High School Sports
Free State soccer to face Washburn Rural
November 7, 2009
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Overland Park — It’s been said that in order to be the best you have to beat the best.
The Free State High boys soccer team will get that opportunity at 2 p.m. today when they play top-seeded Washburn Rural at the Blue Valley District Soccer Complex for the Class 6A state championship.
“They’ve been the No. 1 team in 6A all year,” Free State coach Jason Pendleton said. “Their only loss is to (Class 5A) St. Thomas Aquinas, who’s ranked No. 3 in the nation. And I think Rural’s ranked 42nd in the nation or something like that. I don’t think we are that high up in the polls quite yet.”
A victory today would go a long way toward getting there, but the Firebirds know it won’t be easy.
Unlike in the semifinal game — a 2-0 victory against Dodge City on Friday — when the Firebirds knew very little about their opponent, they’ll take the field today with a wealth of knowledge about the Junior Blues.
“They were big, they were fast, they were athletic. They’re a great team and we’re just going to have to battle as hard as we can and hopefully we’ll get a good result,” said Free State junior Tony Libeer, drawing on his memory of last year’s loss.
Washburn Rural (19-1) advanced to today’s title game with a 3-1 victory against Shawnee Mission Northwest on Friday.
The Firebirds (16-4) enter today’s contest winners of seven straight. What’s more, they’ve broken their own school record for victories with each of the past three wins and recorded an incredible 12 shutouts this season, including three in the playoffs.
The program will be playing in its first ever state championship game and enters the title tilt with that calming feeling of having nothing to lose.
“Why not us,” Pendleton said.
Added senior forward Daniel Chance: “We’ve played Washburn three years in a row or so and they’re good. They’re solid. Usually it’s been in the regional championship, though, and I’m just glad it’s in the state championship this year.”
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