Blog

By Jim Wieners

Hopes for a return trip to Blue Springs for Trinity Catholic Boys Soccer were dashed Nov. 10 at visiting Bayless High School pulled off a 2-1 overtime victory in the Class One State Quarterfinal game.

Bayless senior Adis Sahbaz headed in a cross pass from junior back Admir Mesanovic with 8:32 left in the first sudden-death overtime. The golden goal had the entire Bayless team sprinting to the east sideline stands as the Bronchos celebrated with the fans that came to Spanish Lake from unincorporated South St. Louis County.

It also sent the 20-7 Bronchos, on a 16-game winning streak, to their first ever State Semifinal game Nov. 16, 2 p.m., against defending Class One State Champion Springfield Catholic at Blue Springs South High. The winner will play against a first-time semifinalist, Bishop LeBlond or Southern Boone County Nov. 17, 2 p.m. at Blue Springs South while the loser plays at 12 noon that same day at Blue Springs High. Bayless is seeking the school’s first state title since sharing a 1958 Class M title with Holden and Pembroke Country Day in Boys Indoor Track and Field, a sport the Missouri State High School Activities Association no longer sponsors.

“We were not set to defend the (Mesanovic) throw in (from the southwest corner of the field),” said Trinity head coach/athletic director Vince Drake. Mesanovic was able to retrieve a clearing header from a Trinity defender and made his cross pass to Sahbaz for the game-winner past the Titan senior goalkeeper Jacob Prater. The overtime goal ended Trinity’s 10th Boys Soccer season at 13-11.

It took only 26 seconds for Bayless to score first as Sahbaz set up a Broncho goal by Fazlo Alihodzic. The Bronchos were playing the first half with a stiff south wind to their back but the Titans scored the equalizer, 1-1, with 22:15 left in the first half as junior Cody Hutson tapped in the goal after the play was set up by a throw in by Titan senior midfielder Max Kelly. Hutson’s goal ended a string of Bayless shutouts at nine consecutive games.

Both teams had opportunities to score but both team’s defenses and goalkeepers were able to respond. On the other hand Trinity was unable score in the second half and overtime while playing with the wind behind them and the sun in the eyes of Bayless goalkeeper Almir Mesanovic, who made several key saves in the second half. “We had our opportunities,” Drake said.

On election night, Nov. 6, Trinity stunned one of the top area small high schools as the Titans upset visiting John Burroughs 2-1. “The kids worked real hard,” Drake said in a win that was played on a muddy field after rain showers fell Nov. 5-6 during the day.

Brendan Goodwin and John Hennessey scored first half goals for Trinity while Cole Warner scored John Burroughs’ only goal in the second half. Prater stopped 13 Bomber shots.

CLASS THREE SEMIFINALS, FINALS AT BLUE SPRINGS SOUTH — The Class Three Semifinals and Finals will be at Blue Springs South High. On Nov. 16 CBC takes on Kansas City Rockhurst   at 4 p.m. while Chaminade battles Columbia Rock Bridge at 6 p.m. The winners play Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. while the losers play Nov. 17 at 10 a.m.

CBCs road to Blue Springs stayed mainly at home as the Cadets oust last year’s state champion DeSmet, 2-0, and defeated Rockwood-Marquette, 4-2 to win District Eight then defeated Lafayette, 2-1, and Vianney, 3-2. Chaminade won District Two at home over McCluer, 10-0, and St. Louis University High, 2-1, then won over visiting Oakville, 3-0, before winning at Francis Howell Central, 2-0.

CLASS TWO SEMIFINALS, FINALS — On Nov. 16 at Blue Springs High St. Dominic plays Smithville at 11 a.m. while Lutheran South plays Carthage a 1 p.m. On Nov. 17 the winners play at 12 noon at Blue Springs South while the losers play at 10 a.m. at Blue Springs High.