Maize South soccer rallies for win to advance to third straight state championship game
Playing a goal down almost immediately in its Class 5A semifinal game on Friday brought out the best in the Maize South boys soccer team.
After conceding to St. Thomas Aquinas in the opening 10 minutes, the Mavericks stormed back to claim a 3-1 victory to keep their hopes of defending their state championship alive.
Maize South (19-1) will play either Blue Valley Southwest or Salina South in Saturday’s 3 p.m. KSHSAA championship match at Spring Hill.
It was none other than scoring sensation Vitor Geromel who provided the equalizing and game-winning goals, as the Clemson commit netted a brace to up his season total to 55 goals and break the Kansas high school boys soccer single-season state record. Geromel also owns the state record for career goals, which he increased to 129 on Friday.
Friday’s win also marked the third straight year Maize South has prevailed in the semifinals over Aquinas, a Kansas City powerhouse program. The Mavericks won 2-1 in 2021 and 3-2 in 2022 en route to a perfect 20-0 season and the program’s first state title.
Geromel leveled the score just before halftime of Friday’s game, then lifted Maize South on top, 2-1, with his second goal with 16 minutes remaining. The Mavericks tacked on a third goal five minutes later with individual brilliance from fellow senior Isaac Carpenter.
Kansas high school boys soccer state results
Class 6A (at Topeka)
Olathe East 3, Dodge City 2 (OT)
Shawnee Mission West 2, Washburn Rural 0
Class 5A (at Spring Hill)
Maize South 3, St. Thomas Aquinas 1
Blue Valley Southwest 3, Salina South 2
Class 4-1A (at Wichita)
Bishop Ward 1, McPherson 0 (7-6 PK’s)
Bishop Miege 1, Wichita Trinity Academy 0
Saturday’s KSHSAA state soccer schedule
Class 6A (at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka)
Third place—Dodge City (18-2) vs. Washburn Rural (18-2), noon
Championship—Olathe East (16-4) vs. Shawnee Mission West (15-3-2), 3 p.m.
Class 5A (at Spring Hill)
Third place—St. Thomas Aquinas (12-7-1) vs. Salina South (14-6), noon
Championship—Maize South (19-1) vs. Blue Valley Southwest (16-2-1), 3 p.m.
Class 4-1A (at Scheels Stryker Complex in Wichita)
Third place—McPherson (10-9-1) vs. Wichita Trinity Academy (13-6-1), noon
Championship—Bishop Ward (17-3) vs. Bishop Miege (16-4), 3 p.m.
