Van Horn Falcons win Missouri high school soccer state championship for 1st time
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- Van Horn wins first boys soccer state title, defeating Fort Zumwalt East 4-2.
- Falcons took 2-0 halftime lead and held pressure, trading goals in second half.
- Coach Jesus Rodriguez delivers Van Horn's first MSHSAA Class 3 state title.
The Van Horn Falcons are Missouri state champions in boys high school soccer.
For the first time, ever.
Van Horn defeated Fort Zumwalt East 4-2 Saturday to earn the MSHSAA Class 3 title at the World Wide Technology Soccer Park in Fenton.
It is the first boys soccer state championship in program history at Van Horn.
The Falcons broke the ice with 9 minutes remaining in the first half, scoring on a deflection following a penalty kick. Another goal followed not long after that, and it was 2-0 Van Horn at halftime.
From there, the Jesus Rodriguez-coached Falcons played defense and kept scoring. Van Horn and Fort Zumwalt East traded goals in a taut second half, and soon enough the Falcons were celebrating their historic accomplishment on the pitch at World Wide Technology Soccer Park.
The championship caps an impressive decade at Van Horn for Rodriguez. Hired as head soccer coach there in 2015, he earlier this fall collected career coaching victory No. 200.
In the Class 4 state final, St. Louis University High (SLUH) beat Rockhurst 1-0. Fort Zumwalt West beat Park Hill South 3-2 in the match for third place..
In the Class 1 final, played earlier Saturday, Veritas Christian Academy (23-5) shut out Lone Jack 3-0 for its first boys state soccer title. Lone Jack (18-9) had advanced to the championship match with a 1-0 win over Laquey in Friday’s MSHSAA semifinals.
Springfield Catholic beat Principia 2-0 for the Class 2 championship.
Missouri boys soccer state championships
In Fenton; at World Wide Technology Soccer Park
CLASS 4
Friday’s semifinals
Rockhurst 4, Park Hill South 0
St. Louis University High 1, Ft. Zumwalt West 0
Saturday’s third-place game
Ft. Zumwalt West 3, Park Hill South 2
Saturday’s championship game
St. Louis University High 1, Rockhurst 0
CLASS 3
Friday’s semifinals
Van Horn 3, Summit Christian Academy 1
Ft. Zumwalt West 2, Rockwood Summit 0
Saturday’s third-place game
Rockwood Summit 6, Summit Christian Academy 0
Saturday’s championship game
Van Horn 4, Ft. Zumwalt East 2
CLASS 2
Friday’s semifinals
Springfield Catholic 8, Harrisonville 0
Principia 2, Perryville 1
Saturday’s third-place game
Perryville 5, Harrisonville 1
Saturday’s championship game
Springfield Catholic 2, Principia 0
CLASS 1
Friday’s semifinals
Lone Jack 1, Laquey 0
Veritas Christian Academy 2, Metro 1, 2OT
Saturday’s third-place game
Metro 5, Laquey 1
Saturday’s championship game
Veritas Christian Academy 3, Lone Jack 0
This story was originally published November 22, 2025 at 3:45 PM.