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Sports

Blue Dukes Rout King; DSHA is Last Hurdle Before State

After two forfeits in WIAA tournament, Whitefish Bay scores easy 10-0 victory to set up huge clash.

Whitefish Bay cruised past Milwaukee King 10-0 in Thursday night’s WIAA girls soccer sectional semifinal behind a hat trick from freshman striker Annie Beckman, who was making her varsity debut for the Blue Dukes.

The Blue Dukes host Divine Savior Holy Angels at 5 p.m. Saturday for a trip to the state finals.

Beckman, who was the junior varsity leading scorer during the regular season, tallied her three goals in quick succession. Her first strike, a low-driven solo effort from about 20 yards out, came just one minute into the second half. She scored again in the 46th and 50th minutes, getting assists from sophomore midfielder Gilly Maxwell on both goals.

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By the time Beckman’s scoring spree concluded, the game was all but over with Bay clearly in control and leading 6-0. The game didn’t look nearly as easy in the first 20 minutes.

King, who went 15-7-0 during the regular season and won the City Conference crown with a perfect 9-0 record, pestered the Dukes on defense and had a few fast break opportunities. But as the game wore on, Whitefish Bay gained more control and more possession.

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The Dukes looked well organized throughout the entire night and used crisp passing to gradually pick apart the Generals. After a number of close chances, Bay finally got on the scoreboard in the 25th minute when sophomore forward Jana Maxwell tucked away a goal assisted by none other than Beckman.

Maxwell’s tally opened the floodgates for Bay’s attack, and the Dukes scored two more times before half. Kelsey Corrigan, a senior defender and co-captain, put one away in the 28th minute. Five minutes later, junior forward Elena Beckman, sister of Annie, made it 3-0.

Following Beckman’s hat trick, Bay scored four more times. Maxwell made it 7-0 in the 58th minute. Ava Stock, a sophomore forward, hit from far range in the 74th, and Jamie Talbert, a sophomore midfielder, scored in the 77th. Michaela Cohen, a senior forward and co-captain, put away the night’s final tally one minute later, and the referee ended the game.

Coach Robert Williams said it was great to see his team’s offense come alive. The Dukes' three previous games, two losses and one win, had all been decided on 1-0 score lines.

He said creating and finishing chances has been the focus of recent practices. The Dukes have had plenty of time to practice, after their two regional opponents both forfeited. Before Thursday night, Bay hadn’t played a competitive match since May 31, a 1-0 loss to Germantown.

“We could have used the games to figure some stuff out,” Williams said regarding the two forfeited regionals.

Despite the downtime, the Dukes passed well and put in their best offensive performance of the season, Williams said.

Saturday’s matchup marks the third consecutive year Bay and DSHA will meet in the sectional final. DSHA has won the past two years and went on to win the state championship in 2009.

Williams said the heartbreak of years past should serve as motivation for his squad.

Maxwell, who assisted two of Beckman’s goals and was lauded by Williams for her excellent game, admitted she’s a bit nervous for Saturday’s game. She agreed with Beckman, however, that the 10-0 win over King should give the team a confidence boost.

As for getting past DSHA and continuing toward state, Maxwell said, “We just need to focus on that game. We need to focus on thing at a time.”

Williams said senior Lydia Kaminsky and junior Abby Starker, two highly rated players who both suffered season-ending injuries in late April, will continue to serve as “emotional leaders” for the squad.

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