Wisconsin State Championships: Soccer's Roots Firmly Implanted David Morris All over the state of Wisconsin, the end of May and beginning of June bring a simple message to high school teams: win or your season is over. With proms, senior banquets, and even graduations out of the way, the spring season draws to a close amid high drama as teams try to conquer one of thestate's twelve sections (eight in Division 1, four in Division 2) to qualify for the state tournament. With soccer developing at different rates in various communities throughout the state, scores can be lopsided at times and competition remains uneven - but the growth and improvement of women's soccer in the upper Midwest is impressive. First of all, Wisconsin's two largest newspapers cover the entire tournament- Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel got a break from covering the A-League Rampage, UW college soccer and the NPSL's Milwaukee Wave to catch two of the tournament's match days and this coverage was matched by Madison's Capital Times and prep reporter Adam Mertz. In the western part of the state, Hudson High's trip to state competed for space in the St. Paul newspaper with the A-League champion Minnesota Thunder. The WIAA website remarkably assembled every score of the far flung tournament on its website (updated completely each morning - U.S. Soccer should do so well with the U.S. Open Cup) for tournament junkies or coaches trying to get ahead start on planning for the next round. In Division 2, with only four sectional champions advancing to Madison's Breese-Stevens Field for the semi-finals, regional tournaments can be highly competitive. Whitefish Bay, defending Division 2 Champs, came in as heavy favorites, but had to get past previously undefeated Shorewood and a physical Grafton team to get to Madison at all. Their semi-final opponent, New Berlin Eisenhower, had a comparative waltz to sectionals, beating an athletic but unsophisticated Delavan Darien team 4-1 before overwhelming Hustisford in the section final 10-1. Plymouth narrowly upset Kimberly and Waupaca to get to their semi-final against Madison's entry, Monona Grove. MG squeaked into the state tournament with an overtime victory over Madison McFarland and then a shootout win over Waunakee to take a VERY competitive Madison area sectional. In Division 1, with eight sections, there is still some culling to be done in the state quarterfinals before things get serious. Tournament favorite Madison West rode player of the year Jenny Kundert past Mukwonago, her first half hat trick saw West through and the score ended up 5-1. Waukesha West jumped out to a 3-0 lead against the run of play and then withstood a late bid from Fond du Lac to hold on 3-2 in the next match. Homestead, rounding into form late in the year, scored a pair of early goals against Stevens Point and then dominated possession to coast into the semi-finals. The most exciting game of the day came last. Hartland Arrowhead from Milwaukee took on Hudson, just over the Minnesota border from St. Paul. Arrowhead scored early when Kris Unterweger threaded a pass to Tricia Gill between two defenders and in front of Hudson's towering goalkeeper, Allison Burchill. Gill's slide only narrowly beat Burchill to the ball, poking it into the net. The ensuing collision forced Burchill off the field, but Hudson survived without their keeper and trailed only 1-0 at half-time. With their first team keeper back in the net Hudson maintained some hope, but Arrowhead's possession took the edge off Hudson's speedy counter-attacks, Gill scored again at the hour mark, and Hudson had to commit to the attack. A pair of goals in the final moments ended the suspense and sent Arrowhead to Breese-Stevens as well. In the semi-finals, the small schools play first, and bunker defense was the days' theme. New Berlin Eisenhower held on for almost half an hour before Whitefish Bay's Kristen Kannenburg put the Blue Dukes ahead, and despite launching a sixteen shot barrage at Eisenhower's net, the game ended without another score. Monona Grove looked to be coasting to a similarly lopsided 2-1 win when a late Becky Katsma free kick found its way through MG keeper Kyla Swenson and into the net - sending the match into a pair of scoreless overtimes followed by penalty kicks. Swenson earned her redemption in the shootout, saving a well placed Plymouth shot in the fourth round of the shootout was all MG needed to get to the final. In Division 1, the favorites went through with a bit less excitement - Madison West picked up a pair of Kundert goals in a 2-0 win over Waukesha that was not as close as the score line. And Arrowhead got an Unterweger goal in the first half before icing the match with a second only seven minutes past halftime, and two more after that. In both cases a clearly superior side had its ticket punched for the final. Both championships were played with sophistication and skill - and a crowd that fluctuated between 1,500 and 2,000 for each match. Whitefish Bay's speedy flank players stretched Monona Grove's defense, creating space for Kannenberg and her partner Rachel Martin inside the Silver Eagle penalty area. Also, a solid midfield limited the space available to Elsberry in the center of the field, stifling Monona's attack before it could start. The Blue Dukes' possession was duly rewarded when Kannenberg fielded a desperate clear and fired a dart into the net from 25 yards out. Whitefish Bay continued to attack, but it looked like Monona would prevent further damage until Martin found Christin Acklam in front of the net and doubled the lead only minutes from halftime. Silver Eagle freshman Elena Evans pulled a goal back midway through the second half, but Whitefish Bay was able to maintain the lions' share of possession and close out their successful title defense. In Division 1, Arrowhead used one of their creative players, Tricia Gill, to try to mark West's Kundert out of the final. The tactic worked to a point, Kundert did not shake loose for another goal or for one of the 40 yard, Mia-like runs that had been standard fare the previous two matches. But she was able to function as a one and two touch midfield hub, and Arrowhead's attack looked toothless without Gill in her usual role. Also, with the defense collapsing on Kundert, freshman defenders Gennifer Bodway and Lizzy Bauer put on a dazzling demonstration of why West should be favored to pick up a third championship in 2001. When a Bauer put Kundert through at the 15 minute mark, the Warhawks were forced to foul. Bodway rocketed the ensuing free kick into the net, and the Regents were on their way. Just before the half hour mark, West added to their advantage. Bauer made a spectacular run through midfield, finding Bodway just inside the area as the defense collapsed. Bodway finished cleanly and when Arrowhead's Tricia Gill went down just before halftime things looked bleak for the Warhawks. Trying to change the flow of the game, Arrowhead's Katrina Ziaja physically challenged Jenny Kundert on Kundert's first touch of the second half, but all she got for her trouble was a yellow card as Kundert, restrained by teammates and screaming at Ziaja escaped even a booking. Arrowhead's frustration deepened when the Regents added a third goal ten minutes after halftime and for the final half hour the only question remaining was whether the teams would end the game with a full complement of players on the field. The Regents successful title defense rated the front page on Sunday morning, large crowds saw three days of skillful, attractive soccer, and some great players got to play in front of their home town crowds. Looks like soccer's toe hold has grown a bit firmer in this state.	Girls' Tournaments - WAGS - Sony Texas Cup UEFA - Rosters and Results - News and Schedule US National Team - Rosters and Results - News and Schedule Tips From Coaches - Make the Team! 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