High School Girls Soccer: Denver falls in first state title appearance, closes season at 20-2 (2024)

DES MOINES — The Denver girls soccer team needs to remember the history they made in 2024.

Cyclones head coach Derek Krebsbach said his postgame message to his team would consist of highlighting the greatness of their season following a 2-0 loss to Nevada in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) Class 1A Soccer Championship on Saturday.

“I am super proud of our team,” Krebsbach said. “We have never been this far as a program so [I am] extremely proud to make it this far.

“That is the biggest thing. No Denver team has been this far. So, just remember you did your community proud.”

The Cyclones came out swinging in the opening half of the title game, pressuring the Nevada goal following a Cubs’ turnover shortly after the opening kickoff.

Despite numerous tries on net over the course of the first 10 minutes, the second-seeded Cyclones did not manage to get a shot behind Nevada goalkeeper Josylnn Farmer.

The Cubs managed to flip the game on its head in the thirteenth minute despite generating little pressure during Denver’s opening onslaught.

Nevada junior Avery Anderson managed to sneak behind the Cyclones’ defense and get a breakaway on the Denver cage.

Cyclone keeper Tori Schroeder, who allowed just one goal in Denver’s quarterfinal and semifinal matchups, made the right read, diving to her left, but Anderson outmaneuvered Shroeder to put Nevada ahead 1-0 with 27 minutes to play in the first.

According to Krebsbach, this goal, which he described as “one bad moment,” proved pivotal in the outcome.

“They broke us down through the middle,” Krebsbach said. “That is something we talked about was they want to play narrow. We just got caught out in the midfield, unfortunately, and they got in on goal.”

Denver attempted to rally, but did not find the equalizer before halftime.

With the wind at their backs in the second half, Denver continued to pressure for a goal, but could not break through the Cubs’ defense.

Nevada added a late goal in the 68th minute of action as Isabelle Nelson found the back of the net to seal the win.

“They got that second goal late,” Krebsbach said. “We kept battling, but that was kind of the dagger goal.”

With the loss, Denver fell to 20-3 on the season — 20-2 against Iowa opponents — and cemented the highest finish in program history as 1A runners-up.

In route to their historic finish, the Cyclones picked up the program’s first two wins at the state tournament and the first state tournament berth and regional final victory since 2017.

The team’s 20 wins also represents a program record, besting a 17-win season in 2017 and a 16-win season in 2023.

Despite highlighting their historic levels of success this season during his postgame message to his team, Krebsbach, who was visibly emotional, said he would most remember the culture of his team and the enjoyment shared amongst the team throughout the season.

“The team culture — pending every day with the girls and their high energy,” Krebsbach said, when asked what he would remember most.