Blue Devils avoid trap game, finish WB6 slate with nine-goal outburst against Rocks

QUINCY — Travis Dinkheller sensed it. The Quincy High School girls soccer team was walking into a trap.

After playing three games last weekend in the Tournament of Champions in Bettendorf, Iowa, and with the second crosstown showdown against Quincy Notre Dame looming Thursday, the Blue Devils had to finish their Western Big 6 Conference slate Tuesday night against Rock Island.

Everything pointed to the Rocks being easily overlooked.

“You come out against a team you’re probably anticipating better,” said Dinkheller, the veteran QHS coach. “Add to that it’s Senior Night and the rotations are a little different. Everything is a little tweaked on a night like tonight. Everything could have gone wrong.

“The first few minutes, I’m going, ‘I just don’t know.’ I wanted us to play like we were shot out of a cannon, but that’s not how we were playing. We did some good things, but we were sloppy at times.”

As the game wore on, the Blue Devils cleaned everything up. A three-goal lead at halftime ballooned to a 9-0 victory at Flinn Stadium as QHS wrapped up second place in the WB6.

“As we gained more and more possession, we got numbers into the box and did a lot of good things,” Dinkheller said. “We had some unselfish play.”

It started with the first goal as Taylor Routh passed up a chance to slot the ball past the Rocky goalkeeper in order to set up Breighlyn Thomas for an easier shot and a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute. Thomas recorded a hat trick in the first half, scoring in the 16th and 35th minutes off assists from Mackenzie O’Brien and Routh.

Avery Morrison opened the second half onslaught by scoring off a Rian Moore assist in the 58th minute. Routh and Sydney Welsh scored two minutes apart — off assists from Bri Lannerd and Maddie O’Brien, respectively — to make it 6-0.

Mackenzie O’Brien sealed the mercy rule victory by scoring twice in 51 seconds, converting assists from Grace Shackleton and Lannerd. Kirsten Kramer scored the final goal.

“I hope our unselfish play is a sign of things to come,” said Dinkheller, whose team is 11-4-3.