AURORA | Some prime chances early in the second half didn’t materialize in a goal for the Aurora West College Prep Academy boys soccer team Wednesday evening, but its opponent in the opening round of the Class 3A playoffs — Coal Ridge — got the one it needed to win.
The 19th-seeded Titans held off the 14th-seeded Spartans at Aurora Public Schools Stadium before finding a finish that gave them a 1-0 upset victory and passage into the Nov. 3 second round.
Aurora West College Prep Academy — the 2A/3A Foothills League champion — got shut out for the first time all season and coach Narayan Niroula’s team finished 11-4 overall.
Scoreless at halftime, the Spartans put on a dangerous opening flurry in the second half, but a shot by their leading scorer — junior Alexis Hernandez, who scored 20 goals on the season — glanced off the cross bar and was secured by Coal Ridge’s keeper.
A short time later, senior Bangaly Sherriff split a pair of Titans’ defenders and got off a shot that beat the keeper, but drifted wide.
The Spartans were the only Aurora area team in the 3A postseason.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2026 CLASS 3A BOYS SOCCER STATE PLAYOFFS
First round, Oct. 28 at Aurora Public Schools Stadium
(19) Coal Ridge 1, (14) Aurora West College Prep Academy 0
Score by halves:
Coal Ridge 0 1 — 1
AWCPA 0 0 — 0
