Berkley’s goal can’t lift Firebirds

? Rebekah Berkley scored her seventh goal of the week, but it wasn’t enough for Free State High’s girls soccer team in a 2-1 loss to Shawnee Mission West on Thursday.

Berkley scored two goals Monday in a 10-0 victory against Junction City and had four more Tuesday in a 5-4 double-overtime loss to Shawnee Mission South. She’ll have a chance to add to her totals — 10 goals this season, including seven this week — at 10 a.m. Saturday at Topeka Hayden.

“She’s just really stepped up her game the last part of the season,” FSHS coach Jason Pendleton said. “Hopefully we can feed off her energy and get a victory Saturday against Hayden.”

Shawnee Mission West took a 2-0 lead into halftime Thursday before Berkley scored an unassisted goal five minutes into the second half.

That was all the scoring the Firebirds (2-7-1) could muster.

“We hit the post once and had a couple other opportunities, but it was too little too late,” Pendleton said.

Pendleton cited midfielder Lucca Wang and defender Katelyn Anderson for solid play.