
Cor Jesu forward Maddie DiMaria, right, gets a shot off as St. Joseph defender Julianna Malpiedi tries to block during a game Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Affton. St. Joseph defeated Cor Jesu 4-3.
OK, so right away, Ana DiMaria did ultimately figure out this soccer thing.
In fact, she now plays in college for Mizzou.
But as explained by her father, Jeff: “When she first started playing, she wanted nothing to do with it. She just stood there. ... We just kind of were hoping she’d even touch the ball. So long story short, we weren’t sure what to expect with Maddie.”
Ana’s younger sister was 4. Maybe 5. It was her first official soccer game — with goalies and score-keeping and all that — played at the indoor Vetta facility in South County.
Jeff recalled a huddle of kids going after the ball.
“She got it and got loose and was, like, gone,” he said. “Just took off like a rocket. And I was like: Hmmm. She was dribbling, she kept it real close, went down and scored a goal. ... I remember thinking: That looked different.”
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DiMARIA
Maddie DiMaria. Now 16 and a Cor Jesu sophomore, you can make an argument that she’s the best high school soccer player in the United States. Yes, perhaps you’re thinking: How can you be so sure, Benjamin? But follow me here.
Last year as a freshman, DiMaria scored 30 goals with 21 assists, and she won the Gatorade National Player of the Year. Not for her grade. For all players in the country. In the history of the prestigious national award, she was the first freshman to ever win it.
And this year, she has 39 goals. And 18 assists — and her team will play two more games. DiMaria’s team beat Ursuline, 1-0, to advance to the state Final Four. Defending state champ Cor Jesu (20-1) plays Nixa (20-2) in the semifinals at 4 p.m. Friday at World Wide Technology Soccer Park. Incidentally, in last year’s state title game, Cor Jesu won, 3-0 — and DiMaria had two goals and an assist.
“She’s always at full speed — and her full speed with the ball is hard to catch up to without the ball,” Cor Jesu coach Rachel Brcic said of the 5-foot-7 forward. “When she gets that ball, she loves to turn (and go), but she’s not afraid to dish it off. But it’s her explosion in those first couple steps that really sets her apart. ...
“I remember the first game we had last year, so her first game on varsity as a freshman. Obviously, we liked what we saw in practice, but then you watched her in a game — whoa. And now it’s like — what more can she possibly do? Yet she keeps getting better. Stronger. Creative. And it’s not just coming to her easy — she’s working for it.”

St. Joseph midfielders Olivia Kaiser (left) and Ellie Hannis (right) and Cor Jesu forward Maddie DiMaria all vie for the ball. St. Joseph defeated Cor Jesu 4-3 in a girls soccer game at Cor Jesu Academy in Affton on Wednesday April 23, 2025. Photo by Tim Vizer
Last Saturday, I attended that Cor Jesu-Ursuline state quarterfinal game. It was an event. Played at Vianney, the football stadium stands were sardined with supporters — half in C.J. red, the other half wearing white. There were raucous chants and cheers (and chides at the refs, who, according to the most passionate onlookers, missed a million fouls, yet the fouls that were actually called shouldn’t have been called).
During the game, DiMaria flashed footwork that was otherworldly, as she’d get out of the “phone booth” of defenders with eloquent and elusive touches. And five different times, DiMaria got free for a breakaway. That said, all four shots were stopped by the Ursuline keeper. DiMaria actually didn’t tally a point on the day — but Roz Doherty scored on an assist from Emma Shields in the first half, and that was enough.
“All these girls are my best friends, so being able to play with them, and just building with them, is something that is so truly awesome,” said DiMaria, who comes off both effervescent and kind. “I think that chemistry comes from team dinners and hanging out but also working super-hard, competing with each other in practice and pushing each other to be the best.”
And in Maddie’s case, that means literally.
She recently traveled overseas to play with the under-16 U.S. women’s national team. She said it’s been her dream since she was “a little girl” to someday play for the USWNT — coincidentally, the national team is in St. Louis this week for a match Tuesday against Jamaica.
But nothing is guaranteed. Not every Gatorade winner has later played or thrived for the national squad (then again, no Gatorade winner won the honors as a freshman).

Maddie DiMaria (8) of Cor Jesu just misses on a header against Liberty in the Champions League soccer finals at Maryville University in Town and Country on Saturday April 26, 2025.
When I reached out to the USWNT to interview a coach about DiMaria’s potential, they decided against it. They didn’t want to make any proclamations or predictions about any teenager’s future.
They did send me a quote from the U-16 coach, Ciara Crinion: “It was a great achievement for Maddie to win a national player of the year award as a freshman. She’s a great teammate with a lot of talent and we are very proud of her. We are looking forward to continuing to support her in her growth and development as a young player.”
Obviously, some star soccer players emerge from families with no background in the game. That said, it didn’t hurt that Maddie is a DiMaria. Her grandfather, Tom DiMaria, was a goalie at Quincy University — he’s in the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame. Her mom, Sara, was also a standout soccer player for Cor Jesu — and she went on to play at Loyola (Chicago). And her dad played at St. Louis University and, briefly, for Colorado of Major League Soccer.
Her older sis, as we know, plays at Mizzou. And her brothers, Jack and Tommy, both play in the St. Louis City SC Academy. Jack is headed to St. Louis U.
“Since I could walk, I’ve had a ball at my feet,” said Maddie, who has also thrived for St. Louis Scott Gallagher, her club team. “My father, he’s like my best friend and also my biggest supporter. I mean, he’s pushed me to grow on the field and off the field. He’s made me the best version of myself today — I owe it all to my parents and my coaches.”
Her high school coach, former Cor Jesu standout Brcic, recalled the first time she realized Maddie was, well, the Maddie that Maddie would become.
Brcic ran a camp for students from fifth grade to eighth grade.
But they let Maddie participate.
She was in third grade.
“And she was killing it,” Brcic recalled. “She was running circles around some of these girls. I remember just being like, ‘Whoa, she’s going to be really good.’ And here she is. ... She’s often man-marked in games. But she manages. And she gets fouled a lot and just pops right back up like nothing happened. I’m like: ‘Maddie, I don’t know how you do it.’ ...
“She has some of that natural talent, but she works for it. And she’s got grit. We joke that she’s kind of like the Energizer Bunny.”
The national team will play at Energizer Park on Tuesday. There will be multiple teenagers on the club, including Olivia Moultrie (19), Gisele Thompson (19) and Lily Yohannes (17).
Who knows? Perhaps the next time the USWNT plays a game at Energizer Park, the team will feature St. Louis’ Energizer Bunny.
In today’s 10 AM “Ten Hochman” video, Ben Hochman discusses Cardinals’ standout starter Matthew Liberatore, fourth in the NL in WHIP! Plus a happy birthday shoutout to Trevor Rosenthal! And as always, Hochman picks a random Cards card out of the hat!