By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Veteran Washburn Rural soccer coach Brian Hensyel knows his talented Junior Blues can still play better than they have in the early portion of the 2023 season.
But the Junior Blues continue to pile up victories, improving to 5-1 Tuesday night with a weather-shortened 8-0 Centennial League decision over Junction City at McElroy Field.
Washburn Rural senior Mackinly Rohn (1) had two goals and an assist in Tuesday's 8-0 Centennial League win over Junction City. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural sophomore Destiny Higgs (24) had a goal and two assists in Tuesday's 8-0 Centennial League win over Junction City. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
"What we told the girls at halftime is we've got to find what we call Washburn Rural energy and we haven't seen it this year, at practice, at games yet,'' Hensyel said. "We're off to a fine start, the record's fine, but what we've been known for the last few years is being tough and physical and that we're going to play hard every night against whoever.
"And we've gotten wins and we're OK, but these girls have another level or two that they can get to and we challenged them at halftime that it's time to do that because we have some tough games coming up. We've been good, but we're not on the road to great yet and we have to keep moving on.''
Washburn Rural opened up a commanding 5-0 halftime advantage over the Blue Jays and then tacked on three more goals before the game was halted due to lightning with 10 minutes, 58 seconds remaining.
The Junior Blues, who were opening Centennial League play, got two goals apiece from sophomore Kate Hinck and senior Mackinly Rohn while junior Hayley Legg, senior Mya Hoge, sophomore Destiny Higgs and sophomore Addyson Kaberline also scored goals for Rural.
Higgs was credited with two assists while Rohn, Legg and Hinck also had assists.
Senior Hailey Beck and junior Mackenzie Flood combined for the shutout in goal.
Washburn Rural will host Manhattan on Thursday in a key Centennial League game.
Rural finished second in Class 6A last season while Manhattan took fourth.
WASHBURN RURAL 8, JUNCTION CITY 0
Junction City (1-3, 0-3) 0 0 -- 0
Washburn Rural (5-1, 1-0) 5 0 -- 8
Washburn Rural -- Goals: Hinck 2,Rohn 2, Legg, Hogue, Higgs. Kaberline. Assists: Higgs 2, Rohn, Legg, Hinck. Shutout: Beck, Flood.
