Midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta made a run from the left along the Louisville end line in the first half of the Kansas City Current’s Challenge Cup match. Louisville was the 3-0 winner. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
by Brian Turrel
Hopes were high for the Kansas City Current to deliver a show to their fans in Children’s Mercy Park after starting Challenge Cup play with a three-game win streak on the road. The fans and the team were both disappointed with the 3-0 result given to Racing Louisville FC.
Kansas City generated several chances in the first half, mostly through forward Kristen Hamilton finding space up the middle or along the left side. Hamilton had recorded two goals in the past three games, but her early chances against Louisville, including a one-on-one against the goalkeeper, went off target or were snuffed out by the defense.
Louisville got on the board in the 9th minute, forcing a Kansas City own goal when a cross into the box glanced off defender Hailie Mace and into the goal.
Louisville scored its second and third goals in quick succession in the second half. Lauren Milliet knocked in the rebound of an attempted clearance in the 60th minute, followed five minutes later by a very well played Louisville corner kick that was curled in front of goal by Emina Ekic and headed home by defender Gemma Bonner.
After the match, head coach Matt Potter described a narrow miss, not a catastrophe.
“We carved out some chances,” said the coach, “especially in the first half. [There were] limited opportunities in the second. I felt we did enough, and on a different day it goes our way.”
Potter and team captain Desiree Scott were both quick to express appreciation for the enthusiastic home crowd.
“We’re just looking forward to righting the wrongs from today,” said Scott, “working on what little improvements we can make and being back out there and putting it right for our fans.”
Despite the loss, Kansas City remains in contention for the Challenge Cup, leading the tournament’s Central Division and on pace to get through to the knockout stage, starting May 4.
The Current’s next home match will be the fifth of six scheduled Challenge Cup games, played against the Houston Dash on April 15, starting at 7 p.m. Kansas City will open its regular season on April 30 in Portland.
Midfielder Addie McCain won a ball in the air near the edge of the 18-yard box. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Joseph Straws III, also known as DJ Joe, repped KCKCC while he played music for the crowd entering Children’s Mercy Park. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Louisville defender Emily Fox gave forward Kristen Hamilton a nudge off course. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Forward Kristen Hamilton faced off with Louisville goalkeeper Katie Lund. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Rookie midfielder Chardonnay Curran crossed the ball near the Louisville end line. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Louisville defender Gemma Bonner made a sliding tackle on defender Hailie Mace. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Forward Elyse Bennett contested a ball near the Louisville goal. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Turner junior midfielder Aleyda Salazar made a quick reversal on Raytown sophomore Vanessa Porter in the third-round match at the Golden Bears Invitational Tournament at Turner. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
by Brian Turrel
Five Wyandotte County girls’ high school soccer teams wrapped up play Friday at the second annual Golden Bears Invitational Tournament in Turner.
In the third place match, Piper defeated Bishop Ward 7-0. Freshman Jessica Hale opened the scoring just four minutes in with a run straight up the middle into the box. Seven different players scored for the Lady Pirates in the match.
Kyndell Letcher completed the first half with a successful penalty kick with less than a minute remaining before the break for a 5-0 advantage.
Sumner Academy defeated Bonner Springs in the fifth place match, outscoring the Lady Braves 7-0 in the second half for a 9-1 win. Joselyn Clark continued to ignite the Sumner offense, turning midfield steals into runs on goal.
Jordan Tran scored two opportunistic goals late in the second half, and Valery Chacon capped the match by scoring with just nine seconds left on the clock.
Junior Mariana Perea-Sandoval scored the Lady Braves’ lone goal in her first ever varsity match. Bonner Springs missed the scoring touch from Jenna Knight, away for a track meet, and the Lady Sabres’ tight midfield defense prevented the long runs Bonner showed in its previous match.
In the seventh place match, the host Lady Bears defeated Raytown 3-0 to earn their first win of the young season.
Turner kept offensive pressure on the Blue Jays throughout the match, but couldn’t break through until just before halftime. One Turner player exclaimed 20 minutes in, “I thought we’d have a goal by now!”
Midfielder Aleyda Salazar earned that first goal with less than a minute remaining in the first half, banging a shot from range up the middle. Salazar’s elusive ball-handling had the Raytown midfield on its heels whenever she pressed forward, and she scored again on a similar shot in the second half.
Xochitl Gomez Corral scored Turner’s other goal, crossing a ball into the box from the left side that curled inside the far post.
After the match, head coach Sara Jackson remarked on the growth her team showed.
