By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's powerhouse girls soccer team is no stranger to big games.
In fact, the fifth-ranked (Class 6A) Junior Blues are coming off four of them, including three wins over state-ranked teams.
But Washburn Rural gets a little extra hop in its step when it comes time to prove its Centennial League supremacy.
The Junior Blues are the defending four-time league champs (16 overall) and kicked off their bid for a fifth straight title on Tuesday at Highland Park, rolling to a 10-0 win over the Scots.
"We're off to a great start and won our first four games against good opponents, but we told them already that when we get into the league that one of your main goals in regular season is to win the league,'' Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel said. "That means there's eight times you've got to take the field and you've got to find a way to get a win.
"It started with Highland Park and it continues with Manhattan Thursday. As fun as those early games were to win and to go over and beat some teams in Kansas City and to go down to Wichita and win a game, you've got to take care of all the games in the league to accomplish one of your goals.''
Washburn Rural sophomore Hayden McWilliams (let) and Highland Park junior Renee Spinner wait for the ball to come down in Tuesday's 10-0 Rural Centennial League win over the Scots. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural freshman Destiny Hibbs (left), advancing the ball in Tuesday's match, scored a goal in Rural's 10-0 Centennial League win over Highland Park. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Rural, which ended the game at halftime by way of the 10-goal spread rule, got goals from 10 different players and assists from eight players.
The 5-0 Junior Blues got goals from seniors Alandra Bailey, Belle Kennedy, Reagan Allen and Kamea Rice, juniors Karsyn McMaster and Hailey Beck, sophomore Hayley Legg and freshmen Kate Hinck, Destiny Higgs and Delaney Hill.
Junior Mackinly Rohn was credited with a pair of assists while Hinck, Hill, Legg, McMaster, Kennedy and seniors Hunter McWilliams and Emma Krueger also picked up assists for the Junior Blues.
Beck and sophomore Mackenzie Flood combined for the shutout in goal.
"We have a lot of depth and we can put people in and out and there's not a whole lot of change from top to bottom,'' Hensyel said. "They did the job today. We told them. 'Come here, let's be efficient, let's get some people playing time, let's set each other up for easy finishes and try to score some goals,' and they did all of that stuff.''
WASHBURN RURAL 10, Highland Park 0
Washburn Rural 10 x -- 10
Highland Park 0 x -- 0
Washburn Rurall -- Goals: Bailey, Kennedy, Hinck, Legg, Allen, Higgs, McMaster, Rice, Beck, Hill. Assists: Rohn 2, Hinck, Hill, Legg, McMaster, McWilliams, Kennedy, Krueger. Shutout – Beck, Flood.
