What do you get when you take 31 young ladies from two different schools and play 21 soccer games in 60 days?

For the Elsberry-Silex high school girls’ soccer team, the answer is a STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!

Last Saturday at Soccer Park in Fenton, this team captured for the first time in either school’s history the Class 1A Missouri State Soccer Championship with an impressive 6-1 win over Blair Oaks from Jefferson City.

The team finished the season with an 18-2-1 record and spent several weeks on top of the state rankings for 1A schools.

While team members were elated over capturing the title, no one was more excited for the girls than coaches, Chris and Nancy White.

Parents of the team’s leading scorer, Grace White, they took on the task coaching the team three years ago.

“I am so proud of those girls. I’m honored to have the role I have with this team,” Chris White said. “These girls played so good this playoff run (districts & state). We played three district games and two state games, outscoring our opponents 21-4. Who would have thought three years ago we would have made it to this point.”

After all the excitement settles down, White will start looking forward to next year. Everyone will be returning, with the exception of three Silex seniors.

After defeating Barstow on Friday by a score of 5-2 to advance to the most important game of the season, the team took on Blair Oaks, who finished the season, 16-8-1.

Standout junior Grace White wasted no time in putting her team on top scoring the first goal 24 seconds into the game after a pass from freshmen, Ella Burbridge. White would add three more goals and an assist to her tally followed by Rylen Jensen with one goal and one assist, Ella Burbridge with one goal and one assist, and Falyn Davidson, one assist.

White’s stats in this game tied her with the state championship record of four goals, but gave her the new record of nine points when the assist was added.

Coaches will debate what is more important, offense or defense. Yes, a game can’t be won without some offense, it also can’t be won without some defense.

In steps junior goalie Nevaeh Flowers from Silex. She also has been exceptional this year in the net. When figuring the team has only lost two games and tied one, Flowers has played a big part in that statistic.

In the two games at the state championships, she was credited with two saves each, but a goalie is always on her toes in soccer.

In the semifinal game against Barstow, once again, like seen so many times this season, Elsberry-Silex jumped out in front early in the game and never looked back. White, Burbridge and Jensen all tallied goals, giving them a 4-1 lead at halftime. Jensen added a goal in the second half to seal the win.

Not only has the team been on cloud nine through their journey, but so has the people in both of the towns watching them strive for greatness. Before the two-day event, the team was treated to dinner by AJ’s Tex Mex, Peoples Bank and Trust, and Silex Banking. Adding to the hype was Silex Owls Booster Club and Southern Grace Coffee sending them off Friday morning with breakfast. Impact Nutrition and Fitness joined in serving up the team with a treat also.

The neatest event came Friday morning when the team headed out of town with a police escort and people lining the streets cheering their state-bound team on for a win.

Players on the team from Silex along with Jenson, and Flowers, include Taylor Lickteig, Klaire Thoroughman, Rylan Harris, McKenna Claborn, Claire Schwendemann, Ryleigh Isom, Niki Carroll and Lillie Tucker. From Elsberry, including White, Burbridge, and Davidson, are, Catarina Francisco-Gonzalez, Lizzy Mound, Poala Valencia-Luna, Stevajah Hardwick, Cheyenne Smith, Callie Wehmeyerr, Brooke Baker, Abigail Sprock, Kenzie Koch, Bridget Baker, Daniela Murillo-Avila and Kiersten Hunter.