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Southwest Finishes as Runner-Up in Wisconsin D2 Championship


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FROM GREEN BAY PRESS GAZETTE

MILWAUKEE – The magical ride ended one game too soon for the Green Bay Southwest girls soccer team.

The Trojans lost 3-0 to Oregon in the WIAA Division 2 state title game on Saturday afternoon at Uihlein Soccer Park, settling for the program's first runner-up finish in four trips to state.

"Everybody thinks we're such an underdog, but I'm proud of us," Southwest junior forward Paige Pierce said. "Second place isn't so bad."

Indeed, the Trojans were able to accomplish some big things even with the loss.

Southwest (14-10-4) was the first girls soccer team from the four Green Bay public schools to reach a title game, and after Green Bay Notre Dame lost in the D3 title game earlier in the day, it was hoping to become the first area team to win a state title.

But it ran into a top-ranked Panthers squad that put the finishing touches on a near perfect season. They finished 23-0-1 and allowed just 12 goals in 24 games.

Oregon outscored its two state opponents 7-0 in its first state trip behind a record-setting performance by junior forward Jen Brien, who scored two goals against the Trojans and finished with a D2 state record four.

"There is nothing short of just being proud of them," Southwest coach Tyler Thomas said of his team. "I mean, they played and competed and worked their butt off all day. Oregon is a great team, there is no shame in losing to Oregon today. They are No. 1 in the state for a reason.

"All the credit goes to them. They just beat us today. They were the better team."

Southwest was able to hang with the Panthers in a scoreless first half despite getting outshot 6-0, with two of those attempts being stopped by Trojans junior goaltender Toni Champion.

Things changed in the final 45 minutes.

Oregon took a 1-0 lead in the 50th minute on a goal from Brien, who was one of three 20-goal scorers on the Panthers this season.

It wasted little time extending the lead to 2-0 on a goal from senior midfielder Paityn Fleming in the 53rd minute, before Brien capped the scoring with a goal in the 72nd minute.

Oregon outshot Southwest 12-1 in the game. There just weren't enough opportunities for the Trojans to have any hope for a comeback.

"At 2-0, I thought we still had an opportunity to claw back in the game," Thomas said. "Paige had a good opportunity on a cross that just missed her foot that would have trickled right past the goalie had she got her foot on it, and then their goalie made a nice diving save that pushed the ball over the cross bar.

"I thought we'd get two or three more opportunities. Once the third one went in, we pretty much knew the game was going to be over. But proud of the girls. They continued to fight."

This might be just the start for the Trojans, who were making their first state appearance since 2003. They lose only three seniors from this season and bring back all 11 starters, giving hope that it might not be another decade before they are back here.

Southwest will have perhaps the area's top goaltender in Champion and a cast that includes a big offensive talent in Pierce.

"The saddest part is losing our three seniors, but we are such a young team," said Pierce, who was one of two team captains along with senior midfielder McKenna Lambert this season. "Next year, I'm not saying we are going to make it to the championship, but don't be so surprised."

— svenci@pressgazettemedia.com and follow him on Twitter @scottvenci

CREDIT: Green Bay Press Gazette

PHOTO GALLERY: From Green Bay Press Gazette


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