Crusaders seniors lead the way back to Arizona 3A soccer title

By Richard Smith
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MESA - It is only fitting that a senior in her fourth varsity season scored the goal that kept Northwest Christian’s soccer state title bid alive.

Four years ago, freshman Emma Zakarian and Coach John Kortman arrived to a program starting over after the players that built a 3A dynasty graduated and its coach retired. Saturday night, Zakarian and Kortman celebrated the Crusaders’ return atop the 3A conference.

Zakarian scored on a free kick in the 74th minute, her spot kick from the left wing dipping under the crossbar and off the leaping goalkeeper’s hand into the roof of the net. That goal tied the 4A title game against Gilbert Christian at 1, and junior forward Chloe Graham tapped in the Crusaders’ winning goal in the first frame of extra time.

“Our coaches were new my freshman year and I’ve had them all four years. We’ve been working really hard to do it, not only for us but for our coaches,” Zakarian said. “It was hard as a freshman playing varsity but I still worked hard and I’ve been wanting this all four years. Once we finally got it, I was so relieved.”

The winning goal also came off a free kick, this one in the 84^th minute. Sophomore Heidi Broek hit the free kick and freshman Naomi Hess was on the other end of it to redirect the ball with her instep.

Hess’ slightly deflected shot almost certainly would have scored but Graham did not take any chances, knocking it in near the opposite post. The top seed led 2-1 with 16 minutes to go at Mesa High School.

“It was really awesome. I think it pumped up the whole team. It’s really a blessing to be part of the team,” Graham said.

Not content to sit back in a defensive shell, the Crusaders instead spent most of extra time in their attacking third.

Gilbert Christian’s best chance to score came in the final minute. The Knights went with a short corner kick, but the ensuing cross sailed a bit wide of the net.

With the ball still inbounds, the Crusaders cleared. But Gilbert Christian regained possession and quickly sent another cross in, which landed wide of the opposite post.

“Once we were up 2-1, we knew that we were winning. We did it for each other. We’re not just a one-player team. We know that each one of us is going to win those tackles,” Zakarian said.

Though the #2 seed, Gilbert Christian (13-2-1) handed the Crusaders their only loss, earning a 2-1 victory on Jan. 20 at Northwest Christian (15-1).

After an early chance by the Knights, Saturday’s final settled down and both teams cautiously probed the defense during a scoreless first half.

Senior defender Amber Peterson’s free kick led to Gilbert Christian’s goal. Her teammate’s ensuing shot was deflected twice by Northwest Christian defenders and into the net as an own goal.

Kortman said he knew how his team would respond in this pressure situation.

“There was a little bit of a momentum shift in our favor, and this group of girls doesn’t stop. Until that final whistle blows, we always have a chance. We fought and got that equalizer and carried that through,” Kortman said.

Zakarian does not handle the majority of her team’s set pieces.

But Kortman said he trusted her, because she has shown that she can hit that shot a little ways out from the 18-yard box.

“Every free kick that I get, I just tell myself that I’m going to make it and I tell myself where I’m going to place it. I don’t know, once you have that confidence and you tell yourself that you’re making it, then it most likely will go in,” Zakarian said.

Now level, the coach and players were confident that this talented, balanced team had the endurance to pull away and score the goal that would determine a state title.

The Crusaders made the semifinals in the last two seasons.

Along with Zakarian, fellow seniors Sarah Johnson, Ella Wolfe, Alex Broek, Ella Reuter, Sophia Munoz and Adah Engle were there from day one as freshman on varsity in the winter of 2022-23.

They stepped into a program that won three 4A titles in Coach Jeff Penzone’s final four seasons.

Saturday, the Class of 2026 left by lifting another trophy.

“The seniors now were this coaching staff’s first group. It’s special for them and I’m happy for them,” Kortman said. “We’ve had some younger teams but it’s been worth it.”

INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA

Richard Smith
Senior News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps

rsmith@iniusa.org

Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.

An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.

For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.

As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.