Boys soccer regional results: Maize, Maize South advance for ‘dream’ rematch for title
.JPG "Maize’s Tanner Prophet")
Boys soccer teams from around the area played in their first playoff game of the season on Wednesday or Thursday.
Here is a full rundown of the top games from the area:
Maize and Maize South both win to set up rivalry rematch
Ever since Maize ended Maize South’s perfect season in a 2-1 victory last week, the two sides have badly wanted a rematch in the playoffs.
Their wish was granted on Thursday when Maize knocked off Eisenhower, 2-0, and Maize South handled Goddard, 4-2. The Eagles (14-2-1) will travel to Maize South (16-1) for a Saturday game at noon with a regional championship and spot in the Class 5A quarterfinals at stake.
“This is what I’ve been dreaming of,” Maize senior Tanner Prophet said. “To play against Maize South again, this time for a regional championship, it’s going to be a high-intensity game.”
In order to make that dream happen, Maize first had to defeat a 12-win team in its first game. Thursday’s game against Eisenhower felt more like a regional championship or even a semifinal matchup than it did a first-round matchup.
Eisenhower controlled play in the first half and produced the better chances, but failed to finish. After a squandered corner kick by Eisenhower, Maize struck first in the 51st minute on a counter finished by senior Mikey Velasquez.
“We didn’t finish the four or five chances we had and they finished on both of theirs,” said Eisenhower coach Roger Downing, whose team finished 12-5 and won the AV-CTL Div. II title for the fourth straight season. “We’ve never been a team to come from behind all year, so I knew we would have some issues when we got behind. I thought they out-worked us tonight, so more power to them.”
That’s a credit to Maize’s back line, led by the centerback duo of junior Colby Lampkin and freshman Zack Pappan.
“Those two guys are playing out of their minds,” Maize coach Mike Pfeifer said. “In my opinion, they’re the best in the state right now.”
After Maize scored, the defensive midfielders — Prophet and Levi Curtain — took control of the game and prevented Eisenhower from threatening in the final 30 minutes. Maize added its second goal in the final minute, as Andy Nam finished after being played behind the defense by Velasquez.
“It was a struggle playing against a great team like that,” Pfeifer said. “Sometimes when you play a great team, you don’t get a pretty game. You’ve got to win ugly and that’s what I thought we did, we won ulgy. We never really got into our game, but our guys kept fighting and the defense stepped up and we got the goals we needed.”
Heights prevails in double overtime over North
Beating a talented opponent three times in one season is a difficult thing to do, as Heights found out on Wednesday in its third matchup against North. Doing it in freezing temperatures with rain is even harder.
But the Falcons prevailed in double overtime, 2-1, over their City League rivals to advance to a Class 6A regional championship match at at East at 3:30 p.m. Friday. Evan Jensen scored the game-winner in overtime off a corner kick.
“It was a miserable, miserable environment for soccer,” Heights coach Charlie Smith said. “I don’t know if I’ve played in conditions that bad for a long, long time. The first 10, 15 minutes, it was like, ‘Okay, we’ve got this.’ Then after 30 minutes, it’s like, ‘Man, it’s flipping cold out here. This is not good.’
“But our kids fought the whole game against the elements and against a really talented team in North. I’m proud of them.”
Meanwhile, East dispatched Northwest, 4-2, to continue its perfect season with a 13-0 record. The Blue Aces are the only team to beat Heights (11-2) this season. East won 3-2 on Sept. 10 and 5-2 in the rematch on Oct. 1.
In the other local 6A regional, Scott Simmons scored in the 61st minute for the game’s only goal to send Derby (8-6-2) past Southeast on Wednesday. Campus (12-4) easily dispatched South on Thursday in a 6-0 victory to set up a league rematch with Derby for the regional title. Campus won the previous meeting on Oct. 8, 1-0.
Andover Central wins cross-town rivalry to advance in 5A
It’s almost always a 1-0 game when Andover and Andover Central play each other, so it was no surprise Thursday’s playoff game was the same score.
Once again, it was Andover Central to come out on top after Jared Cromly found Leo Wurth for the game-winner in overtime off a corner kick. The Jaguars (9-8) advanced to play in a Class 5A regional championship game at Newton on Saturday.
“It was just a spur of the moment play,” Andover Central coach Steven Huskey said. “Nothing rehearsed. We just asked (Cromly) not to put in a driven ball because they were going high and wide all night. So he put it straight across the ground and we got that wave of momentum and Leo put it away right in front of goal.”
Bishop Carroll (7-6-1) will play for a regional championship after winning 10-0 over Arkansas City and will meet Valley Center in an 11 a.m. Saturday game after the Hornets knocked off Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 2-0.
Host of local teams advance to 4A regional finals
There will be plenty of local representation in regional championship games.
Berean Academy (11-3-1) and McPherson (10-7) easily won their first-round games, winning 10-0 over Thomas More Prep and 7-0 over Buhler respectively to set up a showdown for a regional title at 4 p.m. Friday at Berean.
There will be another all-local final, as Augusta (13-3) continued its impressive season with an 11-0 win over Circle and will meet Trinity Academy (10-6-1) in a 1 p.m. Saturday regional final after the Knights advanced from a forfeit by Classical.
Rose Hill (13-1-1) will also play for a regional title, against undefeated Independence (7-0-1) in a 5 p.m. Friday game, after the Rockets dispatched Winfield, 5-1, on Thursday.
Regional championship schedule
6A-2: Derby (8-6-2) at Campus (12-4), Friday or Saturday
6A-3: Heights (11-2) at East (13-0), Friday at 3:30 p.m.
5A-2: Maize (14-2-1) at Maize South (16-1), Saturday at noon
5A-3: Valley Center (7-10) at Bishop Carroll (7-6-1), Saturday at 11 a.m.
5A-4: Andover Central (9-8) at Newton (11-6), Saturday.
4A-1: McPherson (10-7) at Berean Academy (11-3-1), Friday at 4 p.m.
4A-2: Trinity Academy (10-6-1) at Augusta (13-3), Saturday at 1 p.m.
4A-3: Rose Hill (14-1-1) at Independence (7-0-1), Friday at 5 p.m.
Class 6A regional scores
Dodge City 2, Hutchinson 1 (OT)
Campus 6, South 0
Derby 1, Southeast 0
East 4, Northwest 2
Heights 2, North 1 (OT)
Class 5A regional scores
Maize South 4, Goddard 2
Maize 2, Eisenhower 0
Bishop Carroll 10, Arkansas City 0
Valley Center 2, Kapaun Mt. Carmel 0
Newton 3, Emporia 2 (4 OT)
Andover Central 1, Andover 0 (OT)
Class 4-1A regional scores
Berean Academy 10, Thomas More Prep 0
McPherson 7, Buhler 0
Augusta 11, Circle 0
Trinity Academy 1, Classical 0 (forfeit)
Independence 3, Mulvane 0
Rose Hill 5, Winfield 1
This story was originally published October 29, 2020 at 7:50 PM.
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