The Best of Westminster Sports This Year

It’s been a wild year for Westminster sports. To commemorate it, Sporting WCA recaps some of the greatest moments of the year so far.

Westminster vs. Parkway West Boys Soccer – September 14, 2018

Early in the season, Boys Soccer was struggling. Losers of five out of their last six games, they needed a spark as they headed into days with consecutive games against Parkway schools. Led by Luke Linam who netted three goals, they defeated North 7-0. The following day, the Wildcats would get their best win of the season, a 1-0 shootout win against Parkway West. Neither team scored in regulation or overtime. Joey Keane made 15 saves, including a miraculous game saver in the overtime period. Nathan Laughlin nailed the only goal in shootouts, and the Wildcats won 1-0, dog piling on Laughlin in celebration.

Westminster vs. Lutheran South Football – September 28, 2018

The Wildcats brought their record back to .500 with a statement win at Lutheran South on their homecoming night. After some pregame antics on social media during the week, Westminster came out firing. They carried a 30-0 lead into the fourth quarter before turning the ball over twice. They held on to win 30-22 after stopping Lutheran South on fourth down from the two-yard line. The Blue Crew brought their popcorn and saw one of Westminster Football’s best games of the season.

Westminster vs. Incarnate Word Softball – October 13, 2018

Softball brought home a District Championship on this cold and rainy Saturday afternoon in one of the most unlikely sports stories of the year. Returning only five players, the Wildcats started four players that had never played the sport before. They’d fallen to Incarnate Word earlier in the season by a score of 8-2, but that didn’t stop them. Sophomore Marty Briner went 2-for-3 with a double off of the fence and a single that knocked in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning. Junior Lauren Gates went 3-for-3 with 2 RBIs. The Wildcats advanced to Sectionals where they fell to Notre Dame. They finished the  season with a 13-12 record and currently hold the title for the deepest playoff run of any Westminster team this year.

Westminster vs. John Burroughs Boys Basketball – December 14, 2018

Boys Basketball got their most impressive win of the year early in the season on the road at John Burroughs. The Bombers came into the game on a winning streak, but the Wildcats quickly put an end to that. In the first quarter, Casen Lawrence hit three three-pointers to send the Wildcats out to a big lead early. The hot start, paired with the loudest and craziest traveling Blue Crew of the year, had Burroughs not knowing how to respond. At the half, the Wildcats led 32-17. Westminster stifled a late run by Burroughs, and the Wildcats won 58-43. Widely regarded as the Wildcats’ best game of the season, the win propelled the team to victories in five of their next six games.

Westminster vs. Cor Jesu Girls Basketball – January 5, 2019

After losing by four points to Ladue in the championship game of the MICDS Christmas Tournament, Girls Basketball got back to their game with a victory in the inaugural Wildcat New Year Shootout, a tournament hosted by Westminster. After defeating Nerinx in the first round and top-seeded Pattonville in the second, the Wildcats faced off against Cor Jesu for the championship. They allowed only four points in the first quarter and nine in the second, racing out to a 28-13 halftime lead. They won 49-31 and walked away with their most significant achievement of the season, a sign of how far they had come as a team in just a few years.

Patrick Andrews Advances to State – February 9, 2019

After returning from a leg injury with just a few weeks left in the season, Patrick Andrews advanced to State in his final season of Wrestling at Westminster. Coming from the 195 lbs. class, Andrews claimed a State bid in the wrestle back rounds of the Class 3 District 2 tournament. He was the lone Wildcat wrestler to make it to State, but his impressive comeback was one of the best stories of hard work and dedication at Westminster this year. Andrews was in the weight room every day after school during the time he was injured, working out his healthy muscles in preparation for his return. His hard work paid off in the end when he was rewarded with a trip to the State Meet at Mizzou.

Margo O’Meara Wins Her Second State Title in Two Years – February 16, 2019

After tearing her ACL while playing soccer in the spring, Sophomore Margo O’Meara returned to go back-to-back with her second State Championship in 1M Diving. Her final score at the meet totaled just over 520 points, less than five points short of the State Meet’s diving record. Margo is currently in Indianapolis training. She aspires to make it to the Olympics one day, and she will go down in history as one of Westminster’s greatest athletes ever.

Although Westminster teams overall have been successful this year, only one team sport has made it out of Districts. Will that change this Spring? Can Baseball make another deep playoff run? Will one of the Lacrosse teams heat up at the right time? Could Boys Volleyball go on a win streak? Or will Boys Tennis go far with their deep Varsity lineup?

Westminster’s last team State Title was in 2013 during Baseball’s back-to-back-to-back-to-back State Championship run. Hopefully a Westminster team will get back to it this year and win it all.

Stay tuned to Sporting WCA to keep up with the latest on Westminster sports.