Amanda Scott Award

31 May 2015

Ok story time. . . years ago we had a goalkeeper named Amanda Scott. Many of you know her father, Mr. Bob Scott who is such a key part of home games—working in the press box, announcing, playing music and singing the National Anthem.

His daughter Amanda had a fine career at Aquinas and graduated in 2004. She went on to get a Ph.D. in Physical Therapy and is now married with kids of her own.

Her senior year she taught us all a great lesson, and from time to time we like to honor her legacy by recognizing a current player whose contributions to the program mirror those of Amanda’s.

Back to the story—during her senior year Amanda began the year as a starter but after a red card forced her out of a game in St. Louis, she was replaced by a freshman GK named Hannah Koesterer—Hannah remained the starting keeper and Amanda the back-up (as well as Hannah’s mentor and friend) for the rest of the season.

In the spirit of that tribute the Koesterer family came forward to introduce this award as a legacy to Aquinas Girls Soccer and Amanda in 2004.

Every once in awhile you have a player come along whose contribution is not measured in goals or assists or even shutouts but rather in an attitude that says everyday and in everyway TEAM FIRST.

We all begin things because we want to be successful. If success does notcome, we usually move on to other things or in some cases we stick it out making ourselves and others around us miserable. . . but in very rare cases the exceptional person not only sticks with it but also works to find a way to contribute—positively, selflessly and to the betterment of those around her.

Years will come and go and some may forget Amanda, but all Aquinas teams will recognize the importance of an attitude that says TEAM FIRST.

This award has been given twice before—Miss Kathy Skevington was the first recipient in 2004 and Miss Carrie Pennewell the second in 2007.

This year we would like to award Miss Jessica Pasley the Amanda Scott TEAM FIRST award.

Jess, we honor you for your tireless work and selfless contribution to the team. Because of you, we were a better team and most importantly we're better people.

Congratulations!

*(Recap and explanation of the award, Chuck Hammons)

Game 21: State Finals vs. BV Southwest

30 May at Hummer in State Final vs. BV Southwest (2-1)

Wow. At one time this year we stood 5-3, but here, after claiming our 6th straight state title, we finish the year 18-3, winning 13 straight. 

I am not sure if we have played better this season than we did in the first half of this state final. And yet the score stood at just 1-0, and that was with 2 dynamite plays by freshman Alia Calvert in goal. (Check it out!) I do think that Paige Salts may have equaled her as she saved two balls going in the net by Kristina Colling off the line, the first in a serious acrobatic fashion.

BV Southwest is very good and played very well today. We needed everything we had to claim this one. Those first 20 minutes of the second half up to their nice throw-in-into-a-goal, they definitely had us on our heels.

And part of that everything was Miss Jamie Kutey who closed out her high school soccer career scoring both goals in the state final. For the second straight year she took the ball from Sarah Tyler to score the game-winner against Southwest. (Jamie scored in all but one of her high school post-season games: 19 out of 20; isn't that just nuts?).  What a career, finishing as our all-time leading scorer.

And another part of everything was freshman Alex Moss who had the duty (with some spelling from Linder and Loughman from time to time) of marking out Davis. Phenomenal. Granted by the end of the match  she stood and "could only see yellow highlighter," concussed and searching for the dogpile, but what a wonderful match. 

And everything included Meyers and Holmes at center mid. Crow and Reynolds at centerback with Tyler and Schmidt on the wings all having games to remember. 

Marge played the swing for the first time all year. She created our first goal, keeping that corner kick alive to the 6th or 7th touch. Denning battled well in the underneath position with the help of Colling and Woltering and Kwapiszeski. 

And everything included a great brunch at Newport Grill and an unbelievable Hammons Banner Speech.

And our bench showed up once again as the greatest bench in Aquinas history, just finding nothing but positive energy. 

I will certainly be interested to hear Coach Hammons tell other teams this chapter of STA soccer. It's quite a story.

