FENTON – Shortly after Clayton’s Anna McAndrew scored the golden goal in overtime to win the 2023 state championship, she said, “I’ll be excited to talk about this for the rest of my life. My kids will be hearing about this.”
Storytime just got longer.
For the second time in her high school career, McAndrew scored a state championship-winning goal and propelled Clayton to a 1-0 victory over St. Vincent in the Class 2 Missouri State High School Activities Association title game Saturday at Soccer Park.
Game story from 2023 state title game: https://metrosportsstl.com/2023/06/05/whitney-mcandrew-orchestrate-another-improbable-comeback-to-lead-clayton-to-class-2-title/
Clayton (14-10-1), which also won a boys soccer state title in the fall, won five of its six playoff games by a one-goal margin to capture its second girls soccer state championship in three seasons.
“It feels like we’re on the soccer map now,” said Clayton coach Brendan Taylor, who also coaches the boys team.
Game story from boys 1st state title this fall: https://metrosportsstl.com/2024/11/23/leonard-adeoye-help-clayton-earn-first-state-title-with-win-over-st-michael-the-archangel-in-class-2-title-game/
McAndrew, a senior who will run track and cross country at Washington University in St. Louis, missed the first 15 games of the season with a hip injury. She still attended practices and tried to instill energy and wisdom in her teammates, but as the season progressed and her injury prolonged, she feared she would miss the entire season.
“She had every reason to mail it in. ‘I’m running track and cross country at Wash U, I’ve already scored a state championship-winning goal,’ but she was determined to get back and help the team,” Taylor said.
McAndrew scored her first two goals of the season in a win against St. James on May 17 and did not score again until Saturday when she retrieved a rebound, turned and ripped a shot that spun off the hands of St. Vincent goalkeeper Allie Patrick and into the net 3 minutes 41 seconds into the match.
“I think we started a little flat. We always say toes, not heels, and I feel like we were on our heels in the beginning of the game,” St. Vincent coach Cari Barnes said.
The Clayton defensive plan centered around containing St. Vincent junior Lana Adams, whose 52-goal season included a hat trick in a semifinal victory over Logan-Rogersville the previous day.
Clayton freshman Elizabeth Pratl accepted the task of taking away Adams’ space with quickness and physicality, but a hard collision produced a yellow card early in the second half and forced the Greyhounds to find other players to mark Adams.
McAndrew, junior Claire Graetz and senior sweeper Annabelle Kujawa took turns preventing Adams from finding high-quality scoring chances.
“We didn’t really mean to have a revolving door, but then (Pratl) got a card,” Taylor said.
Clayton senior goalkeeper Marin Hoette dove to knock away an Adams’ blast before halftime, and four Adams’ free kick attempts drifted over the outstretched hand of Hoette and harmlessly over the crossbar in the second half.
Meanwhile, McAndrew kept applying offensive pressure. She escaped down the left side and ripped a shot that Patrick somehow tipped over the crossbar with a last second leap. Moments later, she found room on the right side and sent a shot that eluded Patrick but squirted inches past the far post.
And it was the bravery of the Clayton defenders that ultimately sealed the win. Sophomore Grace Bower, who was dangerous offensively throughout the match, absorbed an Adams’ free kick in the nose while standing as part of the wall. Kujawa, Pratl and freshman Kyra Wigglesworth courageously cleared balls out of danger in the closing minutes.
When the final buzzer sounded, Clayton became just the second team to pitch a shutout against high-powered St. Vincent (21-4) this season.
“All I ever ask is that we give it all we have, and I feel like everyone did,” Barnes said. “They play so hard and play so well together. They deserved to be here and they proved that today.”
The Greyhounds endured a brutal early-season schedule and lost their first six matches, four of them by one goal. They surrendered goals in the closing minutes in a few of those setbacks, and with the help of McAndrew, solved their late game hiccups at the perfect time.
“She is somebody who just drips wisdom. She is so level-headed. She really made us more even-keeled for the stretch run,” Taylor said. “Her presence when we started to work her back into the lineup was so transformative for our team. She gives you an offensive flair out of the midfield, and she’s also a great leader. She balanced everything.”
And that flair will be evident during future story times, when McAndrew regales about not one, but two state championship-winning goals.
“That’s quite a career,” Taylor said.
Photo gallery of the Class 2 championship match: https://benvessa.smugmug.com/Girls-Soccer-2023-24/Girls-Soccer-2025/Clayton-vs-St-Vincent-Class-2-championship