Laramie wins two soccer titles

Plainsmen win second, Lady Plainsmen first-ever championship

By Wyoming Sports.org

A great year for Laramie High School soccer just got better on Saturday, as both the Plainsmen and Lady Plainsmen came away with Class 4A state soccer titles at the UW Soccer Stadium.

The Lady Plainsmen capped a near perfect season with a 2-0 win over Cheyenne East for their first-ever title. Laramie finished 16-1-0 for the season, with their lone loss in the season opener against Gering, Neb., in a game that LHS played short-handed.

The Lady Plainsmen opened up scoring from Kelsey Gapter in the 11th minute and took that 1-0 lead into the break at halftime. McKenzie Meade added the second goal in the 43rd minute. It was her 18th goal of the season.

For the year, Laramie outscored its opponents 59-11.

In a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2, the top-ranked Plainsmen (15-1-2) prevailed, avenging their only loss of the season to the Trojans. The only goal of the game came at the 69th minute when Keith Kyhl scored off a header from a corner kick by Jimi Gomez. Gomez was credited with the assist. Andrew Esslinger had his 11th shutout in the net for Laramie.

This is Laramie's second ever state championship, with the other coming in the 2000 season.

In the 3A tournament, the Jackson girls and Cody boys both came away with state titles.

Jackson beat Worland 5-1 in the girls’ title game. Worland got on the board first in the 4th minute on a Venessa Frandson goal. Jackson responded and then dominated the game, first scoring in the 30th minute on a Nicole Sutton penalty kick. The second half belonged to Jackson, as Kelsey Bancrost scored in the 54th minute in what would be the game winner. Closing the scoring for the Lady Broncs were Abbey Armajo in the 63rd minute, Sutton again in the 71st off another penalty kick and Stephanie Schulz added in the 73rd minute.

Cody won the boys’ title in a 2-1 win over Buffalo in a shootout. Cody got on the board first in the 21st minute on a Gavin Lafollette goal and Buffalo countered on a goal by Tyler Gibbs in the 62nd minute. After no score in the overtime period, both teams made their first five shootout goals before Cody keeper Josh Shrine knocked away the sixth attempt and Broncs’ freshman Morgan Heimer put in the game winner.