O’Hara loses 2-0 to Monett in Missouri Class 2 soccer semifinals

The final boys soccer game in O’Hara High School history will be a third-place match.

The Celtics’ bid for back-to-back Missouri Class 2 state championships ended Friday with a 2-0 loss to Monett in the semifinals.

O’Hara, which is closing its doors at the end of the school year, will face Lutheran South for third place at 10 a.m. Saturday at World Wide Technology Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo.

“I thought the first 20 minutes were ours, but we had some opportunities and didn’t put them away,” O’Hara coach Dirk Lawson said. “They scored two great goals did what they needed to do to win. Their stars showed up and put the ball in the back of the net.”

The two teams were scoreless at halftime before Monett, which has not been shut out all season, broke the tie in the 49th minute. Monett forward Jason Puente scored his 43rd goal of the season, and forward Carlos Izaguirre added another 14 minutes later.

O’Hara attempted more shots in the game, 13-9, but it failed to find the back of the net.

“Will still have an opportunity to win the last game ever for O’Hara,” Lawson said. “I would expect our guys, who are frustrated and hurt today, to channel those emotions and those feelings and come out tomorrow and try to go out on a high note.”

This story was originally published November 4, 2016 at 4:06 PM with the headline "O’Hara loses 2-0 to Monett in Missouri Class 2 soccer semifinals."