By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural soccer took care of business Monday night at McElroy Field, rolling to the Class 6A state semifinals with a 5-1 quarterfinal romp past Garden City.
Washburn Rural's soccer team celebrates Monday's 5-1 Class 6A quarterfinal win over Garden City at McElroy Field. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Now the 17-1-1 Junior Blues will get the opportunity to avenge their lone loss of the season in Wednesday's 6 p.m. state semifinal on the road against Blue Valley West, which rallied from a 2-0 halftime deficit to take a 3-2 double-overtime early-season victory over Washburn Rural.
Needless to say, the Junior Blues are looking forward to the challenge ahead.
"We're glad to get the win (tonight) and know that we're playing two more times,'' Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel said. "We'll be ready Wednesday. This team has been playing great for quite sometime, we've been scoring goals and we feel really confident in our chances.''
Hensyel said the earlier loss to Blue Valley West (17-2), which advanced to the semifinals with a 2-0 quarterfinal win over Blue Valley, provided a wakeup call for the Junior Blues.
"It was probably the turning point,'' Hensyel said. "It was just the third game and I think we thought we were going to be really good and that first half we were really good and dominated the game and then just gave it away.
"Blue Valley West is a good team obviously and one of the best teams in Kansas City and we felt like on that night we just handed them a win in the second half. I think we've gotten a lot better since then and we had a feeling we were going to see them again because they're a really good team, so (Wednesday) will be fun.''
Washburn Rural senior Draden Chooncharoen (23) had a goal and an assist in Monday's 5-1 Class 6A quarterfinal win over Garden City. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Rural never trailed in Monday's quarterfinal after senior Draden Chooncharoen scored at the 25:35 mark of the first half.
"(Hensyel) also talks about getting out early, the first 15 minutes you've got to have a goal, so getting that first goal and having energy and making them play from behind that gave us a good starter for the game,'' said Chooncharoen, who also had an assist in the win.
Junior Myles Didde made it a 2-0 game just over five minutes later and an own goal at the 12:20 mark put Washburn Rural in command 3-0 at the half.
Senior Dylan Willingham, Washburn Rural's single-season and career scoring record-holder, scored two goals on penalty kicks in Monday's 5-1 Class 6A state quarterfinal win over Garden City at McElroy Field. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Garden City (15-3-1) got on the scoreboard 6:44 into the second half on a goal from junior Saul Ortega, but Washburn Rural star Dylan Willingham converted penalty kicks with 12:40 and 3:50 remaining to account for the final margin.
Now Willingham and his teammates are looking forward to Wednesday's rematch with Blue Valley West.
"I think this opportunity is perfect for us,'' Willingham said. "I've been waiting for this. We lost to them last year on their field and we get another chance at it.''
Chooncharoen agreed with Willingham that the entire Washburn Rural team is eager for Wednesday's game.
"Without a doubt,'' he said. "This game we've got to come in with the mindset that it's a full 80, not just 40, not 60, not 20. We've just got to play the full 80 hard and go until that final whistle blows.''
Wednesday's other 6A semifinal will pit Shawnee Mission East (15-3-1) against Wichita Southeast (18-1-1) in Wichita at the Stryker Complex.
The championship and third-place games will be played at Stryker on Saturday.
WASHBURN RURAL 5, GARDEN CITY 1
Garden City (15-3-1) 0 1 -- 1
Washburn Rural (17-1-1) 3 2 -- 5
Garden City -- Goal: Saul Ortega.
Washburn Rural -- Goals: Dylan Willingham 2, Draden Chooncharoen, Myles Didde, own goal. Assists: Drew Moore, Draden Chooncharoen.
