Lady Bombers Take Down Chiawana in Overtime Thriller - By Ethan Ruzicka
The crowd was loud, the lights were bright, and the game could’ve gone either way, but the Richland Lady Bombers found a way to get it done. After a long, physical match that stayed scoreless through regular time, senior Mackenzie Thonney scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lift Richland over Chiawana 1–0 on Tuesday night.
This one meant a lot for the Bombers. Coming off a tough loss to Kamiakin, the team knew they needed to reset, and that’s precisely what they did.
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| Photo: Sam Amaya |
Before the game, assistant coach Sidonia Plunkett talked about how tough Chiawana can be to play against. “Chiawana’s an extremely tactical team,” Plunkett said. “Everyone on their team knows their role, so there aren’t any holes. You don’t have many ways to attack without it being precise.”
The Bombers made some significant adjustments going into the match, switching the team to a three-back formation. That put a lot of responsibility on sophomore Hannah McCall, who stepped up as the lone center back. “Hannah has stepped up in a big role,” Plunkett said. “She’s playing as a solo center back in our system. As a sophomore, that’s a big deal, and she’ll handle it well tonight.”
Chiawana came out pressing hard from the opening whistle and kept most of the possession. They had six total shots, two on target, but couldn’t find the net thanks to solid defense from Bella Arroyo and Kiersten Griggs. One of the biggest plays of the first half came from Arroyo, who cleared a cross off the goal line that looked like a sure goal.
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| Photo: Sam Amaya |
The Bombers only managed a couple of shots early, but started to pick things up near the end of the half. Both student sections were loud all night, and the U9 Three Rivers Girls Soccer team was in the stands showing their support, waving their hands, and cheering the Bombers on. At halftime, the game stayed 0–0, but you could feel the energy building.
Richland came out much stronger in the second half. Josilyn Maddison earned a foul in the attacking third, and Kylee Kukes had a great chance off a through ball that went just wide. The game started to get more physical, with fouls piling up on both sides. Even with Chiawana controlling the ball, the Bombers stayed organized defensively. Arroyo and Griggs made several key stops, and McCall cleared everything through the middle.
Late in the second half, Chiawana nearly scored when a low cross slipped through the box, but no one was there to finish it. On the other end, Kearyn Elfering drew a foul and sent in a dangerous free kick, but it skipped through untouched. Regulation ended 0–0, and the game headed to overtime.
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| Photo: Sam Amaya |
That’s when things got wild. Early in OT, Chiawana nearly scored on a chipped shot that forced the Bomber keeper to tip it just over the bar — a clutch save that kept the game alive. A few minutes later, Richland finally broke through. The Bombers worked the ball upfield quickly, and Thonney was in perfect position at the back post to tap it in. The crowd went wild as Richland took the 1–0 lead.
Chiawana kept pushing, but the Bombers held strong until the final whistle. The student section exploded when it blew, and everyone knew how big this win was.
After the game, senior captain Josilyn Maddison said the team played exactly how they wanted to. “Yes, our team really did perform to expectations,” Maddison said. “Going from a loss against Kamiakin, we had a serious talk, laid out what we needed to do, and accomplished just that. Our energy was completely different, and that made a big difference.”
When asked what moment stood out most, Maddison didn’t point to the goal but to the team’s chemistry. “I think what was crucial for the win is that we all stuck together,” she said. “It wasn’t just one person carrying the team. When we stuck together, we were most successful and started to make plays.”
It was a hard-fought game from start to finish, and the Lady Bombers showed a ton of grit and teamwork to come out on top. The win gives them momentum heading into their next matchup and confidence that they can take on anyone.
Final Score: Richland 1, Chiawana 0 (OT)
Shots: Richland 2 | Chiawana 6
On Target: Richland 1 | Chiawana 2
Fouls: Richland 2 | Chiawana 8
Corners: Richland 1 | Chiawana 1
