Take a Journey Through Christmas Wonderland in Alton Grandpa Gang...
Read More
Trinity Catholic, McCluer North Fall Short in State Boys Soccer
BY JIM WIENERS
Last weekend at the Anheuser-Busch Center in Fenton, Trinity Catholic was looking for their first state Boys Soccer title after the Rosary-Aquinas-Mercy merger in 2003 while McCluer North was looking for their first state Boys Soccer title since March, 1975.
Both fell short.
Trinity Catholic did get to the Class One Championship game following last Friday’s 3-1 Semifinal win over Kansas City St. Pius X. Joe Pieper scored all three goals for the Titans including the tiebreaker with 15:20 left in the second half and an insurance goal with 9:24 left. Pieper who scored his first goal 23:12 into the first half, said; “When they (St. Pius X) scored (5:59 into the second half) I needed two more.”
However, in last Saturday’s Class One Championship game John Burroughs (19-10-1) won their first state title, 1-0 over Trinity (14-12-1) as Mike Ettinger scored the only goal at the nine-minute mark of the first half. With 2:55 left Trinity goalkeeper Dan Cimicata was ejected on a red card for what published reports say there was an altercation between Cimicata and Ettinger. Matt Derrington replaced Cimicata in the nets but the Titans played the last 42:55 a man short and only managed one shot at John Burroughs keeper Winston Boldt.
“The only disappointing factor was the state championship game,” said Trinity athletic director/head soccer coach Vince Drake about the ejection. “We can’t blame the referee.”
McCluer North ended up finishing fourth in Class Three by losing to two Catholic-Jesuit high schools. North lost last Friday to eventual state champion Kansas City Rockhurst, 2-0, in last Friday’s semifinals. Last Saturday DeSmet — who lost to eventual runner up Springfield-Glendale, 2-1 in two overtimes in last Friday’s semifinals — routed McCluer North 9-1 in the third-place game.
In the semifinals McCluer North (15-13-2) gave up a goal early in each half but goalkeeper Ian McReynolds kept the game from being more one-sided with 12 saves “Ian was outstanding,” said McCluer North head coach Abe Raziq. “Anyone (watching the game) saw his potential.”
However DeSmet (18-8-2) was able to take out their frustrations in the loss to Glendale as the Spartans scored five goals in the first half and added four more in the second. Justin Klenke scored two goals and added an assist while seven other players scored a goal each. Tyler Clasby scored McCluer North’s only goal 24:00 into the first half.
