By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's girls soccer team ended its regular season with a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to nine-time state champion Blue Valley West Friday night at McElroy Field, with the Jaguars snapping the Junior Blues' 10-game shutout streak.
Washburn Rural junior Kate Hinck (9) and Blue Valley West senior Devin Monahan pursue the ball in Friday's 1-0 Jaguar win over the Junior Blues. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But Rural coach Brian Hensyel knows that the Junior Blues' goals for the 2024 season are still in front of them as they prepare to open Class 6A postseason next Tuesday.
Washburn Rural, now 13-3-0, has assured itself of home field advantage for the first three rounds of the playoffs and Friday's loss did nothing to change Hensyel's opinion that the Junior Blues are capable of making a deep postseason run.
"We try to challenge ourselves with really tough games in the regular season because we know what the end looks like,'' Hensyel said. "We were real glad when this game got postponed a couple of weeks ago and it became our last game because it's the perfect game to play right before the playoffs.
"I'm very, very proud of our effort tonight, but when you get the best teams in the state, and I feel like we're one of those five, six seven teams that could compete for a state title, it's going to be a one-goal game, it's going to be who makes that play, a ball finds its way in the back of the net. That's just how it is.''
Washburn Rural sophomore Allie Schroeder (14) controls the ball during Friday's 1-0 loss to Blue Valley West in the Junior Blues' regular-season finale. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural sophomore Emma Wong chases after a loose ball in the Junior Blues' 1-0 non-league loss to perennial Class 6A power Blue Valley West. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Rural had some close calls in both halves but was unable to find the back of the net while Blue Valley West made its goal from junior forward Kyra Berman at the 29:11 mark of the second half stand up for the win as the Jaguars improved to 11-3-1.
"We've won a couple of those this year, 1-0 wins over Olathe West and Bishop Carroll, and then we lost one tonight,'' Hensyel said. "That's the sport. What I told the girls is if we do all the things we can against good teams it becomes an even game and it comes down to one play.
"Tonight that ball went in for them. Hopefully in two weeks it will go in for us.''
Friday's loss left Washburn Rural still looking for its first win over Blue Valley West, which has topped the Junior Blues in multiple state championship games.
"Blue Valley West has had our number,'' Hensyel said. "Over the years, every time there's been a big moment in our program's history -- state title games, semifinal games -- they've been the one who's stood in our way, so the girls who've been around it really, really wanted to win tonight's game.
"I think for them to say, 'OK, we got them finally,' was something they wanted, but I think they see the big picture, which was if we play and perform like we did tonight we've got a chance to do stuff.''
Tuesday's first-round regional contest is set for a 6 p.m. start at McElroy Field, with the pairings to be announced on Saturday.
BLUE VALLEY WEST 1, WASHBURN RURAL 0
Blue Valley West (11-3-1) 0 1 -- 1
Washburn Rural (13-3-0) 0 0 -- 0
Blue Valley West -- Goal: Kyra Berman.
