Lady Plainsmen Tie, While Plainsmen Lose to Cheyenne East

The final week of the regular season for high school soccer brought about a draw and difficult loss for Laramie High School's teams Tuesday.

The fourth-ranked Laramie Lady Plainsmen (7-3-2, 4-3-2) scored in the final 10 minutes of the match to earn a 1-1 tie against then number two Cheyenne East.

After a goal in the 47th minute by the Lady Thunderbirds, freshman Courtney Hamilton found a loose ball in the East box and buried a one-timer in the back of the net. The goal in the 72nd minute drew Laramie even.

Hamilton said of her goal, "I think it was off one of Lexi's (Pulley) throw-ins. Somebody had missed a shot, and it came at me, and I knew I had to go for it."

Despite chances for both teams, neither would score in the final minutes of regulation or either half of overtime.

Lady Plainsmen head coach Kim Whisenant said the tie was important, but she saw something else from her team.

"More for the confidence I think for this team headed into the rest of the season. We've been working a lot of stuff tactically, technically, you name it on the field, but more so teamsmanship; team chemistry; can we fight together; can we find a way together; and that's what we did today."

The result wasn't as kind to the fifth-ranked Laramie Plainsmen (6-5-1, 3-5-1).

They got behind only a couple of minutes into their match against East. It cost them in a 2-1 loss to the Thunderbirds.

Cheyenne East scored in the second and 28th minutes for a 2-0 lead. The Plainsmen got a goal from senior Andrew Barnes in the 72nd minute, but it wasn't enough.

LHS head coach Andy Pannell said the result was difficult enough, but there was more to it.

"I just thought that our work rate throughout the course of the match, as a group, was not where it needed to be, and that's a little disconcerting as a coach... so I challenged the guys after the game."

Both teams conclude the regular season at home Thursday when they face Cheyenne Central in a girls-boys doubleheader at the UW North 40 soccer field. The Lady Plainsmen match will begin at 3 p.m. followed by the Plainsmen match on senior day at 5 p.m.