STATS. First Half: Saints: Shots: 6 (4) Corners: 2 (Kutey 2)

31:45 Kutey (Meyers corner is kept alive by many Saints with the final touch coming from Pigott square one to Kutey's quick shot. A 7-touch Goal! that requires Denning to win the front post)Titus Video

Timberwolves: Shots: 2 (2) Corners: 2

Second Half: Saints: Shots: 6 (3) Corners: 0

14:44 Kutey (Tyler intercepts the clearance and plays the ball back on as Jamie first shields, then fires): Titus Video

Timberwolves:  Shots: 4(2) Corners: 1

21:59 Gonzalez (Throw-in flicked to the middle, feinted in, for the Gonzalez quick shot to side-netting). Titus Video

Special Shoutout to Paige Salts: Check it out!

And sometimes you gotta dog pile.

Assembly Video

KANSAS 5A GIRLS SOCCER

Aquinas makes it six crowns in a row

Saints capture 15th title in school history with a 2-1 victory over BV Southwest.

By CHARLES REDFIELD Special to The Star

TOPEKA | The St. Thomas Aquinas girls soccer team all wore T-shirts with G.R.I.T. on them.

“It means get ready, it’s time,” Saints coach Craig Ewing said.

The Saints were ready Saturday in the Kansas 5A state championship match, scoring early and late in a 2-1 victory over Blue Valley Southwest at the Hummer Activity Center in Topeka.

It is the sixth consecutive state title for the Saints, who finished 18-3 this season, and the 15th in the school’s history.

The game-winning goal came with 14 minutes, 44 seconds to play. The match was tied at 1-1 and the ball was about 5 yards above the penalty box when Aquinas senior forward Jamie Kutey made the most of a scoring opportunity.

“The ball hit off one of their defenders,” Kutey said. “I got between them and put the ball on the far post.”

Kutey had both goals for the Saints after not playing in the first match between the two teams because of an ankle injury. BV Southwest beat the Saints 2-1 in overtime during the regular season.

“It’s an amazing feeling with all the hard work we put in,” Kutey said. Kutey’s first goal came with 31:57 remaining in the first half.

“Someone had a touch in the box,” she said. “I got a foot on it and hoped for the best.”

Freshman goalkeeper Alia Calvert made several saves in the match. She played the entire season with a broken right wrist and had a cast on it.

“I hurt it playing indoor soccer,” she said. “It made me bobble the ball sometimes.”

Calvert was excited about winning state in her first year with the Saints. “I’ve never won something this big,” she said.

BV Southwest dominated the first 20 minutes of the second half after trailing 1-0 at halftime.

The Timberwolves, who finished 18-3, tied the match with 21:59 remaining on a shot by junior Casey Gonzales.

Trailing 2-1, they had a chance to tie the match with 6 minutes left off a corner kick, but a header hit the top of the crossbar and rolled over the net.

“Southwest was really good today,” Saints coach Craig Ewing said. “We had to play well to beat someone who was very good.”

Ewing, whose team had a 7-4 edge in shots on goal, praised the play of freshman Alexandra Moss. She defended Timberwolves senior midfielder Charlotte Davis. “She is what makes them go, and Moss did a great job on her,” Ewing said.

This was the second consecutive year that the two teams have met in the 5A state title match.

Last year, the Saints won 2-1 in overtime on a goal by Kutey. The two schools also played in the championship match in 2011, the first year of Blue Valley Southwest’s existence, and Aquinas captured a 5-0 victory.

Wichita Eagle

Aquinas 2, BV Southwest 1 — Senior Jamie Kutey rifled a shot into the left side of the net in the 66th minute, providing the game-winner in Aquinas' 2-1 victory over Blue Valley Southwest on Saturdayafternoon in the 5A state championship game at Hummer Sports Park.

“You couldn’t write a script better,” Aquinas coach Craig Ewing said. “That’s the way it ends — she wins the state championship again.”

Kutey — the school’s all-time leader in goals and assists — finished her career with a standout performance. The Marquette signee knocked in a shot off a rebound in the ninth minute for the Saints’ first goal, then answered Southwest’s tally in the 59th minute with the 88th score of her career.

“I would say, honestly, she has the greatest soccer legacy in girls soccer history in Kansas. … I don’t know anybody that can put up a legacy like hers,” Ewing said. “The blessing of having her for four years is ridiculous.”

