For Columbus Academy, a First State Final Is Only the Beginning

Columbus — For the first time in program history, Columbus Academy reached the girls soccer state championship game.

And they’ve done it with a youthful roster, a group that has anchored the Vikings in a sport where experience usually defines who lifts trophies.

Their state championship lineup included seven freshman and sophomores. The top three scorers? Two freshman and a sophomore.

Columbus Academy Head Coach Grant Stegner says that his youth is not only talented, but their culture has helped develop them for the future.

“Our older players have done a great job of showing them what it is like to be on the team, and we build our culture really intentionally,” Stegner explained. “We have some freshman who were playing lights out this season.”

After coming up short in deep tournament runs in 2019 and 2020, 2025 has become the year Columbus Academy set a new standard. Being a state championship contender is their new standard.

Columbus Academy had to overcome its own postseason ghosts to reach the state final.

In the district final, Columbus Academy got its payback against Worthington Christian after falling to the Warriors in the same round last year. Freshman Sydney Smoot scored the lone goal in the first half, and the Vikings’ defense did the rest to secure the win and advance. It was a huge mental relief for Columbus Academy and set off a chain for the playoffs.

“That game was a big mental hurdle for us,” Stegner said. “Getting past that hurdle made us believe we could make it this far.”

Against Poland Seminary, freshman Lexi Forchione scored with senior Mmesoma Nwoke, while Sydney Smoot recorded an assist alongside Boninsegna-Mullins.

In the regional championship, Boninsegna-Mullins delivered a late second-half goal to punch Columbus Academy’s ticket to the Final Four over West Geauga, with an assist from sophomore Lianna López.

Senior goalkeeper Taylor Gillett recorded a clean sheet in every playoff game leading up to Friday’s state final, while the Vikings hadn’t allowed a goal since September or suffered a loss since Sept. 11.

Everywhere you look on this team, fingerprints of their youth and seniority are obvious and clear. It creates a dangerous combination for the future.

Against Summit Country Day on Friday afternoon, there wasn’t a glass slipper to fit on their foot.

The Silver Knights controlled the match from the opening whistle, applying constant pressure until Columbus Academy finally bent. The Vikings held on through the first half, but even the strongest defensive team eventually breaks without relief.

In the end, Summit Country Day closed out a third straight state championship, rolling to a 4–0 win over Columbus Academy in the Vikings’ first state-final appearance. Columbus Academy’s attack was held without a shot in the loss.

Even in defeat, their season was not a failure. In fact, it was a shattered glass ceiling. Senior Harper Boninsegna-Mullins says that it was a fact well known across their school leading up to Friday’s game.

“Academy was all on our side, cheering us no matter what,” she said. “Even one of my teachers told me to be excited, even if we lose. Making history is insane, I’m thankful for all the support we had today.”

Gillett’s first half performance on Friday was another reminder of her significance on a team headlined by its youth.

“Taylor had so many amazing plays to keep us in it, they were getting shot after shot on top of us,” Boninsegna-Mullins said.

While Columbus Academy must fill the void left by Boninsegna-Mullins, Gillett, and three other seniors, the deep playoff run gave the returning players experience that will shape the program’s next chapter.

“We graduate some really strong players, seniors that have been huge for us,” Stegner said. “But, I believe in this program, I’m committed to it, and we have some awesome kids that are going to be part of it.”