Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Lady Panthers hoist fourth straight trophy
SILOAM SPRINGS 6, RUSSELLVILLE 1
FAYETTEVILLE — The floodgates opened for Siloam Springs’ girls soccer team in the second half, and the Lady Panthers rode the waves to another state title.
Siloam Springs blew open a 1-0 halftime lead with five goals in the second half and the Lady Panthers won their fourth straight Class 6A title with a 6-1 rout of Russellville at Razorback Field.
Siloam Springs was playing in its fifth straight state title match, dating back to a 3-1 loss to Searcy in 2013. But unlike the previous state-title wins in 2014, 2015 and 2016, the Lady Panthers finally got some breathing room Friday.
Junior forward Audrey Maxwell scored a hat trick and three other Lady Panthers scored goals Friday. Maxwell scored the game’s first goal with 4 minutes, 7 seconds left in the first half, but the Lady Panthers missed several other good chances and only led 1-0 at halftime.
“We just got them in at halftime, settled them down a bit,” said Siloam Springs coach Brent Crenshaw. “I thought we were being outworked at times. I think that kind of challenged them, and I told them to play simple soccer, move off the ball, connect with our passes, and do all that stuff. … Having an Audrey Maxwell and Megan Hutto and those dangerous players that we have, they’re going to put one in the back of the net if they keep getting chances.”
That’s exactly what happened in the second half for Siloam Springs (24-3).
Maxwell scored just 25 seconds into the second half when Russellville keeper Brit Hillis came out on a play and Maxwell kicked it over here into the left corner for a 2-0 lead.
Maxwell, whose first half goal was assisted by Megan Hutto, assited to Hutto for the Lady Panthers’ third goal with 32:21 left in the second half.
Sydney Bomstad scored with 30:22 left on a long shot to make it 4-0, and Maxwell scored again with another assist from Hutto for a 5-0 lead. It was Maxwell’s third goal of the game and her 42nd goal of the year, a single-season Lady Panthers record.
“It’s amazing what she does,” Crenshaw said of Maxwell. “(Russellville) even tried to man mark her again today. She still finds ways to score and get open and just a great kid, great work ethic and just so honored to coach these kids.”
Russellville (13-10-1) spoiled Siloam Springs’ bid for a clean sheet when Rachel Prochazka scored with 13:59 left to cut the score to 5-1.
Just as quickly though, Siloam Springs found the back of the net when Hadley Crenshaw scored to set the game’s final score.
“It never gets old,” Hutto said. “It’s always exciting. It’s a big day. It’s a big moment.”
Injuires caught up with Russellville, which has battled injuries through the end of the season, including a rolled ankle suffered by starting goalkeeper Onna Collins this past week in practice.
“Definitely had some legs tired out there,” said Russellville coach Kelly Young. “We had to use our backup keeper, who did outstanding for us. We didn’t know that until game time which keeper could go.”
HARRISON 3, MAUMELLE 1
A weather delay did not stop the Harrison girls’ soccer team from winning its second consecutive Class 5A state championship.
The Lady Goblins defeated Maumelle 3-1 on Friday at Razorback Field on the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville campus to earn back-to-back titles and their sixth overall.
Harrison (15-7-2), the 5A-West champion, also won state championships in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013.
“It’s special. They don’t come around every day,” Harrison coach Chris Pratt said. “You have to take each one every day and celebrate it fully.
“This one is more special because we’ve never gone back to back. I couldn’t think of a better group for this to happen to.”
Harrison led Maumelle 3-1 with 20:05 remaining when a weather delay was called. The delay lasted 1 hour, 4 minutes.
Pratt said his team relaxed in Fayetteville High School’s gymnasium, which is across the street from Razorback Field.
Pratt even welcomed the break.
“Our legs were weary,” Pratt said. “We spent a lot of energy in the first half, which was our plan, to put pressure on them.
“We’re not used to grass. We’re not used to humidity like this. It took a lot out of us. We were able to get back and finish out the game.”
In the final 20 minutes, Maumelle (15-7), the 5A-West’s No. 2 seed, had one shot on goal with 14:40 left. Maumelle coach Jessica Beaver said the delay slowed down her team’s momentum in the second half.
“We got in panic mode the last two minutes,” Beaver said. “We got out of our own game and tried to play direct and kick it up the field. We’re more of a possession-type of team.
C. ARKANSAS CHRISTIAN 7, JOE T. ROBINSON 1
It was the Amalie Gunn show Friday afternoon at Razorback Field.
The Central Arkansas Christian senior midfielder scored a state-record six goals in a 7-1 victory over Joe T. Robinson in the Class 4A girls state championship match on the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville campus.
Gunn surpassed the state’s previous record for most goals in a match, which was five by Cori Keller of Stuttgart last year. She had four goals in the first half to help CAC lead 4-1 at halftime and added two more in the second half.
Lauren Johnson also scored for CAC.
Before Friday’s match, Gunn had played seven matches and had 11 goals as she instead focused more on track and field at CAC this season. The Missouri State University track and field signee was second in the 400-meter run and third in the 100- and 200-meter races at the Class 4A state track and field meet May 2 in Paragould.