Colorado
Fort Collins-area girls soccer stars set to shine in 2026 CHSAA season
Watch postgame mayhem as Fossil Ridge celebrates 5A soccer state title
Watch the Fossil Ridge girls soccer team celebrate the program’s first state title with fans and the Colorado 5A championship trophy.
If last spring was any indication, this is going to be another phenomenal high school girls soccer season in Northern Colorado.
Three Fort Collins-area teams (Fossil Ridge, Windsor, Timnath) made state championship games, with the SaberCats winning their first-ever title in Class 5A.
There are several returning all-state players, meaning the local talent pool is rich again.
Here are more than a dozen of the top Fort Collins-area girls soccer players to watch in the 2026 CHSAA spring season:
Lily Wale, Fossil Ridge
The two-sport star helped the SaberCats win 5A soccer and track and field state titles in the same week last spring.
Now the senior returns after that sensational junior campaign on the pitch. Wale led Fossil with a dozen goals and over 25 points as the team’s top offensive threat and a 5A first team all-state selection.
While the reigning champions are solid at every position, Wale is most often the attack’s finishing touch.
Tatum Gentry, Windsor
The Wizards lose some great players in the defensive half, but all the top scorers return for the reigning 4A runner-ups.
That is highlighted by the quick-twitch Gentry, who uses her blazing speed and short stature to run right by defenders and win balls in the box.
The junior was already a 4A first team all-state player last season, posting a whopping 44 points on 18 goals. Expect those numbers to stay high on another Windsor contender.
Gentry’s soccer future is also local as she’s committed to Colorado State.
Lily Eisbrener, Timnath
The multi-sport standout returns to the pitch after helping the Timnath girls basketball team reach a second straight Final Four.
Eisbrener was already among the top players in Colorado last season, scoring 17 goals with 13 assists despite missing several early-season matches for the reigning 3A runner-ups.
The first team all-state selection may find even more scoring chances with senior Natalie Washburn gone to graduation. The junior’s scoring ability will be key for a possible Cubs’ return to the title game.
Reese Morgan, Fossil Ridge
The SaberCats’ secret weapon is the solid formation coach Cyrus Salehi brings to the back line and midfield.
Morgan is a prime example of that, working seamlessly between the attacking third and dropping back into midfield defense, winning headers and controlling the ball.
The senior is a pretty good scorer too, posting 10 goals last season as a first team all-state pick.
Isabel Guerrero, Fort Collins
The forward made a big freshman impression last season, tallying up six goals and five assists on a senior-laden Lambkins squad that made the 5A playoffs.
Guerrero should be a far more featured offensive option this season with every other top scorer graduating.
The sophomore is a likely all-conference player and could post a possible all-state caliber season after already scoring two goals in an early game vs. Fairview.
Ella Crotts, Windsor
The midfielder is perhaps the Wizards’ most versatile player, a high-level defender and strong scorer who also kicks on set pieces and wins balls in the air.
The junior was a 4A first team all-state player last year, scoring 12 goals and dishing out five assists. Crotts may not need to take on a heavier scoring role, but don’t be surprised if she sets up a ton of Windsor goals this spring.
Miriam Huffsmith, Liberty Common
Talk about prolific. The Eagles junior is one of the state’s most electric offensive players, compiling 29 goals and 69 total points last season.
The forward is a microwave scorer, capable of heating up fast with 11 hat-trick games in her first two seasons.
A 2A all-state honorable mention last season, Huffsmith should be a premier scorer again after already producing a four-goal in an early-season win over Regis Groff.
Maggie Pletcher, Timnath
The junior doesn’t make much of a dent on the stat sheet, but she leaves her mark on opposing offenses as a shutdown defender.
Pletcher is adept at breaking up scoring chances, heading out corner kicks, clearing through balls and being in the right position.
A first team all-state selection last season, Pletcher should help the Cubs lock down defensively against the top 3A teams come May.
Shay Masters, Fossil Ridge
A dominant defense always needs its last line of defense.
Fossil Ridge has that in spades with Masters, a brick wall in front of the net even if opposing strikers make it through an iron back line.
The senior has championship experience after allowing a ridiculous 13 goals in 20 matches last year, including just one in five postseason games.
Expect a lot of clean shots from Fossil again this spring.
Gwennie Dow, Windsor Charter Academy
The Firebird junior is back after a breakout campaign that saw her score 14 goals with five assists on a playoff squad.
Dow is going to get plenty of scoring chances this season after top scorer Dillan Brown’s graduation. She’s off to a strong start, posting eight goals in two March matches.
Expect the forward and the Firebirds to compete for the Patriot League title and be one of Northern Colorado’s most improved squads.
Mia Thomas, Rocky Mountain
The Lobos forward is back after an all-conference junior year with eight goals on a Rocky squad that plays plenty of defense.
Thomas usually scores more goals off her left foot, leading both her club and high school teams in scoring last season.
