COMPLETE GATEWAY CITY SOCCER CLASSIC COVERAGE

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Christian Brothers College (Mo.) vs. Rockhurst Jesuit (Mo.) on Friday night had all the intensity and drama of a state tournament match.

The pace was fast, at times the play was physical. There was pinpoint passing, a lot of quality switching the point of attack and plenty of stellar defending.

Rockhurst had scoring chances in the closing seconds of regulation and the first overtime. CBC, as well, watched a game-winning opportunity in overtime sail over the crossbar. And after 100 minutes of soccer, these perennial state powers – with a combined 24 state final appearances – needed penalty kicks to decide a winner in their Gateway City Soccer Classic Bracket A semifinal played under the lights at CBC.

Senior keeper Cameron Meyer came up with two saves, and CBC players converted three of its chances for a 3-2 shootout win over Rockhurst following a 1-1 match through regulation and two overtime sessions.

“Two state championship-caliber teams,” Meyer said of his thoughts of CBC vs. Rockhurst, a pair of teams that started the year in the SIMA FAB 50 Top 10. “We knew we had to have a really big game. This means a lot, but it’s only the semifinal, we’re still not done.”

CBC advances to Saturday morning’s championship match against [Mount Carmel il-m] (Ill.), which edged Quincy (Ill.) in penalty kicks following a 2-2 contest.

Sam Leach staked CBC (12-2-2) to a 1-0 lead 19 minutes into the match when he converted a penalty kick. Rockhurst (13-2-0) answered midway through the second half when Peyton Browne finished a corner kick from Kyle Ruark. Rockhurst pretty much controlled the second half, but could not get the go-ahead goal.

Meyer, who had a point-blank reaction save late in the first half to preserve a 1-0 lead at the time, stopped two of Rockhurst’s first three penalty kicks in the shootout. Nick Dempster converted in the fifth round to give CBC a 3-2 edge, and Rockhurst’s final attempt sailed over the goal, prompting a celebration by CBC players.

“Quality, high-level soccer,” Rockhurst coach Chris Lawson said of the CBC-Rockhurst rivalry. “Great level of respect. Great deal of tradition. … We didn’t get the result, but that’s OK. That’s soccer. The team that usually creates, usually wins. That didn’t happen tonight.”

Earlier in the day, Mount Carmel twice rallied from one-goal deficits to get the match to a shootout. Under Missouri rules, there must be two sudden death overtime sessions before a shootout. However, since Quincy and Mount Carmel were out-of-state teams, the contest went straight to PKs where Mount Carmel won 4-2.

In the Bracket A consolation, Ivan Topete scored twice to lead Chaparral (Nev.) to a 3-0 win over St. Dominic (Mo.), and Francis Howell (Mo.) defeated Glendale (Mo.) 1-0.

In other top brackets Friday:

Bracket B: DeSmet (Mo.) players went left, and everything turned out all right Friday afternoon in a 3-0 victory over Eureka (Mo.) in a Gateway City Soccer Classic Bracket B semifinal match. Connor Ferguson ripped a left-footed, far post shot into the side netting to give DeSmet a 1-0 lead. Just minutes later, Jack Klingler delivered a left-footed blast from distance that beat the keeper high for a 2-0 advantage. Klingler added another left-footed goal for the final margin. DeSmet (9-2-4) extended its undefeated streak to 13 matches and avenged its last defeat, which was to Eureka in late August. … In the other semifinal, Rock Bridge (Mo.) edged Chaminade (Mo.) 1-0 on a goal by Drew Stanowski. … In the consolation matches, Noah Madigral scored the first two goals and Grady Schliepsiek added the third as Peoria Notre Dame (Ill.) defeated St. Thomas Aquinas 3-0, and Kickapoo (Mo.) edged Cherry Creek (Colo.) 3-2 in overtime. … There will not be a championship or third-place contest since the teams that were positioned to meet in those games have already played this season.

Showcase: Milwaukee Marquette (Wis.) conceded an own goal late in the match and fell to Kiski School (Pa.) 2-1, ending Marquette’s undefeated season. Marquette entered the week at No. 4 in the SIMA FAB 50. Kiski School was No. 8 in the Prep Top 10. … Lake Forest Academy (Ill.) and Springfield (Ill.) played to a 3-3 tie.

Round Robin A: John Philip Boyd and Easton Weber scored the goals as Washburn Rural (Kan.) defeated Lee's Summit West (Mo.) 2-1. … Collinsville (Ill.) rallied for a 2-1 win over Barrington (R.I.).

Bracket C: The bracket played out as expected with two of the St. Louis area’s top teams – Marquette (Mo.) and Rockwood Summit (Mo.) advancing to Saturday’s championship match. Corey Goede and Zane Sabbert each had a goal and an assist as Summit handled Archbishop O’Hara (Mo.) 3-0. Ian Barger had a goal and one assist as Marquette edged Raymore-Peculiar (Mo.) 2-1. Marquette and Summit are ranked Nos. 3 and 4, respectively, in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Large School Top 10.

Other Brackets: Andrew Cross netted four goals to lead Evansville Memorial (Ind.) to a 6-2 win over Rock Island (Mo.) in Bracket D. … Glenbrook North (Ill.) moved to 13-1-1 on the season with a 4-0 win over Francis Howell Central (Mo.) in a Bracket D quarterfinal. … Dunbar (Ky.) and Highland Park (Ill.) also advanced to the Bracket D semifinals. … Louisville Collegiate (Ky.) handled Granite City (Mo.) 4-1 in its Bracket E quarterfinal. Granite City happens to be the alma mater of Collegiate coach Chad Wozniak. … Carthage (Mo.) edged Columbia (Ill.) 2-1 to advance to a Bracket E semifinal contest with Collegiate. … Dawson Lee scored three goals as Belton (Mo.) routed Morton (Ill.) 7-1 in Bracket F quarterfinal play.