RICHFORD – On Wednesday, Oct. 15, the Enosburg Hornets girls’ varsity soccer team won 2-0 over the Richford Rockets in a game played to raise support for Rhett Ellwood, a Richford Elementary School student battling leukemia.
The Richford Rockets pose for a photo with the Ellwood family on Oct. 15.
Taryn Jarvis
The Richford athletes responsible for initiating the event shared their thoughts.
Sayge Bohannon, Richford: “It was meaningful because I want to work with kids. I have a bunch of younger siblings, so being able to help a community member means a lot to me.”
Addie Chagnon, Richford: “It’s become a tradition for us to play a benefit game to help someone in our community, and we wanted to continue that. It felt good to have Rhett and his family come out and watch us play, and it was great to see the community come out and support Rhett.”
Katelyn Doe, Richford: “I would never want to feel alone in that situation. As a high schooler, it can be easy to think you can’t do anything to help, but this is a small step we can do in our community that will affect one person’s life; it’s a good feeling.”
Mya Renaudette (6) heads a ball in the Hornets’ 2-0 win over Richford on Oct. 15.
Adam Laroche
Enosburg athletes reflected on the benefit game and the fun of the in-county rivalry.
Annabelle Ellwood, Enosburg: “We always look forward to this game, and it matters a lot to everyone. Whenever we play Richford, it’s always something for the community, and that makes it fun.”
Mya Renaudette, Enosburg: “I like that both teams are equally matched, and that gives us more intensity. The team has a lot of energy and motivation to really try and win for the team.”
The game:
The teams battled through the game’s first half, closing with a blank scoreboard. The teams retook the field for the second half with the same intensity and effort showcased in the first.
Vienna Wilde broke the stalemate roughly 10 minutes into the second half, sending the goal just under the crossbar, assisted by Maeve Schofield.
Kallie Morrill notched the Hornets’ second goal minutes later, shortly after Enosburg goalie Jorja Kinney stifled the potentially game-tying goal on a strong Richford shot.
Richford’s young squad continued to battle, with senior Jazzy Cunningham and sophomore Adi Chagnon helping to anchor the defense.
Kinney kept Richford off the board, making a save on a penalty kick and earning a well-deserved congratulations from her teammates.
Katelynn Doe almost halved the deficit on a well-placed direct kick, but Kinney corralled the ball for the save.
Brooklyn Letourneau lifted the ball for a good opportunity, but again, Kinney made a leaping save on the play.
Richford goalie Mollie Smith made a save in the last minute to limit the damage to two goals.
Hornets’ coach Tiffany Jones spoke of the evening: “I think Richford coach Randi Chagnon said it best when she said, ‘no one fights alone.’ We come out as a community and work together to support families in the community, regardless of which side of the line you fall on.”
Adam Laroche
Jones reflected on the win: “It was great to see Jorja have another shutout under her belt. I’m very proud when I get to see that. This win goes to all the girls. From the starting lineup to the bench, they all worked together, communicated, and did what they needed to do to pull it together. I was impressed with the grit that the Richford team played with tonight. It was a hard thought contest, and I’m proud of all of the players.”
Jones also thanked assistant coach Abe Barnard, saying, “Assistant coach Abe Barnard has been invaluable.”
Goalie saves: Richford’s Mollie Smith had 13, and Enosburg’s Jorja Kinney had 16.