The WCMS Lady Pioneers made sure their eighth graders had plenty to celebrate in their final regular-season home match.
Warren County put together another dominant performance Monday night, blanking Cumberland County 5-0 behind two goals apiece from LB Guthrie and Finn MacDonald and another from Abigail Laxson. The victory puts the Lady Pioneers at 9-3 overall this season.
Before the match, WCMS honored its large eighth-grade class featuring Lillianna Soto, Amelia Partin, June Cossitt, Breelee Bates, Hailey Guessing, Alexis Fuentes, Lyla Molloy, McKenzie Sears, Addisyn Sears, MacDonald and Guthrie. All would have a hand in the team’s fifth shutout of the season, especially the team’s two gifted goal scorers.
Guthrie opened the scoring in the 13th minute, taking advantage of the setting sun while adding plenty of pinpoint accuracy and power of her own. Standing near the top-right edge of the 18, Guthrie received a quick pass back into open space and immediately sent a low liner toward the bottom-right corner.
Two Cumberland County defenders never saw it coming. The keeper appeared to pick it up late as well and was crossed up at the last second, with the ball ricocheting off her legs and into the net.
Five minutes later, Guthrie got another opportunity from nearly the same spot.
She wasn't going to the same corner twice.
On her first touch, Guthrie sent a bending shot toward the upper-left 90, squeezing it just underneath the crossbar for a no-doubt finish and a 2-0 Warren County advantage in the 17th minute.
The two goals gave Guthrie 22 scores on the season, continuing a remarkable scoring run for the eighth grader as she’s emerged as one of the top offensive options in the Midstate.
LB Guthrie has been a goal-scoring machine for the Lady Pioneers, netting two more in Monday’s 5-0 win over Cumberland County.
Warren County carried the two-goal advantage into halftime before its constant pressure produced another goal early in the second half.
And, like it’s been most of the season, Warren County used teamwork and quick passing to get on the board.
The Lady Pioneers forced Cumberland County to surrender possession deep in its own territory, then quickly carved through the defense with tic-tac-toe passing. Amelia Partin found Guthrie in the box and Guthrie immediately spotted Laxson streaking toward the top of the 18.
Laxson did the rest, pounding a shot past the keeper as she approached to stretch the lead to 3-0 in the 38th minute.
Then it was MacDonald's turn.
Guthrie helped create another scoring opportunity with a perfectly placed centering pass. MacDonald played it down and immediately smashed the ball into the net in the 44th minute.
Six minutes later, MacDonald struck again.
Her second was another finish that left little chance for a save, with MacDonald driving a low liner into the bottom-right corner to finish off Warren County's 5-0 victory.
The two goals gave MacDonald five in Warren County's last two victories after she recorded a hat trick in Friday's 8-0 win over DeKalb County. She now has eight goals this season.
The Lady Pioneers have responded to their 1-0 loss at Prescott South last Wednesday by scoring 13 unanswered goals in back-to-back home victories.
Warren County will now begin preparations for the district tournament, which is scheduled to be played Sept. 18-22.
