FAYETTEVILLE -- Junior forward Audrey Maxwell scored three goals, and the Siloam Springs girls' soccer team pulled away from Russellville with five second-half goals for a 6-1 victory Friday and its fourth consecutive Class 6A title.
Maxwell scored the game's first goal in the 36th minute of the first half at Razorback Field, and Siloam Springs (24-3) held a tenuous 1-0 halftime lead.
"We just got them in at halftime, settled them down a bit," Siloam Springs coach Brent Crenshaw said. "I thought we were being outworked at times. I think that kind of challenged them, and I told them to play simple soccer, move off the ball, connect with our passes, and do all that stuff. ... Having an Audrey Maxwell and Megan Hutto and those dangerous players that we have, they're going to put one in the back of the net if they keep getting chances."
That's exactly what happened in the second half for Siloam Springs, which was playing in its fifth consecutive state title match, dating back to a 3-1 loss to Searcy in 2013. But unlike the previous state-title victories in 2014, 2015 and 2016, the Lady Panthers finally got some breathing room Friday.
Maxwell scored 25 seconds into the second half when Russellville keeper Brit Hillis came out on a play and Maxwell kicked it over her into the left corner for a 2-0 lead.
Maxwell, whose first half goal was assisted by Hutto, assisted to Hutto for the Lady Panthers' third goal in the 48th minute.
Sydney Bomstad scored in the 50th minute on a long shot to make it 4-0, and Maxwell scored again with another assist from Hutto for a 5-0 lead. It was Maxwell's 42nd goal of the year, a single-season Lady Panthers record.
"It's amazing what she does," Crenshaw said of Maxwell. "(Russellville) even tried to man mark her again today. She still finds ways to score and get open and just a great kid, great work ethic and just so honored to coach these kids."
Russellville (13-10-1) spoiled Siloam Springs' bid for a clean sheet when Rachel Prochazka scored in the 66th minute to cut the score to 5-1.
Just as quickly though, Siloam Springs found the back of the net when Hadley Crenshaw scored to set the game's final score.
"It never gets old," Hutto said. "It's always exciting. It's a big day. It's a big moment."
Sports on 05/20/2017