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By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer

HELENA – Having sprinted by their area competition the entire year, the Helena Huskies made quick work in another area match to make their way into the postseason for yet another year.

Helena defeated the McAdory Yellow Jackets 9-0 on Thursday, April 10, completing another clean sheet and a solid performance at home at Helena High School. Coming in, it held onto some good momentum when it defeated Indian Springs 4-3 on Tuesday, April 8 on the road.

Huskies head coach Clif Naron saw another game of impressive play from two of his stars in Baileigh Rumage and Kate Hendrix, who each scored multiple times in the McAdory contest, a sight that has become a regularity throughout the season.

Helena wasted no time in getting its roll going. In the third minute of the game, the Yellow Jackets made a goal kick that was intercepted by Hendrix. Getting two touches on it after the takeaway, she took a chance from 25 yards out and put it in the back of the net, making it 1-0 early.

Hendrix got her second chance in the 10th minute of action when Madeleine Blumstein gave a touch over to her. Hendrix, who was just inside the box, then scored another swifty goal for a 2-0 score.

The Huskies were awarded seven corner kicks on the night as compared to one for McAdory. One of those saw Addison Foxworth boot it in towards Rumage. Rumage, getting a foot on it into a defender, saw it head back out towards Hendrix, who touched the ball across the goalie box and to Campbell Gibbs for the score, quickly putting the game at 3-0 in the 16th.

Following a short break from scoring, Blumstein put a through ball to Rumage, who scored in the 25th minute. The goal started a streak of three consecutive scores for the junior in the middle portion of the game. 

Just before the half in the 35th minute, Rumage took the ball by herself down the length of the field to drive it in and make it 5-0. Meanwhile, coming out of the half in the 54th minute, Rumage did the exact same thing to extend things to 6-0, just padding the stats in another excellent outing.

The 65th minute saw Rumage be on the other side of an assist, crossing into the box towards Blumstein, who scored on the reception for her only goal of the outing to put it at 7-0.

Capping off the match in the final 10 minutes, Foxworth made some crucial plays that finished in marks on the scoreboard. In the 72nd minute, Foxworth got the ball to Saylor Peterson, who scored from outside the left box for her contribution. Foxworth then helped finish off the game in the 74th with a corner into Blumstein, who popped it up where Hendrix headed it in for her third goal and pushing the game to its final score of 9-0.

With the victory, Helena clinched the area title for Class 6A, Area 7, earning its spot in the state playoffs. It improves to 11-6-2 overall and 5-0 in the area. 

Next up is a trophy game against county rival Pelham on Saturday, April 12 at 6 p.m. at Helena High School, battling for the rights to the Paws Cup.