Wilsonville dominates Churchill in semifinals

It was the biggest game of the season, and the Wildcats came to play.

The Churchill Lancers were seeded seventh in the state going into playoffs and got the upset win over #2 Corvallis on Saturday night. Wilsonville, seeded third, easily handled West Albany in the quarterfinals to advance to Tuesday’s match.

Recognizing the potential threat posed by Churchill, the Wildcats used their only practice between games to study and simulate their opponent’s style of play. The defensive midfielders and backline studied film before the match, with the intent to seal any gaps and prevent the opposition from breaking through, as Churchill is known to do.

The hard work and preparation paid off in the end, as Wilsonville only gave up one goal to the Lancers on Tuesday night, pouring in six of their own to end Churchill’s season.

Eight minutes into the game, senior Renee Lee scored a goal which could be considered a birthday present to herself. Sophomore sensation Lindsey Antonson followed soon after with one of the best goals of the season, dribbling through the entire Lancer midfield and defense before rocketing a shot in with her left foot.

Up 2-0 at the half, the Wildcats weren’t satisfied. “You’re playing their game, not ours.” Head coach Dwight Sheppick warned in the huddle during the break.

The tension came to head early in the second half when Churchill managed to find a goal off of a corner kick, which was initially forced by an amazing save from senior goalie Kendall Taylor.

With their lead cut to one, Wilsonville could feel the opposition gaining momentum. Antonson quickly took matters into her own hands, earning a PK, but the shot was saved by Churchill’s goalkeeper.

Soon after, the Lancers scored an own goal off an Antonson shot, and the Wildcat lead was back to two. Senior Haley Stahl scored off a corner kick, and Antonson found the back of the net again to put Wilsonville up 5-1.

With eight minutes left, Antonson had her shot at redemption when she earned another PK. This time, she stepped up to take the kick and buried it in the back of the net.

However, it was called back because of encroachment by Wilsonville.

Antonson set up the ball at the mark for the third time that night, and found success, placing it low corner.

When the final whistle blew, Wilsonville was elated. Winning a semifinal match is always exciting, but winning 6-1 makes a statement. The Wildcats will face a familiar foe on Saturday: Crescent Valley. Wilsonville was knocked out of the playoffs last year by the Raiders, who went on to win the championship. This year, they’re ranked #1.

However, they only won their semifinal match 1-0 over North Eugene. Wilsonville’s dominant performance tonight suggests one thing: the Wildcats are here to play, and they mean business.