Holy Angels 3 Mahtomedi 2 Boys Soccer Class AA Semifinal

Senior midfielder Aidan Smith scored all three goals to power Holy Angels to a 3-2 victory over Mahtomedi in the Class AA boys soccer semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 3 at U.S. Bank Stadium. His final tally with just more than 20 minutes to play proved pivotal in providing the winning margin that sent the Stars (15-3-2) to a championship game for the second consecutive postseason. Holy Angels was the Class A champion in 2019, and in 2020, the state tournament wasn’t held because of the global pandemic. This season, the Stars will face Orono for the Class AA crown.

Smith scored the clinching goal when he dribbled past two defenders and finished the run with a shot to the top of the goal. Earlier, Smith had given the Stars a 1-0 lead at the break on a free kick from the right side of the penalty area. His shot curled around the outside of the defensive wall and into the right side of the net. In the opening minutes of the second half, he pushed the advantage to two goals when he was successful on a penalty kick opportunity.

Mahtomedi (18-3-0) cut the deficit in half in the 52^nd minute on a goal from senior midfielder Collin Potvin. He scored off a free kick that sailed over the head of Holy Angels senior goalkeeper McDermott Franklin. In the 72^nd minute, the Zephyrs again inched to within a goal with a scoring strike from junior forward Leonardo De La Torre, who scored from five yards.