Bishop Brossart girls soccer coach Andy Smith had just seen Rylee Fuller give the Lady ‘Stangs a 3-0 lead.
“That was a really good buildup,” Smith said. “I enjoyed watching that soccer play.”
There were at least seven more things for Smith to savor. The defending 10th Region champions will defend their title because they overwhelmed Montgomery County, 8-0, in Wednesday’s semifinals at Montgomery County’s Cunningham Field.
A familiar foe awaits Thursday: Scott, a 7-0 winner over Harrison County. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
For the second straight game, Brossart’s (16-5-3) Tessa Hafer scored three goals.
“It’s always fun to score, but when anyone scores, it’s fun,” Hafer said.
Rylee Fuller and Olivia McDermott added two goals apiece, Smith had two assists, and Larah Callahan served five assists.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had five assists in a game, but we’re not normally mercy-ruling teams like that,” Callahan said.
After Brossart eliminated Mason County, 8-0, in Monday’s quarterfinals, Smith was not pleased because he felt the Lady ‘Stangs started out slow and didn’t play intensely enough.
So what was Smith’s analysis Wednesday?
“We played smarter, we didn’t force things,” he said. “We took the chances that we needed to take and not the chances that weren’t going to go in or not the chances that we didn’t have a shot to score on. We kept the ball better in the offensive third; we actually worked on it in training this week twice – just to be patient and take the right shots and make the shots.”
The Indians (10-9-2) opened with three defenders. Hafer was not surprised.
“We knew they were playing three back,” Hafer said. “So we knew we were going to have a lot of space on the wings, and that was it going to clear up space for us.”
And Brossart took advantage – two goals in 12 minutes thanks to a potent duo – Hafer scored off two Smith assists.
McDermott’s goal in the 36th minute was an example of the trust she, Callahan, Kylie Smith and Fuller have developed.
Addison Sendelbach started the run near midfield. She found Callahan streaking down the left wing, and Callahan passed to McDermott.
“We’ve been playing together for the last couple years, so I feel like we all know each other and how we play,” Callahan said.
“They just cut us open in the midfield,” Montgomery County coach Mason Anderson said. “Their movement’s fantastic. We didn’t cut off the passing angles like we should have; they kind of overloaded us.”
Scott 7, Harrison County 0
If you only had one word to describe the Eagles’ (11-6-3) win, “unselfish” would’ve sufficed. Khloe Berry, Noelle Price, Ava Karl, Anne Bowling, Molly Porada and Nevaeh Dwertman-Dixon each scored a goal.
Karl also served two assists; she said the assists were more satisfying.
“They were to people who haven’t really scored this season,” she said.
What almost went unnoticed was the job Porada did on defense against Harrison County’s Eva Ashbrook, who led the Fillies with 13 goals.
“Molly’s fantastic,” Scott coach Corey Nichols said. “… She anticipates plays, and she uses her body. She’s big, she’s physical; she knows when to step, when not to step.”
Porada’s goal was perhaps the most unexpected – her 40-yard shot snuck under the crossbar and past Harrison County goalkeeper Greenlee Maners.
“It was very different for me, so that was pretty exciting,” Porada said. “But I also love playing defense.”
Brossart is 26-3 against Scott, including a 4-0 loss on Sept. 28 and a 7-0 shutout on Oct. 15.
“We owe them,” Nichols said.
