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.

Eighty of the most talented boys and girls senior soccer players in the St. Louis area capped off their prep careers by playing in the annual MAC All-Star Games at the Anheuser-Busch Center in Fenton. Most of the talented players who competed in the showcase games have received collegiate soccer scholarships.

For the second consecutive year, the North squads swept the South. In the girls’ game, the North got goals from Ariel Boulicault (Pattonville), Jen Causey (Parkway Central) and Kelly Goehring (Rosati-Kain) en route to a 3-1 victory. Robyn Meesey (Notre Dame) scored the lone goal for the South. The MVPs of the game were North defender Emily Sinovich (Incarnate Word) and South midfielder Paige Nuelle (Kirkwood).

In the boys’ game, Brett Humes (Howell Central) scored in the first half and Andrew Chapman (Zumwalt South) added a goal in the second half for a 2-0 North lead. Peter Vaccaro (Parkway West) had a goal for the South late in the game to break up the shutout. The South MVP was keeper Tommy Campbell (Kennedy) and Humes was the North MVP.

Between games, the Steve Krause “12th man” Award for service to soccer was awarded to longtime Kennedy coach Tom Rapp. The Sam Copple Goalkeeper of the Year honors went to John Berner (St. Mary’s) and to Tori Champagne (Duchesne).

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