BELLEVILLE – Gabby Thompson showed why she’s considered one of the most exciting players in the St. Louis area on Friday, May 24, 2025, taking three through balls, and putting them in the back of the net for a hat trick, helping Edwardsville to a 4-0 win over Belleville West in the final of the IHSA Class 3A West regional at Bob Goalby Field.
it was a game where the Tigers were challenged in many ways, and Edwardsville met each of the challenges well in going on to next week’s sectional in O’Fallon.
“It was a physical game that we handled very well,” said Edwardsville head coach Abby Federmann. “”I was impressed with how well we controlled the ball, and how everybody was involved in every goal.”
Maxim scored on a golazo after only 40 seconds, taking a ball on the side of the box, and curved a beautiful shot inside the far post into the net to give Edwardsville the lead at 1-0. Thompson then did the rest, getting a great through pass from Mea Hook in the 23rd minute, and slotted the ball in the back of the net to double the lead at 2-0. In the 43rd minute, Thompson struck again, getting a great ball from Kate Cadigan, and scored to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead at halftime.
In the 64th minute, Thompson finished her hat trick in style, getting another brilliant through ball from Caroline Wiley, and found the back of the net to give the Tigers a 4-0 advantage. Genny Burroughs in goal, and a stout Edwardsville defense protected the lead brilliantly to preserve Burroughs’ clean sheet
“Genny Burroughs came up with some really big saves,” Federmann said, “and our back line handled the pressure of the Belleville West attack stellar.”
The Maroons had their best chances on set pieces, especially on corner kicks, but the Edwardsville defense prevailed.
“West was a big threat on their corner kicks,” Federmann said. “They had some good opportunities that I wish they didn’t have. But we managed to get the ball out, and transition quickly to offense.”
West ends its season at 14-9-1, while the Tigers go to 10-3-1, and meet O’Fallon for the third time at OTHS Panther Stadium in the sectional semifinal Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m.
The winner goes through to the final next Friday at 6:30 p.m. against either Normal Community or Minooka, at 6:30 p.m. The O’Fallon sectional winner meets the Joliet West sectional winner in the Bloomington super-sectional game June 3 at 6 p.m., with the winner going to the state finals June 6-7 at North Central College in Naperville.
