FENTON – Freshman goalkeeper Hayden Graddy ran onto the field like it was common operating procedure.
Early in the second half of the Class 2 state championship game, Springfield Catholic starting goalie Tyler Fischer committed a foul that resulted in a yellow card, forcing his temporary removal from the game.
In a flash, Graddy tightened his gloves, raced to the net, and prepared to face the ensuing Principia penalty kick.
“I was so nervous, but I just trusted in my strategy,” Graddy said. “I looked at his foot on the back side, picked whether he was going left or right, and just threw myself there.”
Graddy’s diving save provided the pivotal moment as Springfield Catholic defeated Principia 2-0 to capture the Class 2 Missouri State High School Activities Association state title Saturday at Soccer Park in Fenton.
Springfield Catholic (30-1), which won its first championship since 2012, gave coach Tom Davidson his first state title in his 34-year coaching career.
“I started with these kids four years ago. We talked about building, getting better, and here we are, reaching the ultimate goal four years later. It’s super special,” Davidson said.
Springfield Catholic opened the scoring in the 10th minute when junior Tyler Holum rocketed a 17-yard shot over the outstretched left arm of Principia goalie Rhys Rainwater for his 34th goal of the year.
“He has been doing that for us all year,” Davidson said. “Through all my years (of coaching), he’s about as natural of a goal scorer as I’ve had.”
The Fightin’ Irish led 1-0 at halftime, but Principia emerged from the intermission in another gear. Senior Alberto Hernández Cristales quickly cut inside and missed inches wide with his shot. Moments later, Sophomore Jemoi Blackman raced into the box and was tripped up by a diving Fischer, who earned a yellow card.
Graddy entered the game without hesitation, as if saving penalty kicks was his specialty.
“It’s not my specialty at all,” he said. “I just trusted in God, I trusted myself, and my teammates trusted in me.”
Cristales ripped a PK that was ticketed for the corner, but Graddy launched himself with a Superman dive to his left and knocked it away.
“When it happened, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this kid just ran off the bench and saved a penalty kick,’” Davidson said.
Springfield Catholic senior Benjamin Mulherin quickly located the rebound and booted it out of bounds for a Principia corner kick.
“Maybe the greatest save I’ve ever seen,” Mulherin said. “He comes in and honestly won us the game right there. He saved us all.”
Fischer reentered the game and exchanged a flying chest bump with Graddy, but the Principia momentum was only beginning.
Three minutes later, Cristales stole a pass in the midfield and headed in on a breakaway. He maneuvered around Fischer and directed a 12-yard shot at the wide-open net.
It hit the post.
“When they missed the breakaway, I felt that it might be our night. Maybe something was shining on us,” Davidson said.
Principia senior Francisco Vasquez delivered a perfect cross that was served inches wide by senior Munene Ngethe. With 13 minutes remaining, junior Fernando Martinez Marinero blasted a shot just over the crossbar after a beautiful, tic-tac-toe passing play by the Panthers
“I was telling the guys, ‘Just weather the storm,’” Mulherin said. “We really had to stay together as a team.”
And Mulherin and the Springfield Catholic defense did exactly that, winning balls in flight and along the ground in the final 12 minutes.
“We all just clicked at the same time,” Mulherin said.
In the final seconds, Holum entered the box and snuck a second shot past Rainwater, sending the Fightin’ Irish and their fans into a frenzy.
“I was on top of the world,” Holum said. “All the hard work that we did in the summer and over the season was going to pay off. It was great to celebrate that with my brothers and the family that we made.”
Springfield Catholic, which lost to Borgia in a Class 3 quarterfinal last season, was dropped into Class 2 this season, which served as extra motivation for the Irish.
“We knew we had the potential and the talent to do something great. We saw we got bumped back to Class 2 which put a little chip on our shoulder because we thought we could do it in Class 3 too,” Holum said.
The Fightin’ Irish lost 1-0 to Ozark on Sept. 23 for their only loss of the season in a game which they missed a penalty kick and dinged the crossbar twice.
“We all wanted the same thing, to go undefeated and win the state championship,” Mulharin said. “We had 6 a.m. practices, came together as a team and that’s what it took. We didn’t go undefeated, but we won 30 games and a state championship.”
And for Davidson, who coached at Kickapoo for 16 years and Ozark for 14, the fourth year was the charm at Springfield Catholic.
“I tried to retire a few years ago and then this opportunity came up, and it was just a dream opportunity,” he said.
During the medal ceremony, Davidson was moved to tears.
“I waited 34 years for this,” he said. “I’m glad I can be called a state champ.”
For a photo gallery of this game, click on this link: https://benvessa.smugmug.com/Boys-Soccer/Boys-Soccer-2025/Principia-vs-Springfield-Catholic-Class-2-11-22-25