The senior is poised for a great final season and could help the Lobos get back to the 5A postseason after a one-year absence.
Jacqui Wilson, Poudre
The University of Denver signee is one of NoCo’s top players at the club and prep level, making an impact at all three levels.
Even as a defensive midfielder, Wilson scored eight goals with a pair of assists last season while spearheading a solid Poudre defense that limits clean looks at the net.
The senior could have an all-state level impact as the Impalas chase a third straight playoff appearance.
Braely Martinez, Windsor
Windsor will have its pick of scorers this season and Martinez will be a dynamic attacking duo with Gentry.
The forward brings some ankle-breaking moves and can finish off both feet from different angles, making her a scoring threat anywhere near the box.
Martinez already had eight goals and eight assists as a junior and she could easily up both marks into the double digits this season.
Sara Swenson, Timnath
Another goalkeeper on the list and it’s well-deserved recognition.
Swenson was sensational last season and especially in the playoffs, surrendering just one goal in the first four postseason matches and saving over a dozen shots against a relentless Colorado Academy offense in the finals.
That earned the then-junior 3A first team all-state honors as the final line of a Cubs defense that allowed just 19 goals in 20 matches.
Bonus names to know:
- Fort Collins: Keira Gill, Judy Bridge, Brighlee Reynoso
- Fossil Ridge: Maddie Kubat, Anna Rogers, Mia Lorenzen, Jordan Killion, Makenah Salas
- Liberty Common: Zoey Davis, Joelle Knowles, Alexa Kent
- Poudre: Payton Lockman, Brennen Decamillo, Kami Ball, Riley Smith
- Rocky Mountain: Hannah Smith, Alicyn Martinez, Grace Radcliff
- Timnath: Addie Clemmer, Gracyn Redmon, Skylar Merrill, Maia Kub, Ella Benedict, Sage Raymond
- Wellington: Anna Grace Schultz, Ryann Goodman
- Windsor: Ambry Plate, Rylinn Bernhardt, Raegan Lewis, Macy Isom
- Windsor Charter Academy: Olivia Wallace, Ella Hennen
Chris Abshire covers high school and community sports for the Coloradoan.
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Three-quarters of Colorado residents said they were worried about whether they would be able to afford to continue living in the state, according to a poll conducted this spring.
Last year, about 70% of people responding to the Colorado Health Foundation’s annual Pulse poll said they weren’t sure living here would remain financially feasible. That rose to 76% this year.
“That majority concern was cutting across regions, across income levels, across racial and ethnic groups,” said Lucia Del Puppo, senior vice president at FM3 Research, which works with Democrats.
The poll found that the majority of those sampled said they had already cut back on entertainment spending and charitable giving, with smaller shares saying they’d skipped meals, delayed medical or dental care, or paid a utility bill late.
Only about one in four people said they hadn’t changed their spending or dealt with a financial setback in the last year, with older people and Republicans reporting less budget strain.
“It’s significant and it affects the overall economy” when people reduce their discretionary spending, said Lori Weigel, principal of New Bridge Strategy, which works with Republicans.
The responses suggested a significant minority expected further financial strains in the coming year:
- About two in five worried they or a family member would lose health insurance
- Three in 10 worried about affording enough food
- One-third thought they might lose their housing because they couldn’t afford their mortgage or rent
Notably, more than half of renters were worried about whether they could continue to afford their housing, Weigel said. One-third said they’d avoided asking their landlords to fix problems to avoid rent increases, and one-quarter said they’d taken on high-interest debt, such as payday loans or credit card balances, to deal with housing costs, she said.
Lower-income people and those who identified as Black, Hispanic or Native American reported greater financial struggles than other groups.
Even people who haven’t had to cut back are worried about affordability. When asked to rate the seriousness of a list of potential problems, 85% said both the general cost of living and the cost of housing were either “very serious” or “extremely serious.” Additionally, 82% said the cost of health care was a very serious or extremely serious problem.
Younger people were particularly worried about housing costs, with 94% of millennials and 90% of Generation Z members describing the problem as very or extremely serious.
At the same time, when respondents got the chance to name the most important issue facing the state, the largest share — 28% — chose government and politics. The cost of living and inflation came close behind, with 25% deeming it the top issue.
Just one year ago, only 13% of people considered cost of living and inflation their top concern, Del Puppo said.
“It has jumped really since 2025,” she said.
The two may be related, as 72% of respondents said they weren’t satisfied with the government’s response to economic issues. The only question where a slight majority said they were satisfied with the state government’s performance was making the state “safe and welcoming” to everyone, Del Puppo said.
The poll asked more than 2,200 people about their personal finances, experiences with health care and perceptions of the state between March and April, then weighted their results to represent Colorado’s demographics.
As usual, both a Democratic and a Republican firm ran the poll, to reduce the risk of bias.
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