WEST SALEM — It’s strange to hear a coach and player talk glowingly about its defense after scoring 18 goals in its past two soccer games, but that’s just what happened Wednesday morning.
The West Salem High School girls soccer team is a No. 1 seed and WIAA Division 3 regional champion for a reason. At quick glance, it would appear that scoring nine goals in the semifinals and finals was the big reason, but they instead point to the one postseason goal it has allowed as that.
“When we need to recover, we really lock in and play well,” senior Kayla Olson said after Wednesday morning’s practice. “We’re doing a good job of not letting teams get shots even if they get the ball down the field.”
That wasn’t the case during a 4-0 loss to Onalaska on May 27, but it certainly has since. The top-seeded Panthers (14-3-1) have allowed their last three opponents to score once as they prepare to host third-seeded Baldwin-Woodville (14-2) in a sectional semifinal at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The winner of Thursday’s semifinal plays either fourth-seeded Waupaca or third-seeded Ashland in Medford on Saturday afternoon for the right to play in the state tournament next week in Milwaukee.
West Salem has shut out seven opponents and held seven more to one goal.
But neither the offense nor the defense performed to its abilities in the loss to the Hilltoppers, and coach Lionel Karyea said something switched in his team after that game.
“I think that was a good kick in the backside for us,” he said. “Since that game, I’ve seen a different mentality with our team.”
The leaders in the group, he said, kickstarted that by sharing some honest opinions with their teammates about what happened. The result was a 2-0 win over Holmen to give the Panthers the outright MVC championship, a 9-0 regional semifinal win over Spooner/Shell Lake and a 9-1 win over Osceola in the regional finals.
Karyea said he has enjoyed watching the players motivate themselves.
“Those leaders are making sure everybody else is focused,” he said, “because they want to see how far they can take this run.”
The goal explosion is something any coach would welcome, but Karyea has been most impressed by one particular aspect of it. The Panthers are showing scoring depth at the right time of the year.
“We’re scoring all these goals, but they are all from different people,” he said. “It’s coming from everywhere on the field, and that’s impressive to see.”
The Panthers had five players scored at least once against Spooner/Shell Lake and six scored at least once against Osceola.
Junior Emily Graham and freshman Amelia Karr each had a three-goal performance in those games, but they had plenty of teammates able to put the ball away, too.
“I smile because it’s so exciting seeing so many people score,” Olson said. “Like when Lilly Ciganek scored to end our last game. She is someone who has improved so much as a player, and we got to see her score that officially gave us the win.
“Emily Graham and Brynlee (Kelly) have scored so many goals for us, but when you see other people do it, too, it really makes you feel that connection, that family, that ‘Let’s go!'”
The connection is also strengthened by playing well enough to be rewarded with a No. 1 seed. Teams from the Coulee Region don’t receive those often, but the Panthers played so well they couldn’t be denied.
That gave them two home games already and another home-field advantage against Baldwin-Woodville on Thursday.
“When we play at home, we play much stronger,” Olson said. “Knowing this is where we play, it’s where we practice, and it brings a sense of comfort.
“Your friends are here, your family is here, and they didn’t have to drive three hours to see you.”
