The past two weeks for the St. Louis U. High soccer team were anything but ideal. Entering into a stretch of 6 games with a 4-0 record, the SoccerBills looked to continue their run of dominance. However a string of tough opponents on the road including Chaminade, St. Dominic, and De Smet quickly ended the Jr. Bills unbeaten season. Their first test on the road was MCC rival, Chaminade.

Against Chaminade, both teams remained scoreless in the first half due to well organized and compact back lines. However in the second half, an error by the SLUH defense with 10 minutes remaining led to a Chaminade goal who would go onto defend that lead for the remainder of the game. 

“I thought we played well,” said varsity head coach Bob O’Connell. “Chaminade was fortunate to take advantage of a miskick, but otherwise, I thought it was a 0-0 game.”

Just a day later, SLUH was unable to dwell on their first loss of the season very long as a tough St. Dominic team was next on the schedule. 

Creating more chances than they did in their game against Chamiande, SLUH looked ready to bounce back and stop a losing streak before it started. Behind 2-1, SLUH was awarded a penalty with 8 minutes to go. However, the penalty did not end up in the back of the net, and St. Dominic took advantage of the defeated spirit of the SoccerBills, adding another goal to win the game 3-1. 

“I thought we attacked better than Chaminade,” said O’Connell. “If we made that penalty, who knows what the result would have been.”

Two losses in a row, the Jr. Bills, now 4-2, looked to put another win in their record during their third consecutive game on the road against Eureka.
Goals by freshman Grant Locker, Junior Stephen Saladin, Senior Jacob Hammond and a shutout from the defense propelled SLUH to a 3-0 victory, and ending their 2 game losing skid. 

“We scored early which is something we haven't done well and then we scored again with 20 minutes to go to seal it,” said O'Connell. “We managed the game well, and got the clean sheet.”

Back to their winning ways, the Jr. Bills returned home after their 3 game road trip to face Lindbergh, a team who finished 4th place in Missouri last year. 

With 19:43 remaining in the first half, the returning state semifinalists scored off a corner kick, giving them a 1-0 lead. The rest of the half remained scoreless as SLUH trailed 1-0 going into halftime. Not wanting to have their 3rd loss in 4 games, the Jr. Bills pressed hard to score, but were unable to break down the backline of Lindbergh. A failure to convert on the offensive side of the ball saw SLUH fall to 5-3, with a 1-0 loss. 

“We got beat. They were moving around the ball quicker, they were more physical,” said O’Connell. “They were just better than us last night.”

After a loss at home to the 4th best team in the state, SLUH had no time to relax as even a tougher competitor and fierce rival was to be played the following day. 

Returning Missouri High School Soccer champions and a fellow Jesuit school, De Smet, was up next for the SoccerBills away from home. 

“Games against MCC rivals always have a different feel,” said senior midfielder, Adam Wolfe. “I think the whole team was really motivated going into the game.”

Against the Spartans, SLUH was hoping to avoid another 2 game losing streak. With 28:45 minutes remaining in the first half, SLUH was awarded a free kick 9 yards outside of the penalty box. Taken by junior Stephen Saladin, the ball was shot into the wall and redirected by a Spartan defender away from goal. Just over a minute later with 27:39 minutes remaining, an errant pass by the Jr. Bill midfield led to a De Smet fast break. The Spartan attacker from just inside the penalty box shot a low roller that narrowly missed the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Johnny Barr. The ball snuck in off the inside of the left post, and gave De Smet a 1-0 lead. The score remained 1-0 for the rest of the half, and although De Smet was ahead, SLUH played the much better half. 

“In the first half, we were dominating possession, we just couldn’t get a goal,” said Junior midfielder Evan Yalavarthi. “Eventually, De Smet scored on the counter-attack after we gave up the ball.”

As the second half began, SLUH looked to find the missing goal. However with 33:05 minutes remaining in the game, the Jr. Bills were forced to defend a De Smet set piece from 20 yards outside their box. A high arcing ball by a De Smet defender found a fellow attacker who headed the ball into the top corner. A 2-0 De Smet remained untouched for the rest of the half, as the Jr. Bills failed to produce any goals. 

“We played really well, and there were more positives than negatives,” said senior forward, Jack Rudder. “We possessed the ball really well, but we just couldn’t find the goal.”

Having lost their 4th game in only a 5 game stretch, the Jr. Bills returned home later in the week for senior day against MICDS. 

15 of the 25 players played their last game at SLUH this past Saturday, and were honored before the game. 

“It was pretty nostalgic to reflect and think back on all our favorite memories that were listed in the ceremony,” said Rudder. “I was sad that I was injured for that game, knowing my last game played at SLUH had already happened.”

29:11 minutes left in the first half, SLUH had a great scoring chance to pull ahead. Yalaharthi crossed a gorgeous ball from MICDS’s endline which barely missed the head of Hammond who was awaiting the cross at the back post. Just a little too high for Hammond, the ball was cleared by MICDS and the score remained 0-0. 

Just over a minute later, 28:02 remaining, MICDS struck first on the scoreboard. A shot from a MICDS attacker outside the box led to a spectacular save by Barr in goal. However, the rebound fell to another MICDS player who sneaked the ball in through a tiny window made by the near post and the diving body of Johnny Barr. MICDS took the lead, 1-0, and would remain ahead into halftime. 

“In the first half, it looked like we were going to be the team that went up first,” said Yalaharthi. “We were getting lots of crosses into their box, but we just couldn’t capitalize.”

Coming out quick after halftime, SLUH immediately put pressure on the MICDS defense. With 36:22 minutes remaining in the last game at SLUH for the seniors, the Jr. Bills were awarded a corner kick. Taken by senior defender Jaylen Sinclair, the cross was cleared to the top of the box by MICDS where it found the feet of Hammond. Hammond dribbling into the penalty box was dispossessed by an MICDS defender, and the ball found its way to Yalavarthi. From just inside the 18, Yalaharthi hit a right footed shot, which was blocked by the keeper. However, the rebound off the MICDS goalie went right to freshmen Grant Locker who easily sent the ball into the back of the net, tying up the game 1-1. But the game would not remain tied for long. 

With 12:05 remaining in the game, MICDS found the net again as an attacker dribbled 2/3rds of the field, juking SLUH defenders all the way to the penalty box. Ending with a brilliant shot, top right corner, MICDS regained the lead. It was 2-1 and that score would hold for the remainder of the game. 

“The last ten minutes, we were making runs forward and kept the ball in MICDS’s half,” said Yalavarthi. “But we just couldn't get the goal.”

Their 5th lost in just 6 games, the Jr. Bills record dropped to 5-5. However, with districts starting on October 31st, SLUH and the seniors remain positive about a long postseason run. 

“Although we lost 5 of 6, the team played well during this stretch of games,” said Wolfe. “We got a sense of what we need to work on in order to succeed in November, in the state tournament.”

 

Photo | Kathy Chott