RIDGEFIELD – Don’t tell anyone, but the Ridgefield girls soccer team has never advanced to the state semifinals.
That was the secret that Spudders coach Robby Trimbo kept from his players Saturday – until, that is, it wasn’t true anymore.
Madison Ochoa and Taryn Ries scored second-half goals to send Ridgefield to a 2-0 win Saturday over Burlington-Edison and into the Class 2A state semifinals for the first time.
“I purposely didn’t tell the girls that before the game,” Trimbo said. “I didn’t want them to think about that. I just wanted them to concentrate on playing their game. That’s why you heard the cheer after the game. That’s when we told them what they had accomplished.”
In fact, Trimbo said, it’s the first time a Class 2A Greater St. Helens League has advanced this far in the playoffs. The Spuders will face Shorecrest at 6 p.m. Friday in Shoreline.
“I’m just speechless right now,” Trimbo said. “It’s such an amazing accomplishment, especially for these seniors.”
But for more than 50 minutes, there was some doubt if the Spudders would accomplish their goal as Burlington-Edison battled Ridgefield to a scoreless duel. Ridgefield controlled much of the first-half play before the Tigers got a couple of good scoring chances late in the half.
“Burlington-Edison is good team,” Trimbo said. “They were putting pressure on us, changing things up on defense. They were sort of giving us our own medicine.”
Ries said the Spudders weren’t in panic mode.
“We just talked about playing our game, keeping pushing forward and making things happen,” the sophomore said.
That opportunity came in the 52nd minute when Ries found herself with an open shot on goal. Ries’ shot was deflected away by Burlington-Edison goalkeeper Jenny Gustafson. But Ochoa was there to bang home the rebound.
“I just tried to calm myself down and make sure I got a good shot off,” Ries said. “I knew if it didn’t go in, one of my teammates would be there to follow up.”
Trimbo said: “Once we got that first goal, we were back in familiar territory. It calmed our nerves down. But we also knew we couldn’t let up on this team.”
The Spudders didn’t let up. Ries appeared to have the Spudders’ second goal in the 67th minute, but Ridgefield was called for offsides. A minute later, Ries did get that second goal, converting an assist from Erin Siegel.
“We told our seniors how this would be their final game on this field,” Trimbo said. “It’s been their home away from home for four years. We wanted them to go out on a high note. And I think that pushed them more than anything I could tell them.”
RIDGEFIELD 2, BURLINGTON-EDISON 0
Ridgefield
Goals (assists) – Madison Ochoa (Taryn Ries); Ries (Erin Siegel). Goalkeeper saves – Sarah Kaufman 6.
Burlington-Edison
Goalkeeper saves – Jenny Gustafson 8.
Halftime – Tied 0-0