“We were slow to start,” the head coach explained, “probably due to the previous four heavy losses with hardly any goal-scoring opportunities. As the game went on, our girls’ confidence grew and they finally managed to put the ball in the back of the net. It was awesome to see our girls’ passes connect and work their way up the field for our first offensive match of the season.”
6A standout Shawnee Mission Northwest defeated Shawnee Mission North 2-0 in the title battle between two longtime Sunflower League rivals.
Final tournament standings: Shawnee Mission Northwest Shawnee Mission North Piper Bishop Ward Sumner Bonner Springs Turner Raytown
An attempted shot from Turner sophomore forward Brittney Wilson was covered just in time by Raytown’s goalkeeper. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Xochitl Gomez Corral’s blast from the left side slipped inside the far post to put Turner ahead 2-0. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Turner junior midfielder Aleyda Salazar scored on a shot up the middle. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Piper freshman Kaylynn Jamison slid in with a clearance. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Bishop Ward sophomore Nieves Vazquez tipped the ball away from Piper junior Sierra Montez. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Piper sophomore Madison Jones moved to block a kick by Bishop Ward junior Valery Santos. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Piper junior Kyndell Letcher and Bishop Ward junior Valery Santos contested the ball on an offensive push by the Lady Cyclones. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs senior Mercedes Madlock and Sumner junior Joselyn Clark matched up near the Bonner Springs goal. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sumner senior Brenda Guevara-Alatorre launched a shot from just outside the 18-yard box. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sumner sophomore Ashley Terrazas pushed the ball into the Bonner Springs penalty area. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs sophomore Chloie Knapp and Sumner sophomore Kimberly Ortiz pursued a loose ball. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Freshman Gineveve Sopher scored two goals in Bonner Springs’ 10-0 win over Raytown in the second round of the Golden Bears girls’ soccer tournament. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
by Brian Turrel
The second round of the Golden Bears girls’ soccer tournament was held Wednesday at the Turner District Activities Center.
A fierce north wind swept the early games, dropping the wind chill into the 30s. As the late matches started, a chill rain arrived to soak the few hardy members of the light crowd.
The Bonner Springs Lady Braves defeated the Raytown Blue Jays 10-0, triggering the mercy rule with five minutes remaining in the match. Bonner’s center midfielder Mercedes Madlock owned the pitch when she chose to press forward, and her connection with forward Jenna Knight powered the offense.
Knight scored four goals and earned three assists. Madlock bent two second-half corner kicks on goal for her two scores. Gineveve Sopher scored twice, and Luci Smith and Laura Fisher scored one goal each.
Piper played Shawnee Mission North to a tight 1-0 decision in North’s favor. Goalkeeper Raegyn Combs saved 15 shots in a stand-out defensive performance for the Lady Pirates.
Bishop Ward’s first-round victory over Raymore put it in the line of fire for Shawnee Mission Northwest in the second round. The Lady Cougars won the match decisively, ringing up 10 goals in the first half to force an early stoppage.
Sumner Academy took on the host team, earning a 8-0 victory over the Golden Bears. Captain Joselyn Clark provided much of the offensive firepower. Ashley Terrazas scored on a brilliant free kick that arced into the net from 30 yards just over the outstretched fingers of Turner’s goalkeeper.
The tournament’s final round will take place on Friday. Piper and Bishop Ward will vie for third place starting at 4:30 p.m. on the lower field, while Sumner and Bonner Springs contest fifth place on the upper field. At 6:00 p.m. Turner and Raytown meet in the seventh place match on the upper field, while Shawnee Mission North and Shawnee Mission Northwest duel for the tournament title on the lower field.
Bonner Springs junior Jenna Knight collected a pass near the left sideline. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs senior Mercedes Madlock blasted a corner kick that curled in for a goal. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs freshman Laura Fisher scored a goal and recorded two assists. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs senior Janiah Bond-Clough centered the ball from the left corner. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Bonner Springs sophomore Chloie Knapp played the ball in to the front line. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Piper junior Kyndell Letcher dribbled the ball against Shawnee Mission North sophomore Carmen Duarte. (Photo courtesy of Lexi Miles)
Piper junior Sierra Montez contested the ball with Shawnee Mission North sophomore Jadyn Swob. (Photo courtesy Lexi Miles)
Piper junior Payton Zimmerman found a clear spot to push the ball up field. (Photo courtesy Lexi Miles)
Sumner junior Joselyn Clark launched a shot on goal, pursued by Turner junior Adriana Loya-Loredo. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Turner junior Aleyda Salazar cleared the ball past the attempted block of Sumner sophomore Valery Chacon. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sumner junior Emily Baltazar was challenged as she dribbled up the right sideline. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sumner senior Brenda Guevara-Alatorre dribbled up field. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
