By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It took awhile for Washburn Rural's girls soccer team to get going Friday night.
But once the Junior Blues got untracked the goals came in bunches, with Rural rolling to the Class 6A state quarterfinals with an 8-0 romp past Wichita East at McElroy Field.
Washburn Rural, which improved to a 15-2-1 with its regional championship, will be back at home next Tuesday for a quarterfinal contest. Pairings will be released at the conclusion of all regional finals.
Washburn Rural soccer celebrates its Class 6A regional championship after Friday's 8-0 win over Wichita East at McElroy Field. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
![Washburn Rural senior Belle Kennedy, executing a header in Friday's Class 6A regional final, scored a goal in the Junior Blues' 8-0 win over Wichita East. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]](/images/aa-images/BelleKenneyWE1.jpeg)
Washburn Rural senior Belle Kennedy, executing a header in Friday's Class 6A regional final, scored a goal in the Junior Blues' 8-0 win over Wichita East. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
"At the end of the day we're very capable,'' Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel said. "We've had flashes this year where we've done some really great things. We've kind of had some ups and downs a little bit with consistency and playing hard and doing the right things but our best is as good as anybody out there.
"We've just got to find a way to put that on the field every single time, so it was nice in the second half to see us have a really good performance.''
The Junior Blues scored the only goal they would need on a penalty kick from junior Mackinly Rohn at the 23:50 mark of the opening half and senior Emma Krueger gave Rural a 2-0 halftime advantage with 3:15 remaining in the first half.
Rural quickly turned the game into a rout in the second half, starting with a goal from senior Belle Kennedy just 54 seconds after halftime.
The Junior Blues also got second-half goals from senior Alandra Bailey (35:50), freshman Katelyn Hinck (21:24), sophomore Hayley Legg (8:29), Hinck (5:49) and junior Brianna Jones (0:26) while Wichita East (10-8-0) never mustered a serious scoring threat.
Legg also contributed a pair of assists for Rural, which also got assists from Hinck, Rohn, senior Hunter McWilliams, freshman Delaney Hill and freshman Madison Lemke while junior Hailey Beck and sophomore Mackenzie Flood combined for the shutout in goal.
After finishing third in the state tournament a year ago, Hensyel said the Junior Blues are setting their goals higher this time around.
"You've got a senior class who their freshman year made it to the championship game, missed a year and then got third last year,'' Hensyel said. "They've been all over the end of it so it's been buiilding to this moment for us all year and we can't wait for Tuesday.''
WASHBURN RURAL 8, WICHITA EAST 0
Wichita East (10-8-0)) 0 0 -- 0
Washburn Rural (15-2-1) 2 6 -- 8
Washburn Rural -- Goals: Hinck 2, Rohn, Krueger, Kennedy, Bailey, Legg, Jones. Assists: Legg 2, Hinck, Rohn, Hunter McWilliams, Hill, Lemke. Shutout: Beck, Flood.
