Old Town Rivalry - By Jake Churchman

     The Richland Bombers and the Hanford Falcons rivalry is something that has become a one-sided victory by a large margin in almost every sport. Once again, this one-sided rivalry continued in favor of Richland in a final score of 66-47. In the last eight matchups between the two teams, the Bombers have walked away victorious six times. After this win, the Bombers will move to 3-2 on the season and look towards playing Hermiston at home. The Hermiston Bulldogs are 2-1 on the season with a blowout loss to Kamiakin. The game is at home on December 17.

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

    This was an away game for the Richland Girls, but the stands were packed full heading into the tip-off with Bomber students. Bomber students were decked out in Camo for the theme “Hunt the Falcons.” A cross-town rivalry always has packed stands, and Senior Guard Lexi Hay says, “Playing the Falcons is always a good matchup and typically a fun game to play.” The Lady Bombers backed up this statement and came ready to play. 

    The game started out strong for the Bombers, with Senior Guard Lexi Hay scoring the first points of the night. The girls continued playing strong defense, with Junior Mackenzie Schulz forcing a turnover which led to a score for herself down the court. The Bombers were playing physically on defense which led to 6 fouls early in the game. The first quarter set the tone for the rest of the game, taking a strong 23-7 lead. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

           Throughout the 2nd quarter, the Bombers continued to show relentless defense on Hanford, forcing several turnovers. Connell transfer, Maggie Smith, fought for several rebounds on the offensive side, giving the Bombers more opportunities to score. Maggie has become another vital piece for the Lady Bombers and another star to put alongside Fresno State commit Kylee Fox. Senior Kylee Fox said, “Maggie brings us basketball iq and a huge defensive presence. She also adds another offensive weapon and has become a key person to our team.” The girls were able to put up a defensive stop right before half, which led them into the locker room up 37-22 at halftime. 

           Coming out of halftime with all the momentum, all the girls had to do was close out the game. The girls started the 3rd quarter out strong with, once again, Lexi Hay scoring the first points of the 3rd quarter, driving to the basket with a layup taking a nice early lead. The theme of the night was a defensive battle on both sides, but the Bombers were able to keep a solid lead. Junior Guard Macie Milum kept the Bomber’s offense alive throughout the night with multiple buckets and was able to create more opportunities for her teammates. To close out the 3rd quarter, the Bombers went on a 10-0 run leading 52-27 into the 4th.

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

           The 4th quarter was slow for both sides, with many points coming from bonus free throws. The lady bombers continued to keep a strong lead, but Hanford made a surge late in the game led by Senior Forward Sarah Plemons. With several free throws and a few putbacks off the boards, Hanford’s offense was starting to come together, but ultimately it was too late. The late surge on offense from Hanford still left them short by 19 points. The Bombers walked away with, once again, another victory versus the Hanford Falcons. Coach Westerfield is looking forward to the rest of the season and has high hopes for the team. She said, “We are looking forward to competing for a chance to win state and plan on winning out versus Kamiakin and Chiawana, who are some of our biggest rivals.” Kamiakin has become a strong opponent for Richland these past few seasons, even after losing their starting guard to Memphis. The Braves picked up the star Senior Guard Leana Lepe from Pasco through the transfer portal. Leane Lepe was the leading scorer for the Pasco Bulldogs, and now she has taken her talent to our biggest division rival. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

           The Bombers have started the season out in stride and now have begun to pick up the pace. A strong win like this for the Bombers headed into the break will allow them to continue with their momentum and look forward to redeeming themselves in the playoffs. This upcoming week the Bomber Girls are looking to compete in the Glacier Peak Tournament. Many competitive teams from the west side will be participating, and the Bombers can build an excellent reputation around the state.