-make it 4-0 in favor of the Wildcats.

“Lindsey does so much for us, she has a lot more scoring opportunities since we’ve moved her to the outside,” Conley said. “Her passing is on another level and she creates so much of our offense.”

After securing a 4-0 victory over Onalaska to advance to the WIAA Division 2 Sectional Final, Conley spoke about Sauk Prairie and what made them such a dangerous team this season.

“Sauk Prairie doesn’t have any one dominant player, they’re just solid all around and are a well-balanced team,” Conley said. “We’re going to need to play well and score on set pieces. We won’t be able to get away with missed opportunities like we did a couple of times tonight.”

Sauk Prairie is a classic example of a team that is just a well-oiled machine that doesn’t rely too much on any one superstar player. Sauk Prairie is a team that River Falls had seen once previously this season. On Saturday, April 23, the Wildcats hosted Sauk Prairie in a non-conference contest and cruised to a 3-1 victory.

The D2 Sectional Final was going to be a re-match of not only the meeting in the regular sea _ son but also last year’s sectional final, where Sauk Prairie sent River Falls home one game shy of reaching state. Coach Conley spoke about a couple of River Falls players flying under the radar who had been contributing significantly to their winning ways.

“If I had to pick three, I would say, Kraly Walker, Paige O’Hara and Lillia Gray,” Conley said. “They all do the little things right and each of them has made plays this year that have helped us win big games.”

On Saturday, June 11, the Wildcats traveled to Rhinelander for the neutral site sectional final against Sauk Prairie. In that game, Sauk Prairie continued to play like a well-oiled machine. The Wildcats’ offense was only able to score one goal, while Sauk Prairie found the back of the goal three times, ending River Falls’ season one game shy of state once again.

The loss officially closed the book on one of the most talented senior classes in River Falls history. The outstanding play of Lindsey and Lexi Szymanski was the driving force in wins throughout their four-year experience with the Wildcats.

The leadership of senior captain Olivia Nelson provided an additional boost to morale and overall play like few other players in program history. Coach Conley spoke about this ‘04 group of girls and how special they’ve been since they were kids.

“This has been my group, this ‘04 year,” Conley said. “I’ve been waiting for this group for a long time and they’ve been great. Kids like these are the reason I jumped into coaching and I’m just so proud of them and what they’ve been able to accomplish.”

This senior group has undoubtedly been as impactful as any other in River Falls history. The 2022 season ends one game shy of state and with an 18-3-2 overall record. The impact of this class on the program will continue to positively influence the Wildcats for years to come.