Semifinal Showdown
Rice Lake’s girls soccer team saw its season come to an abrupt halt on Friday night, falling 2‑1 to McFarland in the Division 3 state semifinal.
The opening goal came from Paige Baker, who broke a perfect shutout streak by McFarland’s goalkeeper Jaylah Moore, who had not allowed a goal all season until that point.
Allison Charbonneau answered with two strikes, her 27th and 28th of the year, to put McFarland ahead and ultimately seal the victory.
Shawn Gilbert, Rice Lake’s head coach, acknowledged the difficulty of confronting a defense that limited his side’s chances, noting that the team created several corner kicks but could not convert them.
McFarland, ranked second in the final state coaches poll, will now advance to the championship game against the winner of the Kiel‑New Berlin Eisenhower matchup.
The loss marks the fourth consecutive opening‑round defeat for Rice Lake in state tournament play, a streak that has left the program searching for a breakthrough.
Despite the final whistle, players and coaches alike expressed pride in their effort, with Baker’s early goal standing as a bright spot in an otherwise challenging campaign.