St. Louis has a soccer tradition that is unmatched by any city in America. The Gateway City is regarded as the soccer capital of the U.S. That reputation dates back to 1950, when a group of St. Louis boys led the United States to a shocking upset of England in the World Cup. Later, Saint Louis University would dominate the college soccer world throughout much of the 1960s and 1970s. The Billikens 10 national championships are a record. Today, local players like Taylor Twellmann, Pat Noonan, Steve Ralston and Chris Klein are regarded among the top American professional players.

St. Louis has a long history of developing home grown talent. Today's budding soccer stars continue to get excellent coaching and encouragement in the St. Louis region through various leagues, club teams and high schools. To recognize these talented young players, the Missouri Athletic Club sponsors the High School Senior All-Star Games every June. The games feature the top prep boys and girls soccer players in the St. Louis area. Players are divided into North and South teams, depending on their schools' location. The girls' game is at 6 p.m., followed by the boys' at 8 p.m. The games are played at the Anheuser-Busch Center in Fenton.

Players are selected by the Eastern Missouri High School Coaches Association. Annually these games feature a number of bright young players who go on to make their mark at some of the top college programs in the country. The event has grown in popularity in recent years, attracting print and television coverage from Charter Cable. Hosting the High School All-Star Games enhances the Club’s effort to promote amateur soccer both locally and nationally. The MAC annually honors the top collegiate soccer players with the presentation of the Hermann Trophy.

St. Louis’ most skilled and talented high school senior soccer stars battled it out at the Anheuser-Busch Center on Friday, June 13. All squads gave great effort and never gave up, but in the end the North boys and girls squads swept the South teams. The North girls attempted to even the series score with a 4-0 victory over the South, while the North boys increased their series lead by beating the South squad 9-2. 
In the girls’ game, the North quickly made it known that they were there to play. Blake Miller (Incarnate Word Academy) scored a goal 13 minutes and 30 seconds into the game to put the North ahead. From there the North could not be stopped. Goals were also scored by Maggie Kistner (Burroughs), Drea Barklage (Incarnate Word Academy) and Kelly Muesenfechter (Ft. Zumwalt North). Goalkeepers Claire Lovercheck (Hazelwood Central) and Katie Gallagher (Howell North) split time in the goal for the shutout.

Spectators at the boys’ game saw one of the highest scoring matches in All-Star game history. Nine goals were scored by the North, three by Duchesne’s Johnny O’Mara. Two goals were scored by Peter Hyde (Chaminade), and Eric Mooney (Whitfield), David Schwer (Ft. Zumwalt West), Parker Rawdon (Clayton) and Jordan Barnes (CBC) each scored one goal.

Jimmy Hangyal (St. Pius) and Kevin Aubuchon (St. Mary’s) scored for the South.

The game’s MVPs were Maggie Kistner (Burroughs) for the North girls, Amanda Teschner (Oakville) for the South girls; Johnny O’Mara (Duchesne) for the North boys and Allen Loy (Borgia) for the South boys.

Other award-recipients were Denis Hoelker, who was given the Steve Krause 12th man award and Claire Lovercheck (Hazelwood Central) and Luis Soffner (SLUH) were presented with the Sam Copple Memorial Goalkeeper of the Year Award.

South 1, North 0
North MVP: Nikki Grashoff
South MVP: Jamie Derleth, St. Pius