By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Cair Paravel Latin's girls soccer team won its 11th straight match with a convincing 10-0 mercy-rule victory over Maranatha Christian Academy on Monday evening at the Sunflower Soccer Complex.
Katherine Keys scored a three-goal hat track Monday as Cair Paravel Latin pushed its win streak to 11 games with a 10-0 win over Maranatha Christian Academy. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Cair Paravel's Zahra Friess (3) slides into the goal for the first of her two goals in the Lions' 10-0 win over Maranatha Christian Academy. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Sage Schwartz is congratulated by her teammates after scoring a goal in Cair Paravel's 10-0 win over Maranatha Christian Academy. [Photo by Isaac Deer/TSN]
Cair Paravel's last and only loss was a 3-2 overtime loss to Class 5A Seaman back on March 28th, but the Lions have dominated every school since the one-goal loss in the third game of the 2023 campaign.
The Lions have outscored the opposition 85-8 this season and are seeded No. 1 in the 4-1A east side of the regional standings after seven weeks.
Cair Paravel coach Doug Woolery believes that the Lions are playing their best soccer as CPLS approaches the end of the regular season.
"Every coach, no matter where at the end of the season, wants their team to get better and better. I feel like the girls here have done that," Woolery said. "It seems like the combination of where everybody's playing right now is great. After the Seaman game, I said I didn't have the pieces in the right place. I feel like I have that now. It's just a matter of the girls continuing to gel with each other."
Cair Paravel (12-1-1) ran the pace of play against Maranatha on Monday. Not many of the passes from the Lions were disrupted, challenged or intercepted. Instead, Cair Paravel consistently made clean passes, opening the contest early.
"They instinctively know where each other is going," Woolery said. "I get the most joy with the different types of goals that we're scoring. We've had four volley goals in the last three games, and we didn't have any in the early part of the season. I got great crosses coming in from KellyAnn (Chada) or from Katherine (Keys). I love seeing that.
"Katherine has made all four of those crosses coming in from KellyAnn (Chada). We're scoring more goals on headers which have been terrific. I get fifteen-dollar Sonic cards for the girls if they score a goal on a header."
Junior Katherine Keys has spent fifteen dollars out of her thirty from those Sonic gift cards given for header goals.
Keys and sophomore standout Zahra Friess led the Lions offensively against Maranatha.
Keys earned a hat trick and an assist against the Eagles, while Friess had two goals and an assist.
Lately, Keys and Friess have looked like one of the best striking duos in 4-1A. They have provided the Lion attack with 23 combined goals in the last four matches.
"I think I'm doing pretty well finishing the crosses that KellyAnn makes," Keys said. "People make runs down the sidelines, and I can finish it. I've been getting a lot of volleys lately, and I've been finishing those. Since last year, we've gotten our midfield play figured out. Our midfield has done a better job marking and being able to make plays throughout the midfield to connect the defense and the offense. Our midfielders are connecting us and helping us finish through on the ball.
"Zahra is super friendly and encouraging; she makes everyone around her better. I love Zahra."
The forward play has been sensational for the Lions. In addition to Friess and Keys providing five goals, Cair Paravel got the other five from senior Sage Schwartz (2), junior Emma Keller, sophomore Amania Vincent and Chada.
"I got some really talented forwards," Woolery said. "The play from them makes our team a lot more dangerous on the attack. I'm pleased we continue to get better every game. Sometimes the competition isn't as tough with the league we're in, so we have to make the best of that, and I think they are."
The backline has been bulletproof for the Lions. Since March 30th, Cair Paravel has only allowed three goals. On Monday, the defense provided its ninth shutout of the year. Sophomore Sawyer Schwartz and senior Audrey Smith teamed up to blank the Eagles in the goal.
Cair Paravel will look to extend its win streak to 12 matches Tuesday night as it hosts Heritage Christian Academy at Bettis Family Sports Complex for its Senior Night.
"Ideally, we hope not to lose before regionals," Woolery said. "We want to go into regionals on a high note. I'm really excited to play tomorrow and Baldwin on Friday. I'd like to ride that wave of not losing for a long time and taking that into postseason play."
CAIR PARAVEL LATIN 10, MARANATHA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 0.
Maranatha Academy (5-8-0) 0 0 – 0
Cair Paravel (12-1-1) 4 6 – 10
Cair Paravel -- Goals: Keys 3, Friess 2, Sage Schwartz 2, Vincent, Chada, Keller. Assists: Keys, Friess, Stapleton, Chada, Keller, A. Schwartz. Sage Schwartz. Shutout: Sawyer Schwartz, Smith.
