By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
ROGERSVILLE – Facing a steady rain all night, Maddie Lou Shuburte broke through in the 42nd minute to lift the Logan-Rogersville Lady Wildcats to their fourth-straight district title with a 1-0 win over top-seeded Clinton in Tuesday’s Class 2 District 5 Girls’ Soccer Championship.
The high-scoring sophomore collected the 125th goal of her high school career early in the second half as she spun around one of the last defenders for a breakaway down the left side and headed toward the goal. She then sent the ball across the front of the goal past the goalkeeper and into the lower-right corner for the only score of the game.
“It feels absolutely wonderful,” Shuburte said of the second-seeded Lady Wildcats advancing to the Class 2 quarterfinals. “It was such a tough game, and we knew that coming into it. We just needed to put one in the back of the net.
“(The game) was how you would expect soccer to be played in this weather. I’ve been playing since I was two, and these are actually my favorite games to play in. I love the rain. I love the unpredictable part of it; that’s my favorite part. I know it’s going to slide right past, so let me go use my speed and get that (goal).”
Coach Brett Wubbena said a Monday practice in the rain helped prepare the Lady Wildcats for Tuesday’s conditions and the moment.
“The longer that I’m doing this, I figure mentality is such a huge part,” Wubbena said. “When it’s hot, I tell the girls, ‘embrace the heat; just love it.’ You’ve got to get to the point where you just love these bad conditions because the other team is going to hate them.
“Clinton is a heck of a team. We saw that on videos and just having that ability to say, ‘Hey, you’re going to have to play.’ We practiced yesterday and (the Lady Wildcats) were good. They were in the rain, and we came out here (tonight), and it rained. So, maybe that was a good thing that we practiced (in the rain). It was a good practice, and they seemed to be motivated.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
Logan-Rogersville controlled much of the first half, but was unable to find the back of the net. Clinton, who finished the season 17-5, began to threaten with about 11 minutes left in the first half, but the Lady Wildcats’ defense denied the Lady Cardinals’ bids to score and the teams went into halftime scoreless.
Then, with just about two minutes gone in the second half, Shuburte’s goal was all the Lady Wildcats needed to move another step closer to a second trip to the final four.
Senior defender Madelyn MacPherson, who has been part of the four district championship teams, says each one has been special in its own way.
“It feels really good,” MacPherson said of winning the district title. “I have had such good teams all the years I’ve played, and they’ve all been a different team, a different environment and it’s just fun to win it. It’s such a big accomplishment. It’s fun to be with your team and win so many times.
“This team, we’re all super-close. We all have good communication; we just have that bond. And once (Maddie) Lou got it, I think we knew, and from there, we were like, ‘OK, girls, let’s go. Let’s keep going.’”
MacPherson added that there may have been some concern about the weather, but there was also a confidence heading into the district final.
“It was definitely a little nerve-wracking; I think we all had that nervous buzz, but we were also confident, as well,” MacPherson said. “We’ve played (Clinton) before. We know how they play and we know, as a team, we are capable of winning this.”
The Lady Wildcats, who improved to 14-6 overall, will face Southern Boone (19-4) on Saturday in the Class 2 quarterfinals, and will be prepared – come rain or shine.
“We’ll have to have some good practices, depending on the weather,” MacPherson said. “We might have to have a rain practice again, but I think we’re ready. We’ve finally gotten to a point in the season where we’re all comfortable, we’re good at communicating and we’re able to calm down and just play.”
