Missouri Military Academy seized the moment on Wednesday afternoon.

MMA vs St. Pius X (Kansas City) Photo Gallery

The No. 3 Colonels defeated No. 5 St. Pius X (Kansas City) 2-1 in the Class 1 soccer semifinals at Harlen C. Hunter Stadium at Lindenwood University in St. Charles in the program’s first ever state Final Four game since 1992. MMA (17-4) advances to its first ever soccer state championship game at 6 p.m. Thursday against No. 1 Valley Park (24-3) at Hunter Stadium.

“I had so much belief going into the game,” head coach Elliot Goodwin said. “We put the game plan together, and I believed it would give us the small advantages we need. Any team that makes it to the Final Four is good. The last message I gave to the boys before we went on the field is, ‘Sometimes, it’s about who wants it more.’”

MMA won its ninth straight game but played to an even first half with shots being equal at four in its first ever meeting with St. Pius X. Alex McBride broke the scoreless tie in the 49th minute of the game and ninth minute of the half with a breakaway goal and Fernando Puebla added one in the 68th minute. 

Both teams had a hard time breaking through the other’s defense. St. Pius X is averaging 1.6 goals allowed this season and surrendered six goals in its previous nine games while MMA is averaging 1.3 goals allowed per game and had six goals scored on them in the previous nine games. Goodwin said the Colonels didn’t change anything tactically but encouraged his players to take a shot.

“We knew they were going to be a very aggressive team, trying to win the ball back in our half,” Goodwin said. “They put you under a huge amount of pressure, and we dealt with that really well. We found areas in pockets of space, but we just quite didn’t give ourselves an opportunity in the final third to get a chance or create an opportunity. McBride has scored those goals for us all year, going one-v-one and using his speed.”

McBride said he kept running next to Puebla and just kept running once he had possession of the ball. He was glad when his 16th goal of the season went in.

“As I was running, I was hoping I wouldn’t miss the goal,” McBride said with a big smile. “After it went in, I was really excited. ‘Yes, finally.’”

McBride is near the end of his second year with the program and was on last year’s team that lost in the district championship game 4-0 to Father Tolton. Avin Hernandez, who is in his fifth year, was there to encounter the frustration at season end.

Hernandez said this season has been “unreal” and “nuts,” and McBride said the Colonels have already surpassed their goals for the season. They both want to see if they can push past them even more.

“From the start, we were really talented so obviously we were looking to get out of districts,” Hernandez said. “Midseason, we were just incredible as a team so we got our eyes hooked on the state championship game.”

“At the beginning of the season, Avin and I, our goal was to win districts and at least play at state,” McBride said. “We went above that, which is great.”

Puebla had to push a necessary insurance goal into the net while being surrounded by St. Pius defenders. His counterpart leading scorer, Jackson Horst, scored his 39th goal two minutes later to cut the margin to one goal so Puebla swinging his leg up scored his 37th goal and helped keep St. Pius down just enough in the end.

Goodwin said Puebla took advantage of that moment and small window for the game-winning goal. Of course, he said the addition to this year’s team has come through in those moments time after time.

“You’ve got to take the chances when they come in a game like that,” Goodwin said. “I would back him to finish any chance we put in front of him.”

With 10 minutes left in the game and new life given to St. Pius X with Horst’s goal, MMA’s defense had to lock in yet again. The Colonels had won by the score of 2-1 twice during their winning streak and improved their record in one-goal games to 4-2. 

Gihana Favour Nziza went into the Final Four with 82 saves and five shutouts as MMA’s new goalkeeper this season. The 6-foot-7 wall leapt high, dove sideways and pressured St. Pius X attackers when they got close for seven saves, including some in the final minutes. Goodwin complimented the leadership of Hernandez on the defensive back line and thought Eric Shellabarger, Alvaro Gonzalez and Emiliano Martinez were all “fantastic.”

“Just in terms of our tactics and the way we line up, we have to be disciplined in our roles defensively,” Goodwin said. “If you do that and if you defend well, you have a chance at winning games. Limit your individual errors, and we didn’t have too many of those today. Most of the organization comes from Hernandez. He knows my expectations. We’ve talked about it over and over again, and he leads that back line exceptionally well.”

Hernandez said maintaining formations and having strong defensive tactics are obviously important but took Goodwin’s pregame message to heart.

“His main point is whoever wins the game is who wants it more,” Hernandez said. “We wanted it more over the last five minutes and showed it.”

MMA has to beat No. 1 to be No. 1 at 6 p.m. Thursday at Hunter Stadium in the Class 1 state championship game against Valley Park. Both teams go into the first ever meeting between each other as schools that went from being a district runner-up last year to a state finalist this year. The Hawks defeated New Heights Christian Academy with McAuley Catholic 6-3 in their semifinal game Wednesday morning and goes for their first ever state title as well.

Goodwin said it would be great to have “little MMA from Mexico, Missouri” to have the Colonels do something even more special. They need “to find their voice to bark with the big dogs” to beat a team that has only lost by one goal this season, including a 2-1 game via penalty kicks, and has allowed 0.9 goals per game.

“In terms of making history for the school, our job’s not done,” Goodwin said. “I fully believe we have the opportunity to do something special. The chance is there so why can’t it be us? It’s something I’ve been saying for the last week. Why can’t it be us?”

Look for a story about the state championship game in the Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, edition of the Mexico Ledger and look for a gallery from the game on Thursday.