SEASON OPENER: Badgers attack early
BONNERS FERRY — Badger Sophomore Maddie Hart had a shot on goal in the first 30 seconds in Tuesday’s soccer match, setting the pace for the season opener against Priest River.
Badger girls soccer opened the season strong, defeating the Priest River Spartans on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 7-1.
At the five-minute mark, Brenly Hymas scored the first goal of the night for the Badgers. The Badgers continued to attack the goal, and Hymas sank her second goal in the 19th minute.
The Badger barrage continued, with Maddie Hart and Alexys Meirke scoring their own goals for the Badgers right before the 30-minute mark, making it 4-0.
The Spartans answered, and sank a goal of their own into the back of the net right before halftime.
After halftime, the score was 4-1 with Bonners Ferry in the lead. The Badgers continued to make stops on every Priest River advance, with senior defenders Lindsay Onstott and Asha Abubakari fighting for every loose ball.
Priest River’s lack of substitutes showed in the second half. While they had a few good advances and looks at goal, they couldn’t get back in time when Badger defenders took possession of the ball and launched it to the forwards. Badger forwards and midfielders kept turning and taking chances to score, running the Spartans ragged and opening them up to easy mistakes.
A deep Badger bench executed this tactic.
Badger midfielder Lilly Krejci gained possession of the ball off goal kicks, and with one quick move around a Spartan defender, she passed up the middle or the sideline to a Badger forward, who was looking to goal.
The Spartans rallied in the end and had several good shots on goal in the final minutes of the match and the goalkeeper made several crucial saves in the second half.
The Badgers scored three more goals in the second half, winning 7-1. Badger will play at Stillwater Christian on Friday at 2 p.m.
GOALS
5th minute — BF, Brenly Hymas
19th minute — BF, Brenly Hymas
28th minute — BF, Maddie Hart
29th minute — BF, Alexys Meirke
37th minute — PR, #4
66th minute — BF, Nolie Hiatt
67th minute — BF, Lilly Krejci
70th minute — BF, Hannah McLeish
