Robbers, Burckhardt Named to All-State Soccer Team

ORCHARD FARM - The Orchard Farm girls soccer team ended its magical season on June 4 with a fourth-place finish in the Class 1 state tournament.     

More than a month later, Brooke Burckhardt and her teammates are still enjoying the spoils of the most successful campaign in school history.    

Burckhardt and Alexis Robbers, seniors-to-be at the St. Charles County school, were recently named first-team all-state performers by the Missouri Soccer Coaches Association. Robbers, the team's leading scorer, was also chosen as the Co-Offensive Player in the Year, sharing the honor with Camille Christie of third-place finisher Pembroke Hill.

Burckhardt scored 26 goals and played a key role in the post-season run.     

"I still don't believe it," said Burckhardt of the first-team selection. "My mom keeps telling me, "You don't realize what an honor this is.       But I do and it feels great."      

Orchard Farm came from out of nowhere to fashion a 17-9 mark and become the first athletic team in the 52-year history of the school to reach the Final Four.     

Now, the benefits from that dream season are pouring in.     

Coach Brandon Cox has been named the Public School Coach of the Year by the MSCA. In addition, four more players were honored. Sophomore Kyleigha Wacker and freshman Casey Mann, both defenders, were selected to the 24-player second team. Senior Andrea Liston and sophomore Meghan Boschert were honorable mention choices.     

Cox said his players are still excited about the recently-completed season. He says the scintillating post-season is something he will never forget.     

Cox was excited about the Coach of The Year award but refused to take any credit for the club's success.    

"This is all about the girls," he said.     

Robbers finished with a school-record 30 goals. Mann and Wacker did a great job on the back line. Liston handed out a school-record 22 assists. Boschert scored 11 goals and added eight assists.     

"This was a big accomplishment for the whole team," said Burckhardt. "It might be just a few people that got (recognized), but this is about the team and what we did together as a team."     

The Eagles will lose one key senior from the team - Liston, who has accepted a volleyball scholarship to attend Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois.     

Orchard Farm won its first nine matches by combined 38-10 scores. The Eagles knocked off Winfield in district play before posting a 4-3 overtime win over traditional small-school power John F. Kennedy in sectional action on the road.     

A pair of losses at the state tournament took little away from the team's overall success.     

Burckhardt said the squad was proud of its accomplishments. The Eagles are looking forward to making even more history next spring.   

"Fourth place was great," she said. "But next year, we are going to win it all.