By Fred Liggett
FredL@lstribune.net
Finding spring sports teams involved in post-season play is not a hard thing to do with track and field, baseball, tennis and soccer all deciding state champions each year. This spring sports season has given both Lee’s Summit North and Lee’s Summit West reasons to cheer thanks to the success of the school’s girls soccer teams.
Both teams continue impressive runs through the Missouri Class 4 girls state soccer tournament.
Despite entering with a 6-12 record LS North earned a district title with a 2-1 overtime win over St. Teresa’s. Both goals came from senior Halle Hill a senior midfielder. With just 16 teams left competing for a state title the 7-12 Broncos hosted a sectional round game against rival Blue Springs. A first half goal from senior Jayme Coon gave the Broncos a 1-0 lead, an advantage they would keep the rest of the game.
After a hard fought first half that saw the Broncos enjoy a 1-0 lead they would double the advantage to 2-0 at the 35 minute mark thanks to a goal from senior Kaylie Rock. The score would remain that way until less than 10 minutes left when the Broncos scored twice before the clock struck zero giving the team a 4-0 win.
Now at 8-12 another daunting task awaits the Broncos as they host a state quarterfinal round game on Saturday, May 25 against Liberty. The game with a 1 p.m. start time finds the Liberty Blue Jays coming to town sporting a 20-2 record.
The Broncos will counter with Kaylie Rock a four-year starter and this past week named Suburban Gold Conference player of the year. The recent run of post-season success by the Broncos has been the result of great team play and the team’s nine seniors who possess plenty of post-season experience. If the Broncos score another win on home turf Saturday they will advance to the Class 4 semi-final round which will be played at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City. The state final four is set for May 31 and June 1.
Another part of Lee’s Summit is also enjoying watching a team continue to advance in the Missouri Class 4 girls soccer tournament, that team is the Lee’s Summit West Titans. The Titans defeated Ray Pec 5-2 at home to win the District 12 championship and make it to the round of 16. The experienced Titans had to hit the road to play a sectional round game this past Tuesday, May 21. The Titans, 14-3-1, visited Jeff City to play the Jays but due to storms in the area the game was postponed from a 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. start. Not only that, but the site of the game changed from Jefferson City High School to Dwight T. Reed Stadium at Lincoln University. Despite all the changes the Titans kept their focus and soundly defeated the Jays 7-0. Now the Titans, at 15-3-1, return home for a Class 4 state quarterfinal round game against Springfield Kickapoo. The game is set for a 12 noon start with a state semi-final berth on the line. Conference coach of the year, Shaun Owens, hopes to see his team overcome the challenge of the Kickapoo Chiefs who come into the game at 19-5-1.
Due to LS West being on the upper half of the Class 4 soccer bracket and LS North being on the bottom half, the two rivals would not meet until the state championship game slated to be played on Saturday, June 1 with a 2 p.m. start inside the Swope Soccer park in Kansas City. For now both teams hope the great times of the past two weeks of post season play continues for at least one more game.
