OUR TOWN!! - By Kylee Fox

    On ‘Senior Night,’ the Richland Bombers defeated the cross-town rivals Hanford Falcons in a tough five-set battle (25-18, 12-25, 10-25, 27-25, 20-18). 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

    Before the game, the Richland Bombers honored the nine seniors volleyball players Kenzie Nealon, Sophia Thompson, Kelli Ostboe, Sophia Shoham, Kamryn Cook, Cassidi Ashbeck, Ella Carrick, Hannah Williamson, and Wesley Farr. All of these seniors have put in the time and work to get to where they are. Senior Kenzie Nealon will continue her athletic career at the University of Montana Billings. Her favorite memory as a Bomber was “Building friendships that I’m going to have with me for a long time even though this is my last season. This sport is so much more than just playing. It’s a sisterhood, and it’s such a special thing to be a Bomber.” This year the volleyball team has been a special one, “We are all super close with each other,” said senior Sophia Thompson. Senior Kelli Ostboe has loved playing in the program and will miss “The friends I’ve made playing Richland volleyball. It’s so fun to see the underclassmen grow and find their passion for the sport as well… and a fun group of girls I’ll definitely miss being a part of it.” Some advice for the underclassman and incoming freshman playing, “To show up to all summer open gyms and be coachable,” said senior Sophia Shoham. One of the biggest lessons senior Cassidi Ashbeck has been taught through the Bomber volleyball program was “to never give up and that if we work together as a team, we can overcome everything.” When asked about what it was like playing in one of the last volleyball home games, senior Ella Carrick said, “It was a bittersweet feeling. I was happy to be on the court with all my girls… it wasn’t until I got home after the game that I realized I only have one more guaranteed home game.” Senior Hannah Williamson was proud of this season, “All the games that went 5 sets, we won all but one. That really shows grit and perseverance to win 5 set matches time and time again.” 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

    The Bombers came ready to play as they were looking to get revenge for their previous loss against Hanford. They did that tonight, winning the first set 25-18. With lots of energy in Art Dawald Gym, the band started it off with the Fight Song, and the student section was going crazy. The first fourteen points were a back-and-forth battle. Neither team was ahead by more than three in the first set. Senior libero Sophia Thompson comes up big with multiple saves in the first couple of points. Every point was earned, there were no easy points given to the Bombers. Senior setter Kelli Ostboe reads Hanford’s defense and dumps the ball into the middle of the court. Then the Bombers flipped a switch and started to pull away point after point, with a big block by Williamson and junior Jenna Holm. The Hanford Falcons miscommunicated, which led to simple mistakes, leading junior Addison Schow to have a serving run and helping the Bombers increase their lead. The Bombers need one point to finish the first set; Ostboe has a beautiful set to Nealon, who has a huge kill to finish the first set. 

In the second set, the Bombers came out slow, which led to miscommunication, causing the volleyball to drop in between two girls, hitting the ball out of bounds and not being able to get the ball over in three hits. The Falcons went on a 9-0 run and caused the Bombers to make lots of mistakes. Hanford let the Bombers score only twelve points and had huge kills throughout the set from junior Paige Sturing and junior Aubrey Tornow. 

Photo courtesy of Madison Maxwell (RHS Yearbook).

    The Bombers were hoping to come back in the third set after a difficult second set. But once again, the Bombers have another slow start. Hanford came out on fire in the third, having an 8-0 run to start the set, and the Falcons are hoping to finish this game in four sets as they did previously to the Bombers. The Bombers looked to make a comeback as they have done in so many MCC match-ups. Still, the Falcons continued to pull away and kept the Bombers to ten total points, and the falcons went up 2-1. 

Richland comes out fast in the fourth game, hoping to not end ‘Senior Night’ early. The set starts with a bang from Williamson, and the Bombers go up quickly to start the set. The Falcons answered back with a kill from sophomore Bailee Cornella. The Bombers go on a small 5-1 run with great communication and focus, moving the momentum to them. A serving error from the Bombers put the Falcons on a 5-0 run, tieing the game once again. Up three,  Ostboe knew which hitter to go to, Williamson with another bomb. Which forced a timeout by the Falcons, and the student section yelled, “Bomber Power.” The Falcons, not going away, came out of the timeout with a huge kill. But junior Malia Haynes comes back with a deep hit, and the gym goes crazy; Bombers up four.

Photo courtesy of Madison Maxwell (RHS Yearbook).

    The Falcons were not going to make it easy. They come back to tie the game at 17 with some crazy saves to keep them in the game. Hanford goes up three, causing the Bombers to call a timeout, refresh and refocus. Coming out of the timeout, the Bombers were looking to close the gap. Carrick would have a nice tip to make the Bombers down two. Then Williamson, with another huge kill, was now down one. A miscommunication by the Falcons made the game tied again, 22-22. Everyone in the gym knew who the set was going to. Williamson, who had yet another kill, was now up one. Every point matters as they are tied again at 24. Ostboe with a dime, to a hole in the middle of the court. Another missed serve by the Bombers, tying up the score at 25. The Bombers would turn to Williamson for a huge kill to go up one, and the gym would go crazy. The Bombers are looking to get one more point, but Hanford would hold on, then a big back-and-forth rally. Junior Gracie Moss hits it off Hanford’s hands, and the Bombers win big, 27-25! Now tied 2-2, the Bombers are looking to finish this game. 

Photo courtesy of Madison Maxwell (RHS Yearbook).

    In the fifth set, every point matters, the Bombers come out strong, Ostboe serving an ace to get the first point. The Falcons have a big hit and then a Bomber error, 2-1 Falcons. A serving error by the Falcons ties the game at two. Miscommunication by the Bombers would give the Falcons an easy point, but then it is Williamson for another huge kill, game tied again. Cornow with a big hit for Hanford, but the Bombers not letting the ball hit the ground, then Senior Casey White with a tip and another point for the Falcons. Thompson with a nasty serve, Bombers up 6-4. Bad serve received from the Bombers puts the Falcons on a come back, now 7-7. A beautiful set from White to Sturing with bomb kill, Falcons up by two. But the Bombers continue to battle, Moss with another hit, hitting the line, now down one. Sturing hits around the Bomber blockers and now has three hits in a row for Hanford, Bombers down three. Bombers fighting to stay in the game, diving for every ball, they come back, now tied 12-12. With a couple mistakes, the Falcons go up 14-12, then a big rally, no team giving up, Bombers win the point 13-14. Bombers tie it up again at 15, with lots of momentum in their favor. Ashbeck has a huge kill to go up one, 17-16, but Hanford answers back with a kill. A mistake by the Bombers leads to an easy Falcon point, but Moss comes back with two big kills to the middle of the court, Bombers up 19-18. A hitting error by the Falcons, leads to a big Bomber win! 

    Bombers are 3rd in the league and will travel to Lewis and Clark on Tuesday for the first round of District 8 4A Volleyball.