Schools

De Smet and Priory Head to State Championship Games

The Spartans defeated Lee's Summit West in double overtime 2-1 while the Rebels shut out Helias in their respective soccer semifinals.

It only seems appropriate for a season's worth of storylines to play out over a championship weekend. And so it has so far, with De Smet and Priory soccer squads playing for state titles in Blue Springs.

The De Smet Spartans had more than 12 shots on goal in their 2-1 win against Lee's Summit West in the Class 3 state semifinal match Friday night. The Spartans will move on to the state championship game Saturday night against Oakville.

With De Smet’s frequent shooting, the Lee's Summit West Titans had less than four shots on goal, but tied up the game at 1-1 with six minutes left in the second half.

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“This is all year for us, take 40 shots on goal and score one,” said Spartan coach Greg Vitello. “They (Lee's Summit West) deserve a lot of credit, first of all a well-coached team. I was really impressed with them.”

The game was sent into overtime and then double overtime, ending when Spartan forward Prince Kabadeh knocked one in with five minutes left in the second overtime.

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Kabadeh was not one of the frequent shooters of the evening, but made the most out of his attempt, resulting in the game-winning goal.

“That’s a big time goal,” Vitello said. “We were just about ready to yank him out.“

The Spartans controlled the game for the majority of the time, setting up their offense and slowing down the game when ahead. Louis Berra scored the first goal with 29 minutes left in the first half off a free kick.

In the first overtime, De Smet saw a different Titan team as they were dominant on offense.

“I told our guys to get a little selfish with the ball and go forward with it, it seemed we were too willing to give the ball up,” Vitello said about the first overtime. “I wanted them to keep possession and go forward with the ball.”

The strategy worked as the Kabadeh found a hole in the Titan defense.

The Spartans will play Oakville Saturday night for the state championship. Oakville defeated Rock Bridge High School in penalty kicks after two overtimes.

Earlier in the day, the Priory Rebels extended their knack for shutting out opponents, with a 1-0 win over Jefferson City Helias. Only Trinity Catholic stands in the way of a perfect season and a Class 2 state championship today. For more on their semifinal victory, check out this report from stlhighschoolsports.com


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