ST. CHARLES - The St. Charles West girls soccer team is selfish when it comes to the St. Charles Cup, the trophy awarded to the winner of the annual match between the Warriors and rival St. Charles High.
The shiny silver statue has spent its entire life on Droste Road and won't be moving any time soon, thanks to the Warriors' 5-1 win over St. Charles on Monday night in a Gateway Athletic Conference North Division showdown at West.
"We don't want them to have it, we want to keep it here forever," said West junior Brandi Van Booven, who scored two goals against the Pirates.
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Added junior Melina Malloy, who tallied the game-winning goal. "It's always fun to beat your rival."
The Warriors doubled their fun on Monday. Not only did they claim the city crown, but they also clinched the GAC North championship with their eight win in as many league matches.
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West first-year coach Andrew Reynolds said the conference title was particularly meaningful.
"It's ours and nobody else can take it," he noted.
Reynolds missed the contest due to a red-card ejection in West's previous match. He showed up after the game Monday to present gifts to his four seniors on Senior Night.
Actually, the night belong to the Warriors' talented junior class, which accounted for all five goals. Abbey Lauer and Sydney Frauen also scored for West.
St. Charles Cup was initiated in 2006. The Warriors, who improved to 14-4 overall, won the first five meetings by a combined 10-0 total.
The Pirates, who fell to 10-10, stayed close throughout Monday's contest. They jumped in front 1-0 on a goal by Erika Teson in the 13th minute. It was Teson's 19th goal of the season.
But West answered with five successive tallies, three of which came in the final six minutes of the match.
"We got the lead and then we got overly cautious," said St. Charles coach Rodney Orrick. "We didn't stay with Plan A."
West tied the game 1-1 on a goal by Van Booven with 2:12 left in the opening half. She twisted a free kick into the net off the body of St. Charles keeper Taylor Wolf.
"I just tried to curve it and get it in the box for one of the other girls," said Van Booven. "I was surprised it went in."
Malloy then gave the Warriors the lead for good six minutes into the second half. She converted from close range after swiping the ball from a defended in front of the goal.
"The ball got struck between her legs and I just saw it there," said Malloy.
The tally, Malloy's third of the season, seemed to lite a fire under the Warriors. They controlled play the rest of the night and finally put the match away on goals by Frauen and Lauer. Frauen blistered free kick into the net from 36 yards out. Lauer converted with a nifty shot from the wing. Van Booven tallied her seventh goal of the season with 1:55 remaining.
The fact that the win gives the Warriors the league title is just, "icing on the cake." says Van Booven. Beating St. Charles is always fun, she says.
"They're our biggest rival and we look forward to playing them all year," she noted.
The Warriors, enjoying their best season since the 2009 team went 14-8, have another goal in mind. They would like to enjoy some post-season success, which would mean upsetting traditional power St. Dominic in the Class 2 District 8 Tournament next week at St. Dominic.
"When we play our best, we think we can beat anybody," said Malloy.
West freshman goalie Miranda Pierce made several fine saves in improving her record to 14-3. Seniors Blake French, Emily Svoboda, Julie Friem and Taylor Staggemeier were honored before the contest.
The Warriors close out the regular season with Howell North and Pattonville before beginning post-season play Saturday against Duchesne at 10 a.m.
St. Charles will likely face North St. Louis County toughie Trinity in the title game of the Class 2 District 6 Tournament next week at St. Charles High.