The Flame Never Dies Down - By Valerie Martinez

    The Bomber girls were expecting an ongoing battle with the Riverhawks. Chiawana brought the heat, but did they bring enough? Richland stood their ground on their winning streak with three nail-biting sets but won the match 3-0. The Riverhawks were just a warm-up and now the Lady Bombers are on fire.

    Stasha Haynes, a Richland parent, had said, "I think the whole team did very well, both Malia and Jenna have been training together since middle school and they are both training in the college club, Ikaika, along with several other girls in club volleyball.” The Bomber athletes juggle many activities with high school volleyball, club teams, and sometimes college workouts, all at the same time while maintaining a high GPA and studying. This just comes to show how much dedication and out-of-practice work is put into the team and the sport.

Makia Woodruff (Sophomore) serves an amazing serve leading toward an ace.

    7:00 pm sharp, the duel between two highly ranked high schools began. The bleachers were overflowing with supportive parents, siblings, and friends. However, there was a lack of Richland fanatics. Despite the absence of the students, the Bomber players did not let it impact their game plan. Families and others who came roared towards every block and spike, which gave great encouragement to the team.

    The Bombers took the lead in the first set with an overpowering 25-20 win. The magnificent 5’10” middle blocker Gracie Moss never fails to get her arms over the net with her blocks, preventing Chiawana from scoring points. On top of playing the role of a defensive iron wall, Gracie shows even more power with her dangerous spikes. Her strikes plummet straight to the ground, not giving the Riverhawks enough time to respond with a rally of their own. Not only is Gracie ready for anything coming her way, but with a combination of her and teammate Emmerson White, they are unstoppable. They show great communication and teamwork.

The Bomber girls huddled together listening to their next plan to dominate the Riverhawks.

    Chiawana slowly creeping up to their first winning set of the game. Richland was most definitely ready for the attacks from the Riverhawks. Not once did the lady hawks catch a break from the bombers, and never did they score a point over the bombers. However, they did come near with a close 25-21. Despite the loss of eight seniors from the past year, the bomber competitors gained a very special teammate. The astonishing sophomore right outside hitter, Makiya Woodruff withoutstanding serves that led to several aces. The Riverhawks failed to receive the ball and continued to rally.

    Slowly but surely, the bomber student enthusiasts turned up for the never-ending contribution toward the lady bombers. Later in the third set, a suspenseful rally between the teams occurred. Gracie Moss with three incredible consecutive blocks wasn’t sufficient. The build-up of the rally between schools, unfortunately, ended with a point to Chiawana. Right after, Richland gained points, and from then on, the Bombers were on the victory train. Along with the demolishment of the Riverhawks, the Bomber followers invented a new chant. “Beep! Beep! Honk the horn! Beep! Beep! Honk the horn!” “ We are still on the winning train, so honk the horn!”, said Max Schuster. The head referee Dick Pratt had said, “I am here to just call points, fouls, and to make final decisions so nothing really comes to my mind, but occasionally, even though I’m not the one competing, I sometimes get a bit of an adrenaline rush from how good the play can be.” Even the referees can get a bit thrilled from a match. The tense rally had the referee on his toes.

Richland fanatics doing a celebratory dance after a tremendous triumph. Don't forget to Honk the Horn!

    This match was an exhilarating experience that showcased the spectacular skills of the athletes and the energy of the crowd. Every point was celebrated as it should be. Massive amounts of passion and dedication were most definitely demonstrated during this game, leading to yet again, a glorious victory for the Bombers. Fortunately, this is only the beginning of a thrilling season for the Richland Bombers.  With a tie for first place, everyone is looking forward to the Bombers versus The Braves on Thursday at home! This next game will really show who wants the title of first place the most. 

Malia and Ella are cheerful about their successful win but also meet up with their friend Guiterrez of Chiawana.