Defending champs to miss historic Denver Summit FC opener due to scheduling conflict

Fossil Ridge High School girls' soccer team, the 5A state champions, will not be able to attend the first-ever home game of Denver Summit FC due to a scheduling conflict.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 1:22am

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The Fossil Ridge High School girls' soccer team, the defending 5A state champions, will miss the historic home opener of the new Denver Summit FC professional women's soccer team on Saturday due to a scheduling conflict. Fossil Ridge is scheduled to host Cherry Creek at the same time as the Summit FC game, which is expected to set a new NWSL single-game attendance record of 55,000-60,000 fans at Mile High Stadium.

Why it matters

The clash of these two major events highlights the growing popularity and profile of women's soccer in Colorado. While the Fossil Ridge team will miss the Summit FC opener, the scheduling conflict does not diminish the significance of the milestone event for the new NWSL franchise and women's soccer in the state.

The details

Fossil Ridge head coach Cyrus Salehi said the team tried to reschedule their game against Cherry Creek but it was not possible. The Sabercats claimed their first-ever 5A state title last season, and the players are excited about the historic Summit FC opener even though they cannot attend. The two games are expected to end around the same time, so the Fossil Ridge team may be able to watch the Summit FC match afterwards or get updates from friends who are attending.

  • The Fossil Ridge vs. Cherry Creek game is scheduled for Saturday at noon.
  • The Denver Summit FC home opener is also scheduled for Saturday.

The players

Fossil Ridge High School

The defending 5A girls' soccer state champions.

Denver Summit FC

A new professional women's soccer team that is kicking off its first-ever home game at Mile High Stadium.

Cyrus Salehi

The head coach of the Fossil Ridge High School girls' soccer team.

Anna Rogers

A senior captain on the Fossil Ridge High School girls' soccer team.

Makenah Salas

A senior captain on the Fossil Ridge High School girls' soccer team.

Reese Morgan

A senior on the Fossil Ridge High School girls' soccer team.

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What they’re saying

“When that final whistle blew, it was one of those, 'oh my gosh, I'm going to Disneyland moments'.”

— Anna Rogers, Senior captain

“It was probably one of the best times in my soccer career. It was amazing, yeah.”

— Makenah Salas, Senior captain

“If I could be in two places at once, that'd be nice.”

— Reese Morgan, Senior

What’s next

The Fossil Ridge team may be able to watch the Denver Summit FC home opener after their own game ends, or they may get updates from friends who are attending the historic NWSL match.

The takeaway

While the scheduling conflict means the defending 5A champions will miss the record-setting Denver Summit FC home opener, the significance of this milestone event for women's soccer in Colorado is not diminished. The Fossil Ridge players are still excited about the Summit FC match and the growing popularity of the sport in the state.