Girls soccer playoffs: Top teams and players heading into district tournaments
Lexington Catholic’s girls soccer team finds itself in familiar territory heading into the postseason as the state’s No. 2 team and a favorite to win its eighth 11th Region championship in the last 10 tries.
But the Knights (14-2-4) remember last year when their then-No. 1 team suffered a stunning penalty kick shootout loss to Madison Central in the region finals.
Lexington Catholic aims to take nothing for granted as the district playoffs begin Monday.
“It’s coming into every game like it could be our last game, no matter the competition, no matter what they’re ranked,” junior midfielder Joanna Bryant said. “It’s about giving it all we’ve got every game and going in hard.”
The Knights showed their determination and how devastating they can be last week with a 5-0 win over No. 9 Frederick Douglass, the region’s only other team ranked in the Kentucky Girls High School Soccer Coaches Association top 25.
What was supposed to be a showdown of Lexington’s best two teams turned into a rout early in the second half.
“We came out ready to play and came out knowing they were a top 10 team,” senior Izzy Skinner said. “We knew we had to finish early on if we wanted to stay in this game. And we did it.”
But this year’s Lexington Catholic team hasn’t shown the firepower of a year ago. There are no 20-plus goal scorers. Last year, LexCath scored 116 goals.
Bryant has 10 of this team’s 41 goals. That included two against Douglass on penalty kicks. Bryant said the offense has improved.
“It’s kind of all come together for us the last few games,” Bryant said after the Douglass win, LexCath’s sixth victory in a row. “We’re just working together. It’s teamwork and our culture has been better recently and its leading to success.”
And Lexington Catholic’s defense remains as stingy as ever, allowing just 12 goals in 20 games and shutting out 13 opponents. Senior Sarah Wethington and junior Bella Bretz take turns minding the goal.
The Knights have won four straight 43rd District titles and haven’t lost to district rivals Lafayette, Lexington Christian, Paul Laurence Dunbar or Tates Creek since 2019.
100 wins for Douglass
Despite its loss to Lexington Catholic, Douglass rates as the biggest threat to topple the mighty Knights led by senior strikers Jordan “Jojo” Williams and Maddi Merryweather and junior midfielder Ella Flynn.
Like Lexington Catholic, the Broncos (16-3-1) swept their district rivals and will be the top seed in next week’s 42nd District Tournament. Henry Clay (7-5-3) and Scott County (8-7-3) are the Broncos’ primary antagonists.
With its 8-0 win over Madison Southern on Monday, Douglass earned its 100th victory both as a program and in the head coaching career of Megan Adkins. Adkins, a former LexCath assistant and player, was hired as the first coach of the Broncos in 2017 and began her career by going 1-18-2 with the new program. They won the program’s first 42nd District title last year.
Milestone for Sayre’s Monohan
With four goals against Bourbon County on Wednesday night, Sayre’s Katherine Monohan tied the 11th Region’s all-time career scoring record with 202.
She’ll have a chance to surpass Berea’s Hannah Wallhauser on Monday in the Spartans’ 42nd District tournament opener against Bryan Station.
Only two other Kentucky girls high school soccer players have scored more — Prestonsburg’s Anna Burchett (275) and Henderson County’s Maddie Griggs (217).
11th Region statistical leaders
Top scorers: Katherine Monohan, Sayre, 52; Tatum Borman, Scott County, 39; Abby Moore, Frankfort Christian, 20; Natalie Knecht, Madison Central, 18; Kendall Crump, Great Crossing, 17; Emma Johnson, Frankfort, 17; Jordan Williams, Douglass, 14; Ella Flynn, Douglass, 14; Elizabeth Landfield, Lexington Christian, 12; Kennedy Harmon, Scott County, 12; Sydney Hocker, Madison Southern, 12.
Assist leaders: Zeia Fanucchi, Sayre, 20; Harmon, Scott County, 14; Maddi Merryweather, Douglass 13; Monohan, Sayre, 11; Borman, Scott County, 10.
42nd District Girls Soccer Tournament
At Frederick Douglass High School
Monday, Oct. 7
8 p.m.: Bryan Station vs. Sayre
Tuesday, Oct. 8
8 p.m.: Henry Clay vs. Scott County
Wednesday, Oct. 9
8 p.m.: Frederick Douglass vs. Sayre-Bryan Station winner
Friday, Oct. 11
8 p.m.: Championship game
43rd District Girls Soccer Tournament
At Lexington Catholic High School
Monday, Oct. 7
6 p.m.: Lexington Christian vs. Tates Creek
Tuesday, Oct. 8
5:30 p.m.: Lexington Catholic vs. Lexington Christian-Tates Creek winner
7 p.m.: Lafayette vs. Paul Laurence Dunbar
Thursday, Oct. 10
6 p.m.: Championship game
This story was originally published October 3, 2024 at 12:52 PM.
