Building on silver ball success:

Going all the way to the state title game in the second season of the co-op between the Ozaukee and Random Lake girls’ soccer teams has inspired the combined squad to get back to state, coach Matt Wilson said.

“I think mostly it showed the girls that if you put the work in it will pay off. The participation in club and other leagues in the offseason has really gone up with our players, and that goes for the captains’ practices also,” he said.

“Now they know what it takes to get to the state championship game, let alone state, and they are excited to get back to work.”

The team returns Big East first team defender Chloe Dybul, who scored four goals last season, and it gets back forward  Reese Prom, who was lost to a knee injury in early May but still received honorable mention.

The team lost six seniors to graduation, four of whom earned all-conference honors.

Midfielder Kamrin Kunz was second on the team in scoring with nine goals and six assists. She was named to the Big East first team.

Center back Baszonia Neumann was named to the Big East second team.

Attacking midfielder Madie Prom tied for second on the team with nine goals and led the squad with nine assists. She earned honorable mention.

Keeper Rebecca Kraemer made 138 saves and allowed 27 goals in 1,500 minutes, tallying eight shutouts. She earned honorable mention.

The team also lost starters Chesney Mayer and Mya Ternes, who scored the game-winning goal in a shootout in the state semifinal against Washburn last season.

“One of the biggest challenges will be replacing the six seniors we lost last season, all starters and very strong players,” Wilson said. “But having said that, I’m excited to see who steps up to fill their void. This is where a coach gets to see who truly put the work in during the offseason. It will be a very different team this year, so it’s back to the drawing board of getting them to play together as a unit and not as individual. That will be crucial to finding success.” 

Mia Evraets, the team’s leading scorer, is back after tallying 21 goals and six assists. So are Savannah Quade and Faith and Alexis Wilson, the coach’s daughters.

Sophomore Becca Marini takes over as keeper.

Dybul and Faith Wilson are this year’s captains for the third straight season.

“They did a nice job of keeping the girls together, working hard and having fun during the offseason workouts and games,” Wilson said. “We also have some young talent joining the program that I am excited about. Like last year, numbers are in our favor. We should be around 36 (players) but we are always looking for girls to add if they are interested in joining the program.”

The team, he said, worked hard during the offseason.

“We have a strong core of girls who have put in a lot of work during the offseason playing club, playing in the indoor Plymouth league, and we also had great attendance throughout the offseason captains practices,” Wilson said.

He said he thinks his team can compete for a Big East title. Cedar Grove-Belgium has won the last six titles.

“Cedar Grove is still king of the Big East until someone proves otherwise,” Wilson said. “Howards Grove and Oostburg will also be tough opponents this year and be competing for the title.”

RLO started with a tough match at state qualifier and regular powerhouse Kiel on March 31.

The Raiders won, 2-0. Wilson said Kiel’s first goal in the first two minutes of the game was the result of a missed offsides call by three yards. The second came with less than two minutes left in the game.

“You never know what to expect in that first game, especially when you are lining up seven new starters vs. last year’s roster, not to mention playing Kiel. I thought we matched up well with them though and gave them a pretty even match throughout the game,” Wilson said.

“The back line of Chloe Dybul, Addison Kurlinski, Savannah Quade and Abby Depies played pretty solid all night and will grow together to become a very strong unit for us.”

Kiel’s second goal was set up by RLO’s push to tie the game.

“I pulled up our defender to help put some pressure on the goal during a corner kick. Kiel cleared it immediately and was able to put the last goal in off a quick counter,” Wilson said.

Marini made eight saves.

“We definitely had our opportunities throughout the game to tie it up but just couldn’t get our shots off quick enough and find the back of the net. I am very excited about this year’s team and their potential. It will be fun watching them gel and get stronger as we go along.”

RLO was to play at West Bend West on Tuesday, April 7. It plays at Grafton on Friday, April 10, and at Kewaunee on Tuesday, April 14.