Kutey finished with four state championships and also scored at least one goal in each of her team’s championship games.

“It’s crazy actually,” Kutey said. “I guess I just turn my engines on when I get to the final.”

Kutey’s game-winning goal was assisted by left backer Sarah Tyler — a connection that also provided the game-winner in last year’s 2-1 title victory over Blue Valley Southwest.

Ewing also was pleased with the play of freshman defender Alex Moss, who shadowed dangerous midfielder Charlotte Davis. The freshman Moss battled through physical play that left her with a concussion afterwards.

Aquinas' six consecutive titles are unmatched in Kansas’ girls soccer history.

“You have to be very blessed and lucky,” Ewing said, “and I think we are.”

Third place

Carroll 1, Maize South 0 

(penalty kicks)

Maize South	0 0 0 0 (2)		—	0
Carroll	0 0 0 (3)		—	1

Shutouts — Maize South: Caroline Howard. Carroll: Jami Reichenberger.

Records — Maize South 16-5, Carroll 19-2.

Game 20: State Semis: vs. Bishop Carroll

29 May at Hummer in State Semis vs. Bishop Carroll (1-0)

Once in again much like the St. James match we offered few opportunities to our opponent, but we could only tally 1 ourselves: So a game until the final whistle. In fact their opportunities came off two consecutive set pieces very late in the match. Calvert thwarted the flick of the long free kick and then Schmidt saved their shot on goal off their only corner. But wow, two great opportunities. Check it out!

BWhite recognized Addie Denning and our entire defense of Schmidt, Crow, Reynolds and Tyler with Calvert in goal as BWHITE Players of the match. The back 5 played all 80 minutes and played well. 

We did generate 9 corners, but we did not cash any of them. We also had a couple of pretty good looks.

We do need to give a shoutout to Meg Loughman who contributed some valuable minutes at center midfield. 

We also need to regroup quickly as we are going to be in for a very tough opponent tomorrow in BV Southwest. 

Hats off to Carroll. They gave us all we wanted. 

Stats:  Saints: Shots. 8 (3).  Corners. 3. (Woltering. 2. Tyler). 

Carroll. Shots. 0. Corners. 0. 

24:01 Denning (Denning wins the 50/50, getting it forward to Kutey for the dribble and shot and save, but Addie follows from 18. NICE touch). 

Second Half:  Shots: 11 (9). Corners: 6. (Kutey 2. Petty. Denning. Loughman.)

Carroll. Shots. 3 (2). Corners. 1. 

5A girls soccer: Carroll, Maize South shut out of finals

By Chris Marshall/Eagle correspondent

Published May 29 at 10:24 p.m. | Last updated May 29 at 10:25 p.m.

TOPEKA – Bishop Carroll’s defense kept St. Thomas Aquinas from finishing opportunities with its usual proficiency, but one second chance was all Aquinas needed to continue their run for a sixth straight state championship.

In the 16th minute, Jami Reichenberger turned away a shot from Jamie Kutey, only to watch Addison Denning knock in the rebound for the only goal in Carroll's 1-0 Class 5A semifinal loss Friday.

“It’s terrible,” said Carroll coach Greg Rauch, “because the keeper makes the first save, but it’s the trailing player that’s going to give us problems. St. Thomas just steps to the ball so quickly that you don’t get the opportunity to make a leisurely clearance.” 

Denning’s score sets Aquinas up for a championship game Saturday against Blue Valley Southwest. The Saints haven’t lost a state title since Class 5A was separated into its own postseason bracket in 2011.

Aquinas was on the attack for most of the game, and didn’t allow a shot on goal until the last 10 minutes, but the Golden Eagles’ final push threatened to send the semifinal into overtime.

Goalie Alia Calvert came off her line with 6:40 remaining to punch the ball away from Hanleigh Allen in the penalty box. A minute later, Emily Woods headed a corner kick past Calvert, but defender Molly Schmidt was waiting in the frame of the goal and cleared the shot to preserve the shutout.

“They had kind of a flurry at the end,” said Aquinas coach Craig Ewing. “I thought Alia Calvert had a tremendous punch out to save it from going to a tie.”

