November 30, 2024
By Fred Liggett
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The Missouri state soccer final four host site was moved from the Worldwide Soccer complex in Fenton, MO to the campus of Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO due to flooding in the area. Hunter Stadium was the site for all the state soccer final four games in all classes. For the St. Michael’s Guardians who qualified for the Class 2 final four the biggest adjustment wasn’t the change in field locations but the game times. Guardians head coach Rob Putthoff felt the field at LU was “very nice, the game times were a challenge.” The reason for the semifinal game for St. Michael’s being played at 8 p.m. was due to Lindenwood football team was still playing and needed their practice time.
The Guardians played a Class 2 semifinal game on Wednesday, Nov. 20. The Guardians defeated Orchard Farm 2-1. This semifinal game was the last one played and provided those in attendance an entertaining finish to the night. Goals were scored by Nick DeVoss and Noah Hance-Johnson. The winning goal coming with just over four minutes left. St. Michael’s head coach Rob Putthoff said the team “was pretty confident at halftime, had momentum and feeling we were going to do it.”
The win advanced St. Michaels to the championship game the next evening on Thursday, Nov. 21. The title game against Clayton was tied at the half as the two teams battled through a scoreless first half. The second half was a different story as Clayton scored all three goals in the game and secured the Class 2 state title. The loss gave the Guardians a final record of 20-5 on the 2024 season. Coach Putthoff commented on Clayton “heard about Clayton early in the season, they were the real deal and very dangerous in the attack.”
The success the Guardians enjoyed throughout the 2024 season was due to a number of factors. Coach Putthoff credits “DeVoss and his leadership.” Putthoff adds, “The team had good balance with 12-13 scorers.” Another stat that jumps out at you is the Guardians recording 15 shutouts in the team’s 20 wins. In the end it was a 20 win season for the Guardians and a second place finish in the Show Me State.
