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St. Louis Boys Champions League: Chaminade wins in PKs, Oakville in OT to advance to Champions League title game
October 17, 2026|Admin
St. Louis Today coverage
Semi-Finals: Chaminade wins in PKs, Oakville in OT to advance to Champions League title game
Final is October 17 at 7:00 pm CST
Metro Sports St. Louis Coverage by Ben Vessa:
Oakville wins in OT
FRONTENAC – Oakville junior Zen Al-Kenani knew the method of attack had to change.
The Tigers tried long passes, through balls and side-to-side reversals and could not generate scoring opportunities against an impenetrable Fort Zumwalt West defense.
“We weren’t really taking any shots, so when I got the ball outside the box, I said, ‘Why not?’” Al-Kenani said.
Al-Kenani’s blast from distance tied the score and Tarik Nuhanovic’s 40-yard free kick won it in overtime as Oakville outlasted Fort Zumwalt West 2-1 to advance to the finals of the 3rd annual STL Champions League tournament Wednesday at Chaminade.
Oakville (14-2), which won its seventh consecutive game, will play Chaminade (16-0-3) for the STL Champions League title at 7 p.m. Saturday at Creve Coeur Park Soccer Complex in Maryland Heights. Chaminade defeated Francis Howell Central in PKs in the other semifinal.
Fort Zumwalt West (9-7-1) used an outstanding individual effort by senior captain Landon Miley to open the scoring in the 44th minute.
Miley, a one-man pressure creator at the top of the Jaguars’ formation, forced a rare misplay by the Oakville defense, intercepted the ball, and created a corner kick opportunity that produced the first goal.
“He’s annoying to play against, and that’s the biggest compliment I can give him,” Fort Zumwalt West coach Brian Hruby said. “He’ll chase the lost cause 100 times if that means he’ll win it once, and he created the long, set piece opportunity.”
A beautiful corner service by senior Kade Keith was knocked into the net by the head of senior Brody Besand to give Fort Zumwalt West a 1-0 lead.
The goal allowed the Jaguars to lean into their strength as center backs Chase Worrell and Mac Marlowe rejected Oakville services into the box, and all-state goalkeeper Cody Baden gobbled up long passes and through balls.
“Our chemistry just wasn’t clicking. Give credit to Fort Zumwalt West, they had us flustered a little bit,” Oakville coach Brad Oestreich said. “But when they scored, we knew we needed to go. It lit a fire under us.”
Oakville tilted the field in its direction, but 50-50 balls in the air and on the ground went to the Jaguars. That is when Al-Kenani took his shot.
Receiving the ball near the top of the 18-yard box, Al-Kenani tapped it to his right and fired a perfectly-placed shot that ricocheted off the right post and caromed into the net to tie the game at 1-1 with 9:55 remaining.
“I just turned and shot it and it went in,” Al-Kenani said.
Prior to overtime, Oestreich challenged his team to meet the moment.
“The message was, ‘We’re going for it.’ It’s a Champions League game, it’s a big deal,” Oestreich said. “It was a great opportunity to see what the boys had at a time where we had to push through and get a win.”
Al-Kenani led the charge, earning a corner kick early in the extra session that senior Isaiah Ayidiya headed inches over the bar.
“In overtime, momentum dictates how the game goes, so I try to do anything in my power to get us going, the bench going, the fans going,” Al-Kenani said.
The Oakville fans and bench were lively after the Tigers were fouled 40 yards from the Fort Zumwalt West net. Tarik Nuhanovic delivered an excellent service into the box, that, for the first time all game, was not discarded by a Jaguars’ defender. Instead, it hit the turf and skidded past Baden for the game-winning goal.
“It was a good delivery. We didn’t deal with the first ball and it skipped through. I’m not going to fault our guys because how many other services did we deal with correctly?” Hruby said. “Someone had to win, and credit to them, they did enough to advance. Usually, you want to be frustrated after a loss, but this is one that I’m just proud of the effort.”
Fort Zumwalt West lost 11 players from last season’s Class 4 third place team, yet is still playing at a high level, including winning a STL Champions League group that included two-time finalist De Smet.
“When you lose that many pieces, it’s easy to take a giant step back, and I don’t think we have,” Hrudy said.