Reichenberger also played well in goal, preventing all eight of Aquinas’ corner kicks from finding the back of the net, but the Saints’ one break was enough to send the Golden Eagles to the consolation game.

“I don’t know what’ll end up happening (Saturday),” Rauch said. “But this generally ends up happening where we give (Aquinas) their best game in the semifinal, then they end up getting another ring. They’re super talented. There’s no doubt about that.”

BV Southwest 2, Maize South 0 – The Timberwolves’ biggest advantage is their height, and it showed on both of their goals against the Mavericks.

Blue Valley Southwest scored on a pair of first-half headers to set up a rematch with Aquinas, a team the Timberwolves beat 2-1 in the regular season.

In the fourth minute, a long throw-in took several deflections before being headed in by Rilynne Like.

With 6:56 left in the half, Southwest scored on another set piece – this time a corner kick – when Lauren Lambrecht put in ball that bounced off at least a couple other players.

“We’re big, so we know what our strengths are,” said BV Southwest coach Jason Pendleton. “It’s long throws, free kicks, corner kicks, and we try to take advantage of our size in the box.”

BV Southwest tried repeatedly for more goals off of headers, and Maize South goalie Caroline Howard stayed active throughout the game to keep it a two-goal margin.

Maize South had few scoring chances, but one of the best came after a failed clearance in the first half. The ball bounced back to forward Gabrielle Crowell, but the chance ended in a goal kick.

Aquinas 1, Carroll 0

Aquinas	1	0	–	1
Carroll	0	0	–	0

First half – Aquinas, Denning.

BV Southwest 2, M. South 0

Maize South	0	0	–	0
BV Southwest	2	0	–	2

Kansas City Star

Five things to watch at Kansas girls soccer state tournaments

BY KATHLEEN GIER

kgier@kcstar.com

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Kansas high school girls soccer state tournaments start Friday in Olathe, Topeka and McPherson. Here are five storylines to watch during the weekend.

1. Huskies and Saints defending team titles

Blue Valley Northwest and St. Thomas Aquinas both go into the weekend with the goal of defending their Class 6A and 5A titles respectively. The Huskies have won two in a row, and the Saints set a state record with their fifth straight last season. 

BV Northwest is one of the two top seeds in Class 6A with a 17-1-1 record. The Huskies will face Maize at 7 p.m. at the College Boulevard Activity Center.

Aquinas is a No. 2 seed in Class 5A with a 16-3-0 record and faces Bishop Carroll at 5 p.m. at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka.

2. Possible Class 5A championship rematch

Blue Valley Southwest knocked off defending Class 5A champion Aquinas in the regular season and could have a shot at a state title game rematch to avenge last year’s 2-1 loss.

The Timberwolves are a No. 1 seed in Class 5A and will meet Maize South in the semifinals at 7 p.m. in Topeka.

Lauren Lambrecht and Rilynne Like present a balanced attack with 15 goals each in 18 games. Kolbi Gonzales leads the team with nine assists.

3. Miege shows depth on offense

Bishop Miege has not lost a game since April, and a big reason is the depth that the Stags have shown through balanced scoring. 

Eleven different players have scored two or more goals this season, and the team has been ranked No. 1 in the Class 4-1A Kansas Soccer Coaches Association poll since the start of the season. 

Miege will start tournament play against second-ranked Topeka Hayden at 7 p.m. at McPherson College.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/high-school/article22564671.html#storylink=cpy

Game 19: State Quarters vs. Lansing

26 May @ Saint Thomas Aquinas for State Quarters vs. Lansing (7-0)

This turned out to be quite a stat game as, for example, we generated 19 corner kicks in the match, scoring on 3 of them. The score stood 3-0 at the half and finished up at 7-0 as our all-senior line-up went on a flurry at the end of the match. Lansing had held us at bay for most of the second half.

We really liked the #3 girl in the back for Lansing. She saved a lot of shots, break-aways, you name it. She's a very, very good player. 

We cashed two first-half corners and just a great Denning to Petty through ball into a nice shot in the first half. So actually Lansing blew up a lot of our attack in the final piece of the field.

