Naomi Clark lifted Grandview girls’ soccer to the Colorado 5A state championship Wednesday.
The junior notched a hat trick to propel the Wolves to a 3-1 victory over reigning 5A champion Broomfield, capping a thrilling postseason run and earning her JWS Player of the Week honors.
Clark went on a tear during the second half, scoring in the 45th and 46th minutes of the matchup to overcome the Wolves’ 1-0 first-half deficit before firing off her third finish to put the game out of reach.
The star striker’s hat trick came just days after Clark scored the game-winning goal in overtime to down then-No. 1 Valor Christian in the state semifinals. Her emphatic trophy-sealing performance Wednesday brings Clark’s goal total to 20 on the season.
“Honestly, I knew I had to go out and score or one of us had to score if we wanted to go home state champions,” Clark said after the championship. “I just calmed down and tried to finish as best as I could.”
The title is Grandview’s fifth since 2015. The team finished with a 16-1-2 record.
As for the future, Clark has NCAA Division I soccer in her sights.
“I’m thinking the [West] Coast, so maybe somewhere in California. Nowhere specific, just any school in California. I like Hawaii a lot. Washington State is a good school I’m looking at. Just kinda staying on the west,” Clark told The Grandview Chronicle.