Foothill League soccer has entered the second half the schedule. It’s still anyone’s game in both boys and girls leagues but with six or less matches left, the clock is ticking for some of the lower-seeded teams.
Here are some highlights from last week’s Foothill League action:
Hart boys soccer keeps on rolling
The Hart Indians have shown no signs of cooling down after winning their 12th match in a row.
The Indians shut out Valencia on Tuesday, winning the game 2-0 in the team’s 10th shutout of the year.
Senior Trenton Rickard has been the leading force for the Indians and is on track to repeat as a Foothill League champion as well as a league MVP.
Hart will host Golden Valley on Tuesday before heading to the second-place Saugus on Thursday.
Castaic gets first league win in great week
Castaic Coyotes boys soccer didn’t move in the standings but took a leap as a program last week. On Tuesday, the team won its first Foothill League game in a 4-2 victory over West Ranch. The Coyotes then forced a draw with Golden Valley on Thursday with a last-second goal.
Sophomores Ronnie Castruita and Alexis Silva posted two-goal days in the win over West Ranch while Gabe Sanchez netted the equalizer at Golden Valley.
“I felt great and excited getting the win, especially scoring two goals,” Silva said. “One of the biggest reasons for my success is just being positive and supporting my team through everything, including the entire season with practices and all. Making sure they are happy, and proud of how well we all have done so far. It is a reminder of how far we have come.”
Castaic has now revived its season with an unbeaten week. The team will have the chance to extend its streak just once this week in a home matchup with Valencia at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday.
Canyon and West Ranch have split weeks
The Canyon Cowboys have shown few issues scoring this season. The team posted a 3-1 win over Saugus on Tuesday with Gonzalo Carrera, Marcus Toney and Vincent Guerra netting scores for the Cowboys.
The West Ranch Wildcats rebounded well after handing Castaic its first-ever league win with a 2-1 road win at Canyon. It was the Cats’ first league win of the year as they avenge their 5-3 loss to the Cowboys in their season opener.
West Ranch returns home for the upcoming week to host Saugus on Tuesday and Valencia on Thursday.
Canyon will be on the road for the sole game this week with a trip to Golden Valley on Thursday.
“We just have to come ready to play mentally and physically and play smart soccer and play within ourselves,” said Cowboys head coach Robert Benavidez. “The message is to take it one game at a time.”
Girls soccer: Another perfect week for Hart and Saugus
Saugus and Hart remain the last two unbeaten teams in the Foothill League. Saugus won a 1-0 thriller over Canyon with a stoppage time corner kick goal from junior Sophia Ruys.
The team then hammered the net with scores on Thursday in a 4-1 win over Valencia. Sophomore Makenna Blum had a two-goal game while Aneesa Bolanos and Bella Durazo added scores for Saugus.
Hart shut out Valencia, 3-0, in the team’s one match last week. Senior Briley Phelps netted a pair of goals for the Indians while Natalie Mejia also scored.
Saugus hosts West Ranch on Tuesday while the Indians head to Golden Valley. The two will face off for the second time on Thursday at Hart.
West Ranch heats up
Great things come in threes for West Ranch girls soccer. The Wildcats have now won their third straight match after picking up wins over Canyon and Castaic last week.
West Ranch took down the visiting Coyotes 1-0 on Tuesday, with sophomore Ava Magana netting the golden goal on an assist from Naliya Montebon.
The Cats then made it three in a row after beating the Cowboys, 3-1. Senior Mikayla Toliver scored a pair for West Ranch on assists from Magana and Isabella Bruno. Sophomore Ainsley Pierzchalski scored the final goal of the game off a pass from Summer Lagana.
West Ranch remains in third place and can potentially jump up in the standings with a pair of road games this week. The Wildcats head to Saugus on Tuesday and Valencia on Thursday.
Castaic girls keep inclining
The Coyotes picked up the program’s third Foothill League win on Thursday after taking down Golden Valley.
Castaic’s Chloe Colgan had a two-goal day while Leila Sadra and Claire Silvestro added goals in the win.
The Coyotes are in good shape to clinch a playoff spot in the team’s second year of varsity. The team currently sits in fourth place with a great shot at the playoffs. Castaic heads to Valencia on Tuesday for the team’s one match of the week.
