The pure football case
If the argument starts with end product, Emily Gesick and Mae Blazer stand out.
- The report says Gesick, of Frontier Academy, led the state across classifications with 42 goals and 94 points in 17 matches.
- It also says she finished her career with 111 goals and helped Frontier Academy reach the Class 2A semi-finals.
- Blazer, of Buena Vista, is reported to have delivered 27 goals and 18 assists as her side reached the state title game.
- The update adds that she was named CHSAA Class 2A Player of the Year.
Those are headline numbers, but the award’s brief seems broader than a scoring chart.
Impact beyond volume
That is where Reese Morgan strengthens the conversation.
- The report says the Fossil Ridge captain scored the winning overtime goals in both the semi-final and the title match.
- Morgan is also described as a two-way midfielder rather than a pure attacking specialist.
- Her case appears to rest on timing, leadership and influence in the biggest moments.
That matters in an award built around overall impact, not just accumulation.
Classroom and community weight
The other finalists underline why this is a different kind of honour.
- Lea Gentry, of Denver North, is reported to have posted a 4.98 GPA while helping sustain the program’s playoff level.
- Tyler Sternberg, of Chatfield, is said to have recorded a 4.9 GPA, served as valedictorian and captained her team after returning from a reported ACL injury earlier in her career.
- Off the pitch, all five finalists are credited with service work ranging from food banks and youth clinics to hospital volunteering, mission trips and cancer fundraising.
The winner is expected to be announced on Sunday, and that reveal will be worth watching. More than anything, it should show which version of excellence carries the greatest weight when football achievement is measured as a full body of work.