Colfax girls soccer bows out in CIF NorCal Regional championship game

The dream season for Colfax High School girls soccer came to an end Saturday afternoon, as the No. 2 Falcons fell to No. 5 Bakersfield-Mira Monte 1-0 in the CIF NorCal Regional Division IV championship match at Del Oro High School. The only goal came from Mira Monte's Angie Rodrigues at the 50-minute mark when she delivered a strike from just outside the box. Mira Monte buckled down in the final 30 minutes to hang on for the regional title. "Mira Monte was fast and physical and played a different style of game than us, we needed to settle down and play our possession-style game and we were never able to do that," said Colfax coach Kara Diederichs. "We had a few good looks that we couldn't capitalize on including a goal that was called back for offsides in the first minute of action." Despite the loss, the future looks bright for the Falcons, who are slated to graduate just two players and will bring back their starting goalkeeper and leading scorer. "We are definitely going to use the NorCal loss as some fuel for next season," said Diederichs. "We are going to look to strengthen our non-league schedule to be better prepared to hopefully compete in D-IV of the section playoffs. We are going to continue to make a bigger and bigger name for Colfax girls soccer." Colfax set several program records this season, including wins with 27, and went further than any girls soccer team has in school history. Sophomore striker Kaia Diederichs finished the season with 48 goals, shattering the previous school record of 37 she set her freshman year. "I will always remember this team as the first to win a state playoff game, and then take it two steps further and compete at the furthest level possible in a NorCal title match," Kara Diederichs added. "These girls have a special and unique bond, they are all good humans which is why they perform so well on the field together. After the game, we knew we didn't have our best showing and that hurts, but bottom-line is that we will always be grateful and thankful for the relationships we have built and the amazing characteristics that have been instilled in our girls because of the team process. That can never be taken away." The Falcons won Pioneer Valley League and Sac-Joaquin Section Division V championships and finished with a 27-2-1 record.