Despite finishing middle of the pack during the regular season,
the Hollister Tremors 9U Lightning finished at the top of the heap
while playing for the District II Cup last month in Milpitas.
HOLLISTER
Despite finishing middle of the pack during the regular season, the Hollister Tremors 9U Lightning finished at the top of the heap while playing for the District II Cup last month in Milpitas.
Compiling a 4-4-2 overall record while competing within the CYSAs Division II “Bronze” division, a record that positioned them fifth out of 10 teams during the regular season, the Lightning played up a level for the District II Cup, and proceeded to go 4-0 en route to earning the title.
The Hollister girls soccer team, which is part of the San Benito Youth Soccer League, defeated the Belmont Ice 4-1, the Belmont Fire 2-1, then shutout its remaining two opponents, silencing the Milpitas Wildcats 1-0 and the Mount Hamilton Dynamo “Red” 2-0 to claim the Cup championship.
“A couple of the girls had played together, but for the team, for this whole group, it was their first year together and it was their first year in competition (soccer),” said Lightning coach Matt Raich, noting that “competition” soccer includes tryouts, more travel and the chance to compete in more tournaments, among other differences from the lower levels.
The newness of the District II Cup didn’t appear to have much affect on the Lightning, however, although the team’s regular season may have prepared them for it.
All four losses for Hollister this past season came on the road. But the team showed enough road moxie to earn four wins in Milpitas and win the District II Cup title, nevertheless.
“I guess they were kind of getting used to playing away,” said Raich, who coaches the Lightning with assistant Jimmy Corona.
They were even able to avenge prior road losses as well. Hollister fell by a 3-1 score to the Milpitas Wildcats and by a 2-1 score to the Mount Hamilton Dynamo during the regular season, but shut out those two teams by a combined 3-0 margin in the postseason.
The team includes Bella Corona, Emily Edgerle, Mia Hull, Kaitlyn Iler, Luna Lugo, Lauren Okamoto, Jessica Parga, Ashley Raich, Samantha Rabusin, Annie Ruvalcaba and Lilly Sanchez.
The Lightning will look to continue their strong play of late this weekend, when they will open their indoor season on Saturday in Watsonville.
“In some of the games, they outplayed the other team but just couldn’t score,” Raich said. “But we peaked at the end of the year, which was encouraging.
“Hopefully, they can keep it up.”
