Playing the late game had a significant perk Tuesday.
With a 6:30 p.m. start time, rainy afternoon weather had ample time to flee the field and allow the Shawano Community High School girls soccer team to play host to Denmark in Bay Conference tournament play.
“We were watching the weather and everything said (the storm) would be gone by 6 p.m.,” Shawano coach Bob Croschere said. “We were glad to get this one in.”
The Hawks showed their appreciation of the mediocre weather that replaced the rain by thrashing Denmark 8-0. Junior forward Morgan Klitzke scored four goals for Shawano, including the game’s first score.
Klitzke scored just three minutes into the game to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead, then added a second goal at the 35-minute mark to push their lead to 2-0 before halftime. Megan Klitzke, who later scored a goal, finished with four assists for Shawano.
Carlie Hinnefeld made three first-half saves, and the offense began expanding the Hawks’ lead early in the second half.
Megan Klitzke scored her goal just seven minutes into the second half, giving the Hawks a 3-0 lead. Colleen McFarlane made it a 4-0 Shawano advantage with a goal five minutes later.
Morgan Klitzke added her third goal just three minutes after McFarlane’s score, making it a 5-0 game. She added her fourth goal at the 67-minute mark, four minutes after a Louisa Keenan goal, boosting the Hawks’ lead to 7-0.
In the final minutes, Nicole Horne scored Shawano’s final goal.
Madelyn Rabideau entered to relieve Hinnefeld as goalie in the second half and made two saves.
Croschere said being able to play on Tuesday, unlike many other teams due to weather, was a huge benefit for the Hawks.
“If this got rescheduled, we’d be playing (Wednesday) for a chance to play right away the next day,” he said. “This lets us prepare, get our legs back by having the day in between.”
Keenan also added an assist for the Hawks, who will host the next round of the conference tournament Thursday. They improved to 8-8-2 overall and 5-2-2 in the Bay Conference. Denmark fell to 5-10-2 overall, 1-6-1 in the Bay.
The Hawks are the No. 3 seed in the tourney.
