By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Reaching the Class 6A soccer semifinals will never get old for Brian Hensyel and the Washburn Rural girls, but it has become an expectation for the proud Junior Blues instead of a dream.
Washburn Rural extended its impressive streak of final four appearances to 10 with Tuesday's 4-0 shutout over Lawrence Free State at McElroy Field, with the Junior Blues advancing to Friday's 6A semifinals at Hummer Sports Park.
Washburn Rural junior star Kate Hinck (9) registered a hat trick in Tuesday's 4-0 win over Free State at McElroy Field, giving her 10 goals in three postseason games. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
"It's crazy because the coaches on the sideline were talking about the first time we did it 15 years ago and it seemed like this huge accomplishment and it was, 'Man, we finally broke through,' '' Hensyel said. "And to see where the program is at 15 years later and to see that now become the norm and the standard is really something to be proud of.
"All year this was our goal. All year our goal was to get back there with a chance to try to win two games against the best teams in the state. The girls took care of business, but now we've got to try to make some noise this weekend.''
Junior standout Kate Hinck had reason to celebrate the number 10 as well, with Hinck recording a three-goal hat trick to give her 10 goals in Rural's three postseason games and 25 goals on the season.
Washburn Rural junior Kate Hinck's three goals Tuesday gave her 25 goals on the season. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural, which improved to 16-3-0 with its 13th win in 14 games (all shutouts), got the only goal it would need at the 31:44 mark of the first half on Hinck's first goal and got a goal from junior Destiny Higgs with 10:35 left in the half to give the Junior Blues a 2-0 halftime advantage.
Junior Destiny Higgs scored Washburn Rural's second goal in Tuesday's 4-0 win over Free State in a Class 6A quarterfinal. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Hinck scored her second goal of the game just 4:14 into the second half and finished off her hat track at the 28:32 mark.
The Rural three-sport standout has recorded a pair of hat tricks in the Junior Blues' postseason run sandwiched around a four-goal performance (all in the first half) of last Thursday's 8-0 win over Wichita East in a regional final.
"My teammates are just giving incredible passes to me,'' Hinck said. "Our chemistry is so good. We just work really well together, our passes find each other perfectly and our defense is awesome.''
Rural senior Hayley Legg was credited with a pair of assists in Tuesday's win while freshman Erika Bovell and junior Ali Weakland also picked up assists.
Washburn Rural senior Mackenzie Flood (above) teamed with junior Madison Lemke to record the Junior Blues' 15th shutout of the season. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Senior Mackenzie Flood and junior Madison Lemke combined for the shutout in goal for the Junior Blues.
Washburn Rural will play at either 4 or 6:30 p.m. on Friday, with the state pairings released after the conclusion of all four state quarterfinals.
And Hinck feels like the Junior Blues are where they need to be to be in a position to challenge for the program's first state title.
"We started off kind of slow but where we're at right now I think that we have a really good chance at winning,'' Hinck said.
WASHBURN RURAL 4, FREE STATE 0
Free State (5-13-1) 0 0 -- 0
Washburn Rural (16-3-0) 2 2 -- 4
Washburn Rural -- Goals: Kate Hinck 3, Destiny Higgs. Assists: Hayley Legg 2, Erika Bovell, Ali Weakland. Shutout: Mackenzie Flood, Madison Lemke.
