St. Pius X beats Springfield Catholic 4-1, places third in Missouri Class 2 soccer

The situation was all too familiar for St. Pius X coach Todd Ashby, so much so that it had become an inside joke for his team.

“It’s a running joke that coach says he’s sick and tired of getting fourth at state,” senior defender Jacob Boeschen said.

In Ashby’s — and the school’s — fourth appearance in the state consolation match since 2008, the Warriors finally claimed their first state final four win, taking third place in Class 2 with with a 4-1 over Springfield Catholic at Blue Springs High School.

“We knew losing wasn’t an option,” said Boeschen, who was part of the 2013 team that finished fourth.

To make that happen, the Warriors, 21-4-1, controlled possession in the first half, then broke through with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half when forward Luis Rizek scored his second goal in two days.

They ended the half with substitute Colin Cummings’ blast from the edge of the penalty area with 10 seconds left.

St. Pius X got goals from Manuel Victoria and Boeschen (penalty) in the final 10 minutes to cap an unprecedented season for the Warriors.

“I’ve been on the other side with the boys three other times,” Ashby said. “It’s a huge relief to take that next step forward. This team has done something that no other team from Pius had done yet.”

Francis Howell Central 2, Rockhurst 0

Four days before Rockhurst arrived in Blue Springs for the Missouri Class 4 Final Four, Hawklets coach Chris Lawson detailed two offensive keys to bringing home a second straight state championship.

Create chances. Finish chances.

The chances came. The goals never followed.

Francis Howell Central shut out Rockhurst in the Missouri Class 4 third-place game Saturday at Blue Springs South.

In its 17th appearance in the Final Four over the past 21 seasons, Rockhurst was held without a goal. It lost 4-0 to Chaminade in the semifinals Friday.

“We had the opportunities today, but offensively, we hit a drought this weekend,” Lawson said. “And in the Final Four, the defenses and the athletes and the competition is such that you have take the shots you get, not the ones you want to get.”

Forward Kyle Setchfield scored twice for Francis Howell Central in a 14-minute span in the second half. That was plenty for Chase Webert and David Beecher, who each made one save to combine for the shutout.

Nicholas Moyer made six saves for Rockhurst, which had won 10 straight matches prior to Friday’s semifinal. The Hawklets finished the season 21-8.

This story was originally published November 16, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "St. Pius X beats Springfield Catholic 4-1, places third in Missouri Class 2 soccer."