BWhite named Madi Holmes the BWhite Player of the Match as she played consistently well for the entire match. It would be hard to find someone better than Meyers for that last 7 minutes of the match, but Madie played well throughout.

Kutey's 2 goals pushed her total to 25, the most goals she has scored in a season at Aquinas. With two matches yet to play, she is putting in quite a senior season, missing some of those Hall-of-Fame forwards she has teamed up with in the past. 

The defense shut down what had been a fairly high-power offense during most of the season. I believe they netted a shot for the game. So hats off to the midfield and that back line.

We now move on to the final four to take on our standard opponent, Bishop Carroll. They are always very good and we always have close matches with them, never more than a goal or two apart. So we are in for a doozy this Friday.

STATS: Saints: Shots: 12 (5) Corners: 6 (Kutey 4, Schmidt, Meyers)

30:41 Schmidt (Denning crosses from 2-man for a Tyler touch a Kutey shot and the Schmidt follow)

14:48 Petty (Denning plays a great through-ball for the wicked left)

7:35 Tyler (Meyers bends the corner in)

Lansing: Shots: 1 (0) Corners: 0

Second Half:  Saints: Shots: 14 (6) Corners: 13 (Woltering 2, Janky 2, Kutey 3, Meyers 3, Kwap 2, Geiger 2)

7:05 Meyers (Kutey plays is through)

5:30 Meyers (She bends it right-footed to the back post on USA)

5:15 Kutey (Meyers finds Kutey through)

3:22 Kutey (Reynolds puts the throw-in back on for a ball through Meyers)

Lions: Shots: 0 Corners: 0

The 2015 Senior Dinner

Game 18: Region 3 Finals vs. St. James

@ Saint Thomas Aquinas vs. St. James in the Region 3 Finals (1-0)

This was a very close match. In the second half, St. James had a great chance to cash a corner (Calvert directed a goal over the top of the bar—just a great keeper play (Check it out!). And this corner was sandwiched between their other two corners. To go along with those 3 corners they also had a second-half break-away they shot early that just went wide. Now that might not sound like much, but in what ends up a 1-0 match, that is quite a bit.

I didn't think we were particularly sharp. But St. James had a lot to do with that in that they play hard, always. They close quickly.  They did a nice job of nullifying Jamie, holding her jersey, claiming her space, just playing hard-nosed. 

So we needed some other players to step up to the plate. We did generate two nice break-aways when Jamie was out that we shot wide. Meyers twice hit the bar, once off a nice cross from Kutey and a second off a free kick. Olivia also just missed framing the back post on another one of Jamie's nice crosses, as well. And we did create 10 corner kicks, but each was pretty well-defended.

So we get out of Dodge with a win, and we move on. Many kudos should go to St. James who certainly played well in the bracket of death, knocking off BV West in their first match and taking us to the wire in their second. 

BWhite recognized two Players of the Match, naming Molly Schmidt and Allyia Calvert. Both had a lot to do with the score staying at zero. It has been hard to find anyone playing any better than Molly in the back for the last 3 weeks as she has just been in shutdown mode.

Addie Denning also had a fine defensive game in the middle of the field.  And if there is anyone who tries to get us to keep more possession, it is she.  We would have found the match a lot more to our liking if we would have tried to hold the ball into more possession. We are much better when we string 3-4 passes together before we move towards goal.

Tonight was our program's 19th Regional Title, and we now move to the Elite 8 for our 13th straight year. We get Lansing next in our effort to go where none have gone before, a 6th straight state title, but we need to win Tuesday to have the opportunity to win Friday and Saturday.

Region Champs

Let's do this.

STATS: First Half:  Saints: Shots: 7 (3) Corners: 5 (Kutey 2, Meyers 2, Geiger 1)

25:28 Kutey (her pass through the defense is deflected back to her)

Thunder: Shots: 1 (1) Corners: 0

Second Half:  Shots: 5 (1) Corners: 5 (Meyers 2, Kutey 2, Reynolds)

Thunder: Shots: 2 (1) Corners: 3

Game 17: Regional Semis vs. Leavenworth

18 May at STA in the Regional Semis vs. Leavenworth (10-0)

What Leavenworth did very well was to run a well-understood hard trap.  They were able to nullify a lot of what we did when we failed to make some needed adjustments to the trap.

