Since the start of the Wright City girls soccer program just six years ago, the Wildcats have made tremendous strides – and it showed this season with their best overall record in program …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, or you are a print subscriber who had access to our previous wesbite, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you have not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
If you are a current print subscriber and did not have a user account on our previous website, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
Since the start of the Wright City girls soccer program just six years ago, the Wildcats have made tremendous strides – and it showed this season with their best overall record in program history.
Following a 4-0 loss to Duchesne in a quarterfinal match of the Class 2, District 3 tournament at Orchard Farm on May 19, the Wildcats finished 10-10. They posted their first-ever winning regular season record at 10-9 and their 10 wins tied a school-record mark that was set in 2022.
Furthermore, the team reached new heights, averaging a record 3.2 goals per game while conceding a program low of 1.8 goals per game.
“I was happy with the way we grew and competed throughout the year. We got better as we went along and ultimately it was a successful season,” Wright City coach Jake Wallace said.
Wallace said the team's perseverance is what made this year's team unique.
“They have a level of grit and mental toughness that I haven’t really seen a lot of in any of the sports I’ve coached at Wright City,” he said. “Their grit, mental toughness and competitiveness is what separated them apart.”
Wallace said the program has improved tremendously from his first season as coach in 2023, when Wright City finished 4-15.
“I was thinking about that very first day of practice (in 2023) and the level we were at that point in time, and thinking about how much we’ve grown in three years,” he said. “I look at that first year as kind of a blessing because if it had been easy right from the very beginning, we would have never really seen the impact we made as coaches and the impact the seniors had on our program.”
Wallace touted the seniors for the special role they have played within the program, not just this season, but for the past three years.
“Paige Kirn is incredible and Paige Rees will probably go down as the best goalie we’ve had. Lillian Brown had never played soccer before and came out her sophomore year with no experience. This year, she was one of the key members of our defensive line…”
“...They have been fantastic leaders and role models for the rest of the team. They’ve stepped up when we’ve needed them to,” Wallace said. “I can’t speak enough about those girls and their work ethic. We would not even be close to where we are now without all of them.”
