Final four notebook: Crusaders poised to make repeat run next season

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. -- Just 20 minutes after his team won its first state championship in program history, Saxony Lutheran girls soccer coach Garrett Fritsche was enthusiastic about what next season might hold.

The Crusaders, who don't have any seniors on the roster, will likely return all 18 players -- 11 juniors and seven freshmen -- from the team that finished 24-2 and on a 19-game winning streak.

"The future is bright for these girls. Not only those juniors but those freshman already," Fritsche said. "That's asking a lot from a state championship team to ask several freshmen to step up and start or play significant minutes."

Fritsche then began to say, "The future is bright if ..." before cutting himself, laughing and adding, "I guarantee they're all coming back. There's no way they're giving up on this. It's going to be fun. For the next nine months, I'm going to be anxious to get back to working with them."

The core group of juniors on the squad had already been successful in basketball, reaching the final four two seasons ago, and are ready to see what new heights they can reach in the next year.

"I'm hoping that we only go up from here," junior midfielder Brianna Mueller said. "One state championship is nice but two sounds even better. If we work like we did this year, I think we can definitely be back here next year playing in the state championship game and bringing home the gold again."

Fritsche, a 2009 graduate of Saxony, led the Crusaders to their first state title in his first season at the helm. It was also the first year they'd won their district.

"I was spoiled. I'll be honest, I was spoiled," Fritsche said with a laugh. "Not only with the players, how well they just respond to us, their skills, their work ethic -- it was great -- then having [assistant coach Chris] Crawford alongside with me. I was spoiled. That's all I can say. I got dealt a good hand, and we were able to capitalize on it."

Mueller shines

Saxony Lutheran junior Brianna Mueller receives her Class 1 state championship medal Saturday afternoon, June 6, 2015, in Blue Springs. Saxony won 5-0. (Kit Doyle ~ Special to the Southeast Missourian)

Mueller wasn't the Crusaders' go-to goal-scorer this season, but when Saxony needed a goal, the ball usually went through her first.

Saturday's state final was no exception. Mueller was credited with three assists and also contributed on a fourth goal in the Crusaders' 5-0 win.

The Saxony offense ran directly through Mueller in the center of the field as the Crusaders controlled possession for the majority of the game.

"She played great. She's been a leader in the center of the field all year," Fritsche said. "It just seems like she connected with everybody on the field this game and the last few games. The passes have been spot on. They really have worked well, and you can just tell with the possession out there. It was unbelievable, and she's a big reason for it."

She took the corner kick that led to the game-winning goal less than two minutes into the game and assisted on two more first-half goals, including threading a perfect ball through the Father Tolton defense that freshman Laurel Mueller was able to run down and beat the goalie one-on-one to put the Crusaders up 4-0 with 38 seconds left in the first half.

Junior midfielder Grace Mirly's goal with 10:04 remaining in the first half came when the Father Tolton goalkeeper dropped the ball that Mueller had sent in on a free kick from about 30 yards out.

"Maybe you're not scoring the most, but you're helping your other teammates score. And I think that's just as important as scoring," Mueller said. "To give other people the opportunity to score feels good."

Surprise start for Brune

Saxony Lutheran junior Maddie Brune accepts the Class 1 state championship trophy for the team Saturday afternoon, June 6, 2015, in Blue Springs. Saxony won 5-0. (Kit Doyle ~ Special to the Southeast Missourian)

When the Class 1 title game kicked off at Blue Springs High School, Maddie Brune stepped up to the center line with a large brace on her right knee and received a pass from her teammate before playing the ball to a Father Tolton player.

The Trailblazer kicked the ball out of bounds and Brune, whose season ended when she tore her MCL on March 31, was bombarded by her teammates with hugs before walking off the field. It was a moment Mueller said "sent chills up and down (her) spine" because she was so excited her teammate got to be a part of the championship and be announced in the starting lineup.

"The coaches told me at the beginning that I was going to get to start, and it was just an amazing moment for me because I didn't think I was going to get to play the rest of the season, let alone in the state championship," Brune said. "It was just really amazing."

The junior, who has committed to play Division I soccer at Troy, had hinted to coach Garrett Fritsche prior to the final four that her parents had given her permission to step on the field to start a game if the Crusaders made it to the championship.

"She actually ruined the surprise a week ago," Fritsche said. "She asked her parents if she could go in for the state championship game, if she could start, and I was like, 'Why did you bring that up?' because we already had that thought out. It was still awesome. When she came off the field that was still the best experience she could have. She's done so much for our team this year off the field being there for all the girls and being another coach. It was just amazing."

Brune suffered her knee injury during the Crusaders' first loss of the season -- a 4-1 defeat by Jackson. Saxony lost its next game 2-1 to Class 2 third-place team St. Pius X of Festus.

Brune has carried the team's "spirit stick" with her to every game since -- and the Crusaders finished their season with 19 consecutive wins.

"It will return, and we will return," Brune said of the good-luck charm before pointing the stick toward the field where the Crusaders had just won their state title.