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Boyle County¿s Chelsea Gill celebrates with teammate Alexis Kerbaugh (16) after scoring the first of her three goals in Tuesday¿s 10-0 win over Wayne County that sets up a Thursday semifinal showdown with West Jessamine. (Clay Jackson / October 17, 2012) |
Make no mistake, the Boyle County girls have been looking forward to getting a shot at West Jessamine. But it isn’t all about revenge.
Revenge will be a factor, to be sure, when Boyle faces West Jessamine in a 12th Region Tournament semifinal. After all, the Rebels will be facing the team that ended their 2011 season one win short of their goal. But now the team that took out Boyle in 2011 is threatening to take over the neighborhood, and that will add even more meaning to their matchup Thursday night at Rebel Stadium.
Boyle dismissed Wayne County 10-0 on Tuesday night to earn its spot in the semifinals and the chance to play the game it has been looking forward to all season.
The Rebels left West Jessamine’s field in tears last year after a 1-0 overtime loss in the state tournament quarterfinals, and those who played in that game and will play in this one remember it well.
“It was hard for me, especially after the game,” forward Hannah Harris said. “This is exactly where we wanted to be. I wouldn’t want to play anyone else in the region besides West Jessamine. Of course, everyone on the team, we want a chance to redeem ourselves.”
Boyle coach Brian Deem downplayed the idea of revenge, saying this has become a turf war now that realignment has left No. 21 Boyle and No. 18 West Jessamine in the same region.
“We knew when the realignment came through that West was going to be the team to beat and that we were going to have to be ready to deal with that. It was just going to be a matter of if and when you’re going to play them,” Deem said. “They lost kids and we lost kids from last year, so I think the dynamics of both teams are different. I don’t think it’s so much of a revenge factor as just the fact that two kids on the block trying to find a way to get to the region final.”
Chelsea Gill scored three goals and Lakin Wren scored two in Boyle’s mercy-rule romp over Wayne, which ended early in the second half. A little while later, West Jessamine whipped Somerset 10-0 to set the stage for Thursday’s showdown.
The result will leave only one team with a chance to win a regional championship, something both teams are accustomed to doing. Boyle won the last four and six of the last seven 15th Region titles; West Jessamine won the 14th Region in three of the last four years.
The Rebels (14-5-3)¿won only one of their last five regular-season games, but Deem said he likes where his team stands.
“We’ve had our ups and downs this year, but considering (our record) with the kind of schedule we’ve played and the injuries we’ve had, I’m not disappointed about it. I think we’re ready to go,” he said.
“I think that we’re as ready as any other team to play them. If we do what we’re supposed to, we’ll definitely come out on top,” Harris added.
The Colts (12-4-7)¿won only one of their last six games prior to the postseason. The only games they have played against 12th Region teams were the required games within their district.
West Jessamine averages only 2.04 goals per game — by comparison, Boyle’s average is 3.77 — but Deem said the Colts have a dangerous attack led by sophomore Sarah Wiggins and freshman Savannah Layne, the team’s top two scorers.
“They really do a great job of possessing the ball, and they swing it around the back quite a bit,” he said.
Colts goalkeeper Rebekah Hulsing, who made critical saves in West Jessamine’s win over Boyle last year, has 11 shutouts.
Harris, Boyle’s leading scorer with 22 goals, looks forward to the battle.
“I know that we’re capable of winning just as much as they are, and it’s going to be a tough battle,” she said. “We’ve got to come to play, and I know they’ll be prepared for us. We just have to execute what we’ve learned and put it into play.”
And she said the Rebels will be motivated by the loss in their last meeting.
“We put it behind us, but it’s always going to be there. That’s going to be our motivator for the game,” Harris said. “It’s not just about beating West Jessamine, it’s about winning the region and going on to state, but you’re always going to want to beat that opponent that put you out last year.”
Alexis Kerbaugh, Meghan Paynter, Madelyn LaFavers and Gill scored in a 5-minute span to give Boyle a 4-0 lead over Wayne (5-10-1), which was making its first regional appearance, after just 10 1/2 minutes.
Gill scored twice more and Harris, Wren and Kaile Short also scored in the first half. Wren’s second goal ended the game with 35:50 remaining.
