When it comes to scoring goals, Louis Berra struggles to find the words to describe the experience.

However, he has no problem finding the net.

The Ohio State-bound midfielder scored both goals Friday to carry POWERADE FAB 50 No. 19 DeSmet (St. Louis, Mo.) to an easier-than-it-looked 2-1 victory over Middleton (Middleton, Wis.) in a round-robin match at the Gateway Soccer Classic.

“I guess it’s instinct,” Berra said after pushing his season total to 12 goals. “Teammates put me in [scoring position] and then there’s that moment when I just need to tuck it in. Everything slows down and the sole focus is on hitting the ball. … It’s so fast, but so surreal. It’s hard to explain.”

Berra’s performance carries DeSmet into challenging Saturday doubleheader. This St. Louis power, the area’s top-ranked team, plays Zionsville (Zionsville, Ind.) at 3:45 p.m., takes a short break then returns to the field for a 7:15 p.m. contest against Ballard (Louisville, Ky.).

Saturday’s matches mark the end of the three-day Gateway Soccer Classic and will be highlighted by a tripleheader at Christian Brothers College (St. Louis, Mo.) where the A and B bracket titles will be decided followed by a match between a pair of national Top 5 programs.

Quincy (Quincy, Ill.) faces Washburn Rural (Topeka, Kan.) in the Bracket B final at 3 p.m. CST, followed by POWERADE FAB 50 No. 9 Cherry Creek (Englewood, Colo.) against No. 15 Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.) in the Bracket A final at 4:45 p.m. The clash between No. 4 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) and No. 5 Jesuit (Carmichael, Calif.) starts at 6:30 p.m. All three matches will be broadcast live by Prepcasts.com.

DeSmet hopped on Middleton early in the match and following Berra’s second goal it appeared the rout was on. However, Middleton – while playing in a defensive posture most of the match – broke through with a goal by Jake Griffin with about 15 minutes remaining to make it interesting.

Bracket A Highlights

Alex Buckner’s goal carried Rockhurst to a 1-0 victory over Christian Brothers (St. Louis, Mo.) and into Saturday’s championship match. Rockhurst’s victory marked its 10th all-time at the Gateway Classic, trailing only Glendale (Springfield, Ill.), which has 11 and competed every year of the event. Rockhurst did not participate in the 2005 Gateway. … Rockhurst’s title-match opponent is Cherry Creek, which defeated Granite Bay (Granite Bay, Calif.), 2-1, on goals by Marco Toscano and Jesus Perez. Cherry Creek built a 2-0 lead before Granite Bay’s Tommy Thompson converted a penalty kick with 12 minutes remaining to set up a dramatic finish. Thompson has scored all four of Granite Bay’s goals at the event. … St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.), in the midst of a rare five-loss season, upended St. Louis University High (St. Louis, Mo.), 3-1, in the day’s biggest surprise. The outcome marked only the second time SLUH has lost a home match in regulation at its new facility. … Peoria Notre Dame (Peoria, Ill.) edged St. Anthony’s (South Huntington, N.Y.), 1-0, and will face Aquinas in the consolation final.

Bracket B Highlights

Alan Sieck scored in overtime to lift Quincy (Quincy, Ill.) to a 2-1 overtime victory against Denver East (Denver, Colo.), putting the Blue Devils in the final. Quincy will face Washburn Rural (Topeka, Kan.), a 1-0 semifinal winner over Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) on a first-half goal by Allan McFarland. Quincy, whose assistant coach Eric Stratman organizes the event, has never won a Gateway title. Meanwhile, Washburn Rural is making its first-ever appearance at the event.

Showcase/Round-Robin Highlights

DeMatha and Marquette University (Milwaukee, Wis.) lived up to their pre-event hype with one-sided wins during their opening matches Friday. DeMatha routed St. James Academy (Lenexa, Kan.), 5-0, and Marquette pinned a 4-1 defeat on Lake Forest Academy (Lake Forest, Ill.). … Christian Schmidt scored both goals as Zionsville (Zionsville, Ind.) rallied for a 2-1 victory over Ballard (Louisville, Ky.).