Their effectiveness kept this match going until 19 and change in the second half.  Our girls did create 16 corner kicks (a rather remarkable number against anyone), and we did have 3 different girls tally 2 goals a piece.

But we know that this Friday offers us up a match that could easily have been the state finals.  So unless St. James surprises Tuesday, Friday will provide plenty of state drama as BV West comes to our house.

BWhite went co-players of the match as he recognized Marge Pigott and Olivia Meyers. He wanted to see consistent play, play that he would hope to see no matter what the opponent. They both brought it. Sophie Geiger and Abby Kwap had nice games as well.

And you had to love the Petty T-ball through the Woltering dummy with the Meg Loughman finish. Tonight also offered up the first glimpse of Bridget Linder in the front third of the field. More to come.

STATS: Saints:  Shots: 25 (14)   Corners: 10 (Jamie 3, Woltering, Heying, Geiger, Denning, Schmidt, Pasley, Sesti)

Pioneers: Shots: 0 Corners: 0
33:56 Kutey (Pigott slots the cross)
28:42 Kwap PK
22:49 Kwap (Geiger boxes it)
11:36 Denning (Holmes dribbles forward then slots it for the far-post ground shot)
5:39 Geiger (Colling boxes it for the nice shot)
4:43 Geiger (Sesti goes through)
0:17 Colling (Corner gets knocked around before coming back post from Sesti)

Second Half: Shots: 8 (3)   Corners: 6 (Kutey, Linder, Petty, Meyers, Woltering, Geiger)

36:15 Kutey (Schmidt goes through ball)
20:03 Loughman (Petty t's it through the Woltering dummy)
19:11 Pigott (Kutey hits the post)

Pioneers: Shots: 0 Corners: 0

NO VIDEO OF THIS MATCH

Game 16: Senior Night vs. Blue Valley

11 May vs. Blue Valley on Senior Night (4-0)

Mrs. Denning and her crew did this one up right with choice senior gifts, a magnificent food spread, creative slide show, and much more.  What a tremendous tribute to our 8 girls.

And they played well and many minutes together tonight in the 4 goal match that featured the breaking of a 19-year-old STA Girls' Soccer scoring record. Jamie picked up first, her 80th on a PK, and then her 81st in a very Jamie-like manner from fellow senior Olivia Meyers. 

But, at least for the coaches, it was just fun watching those 8 compete on the field together for a match. And they did so well.

We claimed a piece of the EKL title tonight, finishing tied with Northwest and possibly Southwest. 

BWhite recognized Olivia Meyers as The BWhite Player of the Match. (She has claimed the award like five times this year just to highlight the kind of senior year she is having.) Early in the match Woltering nicely put a defender on her back, took the ball to the base line to T it back through Kwapiszeski on to a quick Kutey-touch and a tough Meyers' finish as she established the slot position. 

We saw a similar goal a little later in the first, only with Kutey busting the T-ball back for the Colling finish. All in all a nice way to end the 2015 regular season. 

Senior Abby Kwap earned 4 corners in the second half alone last night. Nice.

Blue Valley, however, is a banged up crew, flush with crutches and such for sideline props. They held relatively strong all night just missing on a couple of nice chances in the second half. 

We will take a few days off now, hoping to heal up a few of our own for this final state playoff push. 

STATS:

First Half

Saints: Shots 5 (3). Corners. 7 (Kutey, Woltering, Reynolds, Meyers, Denning Schmidt, Tyler)

32:58 Meyers (Woltering T's through the Kwap dummy before the Kutey touch)
24:47 Colling (Kutey T's it)
22:57 Kutey (Reynolds earns us the PK with the corner into the handball)

Tigers: Shots: 0 Corners: 0 

Second Half: Shots: 6 (3) Corners: 6 (Kwap 4, Meyers, Kutey)


9:52 Kutey (Kwap finds Meyers down for the chip on the through ball)

Tigers: Shots: 1 (1) Corners: 0