On the cusp: Maeser just one win away from first title since 2015 after 5-0 win over ALA
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- Maeser players celebrate their 5-0 semifinal win over ALA on Thursday. October 22, 2026
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- Maeser’s Kelia Bingham fights for the ball during her team’s 5-0 semifinal win over ALA on Thursday. October 22, 2026
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- Maeser’s Ruth Dredge attempts a shot at goal during her team’s 5-0 semifinal win over ALA. October 22, 2026
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- Maeser’s Kelia Bingham fights for possession during her team’s 5-0 win over ALA on Thursday. October 22, 2026
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- Maeser’s Cami Simmons works her way toward the goal during her team’s 5-0 win over ALA in the state semifinals. October 22, 2026
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- Maeser celebrates one of its goals scored during Thursday’s 5-0 semifinal win over ALA. October 22, 2026
Maeser Prep Academy soccer isn’t just about the boys, and with the Lion girls soccer team on the cusp of their first state championship since 2015, is set to prove as much.
On Thursday Maeser left no doubt of its status as a 2A state finalist, blasting American Leadership Academy 5-0 at Zions Bank Stadium to set a date versus Waterford in Saturday’s championship match.
“It feels so great. I’ve been dreaming of this since freshman year,” said Maeser junior striker Cami Simmons. “I’ve wanted to go there because both my brothers made it to the finals, and seeing them, it inspired me and I’m I’m just so grateful to be able to go there.”
Indeed Cami’s brothers, Aiden and Matthew each hoisted championship trophies in recent years for the boys team, and Cami made certain to do everything she could to bring her own championship trophy to the table on Thursday, scoring two goals while applying constant pressure to ALA’s backline.
Joining Cami with two goals scored on Thursday was Ellery Garner with Norah Johnson adding the other. Three of the five goals scored were during first half action as the Lions came out intentional with their play in controlling the possession, and by a wide margin.
Cami’s first goal came within the game’s fifth minute, and it largely dictated the course of the final 75 minutes.
“Our team kind of needs that motivation to get going and to put the pedal down and I knew that once we got that goal, we would be unstoppable,” Cami said. “And so when I saw that ball played, I just knew that my team was trusting me to hit that goal and they were they believed that I could and I did. And I’m so grateful.”
Cami’s teammates all followed her lead while missing out on several prime goal-scoring opportunities, which could have caused the game to get even more out of hand than otherwise. Central to the attack was midfielder Deb Chaves, whom Maeser coach Dustin Simmons made certain to point out for her play, among several others during the scoring barrage.
“We have so many offensive weapons,” said Coach Simmons, who just happens to be Cami’s father. “Cami on the wing, and then Tess (Jorgensen) on the wing. Tess is our career assist leader. Cami, I think today moved to n umber two on our all-time career scoring, and she’s only a junior. And then, Ellery Garner, up front scored two today. She’s a freshman. So our counterattack today was just absolutely lethal.”
“The great part about working as a team is that it’s not on the shoulders of one person and you can trust your teammates because every practice we have, we know what our goal is,” Cami added. “In games we truly achieve that goal by passing it around and making those connections that we have both on the field and off the field.”
Bonds are tight at Maeser and all of it showed forth in a big way for not only Thursday’s game, but for every game leading up to it.
The program is so positive,” Cami concluded. “All the girls have a genuine relationship with each other and it feels so wonderful to be uplifted at your lowest moments by those who truly appreciate you and truly believe that you can do great things.”
