A year ago, a late-in-the-season loss to Gonzales all but
prevented the Anzar girls’ soccer team from advancing to the
postseason. This year, a 2-0 victory over the defending league
champion Spartans ensured the Hawks the Coastal Athletic League
crown.
GONZALES
A year ago, a late-in-the-season loss to Gonzales all but prevented the Anzar girls’ soccer team from advancing to the postseason. This year, a 2-0 victory over the defending league champion Spartans ensured the Hawks the Coastal Athletic League crown.
What a difference a year makes.
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Behind a pair of goals from Jessica Stofer, Anzar silenced host Gonzales last Friday en route to the 2-0 win, the CAL title, and the one and only postseason bid toward the Central Coast Section playoffs.
It is Anzar’s fifth straight win, and with a two-game lead in the loss column with just one game remaining, the Hawks are league champs for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
“It allows us to get over that hump,” Anzar head coach Carlos Flores said.
Anzar went 6-3-1 last season to finish in third place in the CAL, behind both Gonzales and Pacific Collegiate, which combined went 2-1-1 against the Hawks.
This season, though, few teams have been on the same level as the San Juan Bautista high school. Anzar is 10-1 in the CAL, 12-5-1 overall, with its lone league loss coming on Jan. 27 — a 2-1 defeat against Gonzales.
Another loss to the defending champs last Friday could have supplied Gonzales with its second straight league title.
“But the girls played great,” Flores said. “We played well and the movement was there.”
Nerves were part of the story early on, however, although Flores didn’t feel his team ever lost control of the matchup.
It was 25 minutes in when the Hawks pocketed the only goal they’d need. Off a throw-in attempt by Valerie Quezada, Anzar moved the ball toward the net, from Brianna McCain to Brianna Miltimore, who set up Stofer for her first goal.
“That just took the nerves off and everyone played their game,” Flores said.
While Gonzales was unable to deposit the equalizer, Anzar padded its lead in the 60th minute when a corner kick by Lauren Bellone ricocheted off Stofer’s hip and into the net.
“She was running and it hit right off her body and in,” Flores said of the insurance goal.
The loss, the Spartans’ first in six games, drops Gonzales into second place at 8-3 in the CAL, 11-7-1 overall. They’ll wrap up the regular season on Tuesday against third-place Pacific Collegiate (7-2-1 CAL, 8-7-1).
As for Anzar, it will host York Tuesday in what should be a stress-free game for the Hawks — the last until the playoffs start. The team will celebrate Senior Day, and will honor nine seniors, including Lauren Bellone, Marissa Carapinha, Hakima Hossainzadeh, Stephanie Lavarone, Brianna McCain, Sabrina Perez, Mayra Quezada, Nicki Seymour and Jessica Stofer.
Match time is 4 p.m.
TEAM 1 2 F
ANZR 1 1 2
GONZ 0 0 0
