Eagles soar to state title

The Columbia High School girls soccer team captured the IHSA Class 1A state title following a decisive 8-0 victory Saturday afternoon over Johnsburg in Naperville.

Riley Mathews scored the first goal for the Eagles less than four minutes in, and her second goal of the day made it 4-0. Mathews finished with a hat trick when her final goal made the score 8-0.

For the season, the Indiana State commit led Columbia in scoring with 40 goals and 18 assists.

Columbia ended its season with an overall record of 25-2-3, capturing the program’s second state championship. The other title came in 2019.

A welcome reception for the state champs is set for noon Sunday on the CHS turf field.

The Eagles advanced to the state title game by virtue of a 2-0 victory Thursday evening over Williamsville.

Freshman midfielder Alaina Rains capitalized on Lucy Leitschuh’s cross less than five minutes in to put a confident Columbia squad up early. Mathews added an insurance goal on a penalty kick with under 19 minutes left.

Eagles goalkeeper Jessica Bearley, a senior, did not surrender a goal in the state tourney.

Columbia’s head coach is Jamey Bridges. His assistant coach this season, Rylee Iorio, was the starting goalkeeper for the 2019 state champion squad.

Corey Saathoff

Corey is the editor of the Republic-Times. He has worked at the newspaper since 2004, and currently resides in Columbia. He is also the principal singer-songwriter and plays guitar in St. Louis area country-rock band The Trophy Mules.
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