DE PERE — The No. 4 seed West De Pere Phantoms (10-8-2) opened the WIAA regional playoffs with a commanding 6-0 shutout over the No. 13 seed Beaver Dam Golden Beavers (2-17) on Monday, Oct. 21, advancing to the next round of postseason play.
Playing through chilly, breezy conditions, the Phantoms wasted no time setting the tone early. Senior forward Aidyn Gauthier (#6) struck first with 31:30 remaining in the opening half. Just two minutes later, Payton Woldt (#7) extended the lead to 2-0 with a smooth finish past the Beaver Dam keeper.
Before halftime, goalie Sam Van Price (#1) came up with a highlight save in the final minute to keep the Beavers scoreless heading into the break.
The Phantoms came out of halftime firing on all cylinders. Grayson Birder (#11) found the back of the net just 30 seconds into the second half. From there, West De Pere continued to roll. Senior Kasey Kamler (#10) added two second half goals, while Woldt netted his second of the night with 33:40 left to play, sealing the 6-0 victory.
“It was basically hard work and practice as a team,” said senior midfielder Kasey Kamler. “The team scored together, and I had two goals. It’s amazing. Each game is a new game, and we have to take it as the hardest game we’ve played.
Head Coach Brian Kamler praised his team’s resilience and focus. “Tonight it was all about us getting service into the box,” said Kamler. “They’re a really good team and they play in a very very tough conference. I was a little worried tonight. I felt like maybe the 13th seed wasn’t what they actually were.
Looking ahead, Kamler emphasized staying grounded. “I feel like we’re on the right path,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve reached our potential just yet, but I think we’re on the right path with what we’re doing.
The Phantoms will face either Menasha or Kaukauna in the next round of the WIAA playoffs on Saturday.
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