There’s something about this time of year that brings out the best in Reilly Retz.
In last year’s Class 4A state soccer playoffs, it was Retz who scored game-winning goals in Kentwood High’s final two wins of the season, which led to a school-best third-place finish.
Tuesday afternoon at Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane, Retz was up to her game-winning heroics once again.
Tied 1-1 against Central Valley in a Class 4A state opener, Retz found the back of the net in the 68th minute for an unassisted goal, leading the Conquerors past the Bears 2-1.
“I don’t know what it is,” Retz said in a phone interview Tuesday night as the team happily made the 5-hour trek back to Kentwood High. “Maybe I am making up for all the goals I didn’t make during the season.”
Maybe so. But there’s no mistaking how clutch the junior midfielder has been during the team’s last two postseasons. Retz scored three goals last year, two of which came in the playoffs. She now has seven goals this season, three of which have come in Kentwood’s last three playoff games.
“I think I have more of a mentality (in the playoffs),” she said. “I have to come out harder for these games because there’s more riding on them.”
With the win, Kentwood (15-3-1) will advance to the Elite Eight of the Class 4A state playoffs. The Conquerors will play the winner of Tuesday night’s Chiawana/Lewis & Clark match on Saturday at French Field. A time for the game has not yet been determined.
“She just picks up her level of play during the playoffs,” said Kentwood coach Aaron Radford.
Kentwood fell behind in the sixth minute on a gaol from Central Valley’s Alex Richardson. It was one of the few good looks the Bears saw the entire night.
“I thought we were controlling the game,” Radford said. “We gave them the one look and they were able to pop it in. That was about the one good look they got all game.”
Kentwood’s Madison Fuller tied the game in the 17th minute with a goal that Radford is still shaking his head about. Fuller’s tally came from roughly 35 yards out.
“(Fuller) just unloaded a shot,” Radford said. “It’s one of the deepest shots I have seen her take all year. It was right over the top (of the goalkeeper) on a rope. She just blasted it.”
Fuller’s big boot set the stage for Retz’s big heroics.
It was Retz’s second game-winner in four days. She converted Kentwood’s go-ahead goal in a 2-1 shootout victory over South Kitsap on Saturday, Nov. 6. The Conquerors also received a huge effort from goalkeeper Courtney Johnson in the win over the Wolves.
Johnson saved her best for last as well, stopping a key shot by South Kitsap during the shootout.
“She was huge,” Radford said. “To come up with two saves (in the shootout) … if she doesn’t get a finger (on the last one), that gets in the back of the net. She has been the one who has been in two of those three previous shootouts that we lost. She had that experience. Thankfully it paid off.”
Kentwood will head into Saturday’s second-round state playoff match riding a nine-game winning streak.
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