Soccer in the sun rolls on for area teams seeking NorCal championships
When enough votes were cast by state member schools to move high school soccer seasons from the fall or spring into the winter, the concerns were weather.
In drought season, no problem. In rainy, snowy, slushy season — like in recent years — major muddy mayhem. This season? Sunshine for days, and it’ll continue this week as the CIF Northern California Regional soccer tournaments take place with Tuesday openers and Saturday championships at home sites.
Jesuit earned the No. 1 seed in Division I after winning the D-I Sac-Joaquin Section championship with a 1-0 victory over Tokay in double overtime behind a game-winning goal by Alex Leinberger. It’s the Marauders’ 15th championship under Paul Rose, in his 41st season, and fourth in five years. Rose is the state’s winningest soccer coach.
Jesuit will host No. 8 De La Salle of Concord on Tuesday.
Bella Vista won its third straight D-ll section crown on penalty kicks over Central Valley. Broncos keeper Drew Bimson saved the fifth and final shot to seal it. He has been the goalie for all three of Bella Vista’s championships. Seeded fourth, the Broncos host No. 5 Redwood in NorCal action.
In D-lV section play, El Dorado beat Natomas 3-2 in overtime for its first championship. Seeded fourth, El Dorado will host No. 5 Saint Mary’s in the D-lV field, while Natomas will travel to Mendota in the same bracket.
Girls soccer
Oak Ridge beat Folsom 2-0 in double overtime to win its first D-l championship and third overall. The Trojans won D-ll titles in 2007 and 2009. Grace Goins scored the Trojan’s first goal in overtime and assisted on the other that was scored by Emily Lieber. Seeded fourth in NorCal play, Oak Ridge will host No. 5 St. Francis. Folsom will travel to No. 2 Clovis in the D-ll Regional bracket.
St. Francis beat Ponderosa 3-2 to win its section-leading 14th blue banner and first since 2014 behind a game-winning goal in the final minutes by Jackie Stanco. Marli Berry scored St. Francis’ first goal that tied the game at one and Lindsey Piatanesi’s goal in the second half gave the Troubadours the led at 2-1. Ponderosa’s Shane Stiener had both of her team’s goals.
Despite the loss in the final, Ponderosa earned a home game in the D-ll bracket and will host Cardinal Newman.
Manteca beat Christian Brothers 2-1 for the D-lll section championship. Grace Clote scored CB’s goal in the 25th minute, but two second-half goals by Manteca was the difference. The Falcons earned the No. 6 seed in the D-lll NorCal bracket and will travel to No. 3 Santa Cruz.
No. 6 El Camino beat top-seeded Ripon 3-1 in section D-lV action behind two goals from Hannah Gonzales-Moore. It’s El Camino’s first championship since 1984. This year’s team is coached by Jordan Martinez, whose father Paul led Oakmont to a section baseball crown last spring. El Camino earned the No. 2 NorCal seed in the D-lV bracket and will host Orosi on Tuesday.
For complete CIF soccer brackets, visit cifstate.org
Wrestling
Folsom senior Desinee Lopez won the 116-pound CIF State wrestling championship in Bakersfield. She defeated Charlotte Kouyoumjian of Monache of Porterville to become the school’s first state champ since Tianna Camous in 2011. Del Oro freshman Elena Ivaldi finished third in the same bracket.
Damion Elliott of Del Oro was the highest placer on the boys side from the Sacramento area. Elliott lost the 126-pound championship to Maximo Renteria of Buchanan, which won its fifth consecutive team title. Other notable placers at state include Peter Ming of Elk Grove (third at 220), Lucas Cook of Lincoln (fourth at 285) and Chris Island of Vacaville (fifth at 285).
For complete CIF State wrestlng brackets and results, visit cifstate.org.
Bee Prep of The Week
Sarah Jackson of Christian Brothers won Bee Prep of the Week honors through online voting. The Falcons’ steady guard and 3-point shooter helped power the Falcons into the section D-II finals against Merced, where CB won its second championship in three seasons. The Falcons, seeded ninth, open D-II NorCal action on Tuesday night at American of Fremont.
For the boys, Handre Reinecke of Rocklin earned Prep of the Week honors after doing his part to get the Thunder into the CIF NorCal Regional tournament with inside scoring and rebounding. The Thunder — the No. 14 seed in D-I — play at Salesian of Richmond on Tuesday night.
CIF NorCal Soccer Regional Championships
All openers on Tuesday
Boys
Division l
No. 8 De La Salle at No. 1 Jesuit
No. 5 Sacred Heart Prep at No. 4 Central
No. 6 Berkeley at No. 3 Bellarmine College Prep
No. 7 Tokay at No. 2 Montgomery
Division ll
No. 8 Gunn at No. 1 Watsonville
No. 5 Redwood at No. 4 Bella Vista
No. 6 Central Valley at No. 3 Sanger
No. 7 Menlo-Atherton at No. 2 Las Lomas
Division lll
No. 5 Galt at No. 4 Harker
No. 6 Albany at No. 3 Branham
No. 7 Shasta at No. 2 East Union
Bye: No. 1 Ygnacio Valley
Division lV
No. 8 Kennedy at No. 1 Summit Prep
No. 5 Saint Mary’s at No. 4 El Dorado
No. 6 Cardinal Newman at No. 3 Pleasant Valley
No. 7 Natomas at No. 2 Mendota
Division V
No. 8 Dos Palos at No. 1 Oakland Tech
No. 5 Enica Prep at No. 4 Corning
No. 6 Lowell at No. 3 Hilmar
No. 7 Colusa at No. 2 Anderson
Girls
Division l
No. 8 Carondelet at No. 1 Clovis North
No. 5 St. Francis at No. 4 Oak Ridge
No. 6 Berkeley at No. 3 Archbishop Mitty
No. 7 Saint Francis at No. 2 Monte Vista
Division ll
No. 8 Leigh at No. 1 Tamalpais
No. 5 Cardinal Newman at No. 4 Ponderosa
No. 6 Maria Carrillo at No. 3 Los Gatos
No. 7 Folsom at No. 2 Clovis
Division lll
No. 8 Burlingame at No. 1 Mountain View
No. 5 Acalanes at No. 4 Manteca
No. 6 Christian Brothers at No. 3 Santa Cruz
No. 7 Bradshaw Christian at No. 2 Montgomery
Division lV
No. 8 Sacred Heart Prep at No. 1 Branson
No. 5 Ripon at No. 4 Kingsburg
No. 6 Marin Academy at No. 3 University Prep
No. 7 Orosi at No. 2 El Camino
Division V
No. 8 Winters at No. 1 Lowell
No. 5 Ben Holt College Academy at No. 4 Chico
No. 6 West Valley at No. 3 Pleasant Valley
No. 7 Fresno Christian at No. 2 Oakland Tech
