Newton’s Rausch scores 100th career goal

Ryanne Rausch set the ball down on the 24-yard line, took a step back and waited. When the official gave the signal, the Newton High senior forward exhaled, focused then launched the soccer ball.

Rausch’s kick was high enough to clear all the players between her and the goal, including Perry’s goalkeeper. The kick was true. The ball settled in the back of the net.

“I knew it was good when I kicked it. I teared up a bit when it happened. It’s aways been a goal of mine to get here,” Rausch said about striking her 100th career soccer goal. She needed two goals to reach the lofty plateau as the Class 2A No. 15 Newton Cardinals hosted Perry’s Jayettes Tuesday.

Rausch had a foot into all three goals scored by the Cardinals in a 3-0 victory at home. She appeared ready to launch her first shot on goal when she made a crossing pass to a sprinting Carter Lee. Lee, a junior, had a wide-open shot to put Newton up 1-0 with 29:35 left in the first half.

Rausch was squeezed between two Perry defenders right in front of the goal, but had enough power to kick the ball through the legs of one of the defenders and deposit the ball in the net. Her 99th goal came at 17:16 mark of the first half.

“I knew I was close (to 100) coming into this game. When I got the 99th goal, I knew when I got the free kick I was going to put it in,” Rausch said.

With 5:35 on the first-half clock, Newton was awarded a free kick. Rausch hammered home the ball.

“This is something I’ve been working on since I was a freshman, but I wouldn’t be at this point without my teammates. I want to thank them,” Rausch said. “It was nice to get these two goals tonight at home.”

Newton’s 3-0 halftime lead stood. The Jayettes had several shots on goal in the first half with Newton senior goalkeeper Ashlee Freese made three saves.

The Cardinals (10-3) are on a three-game winning streak — all three shutouts at home. Rausch said the team is building confidence after losing three in a row, and heading into the final stretch of the season.

Rausch, who is Newton High’s all-time leading scorer, has 18 goals this season. She is only the third girls in Iowa girls’ high school soccer history to score 100 career goals.

Newton takes a 3-2 conference mark into a 7 p.m. Little Hawkeye Conference game Thursday against Class 1A No. 14 Pella Christian at Newton’s H.A. Lynn Stadium.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com