They had just won a share of their school
’s first Central Coast Section title in girls soccer since 1997,
outlasting a higher-ranked team in a classic, quadruple-overtime
struggle in the section finals at Valley Christian High last
weekend. But instead of celebrating wildly, they were crying.
They had just won a share of their school’s first Central Coast Section title in girls soccer since 1997, outlasting a higher-ranked team in a classic, quadruple-overtime struggle in the section finals at Valley Christian High last weekend. But instead of celebrating wildly, they were crying.
It seems that nothing less than an undisputed CCS championship would do for the Live Oak High girls soccer team this season.
When asked, the Lady Acorns’ four seniors — Janae Pimentel, Bridgette Bonfiglio, Allison Mutz and Catriona Adam — all said they’d rather the final match was settled, one way or another. They didn’t necessarily want to settle it with penalty kicks, which is how ties used to be broken, but instead suggested that the two teams should play until one or the other scored a goal and won the section title outright.
“Co-champs is no-champs,” Adam said. “There should be some way to decide the final game. We played hard to get here and we played hard in the game, and for it to end like this doesn’t seem right.”
“It’s just weird — it felt like we didn’t finish the game,” Pimentel said. “It would be better if one team won.”
None of the four seniors wanted their final high school match to end in an unresolved tie and they didn’t want to leave the field until things were settled. Perhaps they simply didn’t really want to leave the field at all.
Coach Tony Vasquez admitted to being chagrined by the way the match ended, although perhaps the outcome was best for his immediate family harmony. Tony’s brother John is the Leland coach and they live under the same roof in Morgan Hill. A tie means there’s no chance of eviction.
But that doesn’t mean Vasquez had to be overjoyed about the tie.
“When the game was over, I thought this is no way for a championship game to end,” Vasquez said. “But when I had time to think about it, it would have been sad for either one of us to lose on (penalty kicks) because that doesn’t determine who’s the better team. I believe you need a clear winner in a championship game. But if we were going to tie and be co-champions with someone there’s no one better than my brother.”
Vasquez said he thought his players’ tears were as much a result of playing their last match with the seniors as the nebulous final outcome.
But what a ride the seniors led the Acorn girls on this season.
After losing several key seniors from the 2002-03 team that advanced to the CCS quarterfinals, this year’s seniors were left with a roster full of very young players. Other than four juniors, including top scorer Michelle McDonald, the Acorns were mostly sophomores and freshmen (10 in all).
Even Vasquez said he had his doubts about the team’s ability to challenge for the section title.
“At the beginning of the year, I really felt with the talent we had — (even though) we weren’t really a team and a lot of the girls didn’t know my system — I felt that we had a chance,” Vasquez said. “But I didn’t know for sure. And, there was a part of the season when we were kind of going through the motions. But as the season went along, I really thought we could win.”
Under Vasquez’s guidance, the senior quartet refused to let this be a rebuilding year and willed their younger teammates into a championship team.
After a tough non-league schedule, Live Oak rolled through the Tri-County Athletic League — picking up another in a series of league titles.
But the Acorns’ mettle was truly tested in the CCS playoffs. After rolling through Alisal and Carlmont, Live Oak ran up against nemesis Santa Teresa, the team that had ousted the Acorns from the postseason two years in a row.
This year, however, it would be Live Oak’s turn as the Acorns made a second-half goal stand up for the victory.
And, in the finale, Live Oak faced a tough Leland team that beat the Acorns to the punch and were nine minutes from a shutout victory when Live Oak broke through.
For Bonfiglio, who manned an Acorn defense that allowed just 10 goals all season, Saturday’s game was about perserverance.
“The thing about this team all year long is we never gave up,” she said.
Jim Johnson is the Sports Editor at the Morgan Hill Times. Call him at (408) 779-4106 or e-mail him at ji**@*************es.com
