Banner season? Five Merced County soccer teams playing for section championships
It’s a potential banner season for area soccer teams with five Merced County boys and girls high school soccer teams playing for Sac-Joaquin Section championships in the next eight days.
On the boys side, Golden Valley, Pacheco and Delhi will all try to bring home a blue banner with a title. Two girls teams will also play for championships in Hilmar and Stone Ridge Christian.
Why so much success on the pitch this season in Merced County?
Golden Valley boys coach Lance Eber credits the quality travel teams that many players are playing throughout the year.
“For us high school coaches, we get these boys for only three months of the year— Halloween through Valentine’s Day, if we’re lucky to make the playoffs,” Eber said. “The rest of the year, they are playing with the travel teams. It speaks highly about the level of coaching in the travel clubs in the area. Some boys stay local, some travel out of town.”
The Cougars (20-2-2) are trying to win back-to-back section championships after winning a Division III championship last year. This year Golden Valley moved up to Division II as the No. 3 seed.
Senior Carlos Miranda scored two goals, including one in the final moments of regulation, to propel GV to a 2-1 victory over No. 2 Elk Grove on Thursday.
Golden Valley will face No. 1 Del Oro on Saturday, January at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento at 2 p.m. for the championship.
Eber says the late goal shows the grittiness and competitiveness of his team and just how much they want to win a second consecutive blue banner.
“It goes to show the character of this team,” Eber said. “Relentless until the final whistle. The environment there threw us off prior to kickoff and early on in the first half. There was cheerleaders and the band and loud music and a very supportive student section. To get through all of the distractions and then to keep playing for the win until the final whistle was breathtaking.”
Miranda has scored six goals in Golden Valley’s three playoff wins and is second in the Sac-Joaquin Section in scoring with 43 goals on the season.
Here’s a look at the other teams vying for section titles:
Saturday (All games at Cosumnes River College)
Boys
Division V
No. 3 Delhi (21-3-3) vs No. 1 Summerville (17-3-1) at 6 p.m.— The Hawks are enjoying a stellar winter sports season with the boys wrestling team already winning the Division VI section championship.
Delhi has scored nine goals in their two playoff wins over Hughson and Venture Academy. Jose Ochoa and Osiel Salazar both scored two goals in the semifinal win over Venture Academy on Tuesday.
Salazar leads the Hawks with 29 goals this season.
Delhi is trying to win its second section title in three years after winning the championship in 2022.
Girls
Division VI
No. 2 Stone Ridge Christian (19-3-2) vs No. 1 Ripon Christian (21-3-1) at noon— Like the Golden Valley boys, the Stone Ridge Christian girls are trying to win back-to-back section titles.
Stone Ridge Christian averages over five goals per game this season with Sara Raya leading the way with 28 goals. Kaydence Erickson has added 24 goals, McKynna Baer 21 goals and Peyton Shaw 18 goals for SRC.
Stone Ridge Christian had to grind out a 1-0 win over Woodland Christian in the rain on Wednesday night to earn its shot at another section title.
The championship game is a rematch of the first match of the season for SRC when it lost 4-0 to Ripon Christian.
Ripon Christian is led by Dayna Koolhaas, who has poured in 41 goals this season.
Division V
No. 4 Hilmar (21-5-2) vs No. 6 Argonaut (16-6-2) at 4 p.m. — The Yellowjackets punched their ticket to the final with a 5-3 victory over top-seeded Sonora in overtime.
Brisa Gonzales and Raylynn Mendoza both scored two goals apiece against the Wildcats.
Hilmar brings a nine-match winning streak into the championship game and is led by Gonzales’ 28 goals this season.
Argonaut is led by Jenna Critchfield, who scored 20 goals this season.
Thursday
Boys
Division III
No. 7 Pacheco (18-4-2) vs No. 1 Valley (23-4-4), 7 p.m. — The Panthers pulled out a 2-1 overtime victory over No. 3 Vista Del Lago on Thursday in the semifinals to earn their way to the final.
Pacheco has found success through its suffocating defense this year, posting 10 shutouts in their 18 victories this year. The Panthers have surrendered only 21 goals in 24 matches.
Samuel Pinal leads Pacheco in scoring with 13 goals.
Saturday, Feb. 24
Golden Valley (20-2-2) vs No. 1 Del Oro (12-3-6) at 2 p.m. — Both teams will have a long layoff after winning on Thursday.
Eber says he’ll give the Cougars a few days off before they start preparation for Del Oro on Tuesday.
“I’m not a fan of the big break,” Eber said. “But, our practices are competitive, they are fast paced, they are challenging. We’ll get back in the groove very quickly.”
The Golden Eagles have surrendered just 14 goals all year and just one score in three playoff matches.
Golden Valley has the experience with a roster loaded with 14 seniors.
“Winning these matches in Division 2 just shows that boys were up for the challenge,” Eber said. “I didn’t even have to say anything in the prematch team gathering. They talked to themselves about the importance of being there and playing beyond that match.”
