DeLaSalle spotlight widens to include boys' soccer

The DeLaSalle boys' soccer team came within one victory of a state championship, falling to St. Cloud Apollo 1-0 in the Class 1A finals. But there was more to the Islanders' motivation than just winning a state title.

It was just as much about getting a day in the spotlight.

With three consecutive Class 3A state championships and multiple Division I recruits, the boys' basketball team's profile could scarcely be higher. The football team is making its seventh state tournament appearance in the past eight seasons.

The soccer team? Until this year, it's been a lesser-known group.

"Basketball and football teams are always getting attention and everyone knows about them," junior forward Michael Wageman said. "Now, people are starting to pay attention to us."

Wageman scored the biggest goal in team history last Wednesday, a header in overtime that lifted DeLaSalle to a 2-1 victory over Chaska in the state semifinals.

"Maybe," Wageman said hopefully, "people will start seeing DeLaSalle as a soccer school, too."

Then in the game's waning seconds, Holy Angels' Luke Meulepas caught a desperation pass from quarterback Anthony Ekholm and was tackled on the Holy Family 29-yard-line as time ran out. As he was falling, Meulepas lost possession of the ball.

Some insisted it was an illegal forward pass, which would have ended the game.

But officials ruled it a fumble and, in sifting through the pile of players, called dual possession and awarded the ball to the offense.

All the while, no one noticed a penalty flag thrown where Ekholm had released his pass. The penalty? A roughing-the-passer personal foul on Holy Family.

Since a game cannot end on a defensive penalty, the 15-yard personal foul was tacked on to the end of the play, putting the ball on the Holy Family 15.