Wayne, which was making its first regional appearance, never got off a shot — the ball never got closer than 30 yards to Boyle’s goal — while Boyle had 29 attempts.
Revenge will be a factor, to be sure, when Boyle faces West Jessamine in a 12th Region Tournament semifinal. After all, the Rebels will be facing the team that ended their 2011 season one win short of their goal. But now the team that took out Boyle in 2011 is threatening to take over the neighborhood, and that will add even more meaning to their matchup Thursday night at Rebel Stadium.
Boyle dismissed Wayne County 10-0 on Tuesday night to earn its spot in the semifinals and the chance to play the game it has been looking forward to all season.
The Rebels left West Jessamine’s field in tears last year after a 1-0 overtime loss in the state tournament quarterfinals, and those who played in that game and will play in this one remember it well.
“It was hard for me, especially after the game,” forward Hannah Harris said. “This is exactly where we wanted to be. I wouldn’t want to play anyone else in the region besides West Jessamine. Of course, everyone on the team, we want a chance to redeem ourselves.”
Boyle coach Brian Deem downplayed the idea of revenge, saying this has become a turf war now that realignment has left No. 21 Boyle and No. 18 West Jessamine in the same region.
“We knew when the realignment came through that West was going to be the team to beat and that we were going to have to be ready to deal with that. It was just going to be a matter of if and when you’re going to play them,” Deem said. “They lost kids and we lost kids from last year, so I think the dynamics of both teams are different. I don’t think it’s so much of a revenge factor as just the fact that two kids on the block trying to find a way to get to the region final.”
Chelsea Gill scored three goals and Lakin Wren scored two in Boyle’s mercy-rule romp over Wayne, which ended early in the second half. A little while later, West Jessamine whipped Somerset 10-0 to set the stage for Thursday’s showdown.
The result will leave only one team with a chance to win a regional championship, something both teams are accustomed to doing. Boyle won the last four and six of the last seven 15th Region titles; West Jessamine won the 14th Region in three of the last four years.
The Rebels (14-5-3)¿won only one of their last five regular-season games, but Deem said he likes where his team stands.
“We’ve had our ups and downs this year, but considering (our record) with the kind of schedule we’ve played and the injuries we’ve had, I’m not disappointed about it. I think we’re ready to go,” he said.
“I think that we’re as ready as any other team to play them. If we do what we’re supposed to, we’ll definitely come out on top,” Harris added.
The Colts (12-4-7)¿won only one of their last six games prior to the postseason. The only games they have played against 12th Region teams were the required games within their district.
West Jessamine averages only 2.04 goals per game — by comparison, Boyle’s average is 3.77 — but Deem said the Colts have a dangerous attack led by sophomore Sarah Wiggins and freshman Savannah Layne, the team’s top two scorers.
“They really do a great job of possessing the ball, and they swing it around the back quite a bit,” he said.
Colts goalkeeper Rebekah Hulsing, who made critical saves in West Jessamine’s win over Boyle last year, has 11 shutouts.
Harris, Boyle’s leading scorer with 22 goals, looks forward to the battle.
“I know that we’re capable of winning just as much as they are, and it’s going to be a tough battle,” she said. “We’ve got to come to play, and I know they’ll be prepared for us. We just have to execute what we’ve learned and put it into play.”
And she said the Rebels will be motivated by the loss in their last meeting.
“We put it behind us, but it’s always going to be there. That’s going to be our motivator for the game,” Harris said. “It’s not just about beating West Jessamine, it’s about winning the region and going on to state, but you’re always going to want to beat that opponent that put you out last year.”
Alexis Kerbaugh, Meghan Paynter, Madelyn LaFavers and Gill scored in a 5-minute span to give Boyle a 4-0 lead over Wayne (5-10-1), which was making its first regional appearance, after just 10 1/2 minutes.
Gill scored twice more and Harris, Wren and Kaile Short also scored in the first half. Wren’s second goal ended the game with 35:50 remaining.
Wayne, which was making its first regional appearance, never got off a shot — the ball never got closer than 30 yards to Boyle’s goal — while Boyle had 29 attempts.
