Orchard Farm Soccer Wins District Title

ORCHARD FARM - Alexis Robbers can finally smile as she cruises the halls of Orchard Farm High.    

The junior sniper no longer has to gaze at the Eagles' weak soccer trophy case, which contained just a pair of sad-looking second-place district plaques.   

"I've been staring at those things every time I go to gym class," Robbers said. "It makes me want to cry."    

Junior Brooke Burckhardt scored twice and Robbers added a goal and three assists on Wednesday to lead Orchard Farm to a 4-2 win over St. Charles Lutheran in the championship game of the Class 1A District 7 Tournament at Luxembourg Field.   

The district crown is the first in school history for the Eagles (15-7), who will likely play host to Winfield in a sectional contest on Tuesday.   

Runner-up the last two seasons, top-seeded Orchard Farm was a team on a mission against third-seeded Lutheran (9-14).

The Eagles scored three goals in a span of 6 minutes and 11 seconds early in the second half to break open a close match and take a 4-1 lead. Red-hot sophomore Meghan Boschert broke the tie with her ninth tally of the season in the 43th minute. Burckhardt and Robbers then added goals two minutes apart to put the contest away.   

"Like a dream come true," said Robbers, who played on a sore right ankle. "So awesome."   

Coach Brandon Cox says the school will unveil a banner in the gymnasium to go along with the shiny first-place district hardware, which will make its initial appearance in the trophy case first thing Thursday morning.   

"It's a wonderful feeling," said Cox. "They played their hearts out and they really deserve this."   

Burckhardt's two goals give her 22 on the season. Robbers, who will attend Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg when she graduates next spring, leads the club with 26.    

But it was the tally by Boschert that lit a fire under the Eagles.   

Boschert has nine goals and eight assists over the last 12 games. She took a cross from Robbers and directed the ball into the net with her face.   

"It just hit me in the chin and went in," Boschert said. "As long as we score, that's the big thing."  

Orchard Farm dominated play throughout the contest, but trailed 1-0 throughout most of the first half. Lutheran sophomore Natalie Weinhold scored on a drive from in front of the net in the 12th minute to stun the hosts.   

But the Eagles kept the pressure on. Burckhardt finally broke the ice, outracing Lutheran senior goalie Courtney Sansone for a loose ball. Robbers began the play by heading the ball forward. Burckhardt calmly put the ball into the net before crashing Sansone.   

The Robbers-Burckhardt connection pumped the lead to 3-1 in the 47th minute. Robbers, after assisting on the first three tallies, then found the back of the net off a nice pass from sophomore Hannah Medler.   

Lutheran climbed to within 4-2 on another marker from Weinhold with 11 minutes remaining. But Orchard Farm sophomore goalie Abbigail Gruendler protected the advantage with a couple nifty saves.   

"They're a very talented team," Lutheran coach Greg Henson said. "We weren't able to hold them off for a full 80 minutes."   

Orchard Farm senior Andrea Liston helped control play in the midfield. Defenders Casey Mann and Sareen Dargahi made life easier for Gruendler.    

"Teamwork makes the entire game," said Burckhardt. "It takes everybody on the field to make us score, to make everyone score."    

Cox, who received a Gatorade shower from his players after the contest, said the key to the outcome came in the first few minutes of the second half.    

"When we put our foot down and go, we're capable of scoring a lot of goals in bunches," he said.   

The Eagles now move into uncharted territory. The sectional contest will be the first in school history.   

Winfield (13-9-1) defeated Orchard Farm 2-1 on April 14. The Eagles already have revenge on their minds.   

"We're not stopping now," said Burckhardt.