Craig Bull is constructing fairly this system at Santa Margarita.
On Friday night time in Orange he and the Eagles soared into their third Southern Part ladies’ soccer last in his three years on the helm — and left with their second championship after a 4-2 victory over Corona Santiago.
“This team is the strongest overall I’ve had,” mentioned Bull, whose “day job” is teaching a number of age teams for Slammers FC, a membership crew based mostly in Newport Seaside.
It’s simple to see why Santa Margarita has eight school commits on its roster, together with Tennessee-bound junior Cora Fry, who scored twice within the second half. The primary got here on a low strike after a solo run down the left aspect that made it 3-1 on the 11:36 mark.
Then, with 6:45 left she put the sport away with a well-placed strike to the far publish that tucked beneath the crossbar and past the attain of goalkeeper Abigail Turley.
Santiago shut out Santa Margarita 2-0 in final season’s inaugural Open Division last, and the Eagles have been itching for an opportunity at redemption.
“We were super-hyped in the locker room,” Fry mentioned. “We couldn’t wait to get on the field. It wasn’t even like revenge… we just knew we were the better team.”
Santa Margarita’s Felicity Nguyen, proper, leaps into the arms of teammate Cora Fry after scoring towards Corona Santiago on Friday night time.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Occasions)
Along with two CIF titles within the final three years, Santa Margarita has captured three straight Trinity League crowns. Two years in the past, the Eagles beat Los Alamitos on penalty kicks to win the Division 1 championship.
On Friday, at Fred Kelly Stadium on the campus of El Modena Excessive, junior Jastel David tallied the primary purpose after a nifty transfer and shot from 10 yards out with 22:10 left within the first half.
“The first goal was the most important because it set the tone for the rest of the game,” she mentioned. “I’m glad I was able to get it.”
A couple of minutes later sophomore Felicity Nguyen scored from almost the identical spot: “Cora got the ball and gave me a great pass and it was two touches and in.”
The defending champions obtained one again on the 26:20 mark when Santa Margarita did not clear a free ball in entrance of its purpose and Gabi Germain scored.
The third-seeded Eagles (18-1-2) took a 2-1 lead into halftime.
“We’re a hard-working team, we’re resilient and we push until the final whistle,” Nguyen mentioned.
Santa Margarita goalkeeper Kayla Burmood blocks a header by Santiago’s Gabi Germain (13) within the second half Friday night time.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Occasions)
Trailing by two, Santiago pushed its defenders into the assault, and Ashlyn Jones scored off a nook kick with 12:27 remaining to tug the Sharks inside 3-2. However sophomore goalkeeper Kayla Burmood stored the Huge VIII League winners off the scoreboard the remainder of the best way.
Seeded fifth, Santiago (21-3-2) swept each legs of the semifinal spherical towards No. 1 Harvard-Westlake, by 1-0 and 4-0 scores, to return to the ultimate.
