By Alex Kuhn
Sports Editor
Lady Warriors advance to third-straight 3A title match
JACKSON - Even with the Rawlins Lady Outlaws putting on added defensive pressure, the Worland Lady Warriors found a way to win their semifinal match and advance to their third-straight 3A Girls state championship match Friday morning at Jackson High School.
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Alex Kuhn
Lady Warrior Jaycee Page cuts off a Rawlins attacker during Worland's 2-0 win in the semifinals of the 3A Girls state soccer tournament Friday morning at Jackson High School.
JACKSON - Even with the Rawlins Lady Outlaws putting on added defensive pressure, the Worland Lady Warriors found a way to win their semifinal match and advance to their third-straight 3A Girls state championship match Friday morning at Jackson High School.
The Lady Warriors won 2-0 and both goals were scored by senior, and Sheridan College soccer signee, Casey Wassum. On the first goal in the 19th minute, Wassum beat the Rawlins back line and, with a defender draped all over her, blistered a shot over the Lady Outlaw keeper's head.
For Wassum's second goal in the 64th minute, she shook a double team just inside the 18 and sent another rocket toward the back of the net.
The Lady Warriors defense turned in another excellent performance and did not allow Rawlins to take many shots on goal.
"It's hard playing in a game like Rawlins," said WHS girls soccer coach Danielle Warren. "They had 10 behind the ball on every possession and the hard thing about playing a team like that is they hold, they hold, they hold then they get this crazy breakaway on you because you've been asleep half the game."
Added Warren, "That's why I mixed it up and dropped Casey [Wassum] back a few times to give her a break. But the defense has done a phenomenal job in both games. We've done a better job shutting down goal kicks, throw-ins and just our rotations have been so much better. They're also more confident with each other and you can see that."
The Worland attack still found ways to be effective and more importantly aggressive, even with Rawlins committing 10 players to defense.
TITLE MATCH
Saturday's championship match should have more space for the Lady Warriors to operate as Cody's defense typically tries to play straight-up more so than other teams.
"When we play Cody they're not going to have three and four on Casey. They'll have one or two on her but that will still give us more opportunities and I think it will be a better game," said Warren.
This is the third-straight season the Lady Warriors will have a crack at bringing home 3A soccer's top prize. It will also be the fourth time Worland and Cody have played this season, with the Fillies won the previous three contests. But this fourth matchup is the only one that matters now.
To bring that title home will take a complete team effort with everyone working together. Star players will take it to another level and role players will be counted on to make potentially match-deciding plays.
"It was nice to see those players [role players] step up today [Friday] and yesterday [Thursday] and we'll definitely need them tomorrow [today].
"This has been such a fun year all-around. Last year and the year before I felt like we had to make it because we were so good. This year we're just young and fun, it's awesome. The sky is the limit for this group," said Warren.
The Lady Warriors kickoff vs. Cody at 9 a.m. today on field four.
