By KYLE MANTHE
Special to TopSports.news
With a 4-0 road win over Topeka High on Monday evening Washburn Rural soccer (11-4 overall) completed a 5-0 run through the Centennial League in 2023.
Washburn Rural seniors Brooklyn DeLeye (right) and Addi Broxterman (second from right) scored goals Monday night as the Junior Blues wrapped up the Centennial League title with a 4-0 win over Topeka High. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/TSN]
Washburn Rural sophomore Kate Hinck (9), who scored a goal, advances the ball as Topeka High senior Lexi Brosa gives chase in the Junior Blues' 4-0 win. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/TSN]
Senior Mackinly Rohn (1) and the Washburn Rural soccer team wrapped up the Centennial League championship with a 4-0 win over Topeka High Monday night. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/TSN]
But for coach Brian Hensyel and the Lady Blues, each match in the final weeks of the season is a step towards goals for the postseason.
“Our goal is to win league every year so to do that is awesome. I’m proud of us for that, but we always have bigger goals and our biggest goal is to make the Final Four in (Class) 6A,” Hensyel said. “We’ve put ourselves in pretty good position with the playoff seeding but we are going to have to play better in the next couple of weeks if we want to keep playing.”
The 4-0 topping of the Trojans (7-8, 1-3) was the Lady Blues' fourth straight win after three consecutive losses. It also spoiled Senior Night for Topeka High and its nine-player deep senior class.
“It’s been fantastic working with this group and it's a huge group,” said Topeka High coach Derek Snook. “Just the tenacity and willingness to work at times has shown the younger ones hopefully what we need to do going forward.”
The Lady Blues showcased their own form of depth in the game, with four players scoring all four goals, and two others providing assists. Working together and utilizing that depth on both ends is Hensyel’s primary message to the team in the final week of the regular season.
“We tried to play a lot of people, just trying to figure out when the playoffs come who should be out on the field but we have a lot of capable players … but it’s kind of a team effort the way we score goals, a lot of them are corners and set plays,” Hensyel said. “The number one component for us being good this year is playing with a lot of energy and we didn’t do great with that at the beginning of the game.”
The first goal of the game came off of a set play, with freshman Allie Schroeder depositing a deflected corner kick into the net with 24:15 left in the first half.
The next goal came within the flow of the game as senior Mackinly Rohn assisted senior Brooklyn DeLeye with a goal in DeLeye’s return to the lineup at the 8:09 mark in the half.
Sophomore Kate Hinck got behind the defense early in the second half and did the rest of the work herself, scoring with 31:57 left in the game to make it 3-0.
Washburn Rural got another goal from a defender, as Addi Broxterman headed one in at the 17:53 mark to complete the scoring after a free-kick assist by junior Hayley Legg.
Senior Hailey Beck and junior Mackenzie Flood combined for Rural’s ninth shutout of the season.
Both teams will wrap up the regular season on Thursday before heading into the postseason. The Trojans head to Emporia and will look to snap its current two-game losing streak.
“You always want to finish .500 or above, obviously you’d like to have a double-digit win season like we did last year but that’s not always the case for us, but finishing off .500 and playing well going into regionals hopefully will give us a little momentum,” Snook said.
Washburn Rural will host Seaman for its Senior Night, looking to close the regular season with five straight victories.
“Seaman is having an awesome season so we know it’s going to be tough and we will have to play better,” Hensyel said. “It’s a good test right before the playoffs and our goal is to be at home and try to win three games to go to the Final Four.”
WASHBURN RURAL 4, TOPEKA HIGH 0
Washburn Rural (11-4-0, 5-0) 2 2 – 4
Topeka High (7-8-0, 1-3) 0 0 – 0
Washburn Rural – Goals: Hinck, Schroeder, Broxterman, DeLeye. Assists: Rohn, Legg. Shutout: Beck, Flood
