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C2D1: Saxony Lutheran tops Affton on PKs to win district championship
PERRYVILLE — Just two days after knocking off Perryville with penalty kicks in the Class 2 District 1 semifinals, Saxony Lutheran once again picked up a PK win.
This time, however, it was for all the marbles.
The Crusaders and top-seeded Affton went scoreless through two overtime periods, but Saxony outlasted the Cougars 5-4 on PKs Friday at The Bank of Missouri Soccer Complex to win the district championship.
“We're just so happy for the boys," Saxony coach Chris Crawford said. "These seniors have been to four straight district championship games. They won their freshman year and lost in a heartbreaker their sophomore year. Perryville comes out and they're just the better team last year. This year they finished the job and I guess they like making me have more gray hair because they did not do it in easy fashion."
Senior goalkeeper Aaron Zoellner once again played the role of hero during penalty kicks. Senior Landon Ochs buried a goal on the Crusaders' sixth penalty kick attempt after both teams were tied at 4-4 following the fifth PK. Then, Zoellner — who made eight saves in regulation — made a diving save to seal the victory.
"He's saved four penalties in the district tournament," Crawford said. "He saved a penalty against Notre Dame and saved a bunch of them when we went to penalties against Poplar Bluff. He's not just a penalty specialist. If you look at our last seven games, I think we've shut out for four or five teams and we got another shutout tonight. We've giving up one goal in three games in a district tournament. I can't say enough about him."
The victory marked the Crusaders' first district championship since moving up to Class 2 in 2020.
"If you're not playing to win a district district championship every year, what are you doing?" Crawford said. "Even in years where you think, 'Oh, we can't get there,' why aren't you trying to get there? Regardless of class, regardless of anything else, we're always trying to win a district championship. Everything you get past districts you're playing on house money."
In addition, Crawford picked up his 100th career win at Saxony across both boys and girls soccer.
"I hadn't really thought about it," Crawford said. "100 wins is not on just me. Coach (Andrew) Lysell has been with me, coach (Garrett) Fritsche and the players. I stand on the sideline and I yell at them. That's part of it, but they do all the work.
"I'm honored that we've gotten 100 wins in our program, but it's not about me. It's about the kids and my other coaches. I'm just the figurehead in that sense and I can't give those guys enough credit."
The Crusaders (14-9) will face Class 2 District 2 champion Principia — a team they've never beat in eight tries — in the state quarterfinals on Saturday, Nov. 12.
"We've played Principia almost every time we get through a district," Crawford said. "Coach (Nigel) Marples up there as a great coach. They've got a great facility and they have great players. That was not necessarily who I wanted to hear we were playing but we'll have a great game plan. These guys have been taking down giants that we've had hanging over us and I don't think that'll be different next week."