WEBSTER GROVES – The Summit boys soccer team insists there is not a ‘goal celebration’ station at practice.
Two days after senior Nick Nusser hit a cartwheel/backflip combo to celebrate his game-tying goal in the district semifinal, Chase Parmer created his own viral moment in overtime of the district championship game.
Parmer launched the game-winning, golden goal in overtime, then launched his shirt skyward as Summit defeated Webster Groves 2-1 to capture the Class 3 District 2 title Saturday at Moss Field.
Summit (12-9), which endured a six-game losing streak prior to the playoffs, advanced to face either Cape Notre Dame (13-8) or Poplar Bluff (14-10) in a Class 3 quarterfinal on Saturday, Nov. 15 at a time and location to be determined. The Bulldogs and Mules will play for the Class 3 District 1 championship Monday.
Tied 1-1 in overtime, senior AJ Touhy blasted a shot that was saved by the left leg of Webster Groves goalie Marcus Terri and caromed towards Parmer 12 yards from the goal.
“It came to me and I just put it in the back of the net, end of story,” Parmer said.
Moments after ripping the hearts out of Webster Groves fans, Parmer ripped off his shirt and sent it into the stratosphere as he ran towards the corner flag to celebrate.
“All instincts. All the emotions came out there,” Parmer said. “This is what we’ve been working for and I’m so happy we finished it.”
During the Falcons’ district semifinal victory over Mehlville, senior Nick Nusser delivered the game-tying goal, then delivered a perfect cartwheel into a backflip. The celebration was recorded on video by Summit athletic director Dustin Hays and has received over 25 thousand views on Instagram.
“I just ran to the corner to celebrate with everyone and my adrenaline was through the roof,” Nusser said afterward. “When I hit that backflip, that was sick.”
Summit coach Tom Wade claims that viral goal celebrations are not included in the Falcons’ everyday practice plan.
“We practice just trying to put it in the goal. Whatever happens after that is all on them,” he said.
Putting the ball in the goal was a challenge Saturday against a Webster Groves team that had shut out five of its previous six opponents. Feeding off the energy of a vibrant crowd with dueling student sections, the Statesmen controlled play over the first 20 minutes and produced a bevy of scoring chances.
Statesmen junior Jack Silverman delivered a punishing shot that hit the shoulder of Summit goalie Braeden Boeger, went airborne and was ticketed for the inside of the net before Falcons’ defender Evan Wade booted it off the goal line in the nick of time.
“I thought Webster was fantastic. They controlled the run of play the first 20 minutes and it took a little bit of time for us to settle in,” Tom Wade said.
Webster Groves (10-13) was rewarded for its excellent first half in the 30th minute. A free kick that originated just inside the corner flag eventually found the head of senior Harper McEvoy to give the Statesmen a 1-0 lead going into halftime.
“It was all about keeping a winning mentality,” Parmer said. “When we went a goal down, we knew we were going to come back strong.”
The Falcons’ strong second half was spearheaded by a heroic performance from senior Jack Steele, who missed two months of the season with a torn hamstring. Coming off the bench, Steele played inspired minutes, provided great energy and became more dangerous as the game progressed.
First, he delivered a perfect through-ball to senior Hamza Ahmad, whose laser required an excellent save from Terri. Then, Steele sprinted down the left side and made himself available for Parmer in transition.
“I was screaming for it, and (Parmer) doesn’t even look at me. He must have seen me out of the corner of his eye and sends a perfect ball through,” Steele said. “I picked out a corner and just put it away.”
Steele’s game-tying goal, his fourth of the season and second of the playoffs, occurred with only 13 minutes remaining in regulation. It was a microcosm of the Falcons’ comeback nature, which included a 3-2 win against Kirkwood after trailing by two goals and a district semifinal victory over Mehlville in which the Falcons trailed at halftime.
“We talk a lot about adversity – how you respond and how you handle it,” Wade said. “Our mentality is, ‘Trust each other, trust the system. When you get your chances, finish, because you’re never out of it until it’s over.’”
The Falcons shifted momentum in their favor in the final minutes of regulation and headed to overtime with confidence.
“I was hoping to get one late. We were pressing the last five minutes,” Wade said. “Our message before overtime was, ‘All gas, no brakes, let’s get the next one, go home and party.’”
And Parmer decided that shirts were optional.
Last season, Summit finished with an 8-15 record, losing in the district semifinal to eventual Class 3 runner-up Vianney in penalty kicks. The senior-laden Falcons began this season by winning eight of their first 11 games, before a six-game losing streak in October threatened to derail their season.
“We had a bit of a lull due to a lot of injuries,” Steele said. “That’s not an excuse in any way, we just had to find new places for new guys to work. Now a lot of those injured guys have come back.”
The night before the district championship match, the Falcons had a team dinner at the Steele residence, where a team-bonding, hair-bleaching event took place. They arrived at Moss Field with various shades of blondeness atop their heads.
“Some of these are a little red,” Tom Wade said with a laugh.
The only player not sporting blonde hair was Wade’s son, Evan, who served as the placekicker for the Summit football team Friday night and did not partake in the en-‘lightening’ experience.
“The deal was, if we win districts, I’m going to bleach my hair, so I’ll be joining the boys in a few hours,” said Evan Wade, a William Jewell baseball commit.
And as for the coaches?
“Mario (Cacioppo) and I did it in 2023 and we finished third, so I have a feeling the boys are going to bully us into it. We have a friend who does it, so we’ll get ours professionally done,” Tom Wade said.
They may be encouraged to step up their celebration game as well.
For a photo gallery from this game, visit: https://benvessa.smugmug.com/Boys-Soccer/Boys-Soccer-2025/Summit-vs-Webster-Groves-11-8-25
