Perryville soccer team resumes pursuit of Class 2 crown today

Most teams would be feeling nervous heading into their first appearance in a state final four

However, the Perryville soccer team isn't like most teams, according to coach Jerry Fulton.

Perryville, now in its seventh season as a program, will be joined by St. Pius X of Kansas City, Springfield Catholic and Soldan International Studies in the Class 2 state final four today in Blue Springs, Missouri.

Fulton said he and his team are more relaxed than they have been all season.

"I was nervous through the districts, and I was nervous through sectionals and quarterfinals, but besides for all the preparation to get there, I'm really not as nervous as I was all year," Fulton said. "Now, maybe that's a good or bad thing, I don't know. But all year this thing has been about winning games in stages, and we're feeling confident heading into our final two."

Perryville (27-1) came face-to-face with three of its tougher opponents in earlier rounds of this year's Class 2 playoffs.

In the Class 2 District 1 championship, junior Eann Bergman scored a goal late in the first half against perennial power St. Pius X (Festus), which held up as the game-winner. Perryville was the only team to beat the Lancers twice in regulation this season. Bergman leads the Pirates with 24 goals this season.

In a sectional round against Bayless, the Pirates scored three second-half goals in six minutes, 12 seconds in a 3-1 come-from-behind win over the Bronchos.

John Burroughs may have been the toughest test the Pirates faced all season. The 2013 Class 1 state champions had not allowed a goal in a playoff game since 2012, but the Pirates ended that run when Pablo Mattingly scored with five minutes remaining to give Perryville the win and a final four berth.

Perryville senior and captain Luke Schlichting said the playoffs have been taxing on the Pirates both mentally and physically, but they've learned to relax.

"These last four postseason games we have been so uptight, especially our district championship game," Schlichting said. "This week there will be a lot going on so, we're going to have to stay focused, but I think it's going to help because we'll be relaxed. In our minds, we've already beat the toughest competition out there.

"Coming into our game against Burroughs I saw these guys laughing and having a good time. I hadn't seen that in probably two weeks. When I saw that I knew something good was about to happen."

The Pirates will play St. Pius (20-3-1) at 4 p.m. today in a semifinal. The Warriors lost to Springfield Catholic in a semifinal during last season's Class 1 final four and finished fourth in state.

The Warriors have won eight straight games and have defeated their last five opponents by five or more goals.

St. Pius junior Trevor Cissell is the Warriors' main threat and Fulton's primary concern.

Of the Warriors' 100 goals scored this season, Cissell has accounted for 42 of them.

"I hear they're a decent team. After hearing the scouting reports on them, they have weak spots from what I understand and we will expose those and be able to play with them," Fulton said. "Everything goes through one player, and that's Cissell. I've gotten two scouting reports and they both say the same thing. So I think if our guys come in and play their game, they're going to win this thing, I really do."

St. Pius goalie Austin Mendez has 96 saves and 10 shutouts this season.

Springfield Catholic (21-7) will meet Soldan International Studies (12-2-1) in the other semifinal at 6 p.m. today.

The Irish took second placein Class 1 last season after losing 2-0 to John Burroughs in the championship game.

"They've got a lot of experience and they're not going to be slouches that's for sure," Fulton said. "They've been here before and have made it one step further to the championship game. But again, we feel like if we can come and play our game, we'll be able to beat them."

Soldan is one of the more unique teams in the tournament this year. Like Perryville, the Tigers are making their first trip to the final four, but what sets them apart is they represent 14 countries.

Of the 14 that are represented on the roster, nine are from Africa (Kenya, Burundi, Eritrea, Somalia, Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Congo, Senegal and Rwanda). Two of the countries are from Asia (Burma and Nepal) and three are from the Americas (Honduras, Mexico and the United States).

Fulton said the Tigers play a fast game with flare.

"They connect the dots all over the field and push the ball and force defenses to make mistakes," Fulton said. "They we'll be fast, but I think our defense has been pretty good about stopping fast players all year long. I don't expect that to change any time soon."

The championship and third-place games will take place Saturday.

Winners in the semifinal round advance to the championship game at 4 p.m., while the loser's will play for third at noon.

Win or lose, this weekend will mark the end of the road for nine Perryville seniors. Fulton said he'll be proud of his team no matter what the outcome is -- he's just happy they get to play two games.

"They're guaranteed two games, which I think is good for them," Fulton said. "Everyone's been saying, 'Well what's going to happen if they lose and their season is over.' That's not the case. They're going to play two games. Are they going to be the two games they want? That's the question."

Perryville knows it will be a bittersweet ending to a great run no matter how its season ends.

"It's kind of like what they've been saying this week. We're just trying to stay focused, but I've been telling them that there is one good way this thing ends. There is one happy ending," Fulton said. "Bitterly sad, bittersweet whatever you want to call it, there's one way that this thing ends on a high note, and that's when we win state."