The Cerritos Firecrackers girls under 14 soccer team was inches away from becoming the 2011 American Youth Soccer Organization’s California State Champions as a last minute gasp to score the winning goal in the final seconds of overtime just went agonizingly wide of the net forcing the game against eventual champion Winters into the Russian roulette of penalty kicks this past Saturday at the Chapman Sports Complex in Garden Grove.
Winters, a small community near Sacramento, was a perfect four for four in penalty to take the state title to northern California and Cerritos was unable to match their perfection. But the game should have never gone that far if not for a tremendously valiant come-from-behind rally by the Firecrackers. Down 2-0 midway through the second half, the Cerritos squad found a higher gear and began to pressure the Winters defense. A great move involving Cerritos resident Karen Malacon led to a Madison Wells score to make it a 2-1 score and then with about five minutes left in regulation a scramble in front of the Winters goal found the ball at Wells’ feet, who once again kept her cool and scored the tying goal to send the game into overtime.
In overtime, Cerritos dominated the run of play. Juliana Orozco, Ariel Burns, Karen Malacon, Marissa Pacheco, Cynthia Rogel and Lauren Miranda pushed forward with determination and all had shots on goal. And then just before overtime ended, Orozco, Wells and Malacon combined on a last second attempt to score the winner, but it was not meant to be as the shot was inches away from finding an open net. The Cerritos Firecrackers’ accomplishments are remarkable, as they reached the championship game from around 1,000 AYSO teams statewide in the girls under 14 division. According to several sources, it is believed that they are the first Cerritos AYSO team to play for a state title since the 1999-2000 Cerritos under 12 girls and 1999-2000 boys under 14 state champions.
The Firecrackers made it to the championship game following a thrilling 2-1 victory over an ultra talented team from San Luis Obispo. Led by a great defensive effort from Summer Jordan, Kaylie Mota, Ariel Burns and Isabel Garcia, the Firecrackers held off a team that included several members from the 2010 Governor’s Cup Club State Championship girls under 13 championship winning team. The Firecrackers created a ton of scoring chances via counter attacks against the potent SLO offensive attack. Madison Wells opened up the scoring before SLO tied it. In the final minutes of the game a perfectly placed shot from 20 yards away by Juliana Orozco sent Cerritos into the championship game. The Cerritos Firecrackers also features talented midfielders Rubi Vazquez, Cheyenne Avila and Vanessa Von Deudekom, defender Justine Vitug and the fearless goalkeeper Karina Mayoral.
“I can’t tell these players enough of how proud I am of their effort and accomplishments this season,” said coach Orlando Gutierrez. “To play for a state title was an unimaginable dream at the start of the season and they made it happen. I hope that this is an experience that the players and their parents fondly remember for a long time.”
For the season, the Cerritos Firecrackers won 18, tied 2 and only lost one game other than the state championship game. They scored 65 goals and only allowed 11 for the season.
On Sunday, several of the Cerritos Firecrackers returned to play in the All Star version of the AYSO California State Championships against fresh all star teams from powerhouse regions of Tulare, San Gabriel and North Valley near Granada Hills that did not have to labor through two Saturday games. The Cerritos All Stars ran their hearts out, but it was too much to ask, as eventual champions Tulare defeated them in the semifinal and North Valley edged them out in the third place game. Nevertheless, for these Firecracker players, two state medals in a single season is a rare accomplishment statewide.
The All Star squad also featured Rebecca Hobson, who scored twice on Sunday, Vanessa Marquez, who scored in the consolation game, Serrina Terrazas-Lopez, Eileen Garcia, Erika Lizarraga and Vijaya George. The All Star team, winners of Area E and Section 11 titles, won eight games, tied once and loss three of 12 games toward their fourth place finish statewide from among 250 All Star teams. Sign-ups for the Cerritos AYSO Region 54 Fall 2011 season will take place in the summer. For more information visit the region’s internet site at www.ayso54.org.
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