Penalty-kick thriller, hunt for 5th straight state title highlight Kansas soccer semis

The stage is set for a stout lineup of weekend championship games in Kansas boys high school soccer.

And the Friday storylines involved one team seeking a fifth-straight state title and another that survived four overtimes and penalty kicks — all in one match — to have a shot.

In three sets of semifinals Friday afternoon at sites around the state, teams advanced to Saturday’s finals in Topeka (Class 6A), Spring Hill (5A) and Wichita (Class 4-1A).

Here’s a recap of Friday’s scores, and who is moving on in a bid for those championship trophies Saturday.

Class 4-1A

Seeking a fifth straight state title, Bishop Miege scored in the first half of Friday’s semifinals and doubled that lead in the second to beat top-seeded Louisburg 2-0 at Wichita’s new Stryker Sports Complex.

The Stags (9-5-3) got an insurance goal after intermission on a deflection off a Wildcats player. Louisburg (15-2) lost for just the second time this fall.

In the classification’s other semifinal, Wichita’s Trinity Academy (13-6-1) beat Rose Hill (16-2-1) 2-0 at Stryker.

Saturday’s championship match, featuring Trinity vs. Miege, begins at 3 p.m.

Class 5A

Four overtime periods wasn’t enough to decide the semifinal between Maize and Andover Central at Spring Hill High School.

So it went to a shootout, and that’s where top-seeded Maize prevailed 4-3 on penalty kicks after a 1-all tie. Tanner Prophet had the winning PK.

Jared Cromly of No. 4 seed Andover Central opened the scoring in regulation on an assist from Jake White. Mikey Velasquez pulled Maize level in the 43rd minute, and that’s where things stood through multiple OTs.

In the end, Maize rose to 17-2-1 and Andover Central dropped to 11-9.

In the nightcap semifinal, No. 2 seed St. Thomas Aquinas (14-3-3) routed third-seeded Shawnee Heights (13-5-1) for a final score of 6-0. The Saints led 4-0 at halftime.

Saturday’s championship match between Aquinas and Maize starts at 3 p.m. at Spring Hill.

Class 6A

At Hummer Sports Park, Olathe East (13-5) beat Washburn Rural (16-3-1) 3-2 in overtime.

Aidan Boehmer scored the game-winner for the Hawks.

In the first semifinal, Dodge City broke a 1-1 deadlock on a goal by Alan Lopez, his second of the afternoon, to send Blue Valley into the third-place game and advance to Saturday’s title match. Blue Valley senior Kobee Austria had tied it on a header assisted by junior Grant Shyver.

Saturday’s championship match, Olathe East vs. Dodge City (19-0), begins at 3 p.m. at the Hummer Sports Complex.

This story was originally published November 6, 2020 at 6:47 PM.