Blessed Htoo made the most of a golden opportunity to end what turned into a roller coaster of emotions for Como Park.
St. Paul Como Park attacker SK, top, celebrates with goalkeeper Louden DeGaetano (00) after they defeated Simley 4-3 in overtime of the Class 2A Semifinal of the Boys State Soccer Tournament at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)
He does know that his tally with 5:42 left in double overtime means the Cougars will play for a state title after beating Simley 4-3 in a Class 2A boys soccer semifinal Tuesday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
A feed from Stephan N’da split a pair of defenders, getting the ball to Htoo racing into the box.
“I saw the keeper was shuffling to come out or not and then at the last (second) he came out, I went to the left and passed it into the goal,” Htoo said.
Unseeded in the tournament, Como Park (15-5-1) will face top-seeded Blake (18-1-2) in Friday’s public school vs. private school 2:45 p.m. final back in downtown Minneapolis.
“We want to represent what the people of St. Paul can bring to soccer,” said Cougars captain Henry Simmons. “We want to show the immigrants who come to St. Paul what they can do.”
Winning a second school title — the Cougars won the 2013 Class A crown — would be a case of climbing the ladder. Como Park, which finished fourth in the St. Paul City Conference, upset No. 3 New Ulm 3-1 in the quarterfinals. Simley (17-2-2) was the No. 2 seed.
St. Paul Como Park goalkeeper Ta Htoo, left, stops a shot by Simley defender Elvis Hernandez Paz (26) during the second half of the Class 2A Semifinal of the Boys State Soccer Tournament at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. St. Paul Como Park won 4-3 in overtime. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)
“We’re happy to have made state for the first time in nine years, but we weren’t just happy to be here. After watching film of all seven other teams that qualified, we felt we could give anybody a game,” said coach Brendan Doyle.
Simley coach David Albornoz said the only thing his team did not do is win.
“You want to walk out of these games with a sense of pride that you have done everything you can do. … To come back from 3-1, to overcome a couple of mistakes and still be able to compete, we did everything we could. I’m extremely proud.”
It helps to have the recently named Class 2A Mr. Soccer in your lineup.
Simley’s Elvis Hernandez Paz and Michael Hernandez Ruiz, two of five finalists for the award, combined on a textbook give-and-go with Paz, the award winner, scoring in the 68th minute to make it 3-2.
Paz did so again with 2:06 left, converting a Luis Ramirez Reyes feed and tipping the ball over the Como Park goalkeeper a split-second before the players collided.
“He earned the title, Mr. Soccer. There’s a reason for it, and he showcased that today,” Albornoz said.
St. Paul Como Park fans celebrate after they defeated Simley in overtime during the Class 2A Semifinal of the Boys State Soccer Tournament at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)
Htoo couldn’t have been in a better spot at the right time to make it 3-1 Como Park in the 58th minute, interrupting a punt attempt by Simley goalkeeper Dylan Gonzalez and scoring into an open net.
But Gonzalez more than redeemed himself and forced overtime with a leaping, fully extended one-handed tip to thwart a Patrick Tennison chip with 26 seconds left in regulation.
Pai Chi’s right-footed shot from 45 yards away was perfectly placed just under the crossbar for a 2-1 Como Park lead in the 31st minute. Doyle said Chi scored from 50 yards out in a section semifinal win over St. Paul Washington.
Blake 4, Northfield 1
Landon Bell, Jackson Fulton and Moises Hueta scored in the first half, and the Bears beat No. 4 Northfield 4-1.
James Lewis added a late goal for Blake, which seeks its third crown, and first in Class AA. It won Class A titles in 2008 and 2018.
Josue Lazaro scored for Northfield (12-4-5).
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