Know Your Enemy: AC Boise

The Richmond Kickers return to City Stadium on Saturday for their first-ever meeting with 2026 expansion side AC Boise. We spoke to Kyle Prewett at the Boise podcast The Pitchside Peregrines for his opinion on what Kickers fans should expect, and who they should keep an eye on this weekend.

With the club sitting at seventh in the table with a 4-4-3 record, you'll likely hear the same theme when you ask about AC Boise: inconsistency.

"Boise as a whole could be compared to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," Prewett told us. "When it's going good, it's really good, but when things look bad, they're really bad."

As evidence, he pointed to Boise's last two matches, which he described as "quite frankly, terrible losses."

Fort Wayne FC claimed a 3-1 victory before Sarasota followed with a 2-0 win earlier this week. In both matches, Boise’s veteran back line struggled to cope with aggressive transition play and attacking pace.

Still, Prewett believes the club's ceiling remains high.

"Wins against Westchester, Naples and Monterey Bay show what Boise can be: resilient, determined and capable of true quality all across the pitch."

With Richmond sitting 12th in the table and coming off a brutal 5-0 loss in Chattanooga, Saturday's match suddenly feels important for both clubs. Boise is trying to find consistency, while the Kickers are searching for a response after one of their toughest nights of the season.

Here are a few players that we both think Kickers fans should keep an eye on:

Denys Kostyshyn, Attacking Midfield #10

Arriving for his first USL League One season after previous stops in the USL Championship and the top divisions of both Kosovo and Ukraine, Denys Kostyshyn has quickly established himself as one of Boise's most dangerous attacking threats.

Although his scoring has cooled over the last month, Prewett believes the 28-year-old remains capable of changing a match in an instant.

Kostyshyn "can truly create something out of nothing," Prewett told us, noting that the Ukrainian is equally comfortable playing as an attacking midfielder or striker.

"When you see Denys cut inside onto his left foot, there's a good chance he's at least getting a dangerous shot on target."

That ability was on full display early in the season, when Kostyshyn recorded four goals and an assist in his first five league appearances. Players with his combination of technical quality, creativity and shooting ability rarely stay quiet for long.

Richmond's defense will need to keep close track of him on Saturday, especially with creative midfielders Blake Bodily and Nick Moon providing support from the flanks.

Blake Bodily, Midfielder #7

Speaking of Bodily, the 28 year old Idaho native brought plenty of experience in both USL Championship and MLS back to his home state. The last three seasons, two with Tampa Bay and one with San Diego Loyal, were especially impressive on the stats sheet with seven goals and 19 assists across regular season play.

"A vast majority of AC Boise's attacks develop down the wings," said Prewett, "and Blake leads the team in bin chances created and key passes for game, and is second on the team in assists."

He's a box to box left midfielder, but "you'll see him pop up all over the pitch."

Jonathan Ricketts, Defender #2

Longtime Kickers fans may remember Jonathan Ricketts from his standout 2021 season with Chattanooga Red Wolves. That campaign helped launch a four-year stint in the USL Championship before he returned to USL League One as part of AC Boise's inaugural roster.

Ricketts has become a key piece of Head Coach Nate Miller's preferred three-center-back system, operating either as a right center back or right wing back depending on the situation. He currently leads Boise in duels won, underscoring his importance on the defensive side of the ball.

Despite playing in a deeper role, Ricketts has also contributed going forward. His three assists lead the team, and he has produced them on just eight chances created, a reminder of the attacking instincts that made him one of the league's better right backs earlier in his career.

Thomas Amang, Forward #22

With injuries beginning to impact Boise's attack, Richmond fans may get an extended look at veteran striker Thomas Amang on Saturday. The 28-year-old started in the club's recent loss to Sarasota and could be in line for another start if Luan Brito is unavailable.

Amang has scored just once this season, netting the match-winning goal in a victory over Naples earlier this month. While his production has been limited so far, his track record suggests he remains a player worth monitoring.

Over the last several years, Amang scored 30 goals across 104 USL Championship appearances, demonstrating the finishing ability that made him a valuable addition to Boise's inaugural roster. If given opportunities in and around the box, he has the experience to punish opposing defenses.

Richmond Kickers vs. AC Boise: How to Watch

If you're not at City Stadium, the match will be on ESPN+ and CBS 6.3 in Richmond. Kickoff is at 7:00 PM ET.