How many goals did Jesuit (31-0) allow this year?

[timaeus]

The answer: 5

So does that mean they had 28 shutouts this year (including all 5 in the playoffs)?

I would say this is by far the most impressive statistical year by any high school soccer team in Louisiana history. Many people say that the overall quality of soccer was down this year compared to the past. These comments are usually made by former players who, when watching games now, see young, small guys playing, and just assume they were better when they were playing. Truth is, the quality hasn't gone down, but actually I would say has greatly improved. I think this Jesuit team would beat the 2005 team (30-0-2) and the 1999 team (31-0-0).

[timaeus]

Blue Jays complete magical season
Jesuit wins state title, only allows five goals and goes undefeated
Sunday, February 25, 2007
By Pierce W. Huff
www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-29/117238822932060.xml&coll=1

A team having a magical playoff run played a team having a magical season in the Division I boys soccer championship match Saturday, and the team with the greater magic won.

Playing on a blustery night in front of an almost empty Independence Stadium, Jesuit capped one of its greatest soccer seasons with a 2-0 victory against St. Paul's for the title.

The victory finished Jesuit's second undefeated season in three years, but this season's edition of the Blue Jays set themselves apart from the 2005 edition that finished 30-0-2.

Jesuit, ranked second in the nation and first in Region II in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas rankings, finished the season with a 31-0 record. The Blue Jays allowed five goals the entire season.

Jesuit also won all five of its playoff games 2-0.

"This championship is more special (than two years ago), because we had a goal at the beginning of the year to go undefeated and have the least amount of goals scored upon," said Jesuit senior Stephen Duncan, who was a starter on the Blue Jays' state championship team in 2005. "This was a great season."

Jesuit Coach Hubie Collins said the credit goes to his players, who worked hard and believed in themselves.

"There is a reason why this team is ranked No. 1 and finished the season 31-0, and that's because these guys put in the hard work," Collins said.

Jesuit's victory ended a four-game winning streak by St. Paul's (18-10), which came together as a team in the playoffs after losing its last two district games at the end of the regular season.

St. Paul's tinkered with its lineup all season before finally finding the right combination in the playoffs. And the Wolves solid mixture of players, led by the strong play of goalkeeper Ross Wiedemann, gave Jesuit a tough match.
The teams were scoreless in the first half. Wiedemann came up with big saves to stop Jesuit scoring changes. Wiedemann caught a header from Jesuit's Jordon Bouregois at two minutes. Wiedemann tipped a shot by Duncan over the goal about five minutes later.

Jesuit's Patrick Mullins kicked a shot in traffic in the goal box that went high into the stands with about 10 minutes left in the half. The Blue Jays' Matt Madere had a shot from the penalty box that was deflected away with less than five minutes remaining.

"Wiedemann made some great saves, and I really feel bad for him," St. Paul's Coach Trevor Watkins said.

St. Paul's had its best scoring chance at four minutes when midfielder Scott Mayer kicked a floater from the left corner that was stopped by Jesuit goalkeeper Andrew Mullins.

Then Jesuit, playing with a strong wind at its back, went on the offensive in the second half and shutdown the St. Paul's offense.

Jesuit took a 1-0 lead at 53 minutes on a bizarre play that contained a bit of bad luck for St. Paul's. Madere got the ball on the right side of the penalty box and kicked a hard crossing shot that was deflected on a dive by Wiedemann.

Jesuit's Charles Kleinschmidt got the rebound outside the right side of the goal box. He kicked a shot to the goal that went off of St. Paul's defender Spencer Pearson and into the right corner of the net.

"I just came in and got it off the deflection," said Kleinschmidt, who was named Outstanding Player of the match.

Jesuit's Chris Cabos scored the second goal when he got a cross from Madere and put in a shot from the left side of the penalty box at 70 minutes.

St. Paul's had a couple of scoring threats after Cabos' goal but couldn't score.

"It was hard for us to get into a rhythm," Watkins said. "Jesuit managed to control the tempo of the game."

As a result, Jesuit is state champions again.

"You have to give credit to Jesuit, because they are an outstanding team," Watkins said.

And Jesuit finished one of its greatest seasons ever.

"I'm going to enjoy this immensely," Duncan said.

. . . . . . .

Pierce W. Huff can be reached at [e-mail] or [phone]