By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
A gritty win called for a griddy celebration.
The Nixa Lady Eagles overcame the rain and a tight match on their arch nemesis’s home turf to repeat as district champions.
Junior Shaelee Franck keyed both goals as Nixa defeated Kickapoo 2-0 in Tuesday night’s Class 4 District 5 Tournament title match.
After the initial celebration of hugs and high fives, the Lady Eagles danced off the field with a choreographed team Griddy. At least, their version of the viral dance move.
“We have a lot of (team) dinners together and we just have fun with games and music,” Franck said. “We griddy to music. And we dance all the time. We just have fun.”
The Lady Eagles have plenty of reasons to celebrate. They’re headed back to the postseason, this time with a 20-2 overall record and some gaudy accolades.
Nixa went undefeated against local competition and outscored its conference foes 59-1 this spring. Nixa has also won 26 straight regular season matches against conference opponents, a streak that dates back two years.
“Every team brings their best,” said Nixa coach Evan Palmer. “For these girls to make it through all of that with just a couple of losses, to out-of-town teams, is pretty amazing.”
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A tall task looms for the Lady Eagles this weekend. Nixa will host Blue Springs South in a Class 4 quarterfinal match on Saturday. Blue Springs South beat Nixa 3-0 in late March earlier this season and knocked the Lady Eagles out of the playoffs in the same round last year.
The Lady Eagles were put to the test on Kickapoo’s rain-soaked turf Tuesday night, battling the Lady Chiefs for 70 minutes of scoreless soccer.
“With the conditions and going against (Kickapoo), we just couldn’t figure it out,” Palmer said. “Their pressure was amazing as well. That combination held us at our end. We had to play cleaner and get the ball forward. We were playing a bit disconnected in the first half.”
Nixa finally broke through in the 73rd minute. Franck’s corner kick was headed in by senior Bailey Snyder to put Nixa on the board.
“I’m usually pretty good at placing it, and Bailey’s really good at getting it,” Franck said. “She’s probably had 10 (goals) this season like that. We’re just so comfortable with it. At this point, it’s become a regular thing for us.”
Said Palmer: “Bailey’s done that her whole career, just finds a way to head it home.”
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Franck, Nixa’s leading scorer, tacked on an insurance goal with a 20-yard, left-footed rope in the 77th minute.
“I know I can take shots from out there, so I’m going to take the shot if I have the chance,” Franck said. “Because it’s a 50-50 chance that it’s going to go in for me.”
Kickapoo (17-7 overall) was shutout for just the fourth time this season. Nixa has two of those shutouts. The Lady Eagles also ended Kickapoo’s reign of six straight district titles a year ago.
“We really made a point here in the last few weeks of the season to focus more on keeping the ball and possessing the ball,” said Kickapoo coach Phil Hodge. “I thought our kids did a really good job with it tonight. We just lacked that final touch, that final pass, that final goal.”
The Lady Chiefs will say goodbye to a senior class that includes three program staples: Elli Davison, Faith Joe and Erin Lee. Even as underclassmen, they were a key part of Kickapoo’s team that made the final four in 2023.
“It’s not very often you get three leaders and kids of that poise all together,” Hodge said. “It just creates such a great team culture and positive team atmosphere.”
Davison, a Drury signee, leaves as Kickapoo’s career and single-season leader in goals.
