SAN JACINTO – The San Jacinto Tigers girls soccer team clinched a spot in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 quarterfinals against Chadwick High School this week. The journey to this quarterfinal match began when the Lady Tigers clawed their way to the Mountain Pass League championship, in a nerve-wracking finale at Citrus Hills High School. Their victory came by a whisker-thin margin, with a final score of 2-1. The road to the top wasn’t paved quite yet, however, despite the league’s leading scorer being San Jacinto’s Jaelyn Frazier with 19 goals. Their final league standing hung in the balance as Tahquitz and Liberty battled in their concluding match.
With a draw of 0-0 and only 5 minutes to go, Liberty was given a golden opportunity – a penalty kick that if converted, would have seen them, not the Tigers stand as league champions. As fate would have it, the Tahquitz goalkeeper made a heart-stopping save, blocking the PK and sealing the Tigers’ place at the top of the Mountain Pass League with 22 points, just edging out Liberty’s 21 and Tahquitz’s 20. This victory ended Tahquitz’s three-year reign as champions and secured all three teams’ places in the CIF Southern Section playoffs, which began Thursday, Feb 8.
Coach Walter O. Guzman, comparing these triumphant ladies to the championship-winning team of 2010, noted that we’re seeing echoes of history. “Just like that extraordinary team from 14 years ago, the current squad boasts five freshmen starters who have already demonstrated their capability and potential. Let’s wait and see if our young tigers will replicate that success and bring home more championships during their high school careers. After all, two of the previous champions from 2010’s team have since been acclaimed into the San Jacinto HS Hall of Fame!”
Following a remarkable win over Barstow, 4-0, and Paramount, 2-1 in overtime, the San Jacinto Ladies moved into the quarterfinals, ready to face Chadwick High School’s team in the Division 5 quarterfinal round Wednesday, Feb 14. Liberty, competing in Division 6, won their first-round playoff match over Desert Hot Springs, 3-0, and won their second-round match over Rancho Verde, 2-0. They will take on Colton next in the quarterfinal round Wednesday, Feb 14.
Tahquitz, also competing in Division 5, won their first-round playoff game, 3-0, over El Monte, but fell to Garden Grove in the second round, 3-2, ending their season. For updates and the upcoming quarterfinal match details, visit www.cifss.org.
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