STATE CHAMPIONS: The College Park Cavaliers Capture A 6A Division II State Title To Cap Off A Fantastic Season

THE WOODLANDS – This past weekend, the College Park Cavaliers won the Division II 6A State Championship against the Summer Creek Bulldogs in dramatic fashion. A shootout decided the final score, with the Cavaliers coming out on top 5-3 to capture their first 6A title. This is an amazing achievement for the program and one of the more impressive tournament runs we’ve seen in boys’ soccer. Let’s look at the Cavaliers’ run and explore their season to see how they got here.

Throughout the season, College Park was a solid team, posting a 13-3-3 regular-season record and going 12-2-2 against district opponents. It wasn’t the cleanest record, though, as they lost twice to The Woodlands and tied teams like Caney Creek and Grand Oaks, resulting in a 2nd-place finish in the district. Even so, they entered the 6A Division II state tournament on a mission and had all the makings of a top team in the bracket. They had the highest goal-scoring percentage in the district and allowed only 8 goals in district play, making them fierce on both offense and defense, a key recipe for a deep tournament team.

In the 1st round, College Park faced Dekaney, a team that barely squeaked into the playoffs with a 4th-place finish in District 14. Dekaney came out swinging, but College Park still managed a narrow 3-2 win. Next up, the 2nd round saw the Cavaliers take on Magnolia West, a formidable team that won the District 15 title and was one of the best in the tournament. College Park took them head-on, forcing overtime in a 1-1 game, then shut the door on the Mustangs in a heart-pounding 4-3 shootout. This incredible win must’ve been the spark this team was looking for, as they blew through the next few rounds. They dominated Lakeview Centennial, 5-0, before facing a familiar face in the regional finals, with a chance to reach the state semifinals.

The Grand Oaks Grizzlies, who were on an amazing run themselves, would be the Cavaliers' final regional opponent, and they once again took care of business. College Park had a 1-0-1 record against the Grizzlies, winning their 1st game 4-1 and tying their 2nd 0-0, so this matchup was one they were confident in. That confidence was justified, too, as College Park emerged victorious over Grand Oaks once again, securing a trip to the state semifinals after a 2-0 win.

In the semifinals, the Cavaliers faced the top-ranked Plano West Wolves, a team that also won its district and beat powerhouses like Southlake Carroll and Dallas Jesuit. Still, College Park was not deterred by the tough challenge, as they won a nail-biter 1-0, earning a trip to the state finals. The Cavaliers had now taken down two district champs to reach this spot and were on a run of a lifetime, but they had one more challenge ahead in the championship match.

The Cavaliers had to face a familiar foe in the championship game, the Summer Creek Bulldogs, a team they had met earlier in the year, tying 0-0. The Bulldogs were yet another district champion, winning the ever-competitive District 23 and key games on their way to the championship. They took down last year's state champion Vandergrift 3-0, while also besting solid teams like Memorial and Stratford in earlier rounds. Both teams came into this one with decent film on each other, so the matchup was shaping up to be electric. The game delivered on all fronts, a back-and-forth battle throughout that resulted in a tight game well past regulation. It was a stalemate until the final 5 minutes of the 1st half, as Summer Creek snatched the lead, the 1st goal College Park had let up since the 2nd round of the tournament. The Cavaliers answered right back, however, with College Park’s Salem Sharif scoring a critical game-tying goal in the 2nd half, putting the game back within reach. This was only College Park’s 2nd shot on goal all game, so Sharif made the most of it and delivered the crucial play when needed. Both teams held strong throughout the 2nd half, forcing overtime, something College Park had already faced this season against Magnolia West. The entire overtime period was scoreless, meaning the game came down to penalty kicks on the biggest stage in 6A. Naturally, penalty kicks bring tons of nerves, but it still didn’t deter the battle-hardened Cavaliers, who clutched the shootout, winning 5-3 and securing their 1st 6A state championship. This game was a brilliant ending to one of the more amazing tournament runs you’ll see in high school sports, and a perfect cap on an unbelievable season.

When it was all said and done, the College Park Cavaliers emerged victorious, earning a 6A State Championship and cementing their status as the best team in 6A Division II. In Division I, The Woodlands fell in the regional finals to the eventual state champions, Klein Cain, while Conroe fell in the 2nd round to the same Klein Cain team. Grand Oaks had a solid run in Division II, losing only to the Cavaliers, resulting in a strong showing from all the playoff teams that made it out of District 13. College Park’s run to the state title will probably never be forgotten by the players who contributed to it, and it will forever be one of the greatest runs we’ve seen in 6A boys soccer. Congratulations, College Park, on a fantastic season, and here's to more great soccer in the future.