Bishop LeBlond opens soccer season with shutout win over Benton

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Eagle Stadium at Bishop LeBlond High School was set to host the Golden Eagles’ season opener Monday, but scheduling complications delayed their debut. Four days later, fans finally packed the stands to watch their team take the field fresh off a Class 2 District 8 championship appearance last season.

Their opponent was city rival Benton, a team eager for payback after falling to LeBlond in last year’s district semifinals. The Cardinals aimed to start their season on a high note, but the Golden Eagles once again proved too strong, securing a 2-0 victory to open 2025 on the right foot.

“The first game’s a blast, and, you know, we’ve been hitting practice for 20 days straight and missed our first game,” LeBlond head coach Chad Thompson said. “It’s been a lot of fun tonight, and the girls all had a real good time.”

Despite fielding a young squad in terms of juniors and sophomores, LeBlond looked composed from the opening whistle. After three minutes of controlling the ball, the Golden Eagles capitalized. A corner kick from Kendall Cathcart was initially cleared, but the ball found Emersyn Lenz, who attempted to set up a teammate for a shot. Instead, her shot slipped under the foot of the Benton goalkeeper, Olivia Mattice, and rolled into the back of the net for an early 1-0 lead.

Benton’s best chance to equalize came in the 14th minute. The Cardinals pushed into LeBlond territory and earned a corner kick, with the ball bouncing dangerously in front of the right post. However, LeBlond goalkeeper Ella Arens reacted quickly, stepping up to secure the ball before Benton could capitalize.

“We did a great job of possessing the ball. I think we limited them to one shot, so that was a huge accomplishment this early in the season,” Thompson said. “Everybody played well together, and the communication was really strong.”

After settling in, Mattice kept Benton within striking distance, making several crucial saves to deny LeBlond throughout the first half. She continued her strong play in the second, but the Golden Eagles refused to sit back despite their slim lead.

With under 10 minutes remaining, LeBlond fired off three shots in quick succession, forcing Mattice into action again. But the fourth attempt proved decisive—Mattice mishandled a loose ball, and Emily Conz pounced, slotting it into the net to seal the 2-0 victory.

“We’ve got a lot of girls who like to shoot the ball, so take advantage of your strengths, you know?” Thompson said. “That’s what we’ve been preaching—shoot, shoot, shoot. You’re never going to score if you don’t. I think in the next few weeks, we’ll get everything dialed in.”

Bishop LeBlond will host Central on Wednesday, while Benton returns home to face Savannah on Monday.