By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Veteran Washburn Rural girls soccer coach Brian Hensyel knows that to be the best his Junior Blues, a perennial state contender, are going to have to prove they can beat the best if they're going to win their first state title after a string of near-misses.
Washburn Rural soccer celebrates Saturday's 3-1 win over previously unbeaten St. James Academy. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
And Rural took a big step in that direction Saturday when it completed a big three-game week with a 3-1 win over previously unbeaten St. James Academy at McElroy Field.
The Junior Blues, now 10-2, opened their busy week with a 4-0 win over city rival Shawnee Heights before knocking off 10-time state champion Blue Valley West for the first time ever in a 2-0 road decision and capping the week by handing the Thunder its first loss after 12 straight victories.
"We said at the beginning of the year we were going to challenge the girls with the toughest schedule we could find and this week in particular, playing two teams back to back we wanted to try to create what the last week of the season will look like because you have to win a semifinal and then you have to play somebody great in the final,'' Hensyel said.
"So we had Blue Valley West, a team we hadn't beat before, and St. James, who hadn't lost a game. That's about as tough as we can make it.''
Washburn Rural never trailed after a successful penalty kick from junior Dayne Shriver six minutes into the match.
Senior Kate Hinck (left) battles Avery Rasmussen for a loose ball in Saturday's 3-1 Washburn Rural win over previously unbeaten St. James Academy. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Junior Blues made it a 2-0 game with 14:30 left in the opening half when senior Delaney Hill scored off an assist from junior Peyton Merrick and Rural added a third goal at the 10:35 mark when senior Kate Hinck found the back of the net off an assist from senior Destiny Higgs.
St. James Academy cut its halftime deficit to 3-1 with 9:08 remaining in the half and the Thunder put pressure on senior goalkeeper Madison Lemke and the Rural defense most of the second half, but the Junior Blues were able to maintain their two-goal advantage.
"I'm just really proud of how the girls have responded,'' Hensyel said. "We've had injuries, we've had people in and out and all different things and this was a tough week and they did awesome.''
Washburn Rural will return to Centennial League play on Tuesday when it hosts Emporia.
WASHBURN RURAL 3, ST. JAMES ACADEMY 1
St. James Academy (12-1) 1 0 -- 1
Washburn Rural (10-2-0) 3 0 -- 3
St. James Academy -- Goal: Avery Rasmussen.
Washburn Rural -- Goals: Dayne Shriver, Delaney Hill, Kate Hinck. Assists: Destiny Higgs, Peyton Merrick.
