Kapaun girls soccer back in Kansas state semifinals for first time since 2016
For the first time since 2016, the Kapaun Mt. Carmel girls soccer team is headed back to the Kansas high school state semifinals.
The Crusaders toppled previously-unbeaten Goddard Eisenhower, 2-1, in a Class 5A quarterfinal game on Monday, as sophomore Sara Claire Michaelis netted the game-winning goal in the 74th minute. Kapaun (14-5)
Kapaun (14-5) will travel to top-seeded St. James (18-1) for Wednesday’s semifinal.
“We knew we were up against a really good team in Eisenhower, but we also knew we had a good chance with the team we have,” Kapaun coach Anthony Cantele said. “We pretty much had to be mistake-free and finish the few chances that we would get and that’s exactly what we did. I told the girls afterward that rarely have I been as proud of a group as this one. This is just a really special team that continues to surprise and impress me.”
Up against a backline of Eisenhower that had hardly conceded at all this season, Kapaun knew it would have to be more direct in its attack and funnel the ball to its prime goal scorers in Michaelis and senior Maddy Spiers.
But it was actually sophomore Molly Algya who started the scoring five minutes into the match, placing a 40-yard free kick in the top shelf of the goal to stun Eisenhower early.
“I always tell the girls to just put it on frame and something good is going to happen,” Cantele said. “Once she lined it up and I saw it on frame, I knew we were going to get a great chance. That was a huge lift.”
Eisenhower managed to equalize in the final minute of the first half, which set up a thrilling, back-and-forth second half that featured both heavyweight teams trading swings. But it was Michaelis who produced the difference-maker, sending Kapaun back to the state’s final four for the first time since playing for the 5A title in 2016.
Kapaun has also been led this season by Heide Bartel, Annabelle Schaefer, Cabrini Orr, Stella Fury, Ellie Knipp, Rachel Collins, Rilynn Simmons and Aubrey Baars.
Bishop Carroll girls soccer heads to state undefeated
Bishop Carroll is no stranger to playing on the final weekend of the season, as the program notched its 13th semifinal appearance in the past 15 seasons on Monday with a 2-0 win over Maize South.
But once the Golden Eagles are matched up with the best from the Kansas City area, they have only won one time in the semifinals during that span.
They believe this year will be different, buoyed by the confidence of a 5-4 overtime win against St. Thomas Aquinas earlier this season, as Carroll (19-0) will host De Soto (17-2) in a home semifinal game on Wednesday.
“If we’re being real, we’ve done really well in the area, but it’s been different when we go up against the beasts in the east,” Carroll coach Greg Rauch said. “We can say whatever we want, but the reality is that you can’t call yourself a contender unless you beat the best. So (beating Aquinas) was definitely a major stepping stone for our program.”
Carroll has once again been dominant in the Wichita area this season, compiling a perfect record while only conceding seven goals for the entire season. In fact, the defense of Maddie Weed, Liza Dugan, Rachel Hawkins, Lauren Suellentrop and Olivia Hermann have only allowed one goal in the past six weeks.
Combined with an explosive attack that features Leah Henke, the program’s all-time leading goal scorer, Darby Howard, Avery McCorry, Itzelle Lumbreras and Andrea Vielmas, Carroll has the all-around team to contend against KC’s best. Howard and Vielmas scored the goals on Monday, while Dugan registered the assist both times.
“I’ve been spoiled with a lot of talent over the years, but this year’s team just fits together perfectly,” Rauch said. “They have the exact mentality that you would want for any team. We’ve gone down 1-0 against two really good teams this year and come back to score five goals both times. I think previous iterations may have folded a little bit under that kind of pressure, but this group just never quits.”
Maize punches ticket to second straight 6A state semifinal
Mikaela Llamas scored a brace, Taylor Dill added a goal and Parker Clark kept a clean sheet to help Maize advance to the Class 6A semifinals with a 3-0 victory over Lawrence Free State on Monday.
It is the second straight appearance for the Eagles (14-5) in the 6A semifinals, where they will travel to play at Mill Valley (16-2-1) on Wednesday.
“I’m just super excited for this grup after the adversity we’ve faced this season with injuries,” Maize coach Jay Holmes said. “We’ve lost a couple of starters to torn ACL’s, but other girls have stepped up and met the challenge and helped us win our 20th straight regional championship and get back to the final four.”
Rose Hill battles back to top Mulvane in 4-1A quarters
In an entertaining, back-and-forth battle in the Class 4-1A quarterfinals, Rose Hill came back to knock off Mulvane, 3-2, in an AV-CTL rematch.
The Rockets (15-4) advanced to the 4-1A semifinals for the second straight year, the first time that accomplishment has been done in program history, as they will host Bishop Miege (14-5) on Wednesday.
While Rose Hill won the regular-season meeting against Mulvane, 9-2, on April 29, the Wildcats proved to be much more of a test the second time around.
Paige Winter put the Rockets on top two minutes into the game for a 1-0 lead that lasted until halftime. But Mulvane battled back to equalize the score immediately in the second half on a goal by Elsa Kolbe, while Brittani Peschel gave Mulvane a 2-1 lead with a long-distance goal not long after.
Rose Hill tied the game in the 54th minute, then Winter scored the game-winning goal just two minutes later when she converted a penalty after Kyia Kelly was fouled in the box.
Wichita-area high school girls soccer quarterfinal scores
Class 6A
Maize 3, Lawrence Free State 0
Class 5A
Bishop Carroll 2, Maize South 0
Kapaun Mt. Carmel 2, Goddard Eisenhower 1
Class 4-1A
Rose Hill 3, Mulvane 2
Topeka Hayden 2, Wichita Trinity 0
KSHSAA girls soccer state semifinal schedule
Note: All games will be played on Wednesday. Game times will be determined by KSHSAA.
Class 6A
Blue Valley (11-8) at Washburn Rural (17-2)
Maize (14-5) at Mill Valley (16-2-1)
Class 5A
Kapaun Mt. Carmel (14-5) at St. James (18-1)
De Soto (17-2) at Bishop Carroll (19-0)
Class 4-1A
Topeka Hayden (12-7) at Louisburg (16-3)
Bishop Miege (14-5) at Rose Hill (15-4)
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