Target Acquired: Riverside girls basketball wins first-ever state championship
Sophia Powell (left) holds up a Lady Warriors’ warmup shirt after Riverside’s 62-32 win over AC Flora in the Class 4-A state championship. Behind her, Elly Trickett and Kyndal Haroski embrace in a celebratory hug.
The Riverside Lady Warriors aren’t shy about how they feel. Their warmup shirts before Saturday’s state championship served as proof.
On the front of the solid black shirts: The Riverside ‘R’ logo.
On the back: A massive red and white target. It held a meaning.
“We feel like we had a target on our backs this entire season,” said Lady Warrior star guard Kyndal Haroski. “Everyone hated us and doubted us.”
“Everyone was always asking ‘How is Riverside winning all these games?’ and saying we weren’t really that good,” said Riverside forward Elly Trickett. “They said we were overrated, that we weren’t all that.
“But we proved them wrong.”
That might be an understatement.
Riverside thoroughly dominated AC Flora in the Class 4-A state championship in Florence, 62-32. They never trailed in the game, going on a 20-0 run in the third quarter led by Trickett to seal the first state title in program history.
“We were kind of the underdogs all season long. Overlooked and not respected,” said Riverside head coach Brianne Jones. “But we always found a way to come out on top.”
Trickett poured in a game-high 16 points. Most of those came in the second half, as the forward’s shots weren’t falling in the first. Not to worry, as Aylissa Pelzer came off the bench during the first half when Trickett picked up two fouls, and the senior forward put up nine points in just four minutes of first-half game time.
“Aylissa was a really big momentum swing for us,” said Trickett. “She had some and-ones that got the bench and the fans really excited. She picked us all up.”
“[Aylissa] was pivotal,” said Jones. “She’s been working hard and improving all season, and she figured it all out at the perfect time.”
With the game well in hand late in the fourth quarter, Jones took her starters out of the game to loud applause. As Haroski and sophomore forward Sophia Powell came over to the bench, they burst into happy tears. They laughed and smiled through watery eyes, embracing their teammates and coaches on the sideline.
The job was finished.
“I started playing basketball at 5 years old. To have that moment, it felt like all of the hard work I’d put in became so real,” said Powell. “We wanted to bring this home as a family, and we did.”
“I’ve dreamt about this since I was a little kid,” said Haroski. “It’s so surreal. I’m just grateful to be here with my team making history.”
Jones wrapped each of her players in a hug as they came off the court, and when the final buzzer sounded, the fifth-year coach smiled as her Lady Warriors rushed the court and jumped around at mid-court.
“It’s such a phenomenal feeling to see the girls who have poured blood, sweat, and tears into this achieve their goals,” said Jones. “I looked at them and told them after the game, ‘Dreams really do come true.’”
And the Lady Warriors—who return four of five starters next season—hope they don’t wake up from this dream anytime soon.
“Now that we’ve gotten a taste of it, we want it again,” said Trickett. “We don’t want to take our foot off the gas.”
Trickett, a junior, smiled as she looked at Haroski and Powell, both sophomores.
“Back to back next season?” asked Trickett. “Want to run it back?”
Haroski and Powell nodded and grinned.
“Let’s do it.”
THE SCORE BY QUARTERS
AC Flora 14 8 3 7 - 32
Riverside 18 13 20 11 - 62
RIVERSIDE STAT LEADERS
Elly Trickett - 16 points, 16 rebounds
Kyndal Haroski - 14 points
Aylissa Pelzer - 11 points
Sophia Powell - 9 points
Madison Garrido - 5 points