Burger’s game-deciding goal lifts Kelly past Sikeston

BENTON, Mo. —For the second time in less than a week, the Kelly girls’ soccer team defeated Sikeston in a highly contested game.

The Lady Hawks (2-2-2) won 1-0 over the Lady Bulldogs (0-5-0) at Kelly High School on Wednesday, March 29.

“We brought the intensity throughout the game,” said Kelly coach Omar Campos. “We knew Sikeston was going to come out strong. Our goal was to make sure we came out, played good defense and hold them back for the whole game. Everybody worked together as a team. The intensity came all the way from the goalie and pushed out to our forward.”

Kelly's Kristin Grogan (9) and Sikeston's Kenzie Ogden (9) race for the ball during a matchup at Kelly High School on Wednesday, March 29.�Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat

Macy Burger scored the only goal of the game off an assist from Kristin Grogan about midway through the first half.

“We had a breakthrough,” Campos said. “Mainly because we knew that [Grogan] was going to get double-teamed. We had our two forwards on the wings to step up, and Burger] one of the more knowledgeable girls in our young program. She’s one of our captains, and that’s the main reason she was chosen. She knows the game well and had a high IQ. She reads things and makes the right plays.”

Kelly finished the game with seven shots on goal, while goalie Kayleigh Holman made 13 saves.

Sikeston's Natalie Wright (18) defends Kelly's Alli Heacox (12) during a matchup at Kelly High School on Wednesday, March 29.Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat

“Everyone on our backline communicates well,” Campos said. “[Holman] is our best goalie. She had great hands and her ability to read the ball is amazing. I knew we could rely on her. Our center sweepers, Jada Griggs and Emory Glenn, are the backbone of the team. They do everything well, and help teach some of the younger players.”

Before this season the Lady Hawks had lost six straight games against Sikeston with their last win coming in 2016.

“[The two wins against Sikeston] means a lot,” Campos said. “Sikeston is a big school and we’re still a young program that’s developing. Our girls responded well today. It’s a big motivation to continue improving throughout the season.”

Sikeston had multiple chances to tie the game in the second half after moving Kate Schrumpf over to the offensive side of the field from her primary defensive assignment on Grogan.

“We started creating more chances with her being that extra attacker,” said Sikeston coach Gabe Dement. “At that point in the game, my thought process was that we had to go for it. We couldn’t just sit there and hope something happened. We had to go make something happen.”

Sikeston finished the game with 18 shots on goal while goalie Hailey Presley made five saves.

“I thought we played very well,” Dement concluded. “The girls did everything we asked of them and the effort was there. We created several good chances and had a lot of shots, but sometimes in soccer, you can do everything the right way and still just can’t break through.

“That’s what it felt like tonight,” he continued. “The girls wanted the win and were motivated. They were focused, looked great in warmups and did everything they could. I was impressed with the effort despite the loss.”

Sikeston will host Saxony Lutheran (2-1-0) on Thursday, March 30 and travel to DeSoto (1-3-1) on April 4.

Kelly is on the road at Notre Dame (2-1-2) on Thursday, March 30 and host New Madrid County Central (0-3-0) on April 4.