EVERETT
Archbishop Murphy is ready to begin the defense of its Class 2A state girls soccer championship.
The Wildcats took the first step by claiming their first Cascade Conference girls soccer title with last week’s 2-0 victory over Lakewood.
The Wildcats (14-0 in the league, 15-0 overall) host either South Whidbey or Mount Baker in a first-round district playoff game at 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 27, at Archbishop Murphy High School.
Archbishop Murphy dominated the competition en route to its league crown. The Wildcats outscored their opposition 87-3.
Senior co-captain Aleigh Mansfield is convinced the Wildcats are ready for the tougher teams at districts despite having so many lopsided contests during the regular season.
“I think we’re more prepared than ever,” she said. “We’re going off such an energy high. … I don’t think we have any expectations less than doing great.”
Archbishop Murphy head coach Dick Henderson might be concerned heading into the playoffs if his offense revolved around only a couple of players. But that’s not the case for the potent Wildcats.
“We have maybe five to seven girls that have scored quite a few goals,” he said. “I just think that offensively we’re pretty balanced.”
Five Wildcats — Melissa von der Hofen, Caroline Brawner, Maddie Huggins, Lindsey Bos and Brittany Allen — have scored in double digits this season.
“You don’t hear of that too often,” Mansfield said. “We have a lot of talented players. … We have so many people up front that can score and we have options, which is always fantastic.”
With two 10-0 victories and three 8-0 wins, some observers might wonder if Archbishop Murphy has been running up the score on its opponents.
Henderson said that the Wildcats have been holding back in the first half and have substituted liberally in the second half.
“We’re not trying to do that (run up the score), but by the same token I can’t have reserves come in and then not try to compete too,” he said.
The Wildcats are looking forward to some more competitive games at districts.
“We’re looking for a game that is intense,” Mansfield said. “We always love that intensity because we like to play at that level.”
With the eye-popping number of goals, it would be easy to overlook the Archbishop Murphy defense, which has allowed only three goals all season and only two against its starting goalkeeper.
“We tend to forget that we must be doing pretty well defensively,” Henderson said. “So we seem to have a pretty good balance.”
The low number of goals is a result of not just the defense but the entire team, Mansfield said.
“I’ve never had a season like this,” she said. “It shows that we’re a strong team as a whole because it’s not just the defense. It’s the offense. The goalie plays a huge part obviously. But as a whole we all come together. The defense is just amazing. It’s just so exciting to see that number so low.”
Henderson noted that the Wildcats have not only quite a few select players but some extremely talented select players. There are so many ways that players can become better through select teams, he added.
The Wildcats are mindful of the fact they lost in the district playoffs last season.
“I like what we’ve done,” Henderson said. “I think our position heading in but when you’ve won so many games without a loss, it always makes you feel a little apprehensive. … I think we realize you can’t have an off day. You have to be prepared and compete at your best.”
The key at districts is intensity, Mansfield added. The team that usually wins is not necessarily the most skilled but usually is the more determined.
“We put so much heart and so much passion into our play,” Mansfield said. “I’m am so excited.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
