Boys soccer team scores run at State title

On Saturday, Nov. 11, the boys soccer team’s record-breaking season came to an end. The 25-9 season was capped off with a Class 3 second place state trophy. A double overtime win against Harrisonville on Friday, Nov. 10 advanced the team to the State Championship game: a place no WHS soccer team has been before. The team is led by head coach Derek Schriewer and assistant coach Brian Dougherty.

“Friday’s game was the craziest emotional rollercoaster in the world because we were playing a man down almost the whole game and then we were down 2-0,” senior left and right wing Matt Ruth said. “Being able to rally back and win 4-3 in overtime was pretty crazy.”

The state semifinal game was brought into overtime after junior center back Jeremiah Collins scored a goal with seven seconds left in the game. Senior striker Conlan Jarvis scored the winning goal in double overtime, which was the “best feeling of [his] athletic career.” Throughout the season, many players have grown extremely close to one another.

“We all got along very well. We’re all very different, but we came together and our personalities never really conflicted. They all meshed together to complement each other,” Jarvis said.

In the end, the Blue Jays lost Saturday’s championship game 1-0 to Parkway Central. Both the loss of a championship and the end of a very successful season left very few eyes dry on the team. This team was a once in a lifetime arrangement on the field since 14 of the players were seniors.

“All of the seniors and some of the juniors have played together since we were in second or third grade, and the fact that this was some of our last games we would ever play was kinda heartbreaking,” senior left wing back Trent Lewis said. “…We’d made it that far and just lost by one goal.”

Although the season is over, the memories this group of boys have created will live on forever. From a record-breaking season to their exciting shot at a State title, the boys soccer team is proud of how they played throughout the year.