Rams clinch playoff spot with win at LH

By JONATHAN GUTH

MVI Sports

Ringgold is headed back to the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs for the second straight year after posting a 5-0 victory over Laurel Highlands on Tuesday.

The Rams (5-4, 5-4) will represent Section 2-3A in the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs as the fourth-place finisher in the section. Coach Olivia Wilkerson’s team hopes to have a better result this year in the postseason.

“The girls knew that they wanted this game,” Wilkerson said. “The way they warmed up. There was a lot of focus, and they wanted to show up and drop a message. Obviously, our goal was to make it back to the playoffs and do better this time. We had our goals set at the beginning of the season, and we can check this one off and move on to the next one.”

Ringgold recorded a 1-0 win over the Mustangs (3-9, 3-8) on Sept. 23 at Joe Montana Stadium, but the Rams needed just 6:41 to score their first two goals at the Mustang Corral.

Ringgold took a 1-0 lead at 35:16 on a goal by Abby Whaley, and Katelyn Ferrence extended the Rams’ advantage to two at 33:19 of the first half.

Ringgold pushed its lead to 3-0 at 9:35 of the first when Faith Bobnar won a one-on-one battle, turned and buried the shot. The Rams scored on their first three shots on      goal.

“Before the start of the game I asked the starting 11 to do me a favor, and it was to put this game away, and they did, and I am very proud of them,” Wilkerson said. “All season long I keep challenging this team, and asking for more and more, and they keep giving, so I will continue to keep pushing them to whatever their limit may be, as long as it is in the positive direction.

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