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 that certainly made a statement.

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.

That outcome was the largest margin of victory in a state title match. 

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 took place Sunday on the CHS turf field, with family members, students and fans in attendance.

“Super confident group,” Columbia Athletic Director Scott Horner assessed about this year’s team during his speech at the ceremony. “They weren’t worried about their own accomplishments. Their chant (in the huddle) was ‘family.’ They lived what family meant, and I think that’s what helped them get through the season and have all the success.”

The only losses this season for the Eagles were to Althoff on April 11 – which was avenged in the sectional semifinals on May 23 – and to Class 3A state champion O’Fallon on March 20.

Horner pointed to Columbia’s “grit and fight” in winning the sectional match at Althoff in what was a physical contest.

In the sectional final, Columbia handed Father McGivney its second loss of the season. The other loss was to Columbia as well.

A supersectional victory over Quincy Notre Dame sent the Eagles soaring to state.

This most recent state title in soccer was the third in school history, taking into account the Columbia boys soccer state title in 2014.

“You now have inked your name into a really exclusive group,” Horner told the players. 

Columbia head coach Jamey Bridges said his squad was motivated for more this season following tough postseason losses to Althoff and Freeburg over the past few seasons.

The Eagles lost in penalty kicks to Althoff in the 2024 and 2022 playoffs, with a regional final loss at Freeburg in 2023.

“Really, our mantra was to make a statement. Every game we play, we wanna make a statement,” Bridges said. 

Bridges said the team put “June 7, 2:30 p.m.” on the board in the locker room at the start of the season, which was the date and time of the state final.

“That was always the goal,” Bridges said. “Every year, it’s the goal.”

With a dozen dedicated seniors, Columbia had plenty of leadership and experience to meet that goal in 2025. 

“Your team goes as your seniors go,” Bridges said. “These 12 girls have felt the sting of losses and they’ve led this team well. This year is a reflection of their leadership.”

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

Freshman midfielder Alaina Rains capitalized on senior 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. She finished with 19 total shutouts this season, just 13 goals allowed, a 0.57 goals against average and .894 save percentage.

In addition to Mathews, Leitschuh and Bearley, senior players for the Eagles were Reese Woelfel, Jade Becker, Ella Fromme, Emily Rose, Ava Schmidt, Samantha Schmuke, Sadie Metz, Kate Adams and Elliana Ames.

Woelfel finished with 27 goals and 15 assists on the spring. Leitschuh added 10 goals and 14 assists. 

Among the underclassmen, sophomore Avery Ellner had nine goals and 23 assists, Rains had 15 goals and seven assists, and fellow freshman Madi Ross had seven goals to go along with 12 assists.

Continuing on that “statement” theme, Bridges said this year’s squad scored significantly more goals than in 2024 despite losing top scorer Maddie Mauch (43 goals) and others to graduation. 

“This team has continued to be a heartbeat for Columbia,” said assistant coach Christine Kaiping, who also coached the 2019 squad. 

Another of Columbia’s assistant coaches this season, Rylee Iorio, was the starting goalkeeper for the 2019 state champion squad – for which Bridges was also the head coach.