By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural soccer is the position it set its sights on way back in March.
Now the Junior Blues are just two wins away from their ultimate goal -- the first Class 6A girls state championship in Rural's proud program history.
Washburn Rural claimed its 11th straight trip to the 6A Final Four with Monday's 5-0 state quarterfinal win over city rival Topeka High in a persistent rain at McElroy Field and the Junior Blues will be back at home Wednesday for a 6 p.m. semifinal contest against Blue Valley.
Washburn Rural senior Zahra Friess (right) scored two goals in Monday's 5-0 Class 6A quarterfinal win over Topeka High. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Kate Hinck (right) scored a goal in Monday's 5-0 Class 6A quarterfinal win over Topeka High. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"We've been looking forward to this game all year,'' Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel said of the semifinal clash. "From the first day of practice we said we want to host the semifinal on May 28th, so we've got to battle through a tough schedule, get the top seed, do whatever we've got to do.
"But we've been in that semifinal game 10 straight years, and I think we're 4-6 or something like that. That's a hard game to win because you're playing a good team from Kansas City every time, but I love our chances on this field against whoever has to come here and play us.
"So all year, for three months, we've talked about homefield advantage and playing the semifinal on our field so to accomplish that's a pretty good deal. We'll be ready to go Wednesday night for sure.''
Rural, which improved to 17-2-0 with its 10th straight victory, took control of Monday's game with two goals in the first 5:47 of the game.
Senior Bristol Karr scored the only goal Rural would need at the 37:06 mark and senior Zahra Friess scored the first of her two goals on the night less than three minutes later.
Topeka High was still within two goals at halftime and well into the second half bfore Friess scored again with 23:43 remaining to put Rural in front 3-0.
The Junior Blues, who topped the Trojans 3-1 in the regular season, added goals from senior Kate Hinck and sophomore Maile Eldridge over the final 13:17 to close out the win.
Sophomor Emery Hall was credited with a pair of assists in Washburn Rural's 5-0 Class 6A quarterfinal win over Topeka High Monday. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Sophomore Emery Hall was credited with a pair of assists while junior Brecken Murphy also picked up an assist.
Seniors Madison Lemke and Hailey Davin combined for the shutout in goal for the Junior Blues.
Topeka High finished its season 7-11-1 after putting together a strong postseason run to earn its first appearance in the state quarterfinals since 2019.
"We knew this one was going to be a tough one and we're beat up, banged up, bruised, but everybody is at the end of the year,'' Topeka High coach Derek Snook said. "But I couldn't be more proud of the way we came through and played the last two games to make it this far.''
Blue Valley (11-8-0) advanced to Wednesday's semifinal with a 3-2 win over Blue Valley North.
WASHBURN RURAL 5, TOPEKA HIGH 0
Topeka High (7-11-1) 0 0 -- 0
Washburn Rural (17-2-0) 2 3 -- 5
Washburn Rural -- Goals: Zahra Friess 2, Bristol Karr, Kate Hinck, Maile Eldridge. Emery Hall 2, Brecken Murphy. Shutout: Madison Lemke, Hailey Davin.
