Unlikely hero sends Wichita Trinity boys soccer back to Kansas high school state semis
Caleb Tofteland had never been more nervous in his life.
The junior on the Trinity Academy boys soccer team had never played goalkeeper before this year, yet here he was in a crucial moment of a Class 4-1A quarterfinal game with the season on the line, tasked with keeping the ball out of the back of the net against a skilled Rose Hill team.
Tofteland had played in less than half of his soccer games this fall because he was a member of Trinity’s cross country team, which he had just helped win its third straight state championship this past weekend with a 11th-place finish at the state meet.
Running a 5-kilometer race at Rim Rock felt like a breeze compared to the pressure he felt in another spot playing a new position with so much on the line.
“Honestly, I was terrified,” Tofteland said. “But I try not to worry too much and work hard for my team because I know they’re out there working hard for me.”
Over the course of 110 minutes of game time, Tofteland came through with a handful of key saves to keep Trinity level with Rose Hill.
And when a 2-2 tie couldn’t be decided after four overtime periods, Tofteland played the hero with two saves in a penalty-kick shootout to lift Trinity to victory and send the Knights back to state for the fifth straight year.
“He gets it done with instincts, athleticism and a touch of courage,” Trinity coach Casey Casamento said. “He’s courageous enough to step up for us and play a position he’s never played before. And because of his athleticism and his soccer IQ, he just puts himself in position to make plays. He’s a special young man.”
Tofteland considers himself a runner first, but enjoyed playing soccer growing up at the club level. He knew being a dual-sport athlete would be a grueling experience, but it was a challenge he was up for — so much so that he volunteered to move to goalkeeper to be able to contribute to the team.
“I figured, ‘Why not?’ I just like being out on the field,” Tofteland said.
Tofteland never had any formal training to become a goalkeeper. Cross country training took precedence, so he could only attend so many practices and played in less than half of Trinity’s soccer games this season. What he lacks in training, he makes up for in athleticism and instincts.
That was never more apparent than in the first overtime when Rose Hill had a free kick just outside of the 18-yard box; the shot was perfectly tucked inside the left goalpost and just beneath the crossbar for what looked like a goal until Tofteland lunged to his right and made a fingertip save.
“That was a game-saving save, a season-saving save,” Casamento said. “It was a beautiful shot, it was hit perfectly and Caleb gave everything he had to get there. Absolutely clutch.”
Even after coming up with two saves in the penalty-kick shootout, Tofteland deflected any individual credit. His selfless nature was on display three days earlier at the state cross-country meet when he stopped his sprint to the finish line to help up a fallen competitor on the team who Trinity was competing against for the team title.
His coaches point to that character as a reason why Tofteland is already a state champion with a chance to win his second gold medal of the fall this weekend.
“This honestly has been a dream,” Tofteland said of the past week. “(Tuesday) was so awesome, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates. They’re the ones putting the goals on the board and finishing the penalty kicks. They’re the ones who did the real work, I just tried to make a couple of saves and do my job.”
Behind the leadership of the team’s four captains, Cooper Matthews, Trent Womack, Elliot Casamento and Karson Stinson, Trinity (13-5-1) navigated its way to its seventh straight win on the season and a familiar matchup with Bishop Miege (15-4) in a 6:30 p.m. Friday semifinal game at Scheels Stryker Complex in Wichita.
Trinity has lost to Miege at the state tournament for the last four years, including a three-year run from 2019-21 where the two programs met in the state championship match.
“Our goal from the very beginning of the season was to return to state and everything up until this point has been a teachable moment to prepare us,” Casamento said. “We wanted to give ourselves a chance to be one of the last four remaining teams and now that we’re here, I like who we are and I like who we’re going to be going into this last weekend.”
Maize South returns to state in resounding fashion — There was never a doubt Maize South was headed back to state in its Class 5A quarterfinal game against Valley Center on Tuesday, as the Mavericks were dominant in a 10-0 victory to punch their ticket to Spring Hill.
Maize South is the defending 5A champions following a perfect 21-0 season last fall. The Mavericks (18-1) took a loss earlier this season but look just as potent entering the state tournament with their offense spearheaded by All-American and Clemson commit Vitor Geromel.
Maize South will face St. Thomas Aquinas (12-6-1) in Friday’s first semifinal game at 4 p.m. at Spring Hill.
McPherson prevails in rivalry game for state berth — A goal by Borin Heang in the 23rd minute proved to be the difference in McPherson’s 1-0 road win over Buhler in a 4-1A quarterfinal game on Tuesday.
Buhler topped McPherson 3-2 in overtime during the regular-season showdown in September, but the Bullpups avenged that defeat in the postseason.
McPherson (10-8-1) will face Bishop Ward (16-3) in Friday’s 4 p.m. semifinal in a game played at Scheels Stryker Complex in Wichita.
Kansas high school boys soccer quarterfinal scores
Class 6A quarterfinals
Dodge City 7, Liberal 0
Olathe East 1, Shawnee Mission East 0 (4 OT)
Shawnee Mission West 3, Olathe West 1
Washburn Rural 2, Garden City 1 (OT)
Class 5A quarterfinals
Blue Valley Southwest 6, Shawnee Heights 2
Maize South 10, Valley Center 0
Salina South 1, Newton 0
St. Thomas Aquinas 1, De Soto 0
Class 4-1A quarterfinals
Bishop Miege 5, Kansas City Christian 2
Bishop Ward 2, Baldwin 0
McPherson 1, Buhler 0
Trinity Academy 3, Rose Hill 2 (PK’s 4-2)
KSHSAA boys soccer state tournament schedule
Note: All semifinal games played on Friday, Nov. 3.
Class 6A semifinals (at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka)
Dodge City (18-1) vs. Olathe East (15-4), 4 p.m.
Shawnee Mission West (14-3-2) vs. Washburn Rural (18-1), 6:30
Class 5A semifinals (at Spring Hill)
Maize South (18-1) vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (12-6-1), 4 p.m.
Blue Valley Southwest (16-2-1) vs. Salina South (14-5), 6:30
Class 4-1A semifinals (at Scheels Stryker Complex in Wichita)
Bishop Ward (16-3) vs. McPherson (10-8-1), 4 p.m.
Trinity Academy (13-5-1) vs. Bishop Miege (15-4), 6:30
This story was originally published November 1, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
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