Lee’s Summit loses heartbreaker on penalty kicks in Missouri Class 4 championship game

Thirteen turned out to be an unlucky number for the Lee’s Summit boys soccer team.

The Tigers misfired on their penalty kick in the 13th round and lost to De Smet 1-0 in the Class 4 soccer championship game Saturday night at Worldwide Technology Soccer Park.

“It was a really good ballgame. Obviously disappointed with the result, but I couldn’t be more proud of these guys,” Lee’s Summit coach David Wiebenga said. “The reality is we were fantastic tonight. We played some really good futbol. These guys don’t need to walk away with their head down.”

Lee’s Summit (22-1), which lost to De Smet in the Class 4 semifinals a year ago, was gunning for its second state title and first since 2014.

The Tigers outscored opponents 95-5 this season and never trailed in a game in compiling 18 shutouts as a team in 23 matches.

“It’s been amazing,” Wiebenga said. “I don’t even know how to describe it, it’s been so fun. These boys will be family to me forever.”

The state title was the sixth overall and first since 2011 for De Smet (19-4-1), which fell to Christian Brothers College in last year’s Class 4 title game.

“One of our words for the year from Day 1 has been redemption,” Spartans coach Josh Klein said. “Not just redemption to get back here after losing to CBC in the final last year, but finding ways to redeem ourselves on an individual basis.”

The Tigers had a chance to win in the seventh round of PKs when goalkeeper Kaia Tupinio made a diving save and then stepped in to take what would have been the game-winning shot. But his attempt went wide and the PKs continued.

Keegan Ranney missed the other two PKs for Lee’s Summit, including the 13th-rounder that sealed the win for De Smet.

“Keegan Ranney was sicker than a dog, but he said, ‘Coach I’ll take one,’” Wiebenga said. “We have the confidence in him.”

The Tigers had 10 PK makes, getting two apiece from Maxton Pycior and Hunter Maguire and one each from Kameron Hahn, Timothy Smith, Jackson Wells, Samuel Bresette, Isaac Nickens and Ethan Berg.

The Tigers had perhaps the best chance for either team just three minutes into the second half, but Pycior’s 25-yard blast rang off the crossbar.

It was Pycior who scored on a penalty kick in the first overtime Friday night in the Tigers’ semifinal win over Lee’s Summit West.

“We hit the bar. We had one called back (on an offside in the second half),” Wiebenga said. “It’s a tragedy that our game is determined by 12 yards. It is what it is.”

Lee’s Summit held a 4-1 advantage in shots in the two overtime periods (all came in the first OT) and outshot De Smet 9-7 for the game.

De Smet had the better of play in a scoreless first half, outshooting Lee’s Summit 3-0.

The Spartans’ two best chances came within the final 10 minutes of the first half.

Henry Lawlor was tripped just outside the Tigers’ box, but Brendan Schoemehl’s free kick went just wide. Just over a minute later, Thomas Redmond took a pass from Brayden Morgan and blasted one from just inside the box. His attempt sailed high.

This story was originally published November 23, 2019 at 9:54 PM.