In an important league game with huge playoff implications, the Aberdeen Bobcats shined.

Aberdeen scored three unanswered goals and held Black Hills scoreless in the second half en route to a 4-1 victory on Thursday over Black Hills.

Aberdeen (8-2 overall, 6-2 2A Evergreen) entered the game with a slim half-game lead over the Wolves (5-6-1, 5-4) for second place in the league standings.

A loss meant the Bobcats would have dropped into third place in the league standings with the Wolves holding the tiebreaker due to a 1-0 loss to Black Hills back on Sept. 20.

Aberdeen made sure that didn’t happen.

The Bobcats got on the board early when senior midfielder Aman Cheema sent a long through ball that senior forward Maddi Gore was able to run down. Gore then slotted a right-footed shot past Black Hills keeper Carissa Gibbs for a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute.

But Black Hills responded, connecting on passes through the midfield and benefiting from runs down the wings deep into Bobcats territory.

The tactic paid off for the Wolves when senior forward Mia Thompson made a run down the far sideline and sent a steep-angled, high-arcing shot inside the top far post to tie the game at 1-1 in the 13th minute.

Aberdeen kept playing its long game, making numerous attacks with through passes and long balls over the top of the Wolves defense in hopes of utilizing the speed of Gore and junior forward Annie Troeh.

In the 22nd minute, Cheema sent a corner toward the front of Wolves net. Bobcats sophomore forward/midfielder Solveig Kvarsvik — playing in her first game back from injury — got a piece of the ball while surrounded by three Wolves defenders. The loose ball bounced toward Troeh, who chipped it in as Aberdeen regained the lead in the 22nd minute.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen forward Annie Troeh (4) chips in a shot for a goal during the Bobcats’ 4-1 win on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022 at Stewart Field in Aberdeen.

Later in the half, senior midfielder Marina Marll provided some much-needed insurance.

Marll out-hustled her defender to the ball and made a run down the near hash before sending a well-placed shot to the top far-corner from just outside the 18-yard box, giving the Bobcats a 3-1 lead in the 28th minute.

“After the goal, I think it settled us down because we were a little too excited,” Marll said the goal that gave Aberdeen a two-goal lead. “(Black Hills) has some strong players, but I think we held them.”

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Aberdeen midfielder Marina Marll, right, scores a goal while being defended by Black Hills’ Mackie Finney during the Bobcats’ 4-1 win on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022 at Stewart Field in Aberdeen.

After the break, Black Hills ramped up the pressure, getting more time in Aberdeen’s half of the field.

But the Bobcats defense held firm, blocking multiple shot attempts, cutting down passing lanes and forcing long shots from outside the box that senior keeper Dom Trevino had no troubles scooping up.

“We were really working on staying on marking up today on our players,” Aberdeen co-captain and defensive leader Aili Scott said. “Stay on a man, communicate, push out … It was really working on communication. That’s the most important part of working back there. We get talked to about (communication) a lot and I feel we did really well with it today.”

“It was a little bit scary on D a few times (in the first half). We didn’t always mark up perfectly,” Aberdeen head coach Larry Fleming said. “Great job by Aili Scott on defense, anything that got through, she was there and I thought Dom was really solid.”

With the Bobcats defense holding the line against Black Hills, the offense began to pepper the Wolves net with shots.

Gore would put the icing on the cake when she got behind the Wolves defense and scored on a perfectly-placed forward pass from Troeh to put Aberdeen up 4-1 with less than seven minutes left in the game.

“Some really good shooting tonight,” Fleming said, noting his team hit five posts/crossbars in the game — four alone in the second half — and had several dangerous chances sail slightly off-target. “We’re really doing a good job staying over the ball and giving ourselves a chance. … Great chances, over and over.”

The win was a critical one for the Bobcats as they now have a 1.5 game lead over Black Hills and WF West for second place in the 2A Evergreen Conference.

The Bobcats swept WF West this season with a 2-1 win earlier in the week and hold a three-goal advantage in goal differential over the Wolves.

With four games left on the schedule, including a home match against undefeated Tumwater, the Bobcats still have some work to do if they are to host a playoff game as one of the league’s top two seeds.

As for now, Aberdeen will enjoy what it has accomplished this week with wins over the Bearcats and Wolves.

“I’m really proud of us,” Scott said. “This game was really important. … We just have to finish out the season strong and keep playing with the same intensity and communication.”

“This was a big week for us. This was great for us,” Fleming said. “We had some big wins. It was a good week.”

“This was a big win for our team,” Marll said. “I think our team is really good. It’s not even like a team, it’s more of a family. I think that’s why we play better.”

Aberdeen will face last-place Rochester at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in Rochester before hosting Centralia at 6 p.m. Thursday on Senior Night.

Black Hills 1 0 — 1

Aberdeen 3 1 — 4

Scoring

First half — 1, Aberdeen, Gore (Cheema), 9th minute. 2, Black Hills, Thompson, 13th minute. 3, Aberdeen, Troeh, 22nd minute. 4, Aberdeen, Marll, 28th minute.

Second half — 5, Aberdeen, Gore (Troeh), 73rd minute.