2020 State Finals
Game 21: (15-3-3)
7 November at Spring Hill vs. Maize (8-1)
When you get to play the twenty-first game, you know that means only one of two things—you are playing for it all in the State Championship or you are playing for 3rd. This group has brought the Saints back home to the State finals to take on a very good Maize team.
We were playing for Boys' Soccer's 17th state title (quite a drought as the last one we won was In 2014), and we were playing for Saint Thomas Aquinas's 115th.
I just think when a team is blessed with a senior class that every other kid wants to win for, it’s hard not to be successful. And when that senior class is as talented as this one, well it’s doubly hard not to be successful. The boys were brilliant today, lead by their senior class of Arquez Morrisette, DJ White, Drew Welch, Mitchell Farrar, Nick Garcia, Zayveon Russell, Caden Eames, Max Bryson, and (Ryan Pope, quarantined).
Two Kansas City soccer powerhouses added to their championship collection on Saturday with Kansas boys soccer high school titles.
St. Thomas Aquinas rolled to its 17th state title in program history and first since 2014 with an 8-1 drubbing of Maize in the Class 5A championship game at Spring Hill, while Bishop Miege won its fifth straight Class 4-1A title with a 3-1 victory over Wichita Trinity Academy at Wichita’s Stryker Soccer Complex.
Dodge City completed a perfect season at 20-0-0 with a 3-0 victory over Olathe East (13-6) in the Class 6A finale at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka.
“We had a little bit of a drought,” Aquinas coach Craig Ewing said. “Our guys were excited to get the trophy back to Aquinas. We have a great senior class with great leadership and I really admire the way the boys worked this season. Their theme was strictly business, and that’s the way they handled themselves today. And now they get to celebrate like crazy.”
In order to reclaim its top spot in 5A, Aquinas (15-3-3) perhaps had its toughest game in the first round of the playoffs against three-time defending state champion Blue Valley Southwest. After the Saints won that game 3-1, Ewing said the confidence was established for this group to bring home the state trophy.
On Saturday, the rout was on early as Ethan Young and Dennis White both scored in the first five minutes of the game and Aquinas took a 6-0 lead by halftime. The Saints were once again led by an outstanding defense captained by senior centerback Mitchell Farrar and supported by a trio of seniors in Zayveon Russell, Max Bryson, and Drew Welch.
“Defense wins championships and our defense this season was nearly impenetrable,” Ewing said. “They always gave us that advantage.
“This was just a crazy year and this was one that I’m going to remember forever.”
Wichita Eagle:
Maize, playing for its first state title in program history, lost 8-1 to St. Thomas Aquinas in the Class 5A championship in Spring Hill. It was the 16th state title for Aquinas, while Maize concluded a successful 17-win campaign.
“We ran into a buzzsaw,” Maize coach Mike Pfeifer said. “It was a different level than what we experienced all season long. Maize South and Eisenhower both had a couple of players you had to look out for, but Aquinas had players at every position you had to watch. We haven’t seen that level of skill and speed all season long.”
Prophet once again delivered for Maize on Saturday, scoring the game’s only goal for Maize. But the title match was completely dominated by Aquinas (15-3-3) in its first state title since 2014. While Aquinas a senior-laden squad, Maize started five sophomores and would have started six if not for an injury.
“I’m extremely proud of the guys for their grit and guts that they played with all season long,” Pfeifer said. “How they played in the second half today was a testament to that. They proved to be they’re growing up as young men.”
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