Simley boys' soccer team finishes off great season

Simley's boys' soccer team completed one of its best seasons ever last week, splitting third place in Class 1A with top seed Totino-Grace. After both teams lost in the semifinals, they played to a 1-1 tie, and per MSHSL guidelines, there was no shootout.

"It didn't end the way we planned, but that's the way soccer goes," said coach Noel Quinn, whose Spartans were the No. 2 seed and playing in their first state tournament ever.

The team's final game of the year didn't begin all that great, either.

On the game's opening kickoff, Totino-Grace standout Paul Yonga booted the ball about 55 yards into the back of the Simley net.

Three seconds into the game, and it was 1-0 Eagles.

"The game started at 8 a.m. so I don't know if our goalkeeper was half-asleep or what he was doing," Quinn said with a chuckle. "Still needed his morning coffee or something."

The game was much closer from there. Jack Kessler evened the score in the second half, helping the team complete an 18-2-5 record.

"The Dome was a goal of ours; it was nice getting there," Quinn said, also noting that the Spartans won the Classic Suburban conference for just the second time. "To get third place in the state, tie with Totino, shows we can compete with the top teams in the state.

The state volleyball tournament begins Thursday at the Xcel Energy Center with a trio of South metro teams in action in Class 3A.

Top-seeded Shakopee (29-0), the two-time defending state champions, opens play at 9 a.m. against Centennial (24-5).

Then at 11 a.m., No. 2 seed Burnsville (21-9) takes on unseeded Farmington (19-10).

The winners advance to Friday's semifinals. The Class 3A state championship is set for 5 p.m. Saturday.

This is Burnsville's first trip to state since 1998 and the first appearance for Farmington.