St. Vincent girls soccer leans on family bonds, real and figurative, as it aims for third consecutive Class 1 state title

St. Vincent's captains, from left, Megan Hennemann, Sara Kapp and Kalli Seabaugh pose following a recent practice in Perryville, Missouri.

TYLER GRAEF

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Like most coaches, Caitlin Pistorio strives to create a family-like bond between her players.

Luckily for Pistorio, the fifth-year St. Vincent girls soccer coach, the groundwork had been laid in that regard long before this season started. Family bonds permeate the Indians, from the two pairs of sisters, all starters, to a group of six cousins.

Even players that don't have relatives on this team, such as senior captains Sara Kapp, Kalli Seabaugh, and Megan Hennemann, still grew up watching older sisters or cousins excel for the program.

St. Vincent's senior girl soccer players pose following a recent practice in Perryville, Missouri.

TYLER GRAEF

St. Vincent will bring that familiarity into this year's Class 1 final four, as it is seeking a third consecutive state title starting with a semifinal at 4 p.m. Wednesday against New Covenant Academy in Kansas City.

"That's the funny thing about St. Vincent," Pistorio said. "Like all parochial schools, we're accused of recruiting. You look at some of the first graduates, and they've got the same last names. They've got Wibbenmeyers and Schnurbuschs and generations of the same people at this school. ... I'm sure there's even deeper family relationships I'm not even familiar with, but it's great.

"It's half my job. They're already a family, just bringing all the families together."

This group also has plenty of state experience with Kapp, Seabaugh, and Hennemann all contributors on one or both of those state championship teams, and it is not just that trio of seniors. Megan Lipe, Genevieve Lipe (one of the two sister pairs), Mary Schwartz (part of the other sister pair) and Elizabeth Wibbenmeyer have been a part of title-winning squads, as well.

Fayth Brewer has also been on those teams and took over as starting goalkeeper this season after an injury sidelined Cierra Boland. Brewer now occupies the same position her sister Courtney Brewer did.

"We've had an awesome experience going to state the past two years," Kapp said. "It's really exciting that we're going back again because these are kind of once-in-a-lifetime things that don't happen too often."

Teaser

Notre Dame girls soccer brings experience into third consecutive Class 2 final four as seniors look to cap career with another state crown

By Phillip Suitts ~ Southeast Missourian

The Notre Dame girls soccer team has been in this position each of the last two seasons. So getting to a final four, while thrilling, is not the goal the Bulldog seniors set for themselves before this season. They wanted more, a Class 2 state championship specifically, two years after many of the same players helped capture the program's first...

Kapp played with her older sister, Faith, on the 2017 state championship team, the one that started this run.

Seabaugh never got a chance to play with her sister, Kayla, who was seven years older, but recalls traveling to watch her play in the Class 1 final four.

Kayla played in three final fours, leading the Indians to a first-place, second-place, and third-place finish.

"Poor Kalli and (Sara), they're phenomenal," Pistorio said. "Those two are probably the top players on my team and yet they've spent most of their years in the shadow of their older siblings.

"I'm sure partly that's why they're so good. Trying to prove themselves."

While Hennemann is the only girl in her immediate family, she recalls going to the final four in St. Louis to watch her older cousin play.

Hennemann was too young at that point to dream about going to state when she suited up for the Indians. Kalli Seabaugh certainly dreamed of getting there, but never expected it to happen three times.

"I honestly never thought I would get the opportunity, but getting three now is just so great," Seabaugh said. "I'm excited."

For a couple of fresh faces, this will be a new experience. Freshmen Reese Barber and Anna Schwartz, Mary's younger sister, are both starting for the Indians and Barber picked up an assist in the Indians' 2-1 overtime quarterfinal victory.

"For the ones with experience, it helps kind of calm the nerves," Pistorio said. "They've been there before. They know at the end of the day, it's just another soccer game, and I think that helps some of the underclassmen just kind of relax and put those nerves at ease."

Experience, both at state and with the sport as a whole, is an advantage St. Vincent (15-7) will have over New Covenant Academy (13-7).

This is the first final four appearance for the Springfield school and many of the team's players are new to the game of soccer.

"They've got a bunch of volleyball, basketball, (and) other players that they've converted into the sport of soccer," Pistorio said. "They've got a very athletic team."

St. Vincent also has a family bond to rely upon when things get tough. During the quarterfinal win, the Indians kept their cool and didn't bicker with one another.

That maturity and composure will also be key as the program goes for another state crown.

"I can't tell you how many teams we play against, that they're out on the field in the middle of the game and they're yelling at each other and they're just so negative," Pistorio said. "We've really worked hard to create a positive environment.

"I was telling them just yesterday, 'As a family, you should always love each other. It doesn't mean you're always going to like each other. It's totally cool for y'all not to like each other sometimes, but you guys have to build each other up. You have to stay positive. You have to keep in mind we're here a reason, and don't let that break up the family bond we've created.'"

Editor's note: Article has been updated to include information about Fayth Brewer, Courtney Brewer and Cierra Boland.