Sikeston set for Class 3 quarterfinal match against ranked Webster Groves

sports@standard-democrat.com

SIKESTON -- Already on the deepest postseason run in program history, Sikeston will no doubt have to play its best game of the season Saturday if they want to keep the Cinderella ride going.

That's when they'll take on its toughest challenge yet against Webster Groves in a Class 3 quarterfinal with the winner moving on to the final four in Blue Springs.

Action will kickoff at 2 p.m. at the Sikeston Sports Complex in what will be Sikeston's final home game of the season, win or lose.

"At this point in the year the girls know what they have to do and how to do it," Sikeston head coach Gabe Dement said of preparing for the quarterfinals. "They just have to go out on the field and execute. Really we've just been kind of working on touches and talking about how to play our best soccer. We've been working on some conditioning stuff and how to defend the right way as well."

Webster Groves comes to town with an intimidating 26-2 resume that includes 23 shutouts. They outscored their district opponents 12-0 on their way to sectionals.

To earn its trip to the quarterfinals, the Statesmen knocked off defending Class 2 state champions Visitation 1-0. It was Webster Groves' fifth shutout in a row.

The National Soccer Coaches Association of America has Webster Groves as the third ranked school in Region IV while placing them as the 14th best program on a national level.

"As you can see by their rankings they're a solid team," Dement said. "They'll be tough to beat defensively and they'll be tough to slow down offensively. They're not going to make a lot of big mistakes, but when they do we'll have to capitalize."

Junior Emily Lieb scored the game-winner against Visitation and she's one of two 20-plus goal scorers Sikeston will have to defend. Lieb lead her team with 22 goals and 10 assists.

Senior Maddie Pokorny is the Staesmen's other big threat with 20 goals and a team-high 15 assists. Senior Allie Thomas is third on the team with 13 goals and nine assists.

Sikeston head coach Gabe Dement gives instruction during a Thursday morning practice at the Sikeston Sports Complex. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)

Sikeston head coach Gabe Dement gives instruction during a Thursday morning practice at the Sikeston Sports Complex. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)

"Pokorny is a really good player for them," Dement said. "She plays center-mid from what I can gather and it s a playmaker for sure with all the goals and assists she has. She'll either score herself or set them up. She is very dangerous so it will be key for my center-mids Claudea Kuykendall and Grace Hamra to help our defense keep her in check."

Along with holding Webster Grove's offense in check, the Lady Bulldogs will have to fight for every opportunity as the Statesmen are known for their stout defense.

Of their 23 shutouts on the year, they've only allowed a combined seven goals through 28 games. They're currently on a 12-game winning streak where they've outscored opponents 49-1.

"We'll have to make the best of our opportunities," Dement said. "Having a pretty solid defense ourselves will hopefully help us. I have a lot of speed in my defense. Our keeper Madeline Witt is playing really well. The last eight games we've outscored teams 31-3. Not quite the level of Webster Groves defensively, but when it's mattered here lately we've stepped it up."

Playing the underdog role is nothing new for Sikeston and it's a role lately that hasn't phased them. Not only has Sikeston set a school record for wins on their way to a 16-10 mark, but they've also won eight in a row and have the most shutouts in program history with 10.

Junior Torrie Helms has also been scoring at an unprecedented pace with her current total of 35 goals a single season record. Her 12 assists are also a team-high.

Like for much of the past month starters Kylie Noe, a freshman, and Larysa McClellon, a sophomore, will still be absent due to injury.

Despite missing most of the final month of the season, McClellon's eight goals are still second on the team while Noe pitched in three before injury. The two had combined for eight assists as well.

Junior team captain Kuykendall has steped up offensively in their place and has five goals and four assists with senior Kyra Rainwater and freshman Mackenzie Yant pitching in four goals each.

Though Webster Groves will no doubt focus their defense on Helms as so many previous teams have, Dement doesn't see any reason to switch game plans now.

"That's what every team has done," Dement said of keying in on Helms. "You find her feet and if you don't you find the girl that's open because they're keying on her. Whether that's Mackenzie, Claudea, Grace or whoever. Whenever they double and triple team her then that's going to mean that one or two other girls are probably wide open.

"Now as to the level of defenders Webster has, I don't know if they'll have four defenders that will all be able to handle Torrie easily or not. But I have faith in Torrie personally. Every team has thrown their best at her and she's got 35 goals and 12 assists to show for it."

Webster Groves, who is the No. 3 large school in the STLhighschoolsports.com rankings, won its first district title since 1990 and are in its first quarterfinal game since 1987. It's Sikeston's first-ever appearance in the quarterfinals after winning its first district title in school history.