Perfect heading into the playoffs:

Two road victories that looked solid on paper and even more dominant in person last week topped off the first undefeated and untied regular season in the history of the Cedar Grove-Belgium High School girls’ soccer program.

The defending Division 4 state champion Rockets finished the regular season 21-0, outscoring their opponents 121-15, one season after going 24-0-1 overall. In both seasons, they were the only undefeated team in the state.

“That was an incredible ride for sure,” coach Zac Garza said of this regular season.

Cora Erickson, who broke the state record for career goals and points this season, had 54 goals and 120 points, both second in the state.

“Going undefeated in the regular season was an incredible accomplishment for our team, and it really speaks to the hard work and chemistry we’ve built over the years,” Erickson said.

The milestone wasn’t due to a weak schedule. The Big East Conference has three teams ranked in the top 10 in Division 4, according to the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association weekly poll, and Garza scheduled tough games against much larger schools to challenge his squad, including powerhouse Kiel, which beat the Rockets in overtime for the 2023 title. Green Bay Preble and Fond du Lac multiple times the enrollment of Cedar Grove-Belgium, and the Rockets played in a highly competitive bracket in an Iowa tournament with some players saying teams were better than last year’s state tourney opponents.

“I appreciate a schedule like ours. It tested us in so many different ways. We saw so many different types of teams and the challenges each represents, and we were able to work our way through every one,” Garza said.

The Rockets on May 27 won, 4-1, at Lake Country Lutheran, which beat the Rockets in the playoffs, 3-2, in overtime in 2022, and this year is ranked 7 in Division 4.

The team came out flat for the first 13 minutes and fell behind 1-0. Erickson instantly tied it on an assist from Arden Getschman.

“I love the response,” Garza said. “We talked to the ladies about it needing to be better from the start.”

From then on, the Rockets took over.

“Once we leveled it up we were just so incredibly dominant. We just couldn’t finish. We still came out of there with four (goals), but we had 28 shots,” Garza said.

Erickson had two goals and an assist. Getschman had one goal and one assist. Gracie Schmidt had a goal and Grace Konzak had an assist. Keeper Aubrey Johnson made three saves.

The Rockets last Thursday won, 6-3, at Sheboygan Falls, undefeated champions of the Eastern Wisconsin Conference.

This time, the Rockets took control and a 2-0 lead in the game’s first seven minutes on the Falcons’ smaller grass field.

In the 35th minute, a miscommunication on defense allowed a Falcon to win a ball deep in Rockets’ territory. Johnson went after the ball and in the process inadvertently got kicked and injured her hip. The ball bounced to another Falcon, who scored.

Claire Prinsen, who hadn’t played keeper since last season, was thrust into action. A Falcons’ long ball a minute later sailed over her head and the game was tied despite the Rockets dominating play.

“It’s hard when you haven’t been preparing to play that position,” Garza said.

The Rockets picked up the intensity in the second half, taking a 3-2 lead, then having a Falcon launch a 45-yard ball – Garza said he wasn’t sure if it was a shot or pass – that bounced off the back post in the upper left corner.

“That gal could not have placed it any better had she walked the ball up and put it into the net herself,” Garza said. “I was in disbelief.”

Erickson again answered a minute later. Four minutes after that, Aubrey Marti scored on a header from a Konzak corner kick.

“That was when I knew we had likely sealed it,” Garza said.

The Rockets added another goal later.

Erickson had four goals. Marti had a goal and two assists. Schmidt had a goal and an assist. Konzak, Getschman and Kami Horn each had an assist. Johnson and Prinsen each made two saves.

Garza said Johnson is expected to return for the postseason.

The Rockets earned a top seed in the Division 3 playoffs and open at home on Thursday, June 5, against the winner of Tuesday’s game between No. 16 New London and No. 17 Campbellsport.

Thursday’s winner plays Saturday for a regional title.

The Rockets were bumped up from Division 4 through the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association’s competitive balance initiative. Regardless, they want to keep this run going.

“Now we’re just focused on carrying that momentum into the postseason and staying locked in. We know the competition will be tough, but we’re excited for the challenge,” Erickson said.

“Going undefeated was very exciting for our team. We know we are going to need to stay focused against the teams we will be meeting this postseason,” Konzak said.

Among the top teams in the Rockets’ sectional are Kiel (17-4-1), Sheboygan Falls, Winneconne and Green Bay Notre Dame.

“If we’re not on, any of those teams can knock us out,” Garza said.