Summit’s Soccer Season Ends With Stormy 3-1 Loss To Oakville In Sectionals

Fresh off a sensational district championship win over rival Eureka High, and owners of a phenomenal 11-game win streak since the beginning of October, the Summit High boys soccer team came into the Class 3 MSHSAA playoffs, as one of the hottest teams in the state.

Unfortunately though, the host Oakville Tigers, with a big assist from a driving rainstorm thrown down by Mother Nature, were able to cool off the Summit squad, and hand the Falcons a season-ending 3-1 loss at Oakville Stadium.

Summit’s Justin Thomas had the lone goal for the Falcons, after finishing off a brilliant passing play by teammates Matt Robinson and Kody Mercer, with a nifty re-direct for his fifth goal of the season, late in the second half.

But three goals by Oakville’s Jared Swierk, the first hat trick ever for the Tiger senior, were too much to overcome for Summit, especially once the wind and rain began, and got increasingly stronger throughout the night.

Swierk’s first goal came at the 10-minute mark of the first half, when teammate Michael Munsell forced a Summit turnover and broke in on net on a 2-on-1 with Swierk.

Munsell drew the lone Falcon defender to him, then sent a cross to Swierk that left him along on net with Summit’s Sean Clancy.

Swierk easily beat Clancy to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

In the second half, Swierk blasted a free kick past Clancy from just outside the Summit box, at the 18-minute mark, to make it 2-0 Oakville.

Summit got one back about 10 minutes later, when Mercer made a fantastic back-heel pass to Robinson, who sent a cross towards the Oakville net, where Thomas outleaped a defender for a headball goal, his 10th of the season, that made the score 2-1 with just under 15 minutes left in the game.

But that was as close as Summit would get, as Swierk added his third with three minutes left to send Oakville to the state quarterfinals on Saturday. The Falcons are done for the year.

Summit ends it season with a 22-6 record, and along with its district title, was also co-champion of the Suburban South Conference this fall.

Oakville, which is now 19-7-1, will play the winner of Wednesday’s Hazelwood West-Francis Howell Central sectional game, in the state quarterfinals on Saturday, at a time and location that is yet to be determined.

Scoring Summary

Score by Halves

F

Summit

0

1

1

Oakville

1

2

3

First Half

Oak: Jared Swierk (19), assisted by Michael Munsell, 30:06

Second Half

Oak: Jared Swierk (20), unassisted, 22:04

Summ: Justin Thomas (10), assisted by Matt Robinson, 14:37

Oak: Jared Swierk (21), assisted by Luke Miller, 3:31