Mullen Wins 4A State Soccer Title With 1-0 Victory Over Kent Denver

The Mullen Mustangs have secured their place in Colorado high school soccer history, clinching a second consecutive Class 4A state title with a 1-0 victory over Kent Denver on Saturday evening at Weidner Field.

The win marks the program’s third all-time state championship, a result that seemed far from certain when the team opened its season with a 2-0 loss to Evergreen back on August 20.

That early-season defeat served as a necessary wake-up call for the Mustangs. What followed was an 18-1-1 run that saw the team remain virtually untouchable for the remainder of the schedule. By the time they reached the postseason, Mullen had outscored its opponents 22-1, dispatching Pueblo County, Palmer Ridge, Silver Creek, and Golden with relative ease.

“At the start of the season, we had a wakeup call with the loss to Evergreen and that just reinvigorated us and got us right back to where we needed to be,” senior Alexander Escala said. “It might not have felt that way in the moment, but I would say 100 percent it was one of those good losses.”

The championship match remained a defensive stalemate for the vast majority of regulation, as Mullen struggled to find a rhythm against a Kent Denver squad that had been forced to move up a classification due to the Colorado High School Activities Association’s success multiplier. Kent Denver, which entered the game tied for the fourth-most state championships in Colorado boys soccer history, effectively disrupted Mullen’s offensive flow.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 77th minute. Sophomore London Marquardt, who had subbed into the match, drove toward the end line on the right wing before firing a pass across the goal mouth. Senior Liam Sapuppo allowed the ball to pass through to an open Escala, who settled the shot and sent it past Kent Denver goalkeeper Max Baker.

“Coach says go to the corner, so I did and I look up and see Alex at the top of the box,” Marquardt said. “I ping him a ball and he’s wide open and then he has the composure to finish the ball. When it went in, it was the best moment of my life.”

The final moments of the match were defined by a desperate push from the Sun Devils. With seconds remaining, Kent Denver was awarded a free kick just inside midfield. Baker, the goalkeeper, took the shot, which narrowly missed an equalizer by ticking off the top of the crossbar.

For Matt Degitis, the victory was the culmination of a long-term project. Having previously experienced the sting of a state championship loss in 2021, Degitis said that the 2026 squad demonstrated a unique level of commitment.

“I think Mullen 2026 was maybe the most dominant team in a single classification ever,” Degitis said. “For them to dig into that and want that as young men and continue to come back for more was phenomenal.”

While Kent Denver’s move from 3A to 4A created a difficult path for their bid, the program continues to influence state soccer rankings. As for the Mustangs, the victory secures a legacy that will be remembered by the players long after their high school careers conclude.