SOCCER ROUNDUP : Canyon, Foothill Girls Still Locked in Tie

Canyon and Foothill high girls’ soccer teams entered the week tied atop the Century League standings.

Tuesday, the teams left Canyon’s field deadlocked again, playing to a scoreless tie, and leaving the league title hanging in the balance.

“It was a nerve-racking game,” Canyon Coach John Williams said. “We controlled the game, especially in the second half, but unfortunately, it’s not who controls the game, but who puts the ball in the net.”

Canyon’s tight-marking defenders kept Foothill’s leading scorers--forwards Cathy Shortall and Kari Maeda--at bay.

Williams wanted to avoid a replay of Canyon’s loss two weeks ago at Foothill, a game in which the Knights broke open a scoreless tie after the half with long-range goals for a 4-0 victory.

That loss to Foothill was the first league defeat for Canyon (15-3-4, 7-1-1 in league), the sixth-ranked team in the Southern Section Division 3-A, in three years.

Foothill, (11-6-5, 6-0-3) remained tied with Canyon for first with 15 points.

Canyon’s best scoring opportunity came with 10 minutes left in the game. Freshman winger Krista Broten crossed a pass in front of the goal for fellow freshman Danielle Watson, but Watson tapped the ball wide of the goal post to the left.

“I was counting that one as soon as Krista made the pass,” Williams said. “But things happen so fast. There were a million bodies in there (in the penalty box).”

Both goalkeepers--Canyon’s Tina Thompson and Foothill’s Julie Ehret--had seven saves.