By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
It wasn’t the ending the Bishop Amat and Los Altos girls soccer teams envisioned, but the Lancers’ and Conquerors’ march to the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 semifinals certainly was memorable, topped only by the dream finish of CIF-SS Division 7 champion Sierra Vista. Not only did the Dons win the school’s first girls soccer title, it was the first CIF team championship in the school’s 49-year history. (To continue, click thread).
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Tribune Girls Soccer All-Area
Player of the year: April Juarez, Bishop Amat, So8.
Coach of the year: Steve Jimenez, Sierra Vista
First Team
Forward: Khalalah Todd, Northview, Jr.
Forward: Vanessa Carlos, Sierra Vista, Sr.
Forward: Natalie Maxey, South Hills, Sr.
Midfield: McKenna Gooden, Charter Oak, Sr.
Midfield: Lauren Stupin, Los Altos, Jr.
Midfield: Lizbeth Rodriguez, Sierra Vista, Jr.
Midfield: Yazmin Montoya, Bishop Amat, Fr.
Defender: Jasmine Roth, Bishop Amat, Sr.
Defender: Lauren Velasquez, Los Altos, Sr.
Defender: Nicole McKee, Walnut, Jr.
Goalkeeper: Justine Padilla, Los Altos, Sr.
Second Team
Forward: Tara Cofer, Los Altos, Jr.
Forward: Kayla Mills, Walnut, Fr.
Forward: Brooke Lambert, San Dimas, Sr.
Midfielder: Amber Marani, Walnut, So.
Midfielder: Shannon McKee, San Dimas, Jr.
Midfielder: Shannon Kent, St. Lucy’s, So.
Midfielder: Tiffany Dimaculangan, Glendora, Jr.
Defender: Alyssa Cabral, Bishop Amat, So.
Defender: Maddy Ealba, Glendora, Sr.
Defender: Daniela Perez, St. Lucy’s, Sr.
Goalkeeper: Alyssa Lozano, Sierra Vista, Jr.
The Dons defeated top-ranked California Academy of Math and Science 4-3 in penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie in regulation and two sudden-death overtimes at Mission Viejo High.
And they won it despite not having midfield playmaker Lizbeth Rodriguez (knee injury). They finished the season 25-4 to earn Dons coach Steve Jimenez Tribune Coach of the Year honors.
“They deserved this moment,” Jimenez said afterward. “You see the tears, the emotion. They worked their butt off to raise that trophy.”
Bishop Amat’s previously undefeated season ended in a 1-0 loss to eventual Division 4 champion Sultana, but the Lancers (27-1-2) outscored their opponents 118-9 and were led by Del Rey League Player of the Year and Division 4 first-team selection April Juarez.
The sophomore simply was magnificent, a playmaker and finisher who led the area in scoring with 35 goals and 25 assists to earn Tribune Player of the Year honors.
“April had an incredible season and one that will be hard to match when you consider how many goals and assists she had,” Bishop Amat coach Ruben Gonzalez said.
“But not winning a title is going to keep her and the rest of our team hungry.
“She gained a lot of confidence and is almost too unselfish at times, but those are great qualities to have.”
The Tribune’s 2009-10 all- area first team is paced by a trio of talented forwards in Sierra Vista’s Vanessa Carlos, Northview’s Khalalah Todd and South Hills’ Natalie Maxey.
Carlos’ 30 goals and 20 assists earned her CIF-SS Division 7 Most Valuable Player honors in addition to being named the Montview League’s Most Valuable Player.
Todd, only a junior, led the area in goals with 47 and was the Valle Vista League’s Most Valuable Player after 13 multigoal games in one of the best goal-scoring campaigns in area history.
Maxey, who signed a letter of intent with UC Santa Barbara, capped a wonderful four- year career with the Huskies. She earned San Antonio League Most Valuable Player and CIF-SS Division 2 second- team honors after scoring 27 goals with four assists.
The area’s first-team midfield includes Los Altos’ Lauren Stupin, Sierra Vista’s Rodriguez, Charter Oak’s Mc- Kenna Gooden and Bishop Amat freshman Yazmin Montoya.
Stupin arguably was the area’s best outside midfielder after helping the Conquerors to a 25-2-2 record with a team-leading 26 goals and 15 assists.
Los Altos won the Miramonte League and advanced to the Division 4 semifinals. Stupin was named the Miramonte League’s Most Valuable Player and also was a CIF-SS Division 4 first-team selection.
Rodriguez was injured during her team’s championship game, but she was the midfield general on the best sports team in school history.
Rodriguez earned Montview League and Division 7 first- team honors after finishing with 21 goals and 27 assists.
Gooden was a midfield/forward with excellent finishing skills. She had 23 goals and three assists to earn Miramonte League first-team and Division 4 second-team honors.
There was no better freshman than Amat’s Montoya, a Del Rey League first-team selection who also earned Division 4 second-team honors after totaling 20 goals and 20 assists.
The area’s first-team defense is led by Arizona- bound sweeper Jasmine Roth of Bishop Amat, Lauren Velasquez of Los Altos, Nicole McKee of Walnut and Los Altos goalkeeper Justine Padilla.
Roth led a Lancers defense that not only allowed just nine goals but their 23 shutouts tied them with two others for third all-time in the CIF-SS record books along with Laguna Hills (1986-87) and La Serna (1996-97).
In fact, the Lancers’ 23 clean sheets were the most by a team this century, with All-Del Rey League first-team sweeper and Division 4 second-team standout Roth leading the back line.
Velasquez was just as valuable for Los Altos, a team that allowed just 10 goals and had 22 shutouts and tied the Conquerors for sixth all-time in CIF-SS shutouts with San Gorgonio, which had 22 in 1987-88.
Velasquez was named a Miramonte League first-team selection and CIF-SS Division 4 third-team pick.
McKee was part of a stingy Mustangs defense that boasted 17 shutouts and allowed just 11 goals to help earn McKee first-team All-San Antonio League honors.
Padilla earned Tribune first- team goalkeeper honors for the second consecutive year and finished second all-time in the CIF-SS record books for career saves with 528.
She finished with 22 shutouts and 150 saves this season and earned Miramonte League and Division 4 first-team honors.
fred.robledo@sgvn.com
626-962-8811, ext. 2161