For Oakville, whose only losses have come to Vianney and SLUH by scores of 1-0, the STL Champions League final is an important step to where they want to go.
“This is a special group, talent-wise and how they play together as a family, and that’s something you can’t teach,” Oestreich said.
For a photo gallery from this game, click on the link below:
https://benvessa.smugmug.com/Boys-Soccer/Boys-Soccer-2026/Oakville-vs-FZW-Champions-League-Semis
Chaminade advances on PK's
FRONTENAC – Chaminade senior Barrett McLaughlin placed the ball gently on the penalty kick spot and tried not to think too deeply.
McLaughlin, who converted a PK opportunity earlier in the game, stood at the spot once again as the STL Champions League semifinal between Chaminade and Francis Howell Central advanced to penalty kicks.
McLaughlin blasted his earlier PK low and to the right. Would the goalkeeper expect him to go the same way or the opposite direction? Should he switch it up or stay with what worked?
Those thoughts never entered his mind.
“Usually when I do that, I get in my own head, so I just picked my place and struck it with confidence,” he said.
McLaughlin smashed his PK inside the opposite post, part of perfect penalty kick session for the Red Devils, as Chaminade defeated Francis Howell Central 2-1 (4-2 in PKs) Wednesday to advance to the championship match of the 3rd annual STL Champions League.
Chaminade (16-0-3), which raised its unbeaten streak to 19 games, advanced to play Oakville (14-2) in the STL Champions League final at 7 p.m. Saturday at Creve Coeur Soccer Complex in Maryland Heights.
Oakville defeated Fort Zumwalt West 2-1 in overtime in the other semifinal.
In front of an enthusiastic home crowd at Coach Don Ohlms Field, Chaminade came out flying in the opening 15 minutes. The Red Devils used their exceptional quickness with the ball and sprinting speed without it to give Francis Howell Central no alternative but to foul.
At times, it appeared the Spartans (13-2-1) were playing the wrong sport of football, and they were eventually called for a foul inside the penalty area. McLaughlin drilled home the PK attempt and Chaminade led 1-0.
The PK appeared to do as much good for Francis Howell Central as it did for Chaminade, as the Spartans settled their nerves and their bodies and settled into the game.
“Hats off to (Chaminade). They came out on fire the first 15 minutes, and it took us a while to get comfortable, but after the PK we were able to settle in and play with more composure,” Francis Howell Central coach Eddie Mulholland said.
Late in the first half, the Spartans were rewarded for that composure when senior Chase Radeke corralled a pass in the box and buried a right-footed blast to tie the game at 1.
Radeke nearly helped Howell Central take the lead midway through the second half when his 50-yard free kick was headed goalward by senior Dominic Hartwell and required a brilliant right hand save by Chaminade keeper Palmer Masson.
Moments later, junior Tyler O’Brien accepted a through ball and fired a shot that was denied by a sprawling Masson.
“As the game went, I thought we were stronger and stronger and created opportunities,” Mulholland said. “At times, I thought we were deserving of winning in regulation, but we couldn’t find the back of the net.”
Chaminade showed its technical excellence throughout the second half and during the overtime sessions. Not only did the Red Devils show the ability to zoom past defenders with speed, but they also displayed the patience of side-to-side passing and the creativity of dangerous buildups.
Twice, a patient Red Devils’ possession resulted in a glorious scoring chance, including a point-blank shot by sophomore Luke Snow in overtime that was rejected by the Superman dive of Howell Central keeper Logan Derry.
“We had good composure and that really helped,” McLaughlin said.
That composure was evident during the PK session as well.
Chaminade junior Ray Fusz led it off by launching an unsavable shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and angled into the net. McLaughlin followed with a low screamer that snuck inside the left post.
“I like going second. It takes the pressure off. It’s free flowing,” McLaughlin said.
That flow continued as Hunter Daly and Snow buried shots to give Chaminade a 4-for-4 showing during PKs. A sliding save by Masson on an attempt by Howell Central junior Tyler O’Brien secured the Red Devils victory and kept their unbeaten streak alive.
“We have that good, brother bond,” McLaughlin said. “We’re all fighting for each other and that’s a big part of our success this season.”
For a photo gallery from this game, click the link below:
