Maize South boys soccer returns to 5A title game rematch for fifth straight year

No matter how the season twists and turns, it always seems to end the same way: Maize South and Blue Valley Southwest staring each other down with a state title on the line.

For the fifth straight year, the Class 5A boys soccer championship will be decided by Kansas’ two powerhouse programs. The Mavericks made sure of it Wednesday night with a 9-1 dismantling of De Soto on their home field, earning their fifth straight bid to the final.

Maize South (18-1-1) will face Blue Valley Southwest (14-4-1) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Wichita’s Scheels Stryker Complex, the latest chapter in a rivalry that has come to define Kansas high school soccer this decade.

These two programs have spent the last four seasons trading trophies and heartbreak. BV Southwest dominated last year’s final, 7-2, while Maize South won back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2022 before BV Southwest started the run with a 3-2 win in 2021.

Now they meet again, each side chasing not just a championship, but control of a rivalry that has become appointment viewing every November.

Maize South’s path back wasn’t always smooth. The Mavericks stumbled early in a 4-1 loss to Wichita Southeast, needed overtime to slip past Andover, then finished the regular season with a tie against Valley Center and a 3-2 escape over Derby.

But once the postseason began, they have looked like the Mavericks of the past. Under head coach Rey Ramirez, Maize South has outscored four playoff opponents 25-2, reclaiming its trademark combination of precision and firepower.

Wednesday’s semifinal blowout was the most complete performance yet.

The scoring began early when senior Skylur Staley headed home a corner from junio rAdolfo Acosta. Moments later, Acosta buried a low shot of his own to make it 2-0. Freshman Parker Vieyra scored the first of his three goals to make it 3-0, then Staley pounced on a turnover and ripped a long-range strike for a 4-0 lead.

Freshman Canyon Glanzer added a bomb from distance to stretch it to 5-0 before De Soto finally broke through just before halftime.

The second half was all Mavericks, as Vieyra scored twice more, finishing crosses from Tanner Herrington and Staley, while Herrington added one of his own on a give-and-go with senior Ethan Mbawuike. Finally, Mbawuike capped the night with a laser from distance for the 9-1 final.

Kansas high school boys soccer state scores

Class 6A

Shawnee Mission East 5, Wichita Southeast 3

Washburn Rural 2, Blue Valley West 1

Class 5A

Blue Valley Southwest 2, Newton 1

Maize South 9, De Soto 1

Class 4-1A

Baldwin 2, Wichita Classical 1

Rose Hill 1, Bishop Miege 0

KSHSAA state soccer schedule

Note: All games played in Wichita at Scheels Stryker Complex on Saturday.

Class 6A

Third: Wichita Southeast (18-2) vs. Blue Valley West (17-3), 10:30 a.m.

First: Shawnee Mission East (16-3-1) vs. Washburn Rural (18-1-1), 5 p.m.

Class 5A

Third: De Soto (11-8-1) vs. Newton (16-4), 8:30 a.m.

First: Maize South (18-1-1) vs. Blue Valley Southwest (14-4-1), 3 p.m.

Class 4-1A

Third: Bishop Miege (15-4-1) vs. Wichita Classical (14-6), 12:30 p.m.

First: Rose Hill (18-2) vs. Baldwin (17-3), 7 p.m.

This story was originally published November 6, 2025 at 5:11 AM.

Taylor Eldridge

The Wichita Eagle

316-268-6270

Wichita State athletics beat reporter. Bringing you closer to the Shockers you love and inside the sports you love to watch.