[ Rural: SM East senior sets state record ]

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, May 23, 2001 by Rick Dean Capital-Journal

See RURAL, page 6D

Rural: SM East senior sets state record

By Rick Dean

The Capital-Journal

LENEXA --- Lionel Suarez didn't realistically think his Washburn Rural soccer team could shut out Shawnee Mission East's Carrie Fry, the most prolific girls scorer in Kansas high school history.

"I figured she'd break loose eventually," Suarez said of the Lancer senior who has signed to play at Indiana next year. "She had a lot of opportunities earlier, and I thought one or two would eventually get by us. It had to happen."

And after 52 1/2 minutes of scoreless play in a Class 6A state quarterfinal game Tuesday night, it did.

With 27:29 remaining, Fry got a nice feed from Stacy Leeper about eight yards in front of Rural goal keeper Heather Austin, who didn't stand a chance when Fry blasted the 34th goal of her career into the right edge of the net to give defending state champ East the winning goal in what eventually became a 2-0 victory.

"We knew if we kept shooting, something had to break down in their defense," said Fry, who had several of East's 11 first-half shots that failed to find the net in a scoreless first half. "They played some strong defense, but Stacy finally got a nice ball through them."

With 54 seconds left, Fry's second goal from about 15 yards out did more than ice the victory that sends East into Friday's 6A semifinals at Wichita Northwest.

Fry's 35th goal bettered the performance recognized by the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame as the high school girls state record --- 34 by Erin Grimsley of Aquinas.

"In the first half, I think I might have put too much pressure on myself thinking about that record," Fry said. "In the second half I forgot about the record and the goals just came."

Lost amid Fry's record is the fact that Rural, despite being stuck in their defensive end for most of the game, very nearly got this one tied.

With about 5 1/2 minutes left, Rural's Jenna Lawless found herself one-on-one with East keeper Ashley Vratil from about 10 yards out. But as Lancers defenders closed on her, Lawless was forced to try a shot that rocketed straight at Vratil. Rural, which managed seven shots to East's 17, lost its last best chance to score.

"They were the better team with some outstanding players," Suarez said of East, which has won two 6A state crowns in the past three years. "I wasn't disappointed with our play, really. I wasn't happy with the result, but I was happy that we stayed with them for as long as we did. If not for that last goal with 50 seconds left, it's a 1- 0 game."

"My hat's off to Rural for playing us very, very tough," East coach Jim Ricker said. "They never quit, and that's the sign of a good team."

Washburn Rural (12-6-1) 0 0 --- 0Shawnee Mission East (17-1-1) 0 2 --- 2 East --- Goals: Fry 2. Assists: Leeper, Briones.