Rockhurst soccer team beats defending champs for eighth Missouri state championship

Rockhurst won its eighth Missouri state championship in boys soccer Saturday night, beating defending champion Jackson 2-0 for the Class 4 title at the World Wide Technology Soccer Complex in Fenton.

Rockhurst scored both goals in the final 30 minutes or so. Noah Higbie broke the scoreless tie with a header and Luke Stephenson netted another header off a corner kick about six minutes later.

The victory puts a fitting exclamation point on a season in which the Hawklets went 24-2-0. It’s the first state championship for Rockhurst soccer since 2017.

Rockhurst won the championship with a veteran squad that included 16 seniors.

It’s been a good month for the Rockhurst athletic programs. Last weekend, the Aquahawks — Rockhurst’s swimming and diving team — also won a Missiouri state championship.

Earlier Saturday, Blue Springs lost 3-2 to John Burroughs in the game for third place.

In other state finals in Fenton on Saturday:

• Class 3: Fort Zumwalt South beat Ladue Horton Watkins 2-1 for the title. Glendale beat Van Horn 3-2 for third place.
• Class 2: Whitfield beat Perryville 4-2 for the title. Excelsior Springs beat Harrisonville 3-1 for third place.
• Class 1: Lutheran St. Charles beat St. Pius X (Festus) 3-0 for the title. Maryville beat Fair Grove 5-0 for third place.