Surf-City Smackers win area title; sectional next

Mike Sciacca, Independent

For the first time in a long time, AYSO Region 143 (Huntington

Beach/Westminster) will be sending a team to the sectional playoffs.

The Surf-City Smackers, girls’ Under-10 Division team, will carry the

Region 143 banner at University of California, Irvine in March, when they

compete at the sectional tournament playoffs. The Smackers earned the

right to advance by winning the Area 11-K tournament last weekend at

Peterson School in Huntington Beach.

Surf-City played three games over the weekend, culminating in a 4-0

victory over host Region 56 in Sunday’s final.

“The girls have played with a huge amount of heart and desire through

the regular season, the league playoffs, and now the area playoffs,”

Smackers Coach Mike Nunez said. “They have done a tremendous job, and I’m

proud of them for advancing to the sectional tournament.”

GAME 1: Smackers 6, Region 517 0

Lindsay Mangan scored a hat trick (three goals); single goals went to

Andrea Gonzalez, Allison Dufault, and Amy Nunez; and the shutout was

highlighted by the defensive play of Jenna Minton, Andrea Gonzalez, and

goalies Breanna Flynn and Dufault.

GAME 2: Smackers 1, Region 55 1

The intense match, which featured outstanding play on both sides of

the field and ended in a tie, saw Amy Nunez score and goalie Breanna

Flynn hold off the Region 55 charges.

GAME 3: Smackers 4, Region 56 0

Coming off their hard-fought tie, the Smackers earned the title behind

Amy Nunez’s third hat trick of the Area 11-K playoffs. Breanna Flynn

again had a strong performance at goal, which included her coming out of

the net to score a goal in the second half. Allison Dufault’s play in

goal in the second half secured the shutout. Fullbacks Katie Brewster,

Jenna Minton (sweeper), Brittany Fuller, Elizabeth Novotny, Missy Murphy,

Alyssa Jones, Hayley Lorenz, and center halfback Andrea Gonzalez helped

keep Region 56 off the scoreboard.