Must-see goal sends Maize South boys soccer to Kansas high school state championship game

Ethan Turner had just scored the goal of his life to send the Maize South boys soccer team to the state championship game, and it felt like an out-of-body experience.

He remembers absolutely booming a shot from the edge of the box, remembers seeing the ball force its way past the keeper’s touch and into the back of the net, remembers celebrating in pandemonium in front of the Maize South supporters who traveled to Hummer Sports Park in Topeka to watch a Class 5A quarterfinals match in the rain on Friday night.

“It all felt like it was fake,” Turner said. “It still feels like it was fake.”

Maize South coach Rey Ramirez was also still in disbelief an hour after his team’s 3-2 win over St. Thomas Aquinas.

After all, it’s not every day you see a goalkeeper make a save, bomb a side volley 70 yards down field and then watch a substitute right winger line it up waiting for the right bounce to rocket it into the back of the goal.

Ramirez isn’t sure he’s ever seen a goalkeeper assist at Maize South, let alone one in the biggest moment of the season that was produced by Andrew Cole, the keeper who made the pass, and Turner, the one who finished off the highlight-reel play.

“We all lost it on the sidelines,” Ramirez said. “The ball was struck by Ethan with so much power and so much assertiveness, it was so exhilarating. I don’t really have the words to describe the feeling. All I know is I went lightheaded for a couple of minutes in the celebration.”

With the brilliance of the game-deciding goal, it’s almost hard to remember what proved to be an exhilarating final 15 minutes of regulation that saw four goals and Maize South erase a 1-0 deficit.

The Mavericks tied the score on a Vitor Geromel penalty kick in the 66th minute, then actually took a 2-1 lead minutes later when Dillon Gorman scored on a set piece with his head on a looping ball in from Gavin Bowman.

“There was so much excitement and pressure and intensity, but our boys knew that it was going to come down to very minor details that were going to determine the outcome of the game,” Ramirez said.

Before Maize South’s side could even finish celebrating, Aquinas found the equalizer with only minutes left, which made extra time seem inevitable.

That is until Cole decided to launch a punt down the right side of the field following a routine save. Turner knew he was open, but wasn’t sure his keeper saw him. Instincts took over once the ball was played.

“It was such a perfect ball he played and perfectly paced,” Turner said. “The bounces it took were actually perfect, and I was just waiting for that last perfect bounce before I was going to take a rip.

“As soon as I shot it, my heart dropped because I knew that I hit that shot perfectly. It was an amazing feeling. It was a feeling I’ve never felt before.”

Maize South advanced to its fourth state championship match in the last five seasons. The Mavericks lost in their previous three appearances all to the same team: Blue Valley Southwest (6-0 in 2018, 6-1 in 2019 and 3-2 in 2021).

With BV Southwest in the other semifinal playing after Maize South, there was no question who the Mavericks wanted to see in Saturday’s 2 p.m. championship game.

“We are supportive of Newton and all Wichita-area soccer, but personally, for our program, we need that state championship game against Blue Valley Southwest,” Ramirez said.

“We’re on that revenge tour,” Turner added.

Class 6A semifinals

Olathe West 3, Dodge City 2

Class 5A semifinals

Maize South 3, St. Thomas Aquinas 2

Class 4-1A semifinals

Baldwin 2, McPherson 1