There were some questions on our defensive line at the beginning of the season,” Romero said. “We had some previous, strong, defenders leave us. Some young guys have really stepped up this year in amazing ways, so for us to finish ranked so high in goals against, with those questions at the beginning of the year, just shows how much Colbran has been leading. It really shows through his actions and maturity.”

Roaring Fork season ends in heartbreak

No. 16 Roaring Fork’s season came to an end Tuesday when it faced off against No. 1 Colorado Academy. The Rams battled the Mustangs hard, pushing the game through overtime and into a shootout with the score knotted at one-a-piece.

The Rams eventually fell 5-4 in the shootout to the Mustangs, the same team who took down No. 32 Rifle on Oct. 29 in the first round. Colorado Academy will play No. 8 The Academy in the quarters. No. 5 Peak to Peak plays No. 4 Kent Denver in the other quarterfinal game.