Perryville soccer team advances to state championship match

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. -- The Perryville soccer team will have plenty of momentum as it heads into the Class 2 state soccer championship on Saturday.

The Pirates secured a spot in the title game with a 3-2 win over St. Pius X of Kansas City on Friday at Blue Springs High School.

Perryville got off to a quick start when Kyle Wood scored 1 minute, 20 seconds into the game. The junior midfielder got a pass from senior Mike Volansky then dribbled towards the net before ripping a shot past St. Pius goalie Austin Mendez.

With 10 minutes remaining in the first half, senior Matt Moran stole a pass in the middle of the field and found Wood, who scored again from almost the exact same spot.

St. Pius gained some momentum right before halftime, scoring on a free kick with 2:46 to play in the first.

The Warriors scored seven minutes into the second half when St. Pius junior Luis Rizek took a shot from the top of the box that just slipped past the reach of Perryville goalie Luke Dobbelare.

The game appeared to be headed to overtime until junior Conner Stark scored on a throw-in from Wood with 37 seconds left in the game.

St. Pius tried to clear the ball out of its own zone, but the ball rolled out of bounds near the right corner flag. Wood's throw-in was right to the middle of the box for Stark, who leaped over a St. Pius defender before sending a head ball into the back of the net.

Perryville will make its first appearance in the state finals when it takes on the winner of the other Class 2 semifinal between Soldan International Studies and Springfield Catholic Saturday at 3 p.m.

Check back later for complete coverage of the Pirates' semifinal victory.