'Finish it off': New Berlin Eisenhower girls soccer looks to go back-to-back

By: Darius Joshua Facebook | Twitter

Posted: Jun 14, 2023 9:50 PM CDT

’Finish it off’: New Berlin Eisenhower girls soccer looks to go back-to-back

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- This year felt different for the New Berlin Eisenhower Lions girls soccer team.

"I felt a big target on our back because we set the bar really high last year," said Sarah Stadler, Lions junior midfielder and leading scorer.

Plenty of teams took aim early in the season. Replacing their two leading scorers in Lauren Hernandez and Taylor Rinzel to Iowa State and Kentucky, respectively; the Lions started the season 1-2-2, but recovered to finish the season 10-0-2 down the stretch and return to state.

"It just kinda put things in perspective that it wasn't just gonna be handed to us. We had to put the work in if that's what she wanted," said Nick Datka, New Berlin Eisenhower head coach of the earlier struggles. "It's kind of relieved some of the pressure on us. We're just having fun now."

If the Lions can bring home another gold ball, they will be just the fifth school to win both the boys and girls state tournaments in the same school year in a regular school schedule. Whitefish Bay, Madison West, Xavier and Oregon have also done it. McFarland accomplished it in an alternate season boys schedule.

The Lions boys beat Notre Dame 1-0 in the Division 3 state title game this past November to win their first ever state title.

"Something really cool for the program, and I think that showed us that we can be successful year-round and I know the girls really wanted to take that success and take it one step further again," said Molly McCormick, a senior midfielder.

"It just makes you want to win more. That we were able to win in the same year, but now in the same school year, that would be cool," said Stadler.

Nick Datka coached both the boys and girls programs to their first state titles in the calendar year of 2022. His message for this weekend is simple.

"Work hard, finish it off," said Datka. "We just need to be the best version of New Berlin Soccer that we can out there."

"We’re here to win, we're here to work. We want it bad so. We're here to put the work in for it," said McCormick.

The Lions take on Plymouth on Thursday, June 15, at 1:30 in the semifinals at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee.

Other area teams playing in the state tournament this weekend are below.

DIVISON 1

Semifinals - Friday, June 16

11 a.m. #1 Muskego vs. #4 Bay Port

1:30 p.m. #2 Divine Savior Holy Angels vs. #3 Kettle Moraine

Final - Saturday, June 17

4:30 p.m. Championship Game