Ridgeline got the different outcome it was hoping for.
After finishing runner-up in penalties in the 4A final a year ago, Riverhawks coach Richard Alexander’s message to his team ahead of Friday’s state championship was a simple one — go get a different color trophy.
Samantha Brown scored the game’s only goal in the 51st minute, and then her team’s stout defense locked things down from there as Ridgeline eked out the 1-0 victory over Crimson Cliffs to walk away with that coveted gold trophy this time.
“We were so close last year. We lost by one PK, and so I think we just came in here knowing we weren’t going to lose and we were willing to do whatever we could to make sure that happened,” said Riverhawks senior defender Rylee Vetica.
The victory was the 15th straight to end the season for Ridgeline, which got off to a bit of a slow start with a 3-3 record in the opening few weeks.
But the Riverhawks turned things around in region play and never looked back, securing a shutout in three of their four playoff victories.
Last year’s near miss played a big part of this team’s success, according to Alexander.
“Getting to this game, there was more of a grateful feel,” Alexander said. “Just being able to be on this field again and to compete for another final was a gratifying feeling that I know that we all shared, but then there’s also that ‘We’re not going to lose this game again’ mentality that came out as well that was super fierce, and it showed today.”
With two of the stingiest defenses in 4A squaring off, predictably Friday’s final had a very defensive feel.
Crimson Cliffs came into the game with just eight goals against this season, while Ridgeline had allowed 18 goals in earning a share of the Region 11 championship.
“We knew it was going to be a grind, but we prepared and our defensive line has been pedal to the metal,” Vetica said. “We have been putting in so much work, and we just executed.”
After a scoreless first half, Ridgeline finally broke the deadlock in the 51st minute on Brown’s team-leading 21st goal of the season.
Her long-range tally came just 30 seconds after Ridgeline squandered a potential 1v1 opportunity with the Crimson Cliffs keeper on a heavy touch at the top of the box.
The Riverhawks quickly won the ball back, and then Melanie Smith played a simple pass to Brown 25 yards from goal. The sophomore midfielder took a touch around the defender and uncorked a shot over the keeper for the 1-0 lead.
Brown is also star player on Ridgeline’s girls basketball team, and Alexander said she brings such a unique dynamic to the field.
“I love two-sport athletes because they bring such a different diversity to the game,” Alexander said. “It’s not just the soccer knowledge, it’s the basketball IQ as well that kind of plays into it, and Sam’s amazing.
“We love Sam, and we’re really hoping that she comes back next season.”
Down a goal, Crimson Cliffs tried to attack with more urgency over the final half hour, but Ridgeline’s stingy defense made it difficult to find the spaces to exploit.
The Mustangs’ best opportunity came in the 64th minute when leading scorer Macey Woolley lofted a difficult angle shot off the top of the crossbar.
Ridgeline’s defense was rarely threatened after that as it earned its 10th shutout of the season.
Back in the summer, Alexander thought he had a quarterfinal-caliber team this year, and knew anything beyond that would be difficult.
His players surprised throughout the season though, and he’s never been more happy to be wrong.
“They came together, played some really good soccer down the stretch, and that belief and that trust that they had … and here we are now," he said.
“These girls are amazing. They’re incredible. They stayed together, and here we are, state champs.”