SALINAS VALLEY — Soledad High’s boys soccer team closed the first half of play in the Cypress Division with wins over the Carmel Padres, 3-2, and at home against the Rancho San Juan Trailblazers, 4-2.
Last Tuesday at Carmel, Jesus Ortiz and Christian Romero scored goals off of assists by Ortiz and Joshua Guzman for the Aztecs.
“It was a tough game since it was the top two teams of the league,” said Soledad head coach Genaro Espinoza. “We are two points ahead of second place, and looking to close out the second half of the season in a stronger way.”
In the Trailblazers game, Ortiz scored two goals and single goals were scored by Daniel Magana and Jason Ortiz, with assists by Ortiz, Guzman and Carlos Bautista.
The Aztecs are 9-2-3 overall and 5-1 in the Cypress Division.
The Greenfield boys are 2-2-2 in the Gabilan Division and 4-4-4 overall after an 8-0 loss against Everett Alvarez last Friday. The Bruins had a bye and only played one game last week.
Gonzales won a pair of games last week, shutting out the Seaside Spartans, 8-0, and beating the Salinas Cowboys, 4-3.
In the Seaside game, Jorge Uribe scored four goals and added an assist. Macario Chavarin and Vicente Davila added solo goals. Davila, Uribe, Jorge Lara, Emmanuel Valdez, Sebastian Ramirez and Luis Benevides had assists and Luis Cabada made eight saves.
Jorge Uribe led Gonzales with three goals and had an assist against Salinas High. Samuel Ochoa had one goal and an assist, while Valdez and Lara were credited with assists.
King City’s boys soccer team lost to Templeton, 4-3, in non-league action last Thursday — their only game of the week.
In boys soccer games this week: Soledad plays at North Monterey County on Wednesday and in Watsonville against Ceiba on Friday; Greenfield travels to Alisal on Thursday; King City heads to Robert Louis Stevenson on Wednesday and plays at home against Watsonville on Friday; and Gonzales has a bye week.
GIRLS SOCCER
Gonzales High’s girls soccer team improved to 5-0 in the Cypress Division (6-6 overall) with wins against St. Francis and a nail-biter against Greenfield.
In the 2-1 victory against St. Francis, goals were scored by Izabella Mandujano and Alitzel Mauro, with Janelle Garcia recording an assist. Goalie Natalia Valdez finished with four saves.
Spartans coach Jose Tejeda gave special recognition to Isabella Camargo for an outstanding performance, making significant contributions on both the defensive and offensive ends of the field.
Tejeda praised many of his players for the hard work to gain the 1-0 win against Greenfield. Janelle Garcia scored the only goal of the game off an assist by Mandujano.
“Natalia Valdez was an absolute wall with 11 saves,” said Coach Tejeda. “Huge defensive effort by Alitzel Mauro, Maria Rosales, Zahaira Vega, Andrea Amador and Vivian Uribe holding it down. It was a total team effort for the win.”
The Greenfield girls began the week with a 1-1 tie against visiting Santa Catalina. Yesenia Patricio scored the Bruin goal. Goalie Kimberly Zavala made four saves.
Greenfield is 1-1-2 in Cypress and 3-3-2 overall.
In their only game of the week, the King City High girls defeated Palma, 4-2, at home. Goals for the Mustangs were scored by Melody Sanchez, Jaslene Merino-Gomez, Janessa Correa and Alyssa Torres-Macias. Mayte Sarabia recorded on assist and Sanchez recored two assists.
King City is 1-1-1 in Cypress and 2-6-1 overall.
The Soledad girls are 0-5-1 in the Gabilan Division and 6-7-1 overall. The Aztecs lost 6-0 to Salinas last Tuesday at home, 2-1 to Rancho San Juan in Salinas on Thursday and 3-0 at Monterey on Saturday.
Against Rancho San Juan, Myrin Amilpa scored the lone Soledad goal. Avery Fregoso made two saves for the Aztecs.
In girls soccer games this week: Gonzales plays at Palma on Thursday; King City heads to North Salinas on Thursday; and Soledad hosts Hollister on Friday.
