​Childers continues scoring tear in 8-0 rout of Patriots

by Michael Smith, Grain Valley News


Grain Valley junior Radleigh Childers is the engine that drives the offense for the girls soccer team.

That’s why many opponents focus on stopping her any time they play the Eagles. That hasn’t stopped her from scoring a lot of goals, though.

She came into Monday's contest against Truman with 18 goals in six games, which included a six-goal effort on April 3 in a 17-0 win over Ruskin, which tied a school record for most goals in a game set by her older sister, Reighan Childers.

Her stellar season continued against the Patriots as she put in five goals to help the Eagles earn an 8-0 mercy-rule victory over the Patriots at Truman High School.

Childers now has 23 goals on the season through seven games and is on pace to break the single-season school record of 63 goals set by her older sister, Rylan Childers, which was set in 2019.

“That’s a lot of goals,” Grain Valley head coach Brett Lewis said. “Her athleticism allows her to do special things on the field and that’s not something I can coach. She just has it. It’s just like, ‘Wow, let’s utilize this the best we can.’”

She showed her versatility on offense Monday, scoring in a variety of ways. Her first goal came on a direct free kick from the top of the box as she showed off her strong leg, blasting one into the left side of the net.

Her second score came when she outran two Truman defenders and split the defense on a run up the middle while chasing down a long pass from junior defender Taylor Nicholson and she put in a breakaway that she slipped by goalkeeper Camren Pennington.

She completed the hat trick after she scored on an assist from Josie Larry with 2 minutes and 26 seconds left in the first half. In the second half, she used her speed to get behind the Truman defense and score two breakaway goals on long passes from senior Ally Gilbert and Larry.

Her fifth and final goal may have been the most impressive out of all her scores. She had two Truman defenders ahead of her while chasing down a long pass. Despite that, she hit another gear and beat two defenders to the ball and blasted a shot from near the right sideline and into the left side of the Truman net.

“It’s just about having a mindset of knowing that I am going to get to (the ball),” Childers said. “Our midfielders and back line have a high IQ and they know where to place the ball and I am able read and connect with them on those passes.

“I missed a similar shot right after that, so I think it may have been lucky. I figured, ‘Why not?’”

While Childers had another standout performance, she got a big assist on offense from Larry, who had a goal and two assists. Larry chased down a long pass from Childers and smacked a shot from the right side of the 18-yard box and into the far side of the net in the second half.

“We all connected pretty well,” Larry said. “We got off to a rough start, pushing wide to get our spacing right, but we had a good game after that.”

Lewis noted that Larry has been an important part of Grain Valley’s attack along with Childers.

“Josie is a competitor,” Lewis said. “She’s aggressive and she’s physical. She is dangerous in the final third and she is relentless in how she works. She outworks players. She keeps going. She’s like the energizer bunny.”

Nicholson scored Grain Valley’s other goal as she blasted a direct free kick from 30 yards out that snuck under the crossbar and into the net. She also anchored a defense that kept Truman scoreless despite creating a handful of chance in the final third of the field.

“We have a great defense,” Childers said. “They work hard, and If they mess up the first time, which is rare, they’re going to get it the second time. They are going to get the job.”
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Grain Valley junior Radleigh Childers came into Monday's contest against Truman with 18 goals in six games, which included a six-goal effort on April 3 in a 17-0 win over Ruskin, which tied a school record for most goals in a game set by her older sister, Reighan Childers. Photo credit: David Rainey, Grain Valley News
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