BELLEVILLE — In their quest to return to the state games, the Raiders took care of business in the WIAA Division 3 regional rounds. Sugar River won its fourth straight regional championship after 1-0 wins over Cambridge-Deerfield (May 30) and Platteville-Lancaster (June 1).
In the championship game against sixth-seeded PVL (11-5-2), the No. 3-seed Raiders got an early goal from Francesca Schiro and never looked back. Schiro took a pass from fellow sophomore Regyn Jelle at the 5:31 mark of the first half and put it in the back of the net.
Sugar River would have five more shots on goal, but the Hillmen keeper was able to limit the damage.
Raiders goalie Rachael Heittola finished the game with seven saves and earned her 20th clean sheet of the season. Sugar River (18-2-4) has allowed just five goals all season and has 20 shutouts in 24 games.
In the May 30 win over Cambridge-Deerfield (1-11-2), Julia McNamar scored off a pass from Kristen Krantz for the game’s only goal.
Heittola didn’t need to record a save against the No. 14-seed.
Eighth-ranked Sugar River’s next game will be at No. 2-seed and sixth-ranked McFarland (18-0-2) June 6. Earlier this season on April 23 the Spartans and Raiders ran to a 0-0 draw.
The winner will play against either top-seeded and No. 3-ranked Madison Edgewood (15-2-2) or fourth-seeded Mount Horeb (12-4-2). Edgewood beat Sugar River 2-0 in the opening game of the season March 29, while the Vikings and Raiders ran to a scoreless draw May 14.
McFarland 10, Monroe 0
MCFARLAND — The Cheesemakers saw their season come to an end in the WIAA Division 2 regional semifinals in a blowout loss to the second-seeded Spartans.
Monroe ends its season with a 0-17-3 record.