RIDGEFIELD — As the temperature plummeted and her team’s lead skyrocketed, Ridgefield goalkeeper Sarah Kaufman tried anything she could to stay warm.
That included some mental tricks.
“I remembered the game against Camas when it felt about 110 degrees,” Kaufman said. “I’d so much rather be in the cold right now.”
Kaufman had little to do but stay warm as Ridgefield beat Highline 4-0 in a Class 2A first round state playoff match Wednesday. A biting wind at Ridgefield High made it feel much colder than the temperature in the high-30s.
Highline never mounted a serious scoring threat. Ridgefield narrowly missed several chances that could have made the score even more lopsided.
Madison Ochoa scored twice, while Taryn Ries added a goal and two assists for Ridgefield (17-2-1). The Spudders will host a state quarterfinal game Saturday against Burlington-Edison.
Ridgefield imposed its will from the opening kickoff against Highline, a Burien school that ends its season 8-9-1. The Spudders led 2-0 after 13 minutes, but could easily have had more goals.
The Spudders took a 1-0 lead in the 8th minute. Ochoa headed in a rebound after Highline goalkeeper Makenna Hadaller stopped a Kara Klaus shot from close range.
Jordyn Voyles put Ridgefield ahead 2-0 when she headed in a corner kick by Ries.
“It’s really important to start strong,” Ochoa said. “Keeping everybody moving forward is what keeps us going. Everybody working together is what allows for goals like that.”
Ridgefield coach Robby Trimbo felt the game should have been wrapped up by halftime, when the score was still 2-0.
“We scored early, but it almost shot us in the foot a little bit,” he said. “It slowed our momentum a little. There was a lot of refocusing at halftime, a lot of remembering where we are.”
In the early second half, it was not a matter of if Ridgefield would extend their lead, but when.
That happened with 17 minutes to play. That’s when Ries set up Ochoa for her second goal.
Ridgefield took a 4-0 lead two minutes later. A deflected pass rolled to Ries 15 yards in front of the goal. She calmly knocked it inside the right post.
“For them to start off strong, drop off a bit, then come back strong in the second half is huge,” Trimbo said. “As coaches, we’re obviously very pleased. But it’s just one step.”
