Preview of 5A Semis

 5463 

 
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
 
Coach: Craig Ewing
 
Record: 8-9-2
 
Semifinal match: vs. Maize South (19-0-0), 5 p.m.
 
How they got here: beat Pittsburg, 8-0; beat Basehor-Linwood, 4-1; beat KC Sumner, 1-0.
 
Key players: Barrett Kitts, sr., C-MID; Ethan Young, sr., F; Anthony Consuegra, sr., F; Liam Ryan, jr., F; Andrew Seger, GK.
 
Worth Noting: Saints are most storied program in Kansas with 17 state championships, the last of those coming in 2020. … Saints won eight straight titles from 2003-10, the first two of those coming in Class 6A and the rest in 5A. … Program also has four runner-up finishes and three thirds. … Ewing has 529 career wins with boys’ program in 36 years. … Saints were ranked as high as No. 4 nationally this year. … Aquinas had to forfeit seven games for use of ineligible player early in the season, costing the Saints the Eastern Kansas League title with five of those forfeits coming to league opponents they had beaten. … Only non-forfeit losses came to Blue Valley Northwest and J. Sterling Morton out of Cicero, Ill. … Ties came against Rockhurst (Mo.) and Naperville (Ill.) North. … Kitts has 16 goals and 13 assists and is Aquinas’ career leader in assists. … He has been chosen for the High School All-American game. … Young has 12 goals and 7 assists, while Consuegra and Ryan each have 10 goals. … Seger has a 0.89 goals allowed average.


5461 
 
MAIZE SOUTH
 
Coach: Rey Ramirez
 
Record: 19-0-0
 
Semifinal match: vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (8-9-2), 5 p.m.
 
How they got here: beat Salina Central, 10-0; beat Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 6-1; beat Andover, 2-1 3OT.
 
Key players: Vitor Geromel, jr., C-MID; Alvaro Quezeda, sr., F; Caden Wait, jr., CB.
 
Worth Noting: Mavericks fell in 5A state championship match last year, losing 3-2 to Blue Valley Southwest. … Runner-up finish was third in last four years with Mavericks taking second to Blue Valley Southwest in 2018 and 2019 as well. … Two closest games of the year came against Andover, a 2-1 win in the third game of the season and the 2-1 triple-overtime win in the state quarterfinals. … Mavericks have outscored their opponents 111-11. … Mavericks have given up more than one goal just once, a 5-2 win over fellow 5A semifinalist Newton. … Team has set school record for wins and were Ark Valley Chisholm Trail Division I champions. … Geromel demolished school record for goals and points this season with 40 goals and 18 assists. … He is a Clemson commit. … Quezeda has 23 goals and 17 assists. … Wait leads the defense that gives up 0.57 goals per game. ... Mavericks have won at least 17 games each of last five seasons.
 

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