Published: May 16, 2015
Taking their share
Chargers clinch split of 1st Flyway title since 2010
By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News
TOWN OF JACKSON — Kettle Moraine Lutheran’s girls soccer
team has won more state championships since 2009 than Wisconsin Flyway
Conference titles.
That’ll change this year as the Chargers knocked off rival
Winnebago Lutheran Academy, 2-0, on Friday.
With the victory, the Chargers (10-2-2) clinched a share of
the Flyway title, needing only a tie or a victory Thursday over Central
Wisconsin Christian, which is winless in the conference, to claim the title
outright.
KML won state titles in 2009 and 2011; it didn’t win the
conference in either season.
The Chargers’ lone conference title since 2009 was in 2010.
“It feels pretty good since we haven’t won it in five
years,” KML’s Taylor Brazell said. “The team is really clicking this year.”
On May 7, the Chargers entered a crucial part of their
schedule if they were going to win the conference championship.
They played St. Mary’s Springs and Oshkosh Lourdes. Those
teams, plus Lomira and KML, were all unbeaten in conference play one week ago.
KML beat Springs, 2-0, then beat Lourdes, 1-0, on Monday.
Lomira lost to Hustisford on May 7, thus leaving KML as the lone
unbeaten team in the Flyway eight days later.
And not only that, the Chargers escaped this portion of the
schedule without allowing a goal.
“It really boosts our selfesteem knowing we played tough
teams like that and we didn’t let them score,” Brazell said.
“It’s very exciting,” KML coach Brian Hoerchner said.
“They’ve exceeded my expectations. However, on the other hand, our goal was to
win the conference. We’ve definitely improved and played well as a team.”
Lourdes is the only team mathematically eligible to share
the title with KML. Lourdes plays Mayville on Thursday.
A KML win or tie, or a Lourdes loss gives the Chargers the
conference title outright.
A Lourdes victory and a KML loss means a split of the Flyway
title.
Hoerchner is in his first season as the head coach after
Matt Moeller stepped down following a tenure where he racked up 147 victories
and two state titles in more than a decade at the helm.
“Right from the start I said we didn’t have any superstars
and it was going to take a team effort,” Hoerchner said. “That’s what we’re
doing. Everybody’s working hard, playing as a team, playing together.”
“Even from the start of the season we said defense was going
to be key in our success,” he added. “Kelsey (Knuth) in goal has really stepped
up.”
Brazell’s scored the first goal, unassisted in the 38th
minute.
Brazell picked off a clearing attempt by the Vikings and
found the back of the net with a well-placed shot on target.
In the 51st minute, the Chargers stretched the lead to two
goals as a touch pass by Mary Falck reached Mackenzie Rabas’ feet. Rabas made a
couple drills with her back to the target, turned to her right and sent in a
shot with her left foot at the edge of the 18-yard box for the goal.
But before KML can go out and win a conference title
outright, the Chargers have to play Lake Country Lutheran on Monday.
The Lightning are the topranked team in the Division 4 state
coaches poll.
Yes, it’s a nonconference game. However, a victory or a tie
could mean big things as far as seeding goes for the upcoming WIAA state
tournament series.
“It’s a huge game; a measuring stick to see where we’re at,”
Hoerchner said of his team playing Lake Country Lutheran. “This is a good
test.”
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