Two early goals – one inside 60 seconds – led Ralston back to the top of the Trailblazer Conference with a 2-0 win over Platteview in the conference tournament championship game Tuesday night.
“It means so much, and I have to give glory to God because these kids pray before each game and He’s brought us this far,” Rams head coach Tara Behrens said.
Behrens is in her 13th – and final – season at Ralston, confirming she will be stepping away (though not closing the door entirely to coaching) from the program due to moving.
“This is my last season coaching, and this is such a good group of kids, so it means a lot for them to work so hard to get here,” she continued.
The Rams and Trojans have battled for supremacy in the conference tournament for three straight years, Ralston winning on penalties in 2021 and Platteview winning the last two.
People are also reading…
“When we play Platteview, they’re just a solid program and we know that every year going in their kids work really hard,” Behrens said. “It’s always a very physical game. So that rivalry has been pretty fun because it’s always been super close games and good competition.”
Although the feeling after Tuesday’s game is more bittersweet for Trojans head coach Katie Hobbs, the experience of the rivalry is overall positive.
“I think it’s good for both the teams,” Hobbs said. “I think it gives us something to look forward to. I think a good, healthy rivalry is always good. We have teammates that play together. We have (club) teammates on Ralston’s team, so it’s always bittersweet.”
An early strike, off the head of freshman Sophie Bowyer from a corner kick with 39:03 on the clock, was all the Rams would need as they shut down the Trojans.
“To start that way is so fun, and the last game we played it was back and forth, goal after goal after goal,” said Behrens, referencing the Trojans’ win on penalties in an 8-goal thriller, April 1.
“So our emphasis today was just 0-0 all game and pushing just as hard even after the goal and so getting two fairly quickly changed the game and second half was more of a defensive battle for us, but I’m proud of our our backline and how hard they work to prevent a goal from being scored.”
The second from senior Ashlyn Coreas Marquez, who signed to Bellevue University earlier Tuesday, made it a quick 2-0 advantage with a toe-poke shot off her right foot into the bottom left corner of the net in the 13th minute.
“It just felt nice, and then that’s when we know we can hold back, just defend more instead of just trying to go score,” Coraes Marquez said.
The senior – who said her commitment to Bellevue feels great after receiving offers out of state but deciding to stay close to family and home – has been a welcome addition for the Rams this season since transferring from Omaha Central.
“She has been an instant leader for us, coming into this team has fit in just so well and stepped up,” Behrens said. “Her and her sister (Clara) have just been awesome additions to the team both on and off the field. They’re just fun kids. She (Ashlyn) is very dynamic just the way that she can run with the ball and she’s absolutely an offensive threat but when I need her to play defense, she absolutely stepped into that role also, and she, I would say, is probably pretty confident no matter where she’s at.”
Bowyer almost made it a brace in the 27th, but the Trojans defense blocked the headed effort to remain just 2-0 down at the break.
Inside the first minute of the second half, sophomore Clara Coreas Marquez went down in clear pain and was helped off the pitch without putting weight on her left leg.
The younger Coreas Marquez didn’t return, but the Rams held tight in defense to return to the top of the Trailblazer Conference tournament.
“I think they had a good game plan,” Hobbs said. “They kept the middle strong, they have a very strong defense. They pulled them back when they needed to. I mean, well played.”
Subdistrict play began Saturday, Omaha Gross Catholic upsetting Platteview 3-1 in the B-2 subdistrict first round.
Ralston opened against Omaha Mercy on Monday, while Gross played Omaha Duchesne. Both games were after The Times’ print deadline.
Getting a chance in a rubber match this season would be welcome for both teams.
“I always think it’s good to have these games,” Hobbs said. “If we didn’t have these games, we wouldn’t become better. We wouldn’t have those tears that we need to have to come back and fight even harder. So I hope that next time, if we do play again, we’ll fight hard again.”
Behrens, who has attempted to remove emotions of finishing her career at Ralston and focus on the next match, aims to be the best for her team.
“I want to be the best I can be for them and finish out here strong,” she said. “We’ve really been watching the PowerPoints and really just trying to put ourselves in the best spot to give ourselves a shot hopefully in a district final and see what happens from there.”
Ralston (11-3) 2 0 – 2
Platteview (10-5) 0 0 – 0
The Platte soars to TBC crown
The Platte (Platteview and Plattsmouth co-op) won the boys Trailblazer Conference tournament final 4-1 over Beatrice on Tuesday. Goals were scored by Logan Ksiazek (13’), Traceson Skalberg (22’), Parker Matthies (38’) and Dominc Vercellino (72’), with assists from Micah Wehrbein, Tyler Maier (2) and Skalberg. The Orangemen got a goal back in the 46th minute, but Vercellino’s goal sealed the Stars win.
The Platte faced Waverly in the B-1 subdistrict semifinals on Monday, while Conestoga vs. Gretna East followed. The winners faced off on Tuesday.