CONWAY -- After about an hour of practice Thursday afternoon, Cossatot River Coach Reggie Fryar had a decent sense of what he was going to get from his West squad Friday evening.
And yet, Fryar's crop of all-stars still managed to impress.
The West, which included Siloam Springs standouts Anna Wleklinski and Clara Church, routed the East 8-0 at the University of Central Arkansas' Estes Stadium in the first half of the All-Star girls soccer game, led by a hat trick from Harrison's Clare Barger and two more goals from overall MVP Abbi Armstrong of Bentonville.
"They were still trying to melt the ice and get to know each other," Fryar said when asked about his early impressions of the West's forward trio of Barger, Armstrong and El Dorado's Marleigh Bonsall. "Then they started clicking in and communication was a big thing for us."
Although the trio had no prior relationship, it only took a few minutes into Friday's game to see the chemistry between them. The West controlled possession throughout the game, with much of it being played on its offensive half of the field.
With all three forwards looking to get in behind the East backline, West midfielders began peppering through balls -- both on the ground and through the air -- and both Barger and Bonsall forced Paragould's Jillian Glasgow, the East MVP, into close-range saves to keep the game scoreless.
But Barger would eventually break the seal in the 16th minute, putting the West up 1-0, and Armstrong doubled her team's lead just shy of the half-hour mark, flicking the ball to herself, turning through the defense and burying a 1-on-1 opportunity with the goalie.
"It was really cool being able to play with just a bunch of really solid athletes and be able to come together and become a really good team in just a matter of 24 hours," Barger said.
"After practice, we were like, 'Guys, I think we have a really good shot at this.' ... It wasn't just a bunch of individual players. We were all such a good team from the beginning." Barger, who led Harrison to a Class 5A state championship on the same field a month ago, added to the West's 3-0 halftime lead -- with Armstrong scoring a second time just before intermission -- with a breakaway score in the 44th minute.
Bonsall then scored in the 48th minute before Bauxite's Gracie McDade beat a charging goalie to the ball in the 55th minute, poking home the West's sixth goal.
Bonsall and Barger each added goals in the final 10 minutes, giving Barger a hat trick in what may well wind up her final organized soccer game -- she'll play basketball and compete in the high jump for John Brown University later this year.
"It's mixed feelings [being] the last time I take off my cleats," Barger said. "But at the same time it's so exciting to be able to go out with another win."
Don Wleklinski/Special to the Herald-Leader Former Siloam Springs standout and West All-Stars midfielder Clara Church (middle) battles East's Micah Smith (North Little Rock) for the ball during the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star girls soccer game Friday, June 23, at Estes Stadium on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.